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genetics professionals claim that Cherokees are in the Middleeast Theoretical frameworks for study reports give a practical type for performing investigation and analyzing research outcomes. Planning a theoretical platform for a research-paper requires one to think about your scientific study, as well as related tasks, and after that pick a framework that best matches your specific requirements. Consider carefully your study dilemma from your main research queries to your early writing custom ideas and kinds of supplier material where your document will focus. For example, should you be creating a study paper to the fiscal practicality of National captivity, you would probably employ a financially focused theoretical framework, including Marxism, in the place of a oriented framework, such as Freudian psychoanalysis. Examine your research project with similar research projects. Should you notice your report as challenging or contradicting these different assignments, you may adopt an alternative theoretical construction. Assess Available Hypotheses Each construction has distinct gains and detriments determined by how you intend to utilize it to frame your investigation. As an example, a nationalist construction would allow you to produce a paper about Vietnamese identification because it pertains to the known place of Vietnam. Many conversations that are dynamic occur in a online class. About the other hand, a postcolonial theoretical construction would allow you to publish a paper about Vietnamese identification as it pertains to these various countries that have occupied as well as perhaps attempted to colonize Vietnam for example France or perhaps the United States. Identity and illustrate the critical assumptions your theoretical framework makes, particularly while they relate with how those assumptions handle the manner in which you analyze your study matter. For example, if you chose to publish a document having a feminist theoretical construction to examine how university-age children may flourish in a classroom, you might summarize how your framework asserts that you concentrate specifically on sex relationships in a classroom in place of different classroom aspects such as era, ethnicity or class position. shop the imetabolic store
Improve learning with co-occurring novelty • An animal study shows that following learning with a novel experience makes the learning stronger. • A human study shows that giving information positive associations improves your memory for future experiences with similar information. We know that the neurotransmitter dopamine is involved in making strong memories. Now a mouse study helps us get more specific — and suggests how we can help ourselves learn. The study, involving 120 mice, found that mice tasked with remembering where food had been hidden did better if they had been given a novel experience (exploring an unfamiliar floor surface) 30 minutes after being trained to remember the food location. This memory improvement also occurred when the novel experience was replaced by the selective activation of dopamine-carrying neurons in the locus coeruleus that go to the hippocampus. The locus coeruleus is located in the brain stem and involved in several functions that affect emotion, anxiety levels, sleep patterns, and memory. The dopamine-carrying neurons in the locus coeruleus appear to be especially sensitive to environmental novelty. In other words, if we’re given attention-grabbing experiences that trigger these LC neurons carrying dopamine to the hippocampus at around the time of learning, our memories will be stronger. Now we already know that emotion helps memory, but what this new study tells us is that, as witness to the mice simply being given a new environment to explore, these dopamine-triggering experiences don’t have to be dramatic. It’s suggested that it could be as simple as playing a new video game during a quick break while studying for an exam, or playing tennis right after trying to memorize a big speech. Remember that we’re designed to respond to novelty, to pay it more attention — and, it seems, that attention is extended to more mundane events that occur closely in time. Emotionally positive situations boost memory for similar future events In a similar vein, a human study has found that the benefits of reward extend forward in time. In the study, volunteers were shown images from two categories (objects and animals), and were financially rewarded for one of these categories. As expected, they remembered images associated with a reward better. In a second session, however, they were shown new images of animals and objects without any reward. Participants still remembered the previously positively-associated category better. Now, this doesn’t seem in any way surprising, but the interesting thing is that this benefit wasn’t seen immediately, but only after 24 hours — that is, after participants had slept and consolidated the learning. Previous research has shown similar results when semantically related information has been paired with negative, that is, aversive stimuli. tags memworks: tags strategies: Sleep helps you remember new names • A small study has found that a night's sleep helps you better remember new names. Sleep, as I have said on many occasions, helps your brain consolidate new memories. I have reported before on a number of studies showing how sleep helps the learning of various types of new information. Most of those studies have looked at procedural learning (learning new skills), or verbal learning. A new study adds to these by looking at face-name associations. The small study, involving 14 young adults, found that that they were significantly better at remembering faces and names if they were given an opportunity to have a full night's sleep hours after seeing those faces and names for the first time. Participants were shown 20 photos of faces with corresponding names and asked to memorize them. After a twelve-hour period, they were then shown the photos again with either a correct or incorrect name. They were also asked to rate their confidence in their answer. Each participant completed the test twice — once with an interval of sleep in between and once with a period of regular, waking day activities in between. After a night's sleep, participants correctly matched 12% more of the faces and names, and were much more confident of their answers. Of course, this is not a huge difference, given the small number of face-name pairs, and the sample is small. I would have also liked to see further testing 12 hours later, so that we could compare the effects of a day followed by a night, versus a night followed by a day (this would have required more stimuli and more participants, of course). So, not madly exciting, but taken in context of other research, it adds to the growing evidence that sleep helps you consolidate new learning of all kinds. tags strategies: tags lifestyle: tags memworks: Mindfulness may increase susceptibility to false memories • Mindfulness meditation is associated in many studies with cognitive benefits, especially in attention. • In a new study, a brief guided meditation exercise increased students' false recognition of words as ones they had seen earlier. • It may be that the non-judgmental mindset encouraged by mindfulness meditation reduces people's ability to clearly remember the source of a memory, thus making them more susceptible to false memories. • Source memory also tends to be negatively affected by increasing age. tags problems: tags strategies: Movements and images improve new vocabulary learning • Foreign words are learned better when gestures or pictures are used. • Imitating symbolic gestures is more beneficial than viewing illustrative pictures. • These benefits correlate with activity in specific brain regions. • The benefits are only found in translation tasks, not in free recall. A small study using an artificial language adds to evidence that new vocabulary is learned more easily when the learner uses gestures. “Vimmish”, the artificial language used in the study, follows similar phonetic rules to Italian. The German-speaking participants were given abstract and concrete nouns to learn over the course of a week. In the first experiment, the 21 subjects heard the words and their translations under one of three conditions: • with a video showing a symbolic gesture of the word's meaning, which they imitated • with a picture illustrating the word's meaning, which they traced in the air • with no gestures or pictures. On the 8th day, the participants were tested while their brain activity was monitored. The test involved hearing the foreign word, then selecting the correct translation from four written options. The researchers were interested in learning whether they could predict the learning condition from the brain activity patterns displayed when the participants were tested. They found that the gesture condition and control could be distinguished in two brain regions: a visual area that processes biological motion (part of the right superior temporal sulcus), and the left premotor cortex. Activity in these regions was also significantly correlated with performance. The picture condition and control could be distinguished in a visual area that processes objects (the right anterior lateral occipital cortex). There was a trend for this activity to correlate with performance, but it didn't reach significance. Paper-and-pencil translation tests two and six months after learning showed that learning with gestures was significantly better than the other conditions. But note that there was no advantage for any condition in a free recall task. A second experiment compared gesture and pictures in the more common picture scenario — participants only viewed the video or picture; there was no imitation. Unsurprisingly, there was no motor cortex involvement in this scenario: gesture and control conditions were distinguished only by activity in the biological motion part of the right superior temporal sulcus. The correlation of activity in the right anterior LOC with performance in the picture condition this time reached significance. But most importantly, this time the picture condition led to better translation accuracy than the other two conditions. However, the most significant result is this: when both experiments were evaluated together, the gesture benefit in experiment 1 (when the participant copied the gesture) was greater than the picture benefit in the second experiment. The findings are in keeping with other evidence that foreign words are learned more easily when multiple senses are involved. tags memworks: tags strategies: Implementation plans help those with low working memory capacity • Implementation plans are a strategy for helping you remember your intended future actions. • College students with low WMC performed a prospective memory task at the same level as those with a higher WMC, but only when they used a simple implementation plan. I've written at length about implementation plans in my book “Planning to Remember: How to Remember What You're Doing and What You Plan to Do”. Essentially, they're intentions you make in which you explicitly tie together your intended action with a specific situational cue (such as seeing a post box). A new study looked at the benefits of using an implementation intention for those with low working memory capacity. The study involved 100 college students, of whom half were instructed to form an implementation intention in the event-based prospective memory task. The task was in the context of a lexical decision task in which the student had to press a different key depending on whether a word or a pseudo-word was presented, and to press the spacebar when a waiting message appeared between each trial. However (and this is the prospective element), if they saw one of four cue words, they were to stop doing the lexical task and say aloud both the cue word and its associated target word. They were then given the four word pairs to learn. After they had mastered the word pairs, students in the implementation intention group were also given various sentences to say aloud, of the form: “When I see the word _______ (hotel, eraser, thread, credit) while making a word decision, I will stop doing the lexical decision task and call out _____-______ (hotel-glass, eraser-pencil, thread-book, credit-card) to the experimenter during the waiting message.” They said each sentence (relating to each word pair) twice. Both groups were given a 5-minute survey to fill out before beginning the trials. At the end of the trials, their working memory was assessed using both the Operation Span task and the Reading Span task. Overall, as expected, the implementation intention group performed significantly better on the prospective memory task. Unlike other research, there was no significant effect of working memory capacity on prospective memory performance. But this is because other studies haven't used implementation intentions — among those who made no such implement plans, low working memory capacity did indeed negatively affect prospective memory performance. However, those with low working memory capacity did just as well as those with high WMC when they formed implementation intentions (in fact, they did slightly better). The most probable benefit of the strategy is that it heightened sensitivity to the event cues, something which is of particular value to those with low working memory capacity, who by definition have poorer attentional control. It should be noted that this was an attentionally demanding task — there is some evidence that working memory ability only relates to prospective memory ability when the prospective memory task requires a high amount of attentional demand. But what constitutes “attentionally demanding” varies depending on the individual. Perhaps this bears on evidence suggesting that a U-shaped function might apply, with a certain level of cognitive ability needed to benefit from implementation intentions, while those above a certain level find them unnecessary. But again, this depends on how attentionally demanding the task is. We can all benefit from forming implementation intentions in very challenging situations. It should also be remembered that WMC is affected not only more permanently by age, but also more temporarily by stress, anxiety, and distraction. Of course, this experiment framed the situation in a very short-term way, with the intentions only needing to be remembered for about 15 minutes. A more naturalistic study is needed to confirm the results. tags memworks: Unfamiliar accents can make spoken words harder to remember This is just a preliminary study presented at a recent conference, so we can't give it too much weight, but the finding is consistent with what we know about working memory, and it is of some usefulness. The study tested the ability of young-adult native English speakers to store spoken words in short-term memory. The English words were spoken either with a standard American accent or with a pronounced but still intelligible Korean accent. Every now and then, the listeners (all unfamiliar with a Korean accent) would be asked to recall the last three words they had heard. While there was no difference for the last and second-last words, the third word back was remembered significantly better when it was spoken in the familiar accent (80% vs 70%). The finding suggests that the effort listeners needed to put into understanding the foreign accent used up some of their working memory, reducing their ability to hold onto the information. The finding is consistent with previous research showing that people with hearing difficulties or who are listening in difficult circumstances (such as over a bad phone line or in a loud room) are poorer at remembering and processing the spoken information compared to individuals who are hearing more clearly. On a practical level, this finding suggests that, if you're receiving important information (for example, medical information) from someone speaking with an unfamiliar accent, you should make special efforts to remember and process the information. For example, by asking them to speak more slowly, by taking notes and asking for clarification, etc. Those providing such information should take on board the idea that if their listeners are likely to be unfamiliar with their accent, they need to take greater care to speak slowly and clearly, with appropriate levels of repetition and elaboration. Gestures are also helpful for reducing the load on working memory. Van Engen, K. et al. 2015. Downstream effects of accented speech on memory. Presentation 1aSC4 at the 169th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, held May 18-22, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. tags memworks: tags strategies: Evidence for the benefits of meditation in fighting age-related cognitive decline tags strategies: Interruptions impact the quality of creative work In 2013 I reported how a 3-second interruption while doing a task doubled the rate of sequence errors, while a 4s one tripled it. A new study has attempted to measure just how much ongoing interruptions can negatively affect the quality of a complex creative task. tags problems: Mnemonics for Seniors • Mnemonics can be effective strategies for older adults, but they require more training than younger adults • Mnemonic strategies with less memory load, like the keyword and the face-name association methods, are better strategies for older adults than strategies with a high memory load, such as the pegword and loci methods • The durability and effectiveness of mental images are enhanced if you spend some time attending to the quality of the image (e.g., how pleasant it is) • Because older adults have more trouble changing their habits, they are much less likely to continue to use a new method without explicit instructions to do so • Mnemonics that involve words rather than images may be more useful for most older adults • Mnemonics are not particularly useful for remembering information heard in the course of conversation, remembering an action performed, remembering to do something. Teaching yourself to repeat information is probably a more useful skill. Aids to memory such as acronyms, rhymes, linking information by creating visual images or making up a story, are called mnemonics. Most popular memory courses teach mnemonic strategies. It is however only one type of memory strategy. Mnemonics are however particularly appropriate for remembering names and dates. In a survey of over 100 elderly adults, learning and remembering people's names, and learning and remembering dates, were the two memory skills they most wanted to improve (Leirer Morrow Sheikh & Pariante 1990). However, although mnemonics can be very effective, they do require a great deal of effort to master. In this page I report on research into the usefulness of various mnemonic strategies for older adults. Pegword method The pegword mnemonic is a strategy for learning lists. You memorize a list that converts numbers into visual images (one is a bun, two is a shoe, etc), and then use those images as pegs for the items you wish to remember. Thus, to remember a shopping list you imagine each item in turn with these images: an apple in a bun; a shoe full of beans; etc. While the pegword strategy is effective, it does require a lot of training to be used successfully, and doesn't appear to be a good strategy for older adults. Four studies have found no lasting improvement in memory when middle-aged or elderly subjects have been instructed in the pegword technique (Smith 1975a, Mason & Smith 1977, Hellebusch 1976, Wood & Pratt 1987). Method of loci The method of loci (places) is the classic mnemonic, first invented by the ancient Greeks, and is considerably easier to learn than the pegword technique. Using a place you know very very well - perhaps a familiar route, your house, or a particular room in it - you mentally visualize the items you want to remember in particular places. This technique has had somewhat more success in improving memory in older adults, although not to the extent seen in younger adults taught the strategy. This may be due to older adults' slower rate of processing information. Older adults who are already experienced in using imagery are likely to find the technique more useful. Robertson-Tchabo, Hausman, & Arenberg (1976) found elderly subjects successfully used the method, but only when explicitly instructed to do so. Anschutz, Camp, Markley & Kramer (1985; 1987) found elderly subjects could be trained to use the method to remember shopping list items, but tended not to use it when asked to learn new lists several weeks later, and many reported not using the strategy when interviewed several years later. Rose & Yesavage (1983); Kliegl, Smith & Baltes (1989) found the improved memory performance seen in elderly subjects was less than that found for similarly trained young adults. The reduced benefit of the method to older adults may be due to their slower rate of processing information. Lindenberger, Kliegl & Baltes (1992) found that elderly adults who were experienced in using imagery (graphic designers) performed better than other elderly adults, although still not to the level of young adults. Keyword method One of the most effective mnemonic strategies is the keyword method. This is particularly effective for learning new words. Gruneberg & Pascoe (1996) had success in teaching a group of older women Spanish words using the keyword method of foreign language learning. Face-name associations Perhaps the most widely used mnemonic is the face-name association method. This strategy involves choosing something distinctive about the face, finding a word or phrase (the "keyword") that is similar to the name, and creating a visual image that links the distinctive feature with the keyword. Yesavage & Rose (1984a) found older adults significantly improved their memory of names using this method, although the improvement was limited (they still only remembered 24% of names - but this was double what they remembered prior to training). General remarks about mnemonic training Long-lasting memory improvement is hampered by the difficulty older adults have in changing their habits - that is, they rarely use a new method without explicit instructions to do so. The effectiveness of the method of loci and keyword method can apparently be increased by having the participants make affectiveness judgments (such as judging the degree of pleasantness) of each image they generate. This appears not only to increase the degree of improvement, but also the durability of the images (how long they are remembered for) (Yesavage & Rose 1984b (method of loci); Yesavage, Rose & Bower 1983 (face-name assoc)). While relaxation training may improve learning in elderly adults who are anxious, it appears to hinder learning if the participants have low anxiety levels! (Yesavage, Rose & Spiegel 1982) It does appear that age affects mnemonic training, in that it becomes less effective the older you are, especially with the more complex method of loci vs the simpler keyword methods (Yesavage, Sheikh, Friedman & Tanke 1990). This is not to say older adults cannot learn these techniques, merely that that older adults need extensive and intensive training to really benefit (Neely & Backman 1993a,b; Stigsdotter & Backman 1989). Older adults can learn effectively by teaching themselves, but such instruction needs to be supplemented by periodic group discussions (Flynn & Storandt 1990). Verbal mnemonics may be more useful for older adults who find imagery effortful. Hill, Storandt & Simeone (1990) found that a take-home manual on the use of organization in aiding memory resulted in substantial improvement. The story method has also been found to be of benefit (Hill, Allen & McWhorter, 1991), although its effectiveness depends on the person's ability to construct a narrative (Drevenstedt & Belleza 1993). The most problematic memory tasks for older adults however are probably those which involve information experienced only once, incidentally – something heard in the course of conversation, remembering an action performed, remembering to do something. Training in the benefits of repetition is probably of more benefit than mnemonic training, for these instances. 1. Anschutz, L., Camp, C.J., Markley R.P. & Kramer J.J. 1985. Maintenance and generalization of mnemonics for grocery shopping by older adults. Experimental Aging Research, 11, 157-60. 2. — 1987: A three-year follow-up on the effects of mnemonics training in elderly adults. Experimental Aging Research, 13, 141-3. 3. Drevenstedt, J. & Belleza, F.S. 1993. Memory for self-generated narration in the elderly. Psychology and Aging, 8, 187-96. 4. Flynn, T.M. & Storandt, M. 1990. Supplemental group discussions in memory training for older adults. Psychology and Aging, 5, 178-81. 5. Gruneberg,M.M. & Pascoe, K. 1996. The Effectiveness of the Keyword Method for Receptive and Productive Foreign Vocabulary Learning in the Elderly. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 21, 102-9. 6. Hellebusch, S.J. 1976. On improving learning and memory in the aged: The effects of mnemonic strategy, transfer, and generalization. Dissertation Abstracta International, 1459-B (University Microfilms No. 76-19, 496). 7. Hill, R.D., Allen, C. & McWhorter, P. 1991. Stories as a mnemonic aid for older learners. Psychology and Aging, 6, 484-6. 8. Hill, R.D., Storandt, M. & Simeone, D. 1990. The effects of memory skills training and incentives on free recall in older learners. The Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 45, P227-232. 9. Kliegl, R., Smith, J. & Baltes, P.B. 1989. Testing-the-limits and the study of adult age differences in cognitive plasticity of a mnemonic skill. Developmental Psychology, 25, 247-56. 10. Leirer, V.O., Morrow, D.G., Sheikh, J.I. & Pariante, G. 1990: Memory skills elders want to improve. Experimental Aging Research, 17, 155-8. 11. Lindenberger, U., Kliegl, R. & Baltes, P.B. 1992. Professional expertise does not eliminate age differences in imagery-based memory performance during adulthood. Psychology and Aging, 7, 585-93. 12. Mason, S.E. & Smith, A.D. 1977. Imagery in the aged. Experimental Aging Research, 3, 17-32. 13. Neely, A.S. & Backman, L. 1993a. Maintenance of gains following multifactorial and unifactorial memory training in late adulthood. Educational Gerontology, 19, 105-17. 14. — b. Long-term maintenance of gains from memory training in older adults: Two 3 ½ year follow-up studies. The Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 48, P223-37. 15. Robertson-Tchabo, E.A., Hausman, C.P. & Arenberg, D. 1976 . A classical mnemonic for older learners: A trip that works. Educational Gerontology, 1, 215-26. 16. Rose, T.L. & Yesavage, J.A. 1983. Differential effects of a list-learning mnemonic in three age groups. Gerontology, 29, 293-8. 17. Smith, A.D. 1975. Partial learning and recognition memory in the aged. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 6, 359-65. 18. Stigsdotter, A. & Backman, L. 1989. Multifactorial memory training with older adults: How to foster maintenance of improved performance. Gerontology, 35, 260-7. 19. Wood, I.E. & Pratt, J.D. 1987. Pegword mnemonic as an aid to memory in the elderly: A comparison of four age groups. Educational Gerontology, 13, 325-339. 20. Yesavage, J.A. & Rose, T.L. 1984a. The effects of a face-name mnemonic in young, middle-aged, and elderly adults. Experimental Aging Research, 10, 55-57. 21. Yesavage, J.A. & Rose, T.L. 1984b. Semantic elaboration and the method of loci: A new trip for older learners. Experimental Aging Research, 10, 155-59. 22. Yesavage, J.A., Rose, T.L. & Bower, G.H. 1983. Interactive imagery and affective judgments improve face-name learning in the elderly. Journal of Gerontology, 38, 197-203. 23. Yesavage, J.A., Rose, T.L. & Spiegel, D. 1982. Relaxation training and memory improvement in elderly normals: Correlation of anxiety ratings and recall improvement. Experimental Aging Research, 8, 195-8. 24. Yesavage, J.A., Sheikh, J.I., Friedman, L. & Tanke, E. 1990. Learning mnemonics: Roles of aging and subtle cognitive impairment. Psychology and Aging, 5, 133-7. tags strategies: Language cues What I was doing vs. what I did: How verb aspect influences memory and behavior A new study reveals that the way a statement is phrased (and specifically, how the verbs are used), affects our memory of an event being described and may also influence our behavior. The study involved volunteers doing a word game and being asked to stop and describe what they had been doing, using either the imperfect (e.g., I was solving word puzzles) or perfect (e.g., I solved word puzzles) tense. The volunteers then completed a memory test (for the word game) or a word game which was similar to the first one they had worked on. Those who had described their behavior in the imperfect tense were able to recall more specific details of their experience compared to volunteers who had described their behavior in the perfect tense; they also performed better on the second word game and were more willing to complete the task. It seems likely that use of the perfect encouraged people to see the task as completed, and thus less likely to spend more time on it, either mentally or physically. The effects did however decay over time. [676] Hart W, Albarracín D. What I was doing versus what I did: verb aspect influences memory and future actions. Psychological Science: A Journal of the American Psychological Society / APS [Internet]. 2009 ;20(2):238 - 244. Available from: How alliteration helps memory Previous studies have shown that alliteration can act as a better tool for memory than both imagery and meaning. Now a series of experiments explains why and demonstrates the effect occurs whether you read aloud or silently, and whether the text is poetry or prose. The memory-enhancing property of alliteration appears to occur because the alliterative cues reactivated readers' memories for earlier words that were similar sounding. Alliteration, then, is most powerful when the same alliterative sounds are repeated throughout the text. [1408] Lea BR, Rapp DN, Elfenbein A, Mitchel AD, Romine RS. Sweet silent thought: alliteration and resonance in poetry comprehension. Psychological Science: A Journal of the American Psychological Society / APS [Internet]. 2008 ;19(7):709 - 716. Available from: Connection between language and movement A study of all three groups of birds with vocal learning abilities – songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds – has revealed that the brain structures for singing and learning to sing are embedded in areas controlling movement, and areas in charge of movement share many functional similarities with the brain areas for singing. This suggests that the brain pathways used for vocal learning evolved out of the brain pathways used for motor control. Human brain structures for speech also lie adjacent to, and even within, areas that control movement. The findings may explain why humans talk with our hands and voice, and could open up new approaches to understanding speech disorders in humans. They are also consistent with the hypothesis that spoken language was preceded by gestural language, or communication based on movements. Support comes from another very recent study finding that mice engineered to have a mutation to the gene FOXP2 (known to cause problems with controlling the formation of words in humans) had trouble running on a treadmill. Relatedly, a study of young children found that 5-year-olds do better on motor tasks when they talk to themselves out loud (either spontaneously or when told to do so by an adult) than when they are silent. The study also showed that children with behavioral problems (such as ADHD) tend to talk to themselves more often than children without signs of behavior problems. The findings suggest that teachers should be more tolerant of this kind of private speech. [436] Feenders G, Liedvogel M, Rivas M, Zapka M, Horita H, Hara E, Wada K, Mouritsen H, Jarvis ED. Molecular Mapping of Movement-Associated Areas in the Avian Brain: A Motor Theory for Vocal Learning Origin. PLoS ONE [Internet]. 2008 ;3(3):e1768 - e1768. Available from: [1235] Winsler A, Manfra L, Diaz RM. "Should I let them talk?": Private speech and task performance among preschool children with and without behavior problems. Early Childhood Research Quarterly [Internet]. 2007 ;22(2):215 - 231. Available from: Kids learn more when mother is listening Research has already shown that children learn well when they explain things to their mother or a peer, but that could be because they’re getting feedback and help. Now a new study has asked 4- and 5-year-olds to explain their solution to a problem to their moms (with the mothers listening silently), to themselves or to simply repeat the answer out loud. Explaining to themselves or to their moms improved the children's ability to solve similar problems, and explaining the answer to their moms helped them solve more difficult problems — presumably because explaining to mom made a difference in the quality of the child's explanations. Rittle-Johnson, B., Saylor, M. & Swygert, K.E. 2008. Learning from explaining: Does it matter if mom is listening? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, In press. Poetry as a memory and concentration aid A research group at Dundee and St Andrews universities claim poems exercise the mind more than a novel. They found poetry generated far more eye movement, and also that people read poems more slowly, concentrating and re-reading individual lines more than they did with prose. Imaging also showed greater levels of cerebral activity when people listened to poems being read aloud. Interestingly, they also found this was true even when the poem and prose text had identical content; it appears people read poems in a different way than prose. The researchers suggest the findings have implications for the way English literature is taught in schools, and may be helpful for children with certain learning difficulties, or even age-related memory problems. Carminati, M. N., Stabler, J., Roberts, A. M., & Fischer, M. H. (2006). Readers' responses to sub-genre and rhyme scheme in poetry. Poetics, 34(3), 204-218. Support for labeling as an aid to memory A study involving an amnesia-inducing drug has shed light on how we form new memories. Participants in the study participants viewed words, photographs of faces and landscapes, and abstract pictures one at a time on a computer screen. Twenty minutes later, they were shown the words and images again, one at a time. Half of the images they had seen earlier, and half were new. They were then asked whether they recognized each one. For one session they were given midazolam, a drug used to relieve anxiety during surgical procedures that also causes short-term anterograde amnesia, and for one session they were given a placebo. It was found that the participants' memory while in the placebo condition was best for words, but the worst for abstract images. Midazolam impaired the recognition of words the most, impaired memory for the photos less, and impaired recognition of abstract pictures hardly at all. The finding reinforces the idea that the ability to recollect depends on the ability to link the stimulus to a context, and that unitization increases the chances of this linking occurring. While the words were very concrete and therefore easy to link to the experimental context, the photographs were of unknown people and unknown places and thus hard to distinctively label. The abstract images were also unfamiliar and not unitized into something that could be described with a single word. [1216] Reder LM, Oates JM, Thornton ER, Quinlan JJ, Kaufer A, Sauer J. Drug-Induced Amnesia Hurts Recognition, but Only for Memories That Can Be Unitized. Psychological science : a journal of the American Psychological Society / APS. 2006 ;17(7):562 - 567. Language cues help visual learning in children A study of 4-year-old children has found that language, in the form of specific kinds of sentences spoken aloud, helped them remember mirror image visual patterns. The children were shown cards bearing red and green vertical, horizontal and diagonal patterns that were mirror images of one another. When asked to choose the card that matched the one previously seen, the children tended to mistake the original card for its mirror image, showing how difficult it was for them to remember both color and location. However, if they were told, when viewing the original card, a mnemonic cue such as ‘The red part is on the left’, they performed “reliably better”. The paper was presented by a graduate student at the 17th annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, held May 26-29 in Los Angeles. tags strategies: Subscribe to RSS - Strategies
Ap Dbq 2007 Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 603 • Published : September 17, 2012 Open Document Text Preview American agriculture greatly changed during 1865 to 1900 through technological advances and railroads spreading across the nation, both modernizing agriculture. New technological advances made farming easier with new inventions such as barbed wire and reapers. However, new technology advancements became too expensive for average American farmers to afford. Economic conditions became intolerable for farmers as railroad companies charged high shipping rates. In the government, policies were made that favored big corporations, such as railroad companies over the small farmers that made agriculture suffer in the end. Technology, government policies, and economic conditions, effectively declined agriculture due to overproduction and deflation, poor representation of farmers in the government, and high costs forced upon farmers. During this time, technology was booming in America. New inventions and machinery that made life simpler for many farmers had come about. Availability of new technology, led to farmers investing in heavy machinery that resulted in mass production of crops, like shown in Document D. Other technological advancements included were the introduction of railroads. Railroads were spreading across the continent, giving farmers new opportunities to sell their products to other markets in the East. Soon refrigerated railroad carts came, that made transporting fresh fruits and vegetables to the East possible. Document B shows how the number of railroads increased during the time period 1870-1890. As railroads expanded, so did cattle ranching. In Document F it states, “An establishment in Chicago which combines the operations of ‘shipping’ and of ‘canning’ beef has a slaughtering capacity of 400,000 head annually. When we add to this the requirements of other similar although smaller concerns, and the large number shipped eastward on the hoof, we have a grand total of not far from 2,500,000 head marketed in the city of Chicago alone,” explains how the... tracking img
1. How long has SummerSchoolMath been available? - Since 2002, this summer designed math resource has been providing students practice 2. Do you offer any inexpensive worksheets? - Yes, the individual math package is free! 3. What grades to you cover? - The focus is from 1st to 5th grade though there is kindergarten and developmental worksheets provided for no charge. 4. Do you offer a group package? - Yes, the Math for Groups package provides practice worksheets for an entire school. 5. Are the worksheets accredited? - No. The worksheets are specifically designed to provide a convenient means for elementary children to stay fluent in basic math during the summer; similar as summer 6. What is the best value? - Five year access to the original worksheet package provides access to all of the worksheets for duration of your child and siblings. 7. Why do you only offer computational operations? - There are other web sites that provide math word problems, math tutorial, and more comprehensive math resources. The problem is that they require more time from the parent and frustration to the child that is already struggling with math. By providing the most basic operations, a child will stay prepared during summer (eliminate math loss, improve their math speed and skill with very limited parent involvement; which means parents get a summer too! 8. How should my child use them? - Though the workbook is more convenient, you can simply print the worksheets from your computer. Then every morning, your child can take 3 - 4 of the sheets, along with a kitchen timer, and easily build their math skill at the kitchen table. 9. What is summer math-loss? - This is the affect seen on children during the summer break to describe the loss of math learned the previous school term and not carried into the Fall. SummerSchoolMath was the first site to highlight this risk to parents. 10. Do you offer free math worksheets? - Yes!!
2.2 Financial Markets relevant to Business's Financial Needs + Business Summaries Essay by maryyHigh School, 12th gradeB, April 2008 download word file, 1 pages 0.0 2.2Financial Markets relevant to Business's Financial Needs1.Financial marketsÃ¢ÂÂ¢places where financial products are bought and soldÃ¢ÂÂ¢an example of a financial product is bank loans2.Financial securitiesÃ¢ÂÂ¢contracts such as share certificate, bank loans and home loansÃ¢ÂÂ¢AKA financial assets or resources-Major participants in financial markets1.BanksÃ¢ÂÂ¢offer wide range of financial products to businesses and individuals such as bank bills, personal loans and overdraftsÃ¢ÂÂ¢An example of a bank is Commonwealth Bank2.Finance companies and insurance companiesÃ¢ÂÂ¢Finance companies borrow money from the general public in the form of consumer loans and business leasing. They provide medium term financing to businesses. Finance companies are important providers of lease finance; they provide the business with the use of equipment in return for regular payment. Ã¢ÂÂ¢An example of finance company is GE Capital Australia (GECFA), it is the largest finance company in Australia. They borrow money from small investors by selling debentures and uses this money to provide consumer credits and small business loansÃ¢ÂÂ¢Insurance companies insure businesses against risks and they also provide surplus funds in the business3. Merchant BanksÃ¢ÂÂ¢offer co-operate financial advice to large businessesÃ¢ÂÂ¢they also help businesses raise capital needed for acquisitionÃ¢ÂÂ¢an example: Macquarie bank4. Superannuation/Mutual fundsÃ¢ÂÂ¢invests large amounts of savings made by their contributors to things like shares in public companies and property5. CompaniesÃ¢ÂÂ¢They lend out surplus funds in the form of marketable securities such as bill of exchange of invests surplus on a short-term money market. Ã¢ÂÂ¢an example: David Jones6. Government (Reserve Bank of Australia)Ã¢ÂÂ¢they provide overall supervision of the financial system in Australia-Role of Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)1. Primary marketÃ¢ÂÂ¢help new businesses raise initial capital needed to start operations2. Secondary marketÃ¢ÂÂ¢sell existing shares-Domestic and international influences and trends and their implications on the business's financial needs1. Impact of globalization, one global economy2. Interest rates, both international and domestic (foreign/domestic investment)3.
Action Path Action Path is location-based survey platform for Android smartphones that crowdsources feedback from citizens in a way that fosters civic learning through reflective political practice. Existing platforms for civic engagement, whether online or offline, are inconvenient and disconnected from the source of issues they are meant to address. They require that citizens leave the places they normally inhabit physically or virtually and commit to a separate space and set of processes. Action Path is designed to answer the challenge: How do you address barriers to effective engagement in community projects, and ensure all citizens can have their voice heard on how to improve their local communities? It does so by converting individual actions into collective action and by providing context and a sense of efficacy, which may help citizens become more effective through regular practice and feedback. Project Status: For more information about using this tool, contact:
Skip to Content Kamae 2 Theory - Aikido - Beginner - White Belt Side view of kamae We can see from the previous chapter that kamae is both an idealized body shape (a static form) and a training process to progressively train the body to adopt a set of body shapes that maximize certain physical properties. Axial Loading One these properties of kamae is the transmission of loads down along the length of body structures, like a column bearing the weight of a building down its length and into the ground. This is called an axial load, and our bodies are designed to withstand a very large amount of it. In many places very heavy things, such as clean water, are carried long distances balanced on heads. In order to be able use the least amount of strength possible, the weight is kept perfectly balanced: the muscular engergy that is used instead just needs to keep everything aligned, favoring endurance rather than brute strength. Nearly all force applied to a body is ultimately dissipated in contact with the ground. Some is transmitted there directly through an axial load. The rest is received in the hinged places on our bodies: our joints. Their movement is made and, more importantly for this purpose, restricted by our muscles. Our muscles, of course, are already tense to a certain extent, assuming we are in anything other than a flaccid relaxed state. A force applied to us, being resisted by our muscles, will either overpower that resistance, or require the muscles to tense further and further to successfully resist our falling down. Unless the body is properly aligned, the stronger person will likely prevail. In addition to good alignment, mechanical advantage can also be used: when larger and stronger muscle groups (e.g. the core muscles) are pitted against much smaller and weaker muscle groups (e.g. a wrist), then the larger & "stronger" person can be moved -- to some extent, even if one is in less than ideal contact with the ground or one's body is poorly unified. Breath Power Front view of kamaeThe second property of kamae is this unification of the entire body, connected strongly to the earth, in generating force at a single point in space and time. This was called kokyu ryoku (or "breath power") by the founders of Aikido. Both the form and timing of kamae are of course idealized concepts, a sort of notional "best place, position and time" for a given situation. That is why training is an ongoing process, a progressive refinement of the body's responses. Fast responses, those deeply ingrained ones which we do unconsciously, and which are the only movements swift enough to produce the kinds of timing required, happen "automatically". This is another way of saying that they happen without our having to think about them, without engaging the "higher" brain functions (the neo-cortex). Instead, the cerebellum is involved, the hind-brain, the part that learns to catch a ball and ride a bike. Through repeated training we increase the degree and likelihood of the body "naturally" adopting kamae-like principles during real-world incidents requiring Aikido. Kamae, as a body position, is highly formalized, looking nothing like what any sane person would actually do with their body during an altercation. Instead, like a fire drill is intended to improve what people end up doing during a real fire, should one occur, so too does training and repetition in the basic forms of Aikido improve the shapes a body ends up in when trying to apply Aikido technique. The ritualized forms and shapes also create a shared framework in which to collaboratively study the art with other practitioners. Kamae as practical exercise The basic kamae exercise begins with standing tall and upright. The head is erect, eyes taking in the big picture, shoulders down and relaxed. The arms are hanging by the side, straight but not locked, hands gently open and ready. The weight is settled down, legs straight but with knees unlocked. The feet are heels together, with a 90 or so degree angle between them. Weight is evenly balanced between them. At it's simplest, moving into kamae consists of stepping forward into a left or right sided stance, holding the position for several (ideally 20-30) seconds, then coming back to standing with feet together. This is then repeated on the other side, and again on each side, etc. The concept of "stepping" forward into the stance, however, is inadequate to describe the subtle and complex things going on. As seen in Part 1, connection with the ground is the most important feature. Develop sensitivity to the soles of the feet and their traction with the surface one is standing on. The toes grip gently when standing or pushing off, and are opened when gliding forward. The distribution of weight within the front foot is forward, over the ball or even the big toe, while the back foot's is evenly distributed, with the outer "blade" of the foot strongly in contact with the ground. In the basic movement of stepping or falling into kamae (as in all standing Aikido movements), the front foot (left or right foot for left or right sided stance) glides forward, remaining in contact with the ground. The ideal height for it to float off the ground is just enough to reduce the friction to the point where movement is possible, but not enough to cause the hips (and thus the center of gravity) to float up during the movement. This is called suriashi in Japanese, literally meaning sliding feet, and is an important concept in Aikido. Same side and opposite side stancesThe maximum efficiency sought in Aikido movements would have all movements (including those that can be very powerful) to actually consist of relaxing a set of muscles and letting gravity do all the work. This is in contrast to the standard view of power which would hold that power would be delivered at the moment of, and by the act of, tensing a muscle or group of muscles. Falling into kamae can be initiated by the subtle act of shifting the center of gravity forward until it over-balances the toes and foot movement becomes necessary to avoid falling flat on one's face. The front foot then glides forward using suriashi, keeping the same angle as was between the feet initially (e.g. ~90 degrees). The distance is about the distance a normal walking pace would produce. Another measure of this distance is that once in the stance, by dropping down onto the back knee, the knee should come to approximately the mid-point of the arch of the front foot. The height you are standing when your legs are this far apart is the height of your starting stance for all movements and techniques. All subsequent steps and movements will, ideally, be slightly lower (in a wider stance) using the force of gravity from each movement downwards to move ourselves and our partner. The height of a stance affects two important properties of that stance, and inversely so. The higher the stance, the more mobile the person, but the less stable they are. The lower the stance, the more stable they are, but the less mobile. Initially we want high mobility, light on the toes during a free-range of motion phase or with multiple attackers, but once we have closed the distance with a violent attacker being subdued, the movements will tend to get lower, using the force of gravity to assist, getting progressively more stable (though less mobile) as we come down to the ground (hopefully ending in a pin). During the movement into kamae, with a lot of forward momentum, the front foot sometimes naturally "wants" to slide further forward than what would produce a comfortable starting-height stance. In this case, at the tail end of the movement, the back leg can come forward, thus "bringing up the rear". Care should be taken while doing this to keep the flat foot of that sole, particularly the outer, far "blade" of the foot, and to keep the back knee locked straight, thus preserving a strong connection to the ground throughout this motion. Keep good foot-knee alignment (front toes point the direction the knee would move if you relaxed it) and try to keep the center of gravity between the legs rather than riding up over the front leg, putting too much weight distribution forward and risking a loss of balance. Practicing this "falling into kamae" movement, and the basic building blocks and movements, over and over, produces successively smoother weight transfer, greater balance and stability, and an ability to move using suriashi on even the most challenging surfaces. Weight forward The weight in kamae is forward, 60% over the front foot and 40% down the back leg. Energy is sent down both legs, with the back leg locked solid and the front knee soft and pliable. Care must be taken not to overbalance forward, especially while in the act of stopping forward momentum, by keeping a proper 60/40 weight distribution and with a sense of the weight settling to the inside of the front knee. The front knee is relaxed forward, far enough that the big toe is invisible, pointed in the same direction as the foot is pointing. Constant maintenance of this proper relationship will help prevent knee injuries. For example, the foot and knee tend to be out of alignment at the end of strong movements forward, or longer pivots. The following movements can then strain knee ligaments and tendons, collectively doing repetitive strain damage over time. Knee injuries are unfortunately fairly common within Aikido dojos, though when done properly, training in Aikido basic movements can instead make the knees stronger and more flexible, and less prone to injury and inflammation. Great care should be taken to practice slowly and with good form, especially initially as body habits are building up. Upper body as a conduit During the movement into kamae, the hips are kept squared with the body facing forward, ending up perpendicular (at 90 degrees to) the direction the stance is pointing. This squared hips position is a difficult one to maintain, requiring great effort at first, but permits energy being channeled from the upper body to connect with the lower body's frame and thence to the ground. The upper body is angled forward but mostly upright, with a very slight curve in the lower back. The shoulders are down and relaxed, head upright, chin in. When first beginning in Aikido training, and when focusing heavily on lower body positions, the hands can be placed on the hips. For example, this can be done, as a variation on practice, with moving into kamae, basic building blocks, basic motions, suriashi practice. In the full form of kamae, the arms are out in front in a position reminiscent of holding a sword. The arms are straight but not locked, with a gentle curve (this curve has been described as being akin to the curve along the length of a Japanese long sword, the katana). When the hands move during basic movements, they move in unison, as if one were holding an imaginary sword, and the hands were thus joined by a physical object. The high hand is the hand on the same side as the lead leg, held at the height of the sternum (breastbone). The low hand is below that, with the wrist cocked back slightly, in front of hara or center of gravity (this is the point about an inch or so below the navel, which is most crucial to power and balance). The fingers are spread wide, with energy being projected out into them. Energy is also directed squeezing the upper body in towards the midline, with the lats muscles in the back tensing gently to squeeze in towards the middle both at the palms and at the elbows, as if one were holding between them an imaginary beach ball that was being squeezed inwards. This produces a strong focus on the mid-line of the body, an imaginary plane out in front of us on which kamae is projected. If one were holding a sword in this stance and swept it up and down but not side to side, it would travel along this plane. Imagining holding a sword in kamae is also a great way of developing an intuitive sense of the direction our mid-line and thus the focal points of our power. Efficiency of movement During the movement going from standing into kamae, the practitioner should strive to have the least amount of change, of deformation, of their body as possible. Only the front knee leading out to produce a weight-forward stance, and the shoulders which allow the arms to swing up into position, need really change between the starting position of standing feet together, and the final position of standing in the stance. The upright body, in particular, is naturally aligned when standing at the ready, and this should be preserved through moving into kamae and establishing a strong back leg to connect with the ground. As stances get wider and technique movements bring us closer to the ground, we will try to maintain an upright upper body where at all possible. This is best exemplified in the technique of moving from kamae into seiza (the formal sitting position). Kokyu-ryoku (breath power) can also be developed by paying attention to making every motion a single fluid movement, with arms and legs moving in concert, and discrete movements having still points in space and time where everything comes together at once. If paused at that moment, they should show that the body was in its ideal form and position. This is especially true for body movements which are broken down into discrete sub-steps during basic movements, basic building blocks and when techniques are being studied in broken down form. This can perhaps best be exemplified by the moment at the end of a cut, during a front cut with bokken (sword) technique, where the goal is to allow gravity to move the sword, and then to bring it to a halt perpendicular to the ground, with your body movement, your arms and the sword all coming to a stand-still together at the same moment. Checklist training method As a notional "ideal" body shape, there are tiny particular features about every body part that make that part more or less conform to the ideal of kamae. Like the difference between an idealized yoga posture and our actual bodies doing stretches, we want to keep in mind the principle and while training, gently strain with each body part towards that more ideal form. Because there are particular minutia attached to the positioning of each body part, there is a lot to remember. One way to approach this is to use a "mental checklist", a process of sequentially tightening up or improving the "kamae-ness" of each part in succession. This is best done from the ground up, as it also reminds us of the ultimate source of our power. The phrase "come to kamae", or make a more "kamae-like, or basic, form" mean progressively improving the alignment and tension in each part of your body in accordance with the principles in the kamae shape. When done alone during basic movements, this will feel like extending the flow of energy out into the whole form of the stance. With a partner during an exercise or technique the effects of this are felt even more dramatically, as uke (the "attacking" partner during training) will feel their loss of balance and the corresponding increase in solidity and connection with their partner (nage or shite in Aikido parlance), with each improvement in kamae. The checklist, beginning at the ground and running up through the body: • Feet • Each angled about 45 degrees from the midline, and roughly 90 degrees apart • Heel and "blade of the foot" flat, toes gently gripping • The feet are one pace apart (stance width such that back knee comes to midway across front foot arch) • Front leg • Knee bent, soft & relaxed, springy • Bent far enough that you can't see your big toe • Back leg • Straight, solid, conducting force along it into the ground • Weight distribution • 60-40 to 70-30 as needed • Hips • Squared (perpendicular to the midline), with a strong "back" hip • Torso • Aligned with the back leg, such that the whole body has a forward-inclined, gently-curved shape • Not totally upright (with too strong a bend in the low back) but also not canted forward with a bend at the hip • Shoulders • Down and relaxed • Head • Upright, chin in • Eyes open, calmly taking in the big picture, wide focus • Arms • Out in front of you in a mock sword-wielding stance • The higher hand corresponds to the lead leg, the lower hand the back leg • The high hand is at the level of the sternum, the low hand at the level of the "hara" or center of gravity (around or just below the belly button or dogi belt knot). • Elbows • Very slight bend, giving the arms a gentle curve - the same curve that appears when the arms are relaxed at a person's side • Down and in • Gently pressing in on the midline (tight lats - latissimus dorsi) • Hands & Fingers • Fingers spread, with engergy projected out into the hands • Both ring fingers parallel to the floor (lower / "back" hand is cocked back further at the wrist) • Palms on the midline plane Collaboration for a Public Resource The wealth of content in a Wiki site depends on the participation of its visitors making incremental improvements. 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The Seen and the Unseen — and Fed Policy Bob McTeer is a former president of the Dallas Fed. Have you heard the one about the young hoodlum who threw a brick through a bakery’s plate glass window? A crowd gathered on the sidewalk, shook their heads, and sympathized. It would probably cost the baker at least $1,000 to replace the window. What a shame! But some in the crowd soon waxed philosophical and found a silver lining. The baker’s $1,000 repair bill will become the glass repair man’s $1,000 income — income he wouldn’t have otherwise. He will probably spend his additional income for something useful, perhaps a new suit, which would give the tailor another $1,000 of new income. And so on, and on. The crowd decided the new rounds of spending will really add up and generate lots of new income. Someone was even heard to mumble something about a multiplier effect. It’s a shame about the broken window, but that brick really stimulated the economy. Wait! Hold on a minute! Isn’t the crowd missing something? If the baker hadn’t spent $1,000 for a new window, he probably would have spent it for something else, adding $1,000 to someone’s income. That someone would spend it as well. The broken window did generate a flow of spending, but a similar flow of spending would have taken place if the window hadn’t been broken. But that flow of spending wasn’t seen. It wasn’t seen because it didn’t happen. It didn’t happen because of the broken window. Spending was not enhanced; it was only diverted. The income generated would have been generated anyway, involving different people. Plus, the baker would still have his window. This classic “Broken Window Fallacy” originated with Frederick Bastiat (1801-1850) and was popularized by Henry Hazlitt in “Economics in One Lesson.” Bastiat was a French economist or “pamphleteer.” I think of him as the French Adam Smith. He fought for free enterprise in France, especially free trade. His stock-in-trade was his wit and his effective use of satire in debate. He is best known for his tongue-in-cheek petition to the French Parliament on behalf of the French candle makers, pleading for the passage of a law requiring that all blinds, shutters, etc. be kept closed to keep out the sunlight, because the sun has an unfair advantage over candles in the provision of light. He wanted the candle makers to have a “level playing field” and make sure that free trade was also fair trade. Sound familiar? The broken window fallacy couldn’t be more relevant in today’s world, where promises are made and outcomes are evaluated by considering only what happens, and is thus seen, while ignoring what is not seen because it doesn’t happen. For example, arguments for new stadiums usually promise much more economic activity in the area without acknowledging that it isn’t necessarily new activity, but diverted activity. Taxpayers are asked to finance worthy government programs, programs that do good, without comparisons with the good an equal amount of government spending on other projects might do, or, especially, the good the taxpayers might do for themselves if they could keep their money. We see examples of the broken window fallacy every day. The discussion of the seen and the unseen by Bastiat and Hazlitt was part of a broader set of fallacies that fails to distinguish short-run effects from long-run effects, the effects on one part of the economy vs. the whole economy, and the unintended consequences of an action as well as the intended consequences. These concepts are critical to clear thinking about alternatives in economics and in life. In fact, I think a good definition of economics might be the study of unintended consequences. One reason Bastiat has been on my mind recently is the dialogue regarding causes and cures of our prolonged financial crisis. Virtually all the discussion fails to compare actual (seen) outcomes to alternative (unseen) outcomes. Instead, policy results are almost always compared to some ideal outcome, which virtually guarantees they’ll be viewed with disfavor. The charge that the financial crisis is Alan Greenspan’s fault because of too-low interest rates in 2002 to 2004, for example, focuses only on the presumed (seen) unintended consequences of his policy, without ever considering the (unseen) results of his policy. His low-rate policy was successful in avoiding a double-dip recession and in avoiding Japanese-style deflation, but that is never mentioned, partly because they were unseen. I’ve defended Chairman Greenspan at length elsewhere, but for now my point is to emphasize the seen versus unseen aspects. Successful monetary policy, in general, usually means that nothing bad happens; therefore, nobody sees inflation or deflation accelerating, but they probably will see any adverse side effect. Another example is the view that the draconian measures taken by the Federal Reserve over the past year have done little or no good. Granted, they haven’t cured the problem, but the relevant comparison is what would have happened without those actions. The relevant standard of comparison is not nirvana. Comments are no longer being accepted. But what would happen if the baker increased the price of bread? Wouldn’t the cost of the window then be distributed across all of the baker’s customer’s forcing everyone to be just a little bit more productive? (In my model I’ll assume that the window had been broken in a storm, and not by a brick) Good example. Something did stand out in my mind however: What if the baker sensed a recession coming and as a result began to save his/her profit instead of buying a Wii for the kids? Were it not for the fact the baker had to spend his/her profit to fix the window, that money would have just sat idly by collecting interest (if he/she was brave enough to put it in a bank in the first place). Seems to me a distinction between voluntary and mandatory spending exists. I get the general gist of your point however, regarding the redirection of spending. If our unfortunante baker had put his money in the bank instead of spending it, we would not have a negative savings rate, not have to rely on Chinese and other foreign creditors and arguably avoided this whole crisis. I exagerate for effect. Money does not sit idle in the bank, or it would not earn interest. Think of it this way: what if the baker was going to use that $1,000 to buy a new bread machine, allowing him to make more bread for lower cost (i.e invest in productive capacity)? We cannot cure a recession by requiring every man woman and child to by a Wii. Your example is the ultimate proof of Mr. Mcteer’s thesis. I stand corrected: money does not sit idly by collecting interest in banks, banks sit idly by instead. Correct me if I am mistaken, but is not this whole bail out intended to get banks to spend again? Left to their own devices, they would sit this crisis out indefinitely. They are thus not volunteering to spend. Paulson and Bernanke are trying to prod these fellows to spend/lend so others will spend as well.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from ECMQV) Jump to: navigation, search MQV (Menezes–Qu–Vanstone) is an authenticated protocol for key agreement based on the Diffie–Hellman scheme. Like other authenticated Diffie-Hellman schemes, MQV provides protection against an active attacker. The protocol can be modified to work in an arbitrary finite group, and, in particular, elliptic curve groups, where it is known as elliptic curve MQV (ECMQV). MQV was initially proposed by Menezes, Qu and Vanstone in 1995. It was modified with Law and Solinas in 1998. There are one-, two- and three-pass variants. MQV is incorporated in the public-key standard IEEE P1363. Some variants of MQV are claimed in patents assigned to Certicom. MQV has some weaknesses that were fixed by HMQV in 2005.[1] A few articles[2][3] offered alternative viewpoint. It is now known that HMQV is vulnerable to a KCI attack when ephemeral public keys are not validated ECMQV has been dropped from the National Security Agency's Suite B set of cryptographic standards. Alice has a key pair (A,a) with A her public key and a her private key and Bob has the key pair (B,b) with B his public key and b his private key. In the following has the following meaning. Let be a point on an elliptic curve. Then where and n is the order of the used generator point P. So are the first L bits of the x coordinate of R. Step Operation 1 Alice generates a key pair (X,x) by generating randomly x and calculating X=xP with P a point on an elliptic curve. 2 Bob generates a key pair (Y,y) in the same way as Alice. 3 Now, Alice calculates and sends X to Bob. 4 Bob calculates and sends Y to Alice. 5 Alice calculates and Bob calculates where h is the cofactor (see Elliptic curve cryptography: domain parameters). 6 The communication of secret was successful. A key for a symmetric-key algorithm can be derived from K. Note: for the algorithm to be secure some checks have to be performed. See Hankerson et al. Bob calculates: . Alice calculates: . So the keys K are indeed the same with See also[edit] 1. ^ Krawczyk, H. (2005). "HMQV: A High-Performance Secure Diffie-Hellman Protocol". Advances in Cryptology – CRYPTO 2005. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. 3621. pp. 546–566. ISBN 978-3-540-28114-6. doi:10.1007/11535218_33. 2. ^ Koblitz, Neal (2007). "The Uneasy Relationship Between Mathematics and Cryptography" (PDF). Notices of the AMS. 54 (8): 972–979. 3. ^ "Letters to the Editor" (PDF). Notices of the AMS. 54 (11): 1454–1456. 2007. External links[edit]
In Night, why does Elie Wiesel repeat his thoughts, "you are too skinny, you are too weak?" How does the repetition help readers understand his experiences? 1 Answer kipling2448's profile pic kipling2448 \| (Level 3) Educator Emeritus Posted on Elie Wiesel, we know, survived the most horrendous chapter in human history, the Holocaust. Six million of Europe's Jewish population were murdered, with millions more Russian prisoners, homosexuals, Roma, and others deemed racially inferior executed, starved or denied medical care and left to die of disease. His experiences in the German concentration camps allowed him to observe the razor-thin line between those selected for immediate execution in the gas chambers and ovens and on the firing lines where thousands were systematically shot in the back of the head, their bodies falling into ditches for mass burial. In the chapter in Night in which Wiesel describes another such experience, with the margin between life and death perilously thin, one of the most dangerous of Germany's many war criminals, Dr. Joseph Mengele, is personally overseeing the latest selection of prisoners for execution, with those whose names are being recorded destined for immediate death. Wiesel, as with the other prisoners, knows that Mengele and his minions will only spare those who appear healthy enough to continue to perform the brutal manual labor that was the price for survival. This is the context in which the young Elie repeats to himself, "you are too skinny…you are too weak…you are too skinny, you are good for the ovens … The race seemed endless; I felt as though I had been running for years…You are too skinny, you are too weak . . ." If one reads the full passage, it is self-evident why he tells himself that he is "too skinny" and "too weak." This helps reveal his experience since his repetition is because such a physical state would render him useless to the Third Reich, with the consequence being his dispatch to the ovens or the gas chambers. That is why, later in his story, Wiesel describes the horror with which an old family friend, Meir Katz, confesses to Elie's father that "Shlomo, I am getting weak. My strength is gone. I won't make it . . ." If the Nazi's determined that an inmate was too weak to continue as a laborer, then they killed that individual without hesitation and, of course, without remorse. Wiesel repeats that phrase to himself because he is frightened that he will be selected for death because he believes that he no longer appears sufficiently physically-fit.
Printer Friendly The hidden flavour of Yemen. Anyone who has enjoyed Arab hospitality is aware of the variety of Arabic dishes that are served at any one meal. Some, such as hommus and shawarma are appreciated the world over. But there are other traditional platters, such as those commonly seen in Yemen which are largely unknown - even to other Arabs. Yemeni cuisine is based around several ethnic dishes which are eaten almost every day. Others show the influence of Ottoman occupation while a taste for spices is the result of contact with Indian traders on the Red Sea coast. Yemeni food is always served fresh and piping hot and where possible, only freshly slaughtered meat, or poultry is used. Breakfast is often skipped here in favour of a hearty lunch which precedes the afternoon qat chewing session. A mild narcotic, the qat leaf depresses the appetite, the reason why the evening meal is light. The many types of bread are an important ingredient of every meal. The most popular sorts are khubz, a thin, white leaf made from sorghum flour, and maluj, which also thin and round and eaten with soups and dips. While few Yemeni dishes are genuinely nourishing, for ingredients tend to be sparse, the result is always flavoursome. Helba, for example, a tasty cross between a dip and a soup, is one of the most innovative flavours in Middle Eastern cookery. It is prepared from ground fenugreek seeds (previously soaked to extract the bitterness) blended with meat and stock. This is whipped to a froth with spring onions, hot peppers, mint and spices and the mixture is served in scalding hot earthenware bowls. Zahawiq is another spicy dip prepared from chillies and tomatoes, to which wasif (small dried fish) are sometimes added. Soups are very popular, especially in the cooler highlands. Shurba (made from onions, sour milk, wheat flour and butter) and addas (made from onions and lentils) are a lunchtime ritual. Asid, a thick gruel made from sorghum flour, water, broth, honey and oil, is served in many rural areas. A famous Yemeni dish having a texture similar to Yorkshire pudding is bint al sahin. its baked crust may be eaten either savoury, or sweet with melted butter and honey. Fresh milk is rarely used in Yemen. Instead, sheep or goat's milk is made into buttermilk for use in dishes such as mattit, a breakfast soup of eggs, tomatoes and peppers mixed with crumbled bread, butter and honey. A pungent smoked sheep's milk cheese, or jubn is made in the Tihama foothills. Mutton is the most popular meat in Yemen, alongside goat, rabbit and deer. Sheep brains and liver are eaten with relish. Fried.liver, foule and bread comprise a traditional breakfast in Shibam, a mountain town outside Sanaa. Common main course dishes include lahmi marreg (lamb), kabsa roz (minced meat eaten with soup and rice), aghda (stewed mutton, spices and puree of tomatoes), susi (layers of bread with eggs, milk and butterfat) and the perennial favourite, bint al-sahin. Meals are generally served on a tablecloth laid on the floor. . Camel meat is not generally consumed in Yemen while coastal communities avoid beef, a result of their long association with Hindu merchants. Dates and grapes are favourite fruits. Mineral water and soft-drinks are drunk with the meal while tea, coffee or qishr is served afterwards. Regrettably, the coffee for which Yemen was famed is something of a rarity these days since most of the land used for its cultivation has since been given over to growing qat, so Nescafe is more likely to be served. However, apart from coffee, mineral water and soft drinks, the culinary art of Yemen has changed little for generations. COPYRIGHT 1993 IC Publications Ltd. Copyright 1993 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Article Details Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback Title Annotation:Yemen's culinary secrets Author:Osborne, Christine Publication:The Middle East Date:Sep 1, 1993 Previous Article:The most precious incense. Next Article:Death Plus Ten Years. Related Articles The silent demise of democracy: the role of the Clinton administration in the 1994 Yemeni civil war. A dark winters' day. YEMEN - The Industrial Base YEMEN - The LPG Market. The Situation Of Yemen. YEMEN - Dec. 18 - Militants' Hideout Stormed. YEMEN - March 1 - US May Send Troops. YEMEN - Sept. 16 - US Steps Up Hunt For Al Qaida Operatives. Yemen: the stakes are higher; in the last few months instability in Yemen has increased, reaching the highest levels since the civil war in 1994....
By Kenani Fall of Rome and the Yun-Kan Empire In 395 A.D., the massive Yun-Kan Empire; based in Kazakhstan with an empire stretching from Bangladesh to Belgium; attacked Rome. The Yun-Kan conquers the Western half of the Roman Empire in 411; while the East is only Greece and Turkey. In 439, the Yun-Kan emperor is murdered and the Empire falls. Europe splits into Germania, Magnia (Italy and the Balkans), Europa (France and Spain), and Slavonia (Eastern Europe). Britain was never conquered by the Yun-Kan and became Celtica. The part of the Middle East that was occupied by Rome was not conquered but left the Byzantines; and Africa was overrun by Berbers. Rise of Christianity In 678, the Christian state of Hibernia formed a papal position in Dublin and appointed John Sucan, a bishop from Cork, as the Pope. The Hibernian a.k.a. Dublinist Church is formed. Soon, Hibernia had sent missionaries to Celtica and Europa on successful missions to convert them. In 697, Europa split up into Francia (Northern France and Belgium), Gallia (Southern France), Occitania (Provence), Iberia (Western Spain, Portugal, and Andalucia), and Hispania (Northern Spain). When Magnia broke apart, Italy converted into Catholic Christianity, set up its own papal position, and turned every nation formerly in Europa from being Hibernian to being Roman Catholic. Francia sent missionaries into the Westphalia region of Germania. When Henry of Westphalia became emperor of Germania, Germania became Catholic Christian. The Byzantines send successful Orthodox missionaries to the nations once part of Slavonia (It has broken up by now). Middle Ages Celtica has conquered Hibernia. The nation of Magyaria (Hungary) is thriving. This is the Middle Ages. In 1171, Gallia and Francia are united through royal marriage and conquer Occitania. That same year, Turkey leaves the Byzantine Empire and divides into Ionia (West Turkey), Sinope (North Turkey), and Anatolia (Central and South Turkey). This, unfortunately, was too much for Byzantium. In 1255, the Trebizond province of Sinope secedes and becomes the Kingdom of Arviniat. In 1320, Livanium (Greece) declared independence and Byzantine empire Isaakios V commits suicide. The Byzantine Empire falls. In 1440 the Kingdom of Arviniat suddenly takes control of Turkey via annexation, bribery, and murder. The end of the Middle ages is marked at 1492, when Cristofo Colombo sails to America under Portugal. Age of Discovery In 1492, Cristofo Colombo set out for the West under the flag of Portugal. He landed in OTL Antigua, claimed it for Portugal, and founded a settlement called Sao Felipe. He claimed the rest of the Lesser Antillies in the next few years. In 1494, Colombo died in a shipwreck. Juan Pablo de Castanas took control of the mission and claimed OTL Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. In 1496, a French expedition landed in OTL Belem, Brazil, and founded Donutois. Meanwhile, Portugal was nipping away at OTL Venezuela. The French founded the town of St. Jean-Baptiste in OTL Rio de Janeiro. Many more French towns are founded in between Donutois and St. Jean Baptiste and it all becomes the colony of Brasilie. In 1543, where we are by now, the English settle in the town of New Southampton, OTL New Jersey near NYC, and form the colony of Emerald Coast. Portugal gets all the rest of the Caribbean by 1543. Spain manages to settle Mexico. The English colony of Emerald Coast expands. Europe in Turmoil Anglia had conquered Celtica a long time ago. Germania is still strong and has never broken up. A man named Marten Lutter has published 100 theses about the Catholic Church. Germania is torn apart between Catholics and "Protestants". In the East, Muscovy grows stronger. Britain (the union of Anglia and Celtica) has Hibernians, Catholics, and Protestants in it. So does France. Arviniat is ruling Syria, Egypt, and Israel. The Magyar king dies without an heir. The 3 churches (Hibernian, Catholic, and Protestant) declare a crusade against each other. Europe is plunged into conflict for 7 years. Portugal and Spain fight over the New World with no real changes at the end. Colonizing Africa Spain attacked Morocco successfully and added it to Spanish territory, followed by Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Mali. The Dutch annexed the area from Senegal to Cote de Ivoire, and French Africa stretched from Libya to Ghana. Britain grabbed everything from South Africa to Zaire and Kenya, and Portugal had its African colony stretch from Cameroon to Somalia and up into Egypt. The year is 1690. The New World Britain expands the Emerald Coast past the Great Lakes and into the Great Plains, and into Ontario and Quebec. Russia controls Alyeska, Greenland, Iceland, Siberia, Finland, Eastern Europe, and the Faeroe Islands. The French Pacific stretches from British Columbia to Eureka, CA. Portugal and the Netherlands share a colony from Eureka to San Diego. The Dutch rule the Andes and Portugal has the Caribbean and a mainland colony stretching from Ecuador to Suriname. Spain rules Mexico and Central America. United Republics of the Emerald Coast Britain begins massively taxing the colonists in the Emerald Coast. A resistance is formed. Battles start and on June 4, 1766, the United Republics of the Emerald Coast is formed. The Emeraldian army drives out the British and is officially recognized. It expands into the Plains and purchases the Dutch-Portuguese Pacific. It conquers North Mexico (Texas) from Spain. Independence in America The independence of the Emerald Coast inspired many nations to rise up. Brasilie gained its independence from France in 1810. Nuevo Espana (Mexico and Central America) gained its independence in 1815. Matabia (Ecuador to Suriname, including chunks of Brazil and Peru) gained its independence from Portugal in 1820. Alyeska gained its independence in 1824. Canada was ceded to Britain. Fall of Arviniat Arviniat ruled the area from Turkey to Yemen and stretched into Mesopotamia. Then Maladric the Cruel was crowned King in 1846. He began massively taxing the population and terminating his enemies. In 1859, Maladric was assassinated and the nations of Mesopotamia, Ionia (Western Turkey), Syria, Anatolia, Kantonia (Coastal Israel), Judaea (Inland Israel), and Kurdistan all gained independence and Arvinite territory in OTL Saudi Arabia and Yemen joined the kingdom of Arabia. New Unions In 1804, Austria, Magyaria, and several surrounding states "joined" to form Austria-Hungary. In 1867,the Confederation of Southwest Tribes (Mainly in Arizona and New Mexico) became a dependency of the U.R.E.C. Two years later, the Commonwealth of Former Arvinite Nations was formed. In 1907, Anatolia and Ionia joined together, conquered Arviniat, and became the Republic of Turkiye. International War I In 1914, Serbian nationalists assassinate the Austrian Archduke. Austria declares war on Serbia. Serbia is allied with Russia, Russia is allied with Britain and France, and Austria is allied with Germany. There are two main fronts: The Western (in France and the Rhine) and the Eastern (Russia/Poland). The sinking of the Balanarcia motivates the U.R.E.C. to go to war. The U.R.E.C., Britain, France, Russia, and Serbia win. Note There is no treaty related to the Treaty of Versailles in this timeline, but something similar to the League of Nations is formed. It is called the International Coalition. Ad blocker interference detected!
Johannes Vermeer: View on Delft (1660-1661) (Mauritshuis, The Hague, The Netherlands) A famous painting by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer (1632 – 1675). This painting offers a view on the river 'schie' with the part of the harbour called the 'southern stadskolk'. The main complex in the center is the 'gate of Schiedam' and on its right the 'gate of Rotterdam'. The buildings on the left side are the storage buildings for weapons, armour and military material (the complex is called the 'Armamentarium'). In the water are several ships. On the left is a ship with a red-white structure is a 'trekschuit' (translated a tug-boat), a ship which had a sail but was also drawn by a horse. These ships functioned as public transport between Dutch cities and there was a regular service between them. At the side of the right gate are also several of these ship in the water. The big boats on the left side opposite of the trekschuit are transport ships called 'kromstevens '. These ships were used to carry the load of the big seagoing transport ships of the Dutch East-India Company (the V.O.C.) to the warehouses. The two ships on the right are two herring busses (a seagoing fishing vessel). These ships are moored at the shipbuilding site of the city and their masts are already removed. To preserve the population of the herring and because of the importance of these ships they were repaired during the period of January 1 and June 1 before they set sail again. Using the details of this painting historians have managed to specify the time of day, the month and the year when Vermeer painted this. The light of the sun shows that it is early in the morning. The two moored herring busses show that it is between January and June. Combination of both and the leaves on the trees suggest an early morning in the first half of may. The absence of the bells in the right church-tower (the 'new church') corresponds to a historical restoration which was carried out in the period 1660-1661.
Thursday, April 11, 2013 A-Z Challenge: J is for Just Me, Jack D. and Jimmy B. Tennesse Williams By JccKeith Sydney Porter, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, Edgar Allan Poe, Truman Capote, Jack Kerouac, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway – what do all of these people have in common? Well besides being famous figures in literature and brilliant writers, they were alcoholics. They loved the booze. Just me is Jcc, that is, well, me. I am by no means a famous author but I have wondered about the effects of alcohol on writing ability. Jack D. is Jack Daniels and Jimmy B. is Jim Beam, they are a brand of whiskey and a brand of bourbon. I don’t know what particular type of alcohol the above mentioned authors preferred. I just like saying Jack D. and Jimmy B. They are fairly well known names and will get you pretty drunk pretty fast. Why is alcohol such a stimulant for the talent of some and such a sabotage of others? That is a valid question and one that deserves just as valid of an answer. The truth is, no one really knows. Deciding to become a famous author by becoming an alcoholic is not a wise decision. Writing drunk is also not a wise decision or a productive one for everybody. I have the theory that the famous writers above were already talented and alcohol just helped bring it out. So why did alcohol bring out talent? How exactly does alcohol work on the brain? I say the brain because although alcohol affects the body, it does so through its action upon the brain. One of the main places affected first and most heavily is the cerebral cortex. The cortex controls thoughts, memories, decision making, and inhibitions. The affect on the cortex results in poor memory skills, poor judgment, a lowering of inhibitions and general feeling of confidence in abilities that may have been lacking prior. It is, I believe, the lowering of thinking abilities as far as those concerned with judgment and criticism that clears the way for more abstract thoughts. Without the vigilant obsession with social norms, acceptability, concerns with daily activity, concerns with responsibility and all other things normally occupying the mind – deeper or more creative thoughts have free reign. The mind is allowed to wander, to explore alternate pathways. Think about all the crazy things people do and say when drunk. They aren’t thinking clearly and that is precisely what creativity is. Creativity, in so many ways, is the ability to ‘not think clearly’ rather it is to think outside the norm. For some, the only way to reach this creative thought area is to get rid of the other regular thoughts. For some, the only way to suppress regular, mundane thoughts is with alcohol. That is my little theory on why alcohol was so prominent in the lives of many famous authors. They needed it to transcend their normal thoughts. At least they felt like they needed it, perhaps the creative parts of their mind, their more brilliant thoughts could have been reached another way. We will never know. There are no experiments that I know of to prove or disprove whether the same areas of the brain or same level of creativity can be reached without alcohol. I’m pretty sure such experiments would involve creative people pushing their bodies to the brink. They would have to become raging alcoholics, as the authors I mentioned were, to determine if they were more creative with alcohol or without. I am also fairly certain that there is no way to truly quantify creativity. It is a subjective thing for the most part. Until science is advanced enough to determine the true effects of alcohol on creativity, we’ll just have to stick to theories. I say mine is accurate enough. I also think that the mind is something we don’t really understand fully. This lack of understanding, I believe, means there probably are other ways to access the creativity of the mind without alcohol. Alcohol carries too many damaging and addictive effects. Surely meditation or some other way to transcend the mundane exists. 1. I honestly don't believe alcohol brought out the talent in many of their cases, and often it smothers talent and holds it hostage from you. I also disagree with your statement "they were alcoholics. They loved the booze." I presume you meant that as a joke, but as someone who's had both friends and family members suffer through this, alcoholics don't love alcohol. They're chemically and psychologically addicted to it and are unable to separate anything in life from it. The victims get so deluded and re-wired by the dependency that functionality without it doesn't seem possible to their conscious minds. I know non-alcoholics who do find utility in booze. A stand-up comedian friend of mine believes he performs better if he has one drink before his set because it relaxes him the slightest degree. If he does more, he'll mess up. I buy that kind of utility to booze for a lot of people, though certainly not all. 1. As I say in the post, alcohol does not make everyone productive creatively or otherwise. It is just a theory that for some, it suppresses the usual self doubt and criticism and allows for more creative thoughts to come forth.
Pirates And Math When it comes to dealing with animals that are preying on shipping off the coast of Somalia in Africa it seems that people from the Civilized World are showing the critical flaws in their countries’ educational system. They fail to understand the basic drives of the predator and/or the scavenger, and are pathetically bad at basic arithmetic as well. Pirate & Math - It's a simple equation 1 Pirate + 1 Bullet = 1 Less Pirate Come on people! Even if you can’t get a grasp on the idea of shifting the Risk vs. Reward equation so that it is no longer weighted in favor of the Somali pirates, you should be able to handle a bit of basic math. 😉 Related Reading: Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror The Politics Book (Big Ideas Simply Explained) Africa (Rookie Read-About Geography) Cartoon History of the Universe Volumes 1-7 Tags: \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| Leave a Reply
Monday, November 3, 2014 Introduction to italics, part two » Read part one of this post. This post will be about setting up your italic workspace, as well as an outline of what lies ahead. How does an italic font relate to the regular style? An italic font almost always shares the same vertical metrics as its roman counterpart. That means that they have the same x-height, capital height, etc. Otherwise, the italic font might rightly be regarded as a completely separate typeface from the roman. Horizontal metrics and actual letterforms, at least for the lowercase alphabet, deviate significantly, as discussed. In fact, an italic font is meant to provide contrast with the roman style. How do italic fonts work? Technology wise, italic fonts aren’t really that different from roman fonts. Italics are drawn just like any roman font, in rectangular em boxes. Italic–roman pairing in apps does require a font to be flagged as ‘Italic’, though we’ll worry about that when we get to font packaging. One very helpful thing to do is to specify the italic slant in the Font Info dialog (accessible in fontforge from ElementFont Info) This will cause fontforge to draw the italic slants as guidelines in the glyph panel, which can be immensely helpful when you’re drawing your italics. Supposedly it also lets you constrain your vertical motion to the italic slant when drawing, though this functionality appears to be broken in fontforge at the moment. The slant value is also used by word processors to slant the cursor when italics are being used. What’s it like to design italics? Designing italics is like designing a whole new typeface, so it can take much longer than say, just deriving the bold weight. However, the italic style is actually a much easier type of font to design than the roman. Designing a full slate of lowercase italics can take perhaps two days of full-time work (and maybe a few more days of polish before moving on to the capitals and numerals which are even easier to create). Many italic letters are simple variations of one another, and after designing maybe four or five letters, the entire collection comes cascading very naturally. There is a very ordered and swift sequence you can follow when designing italic letters, and you can be through in just a couple days. If you ask me, designing italics can be quite fun actually. The letters are meant to be more lively, and the rules more relaxed. You don’t need to stress about geometric minutae like slant alignment as much, for the italic slant is very forgiving to minor inconsistencies, concealing small imperfections. Working in fontforge has its advantages. Fontforge includes extensive tools that can actually generate a workable (but shoddy) italic given a roman font. For the lowercase alphabet, we will be using this feature rather sparingly, as it’s actually easier to design most of the italic alphabet from scratch, but it is indispensable for italicizing the uppercase alphabet—which is typically oblique rather than truly italic—and numerals and punctuation. Common italic problems Italics do have their share of unique problems, most of them owing to their slant. Extremas are a perennial headache. It’s still usually a good idea to make the major splines one-to-one—if anything because it actually makes italic glyphs look better—but missing extremas are generally tolerated more in italic type than they are in roman type, since extrema problems are often unavoidable in some cases (like bracketed serifs). Letter spacing is also a common problem, because of the slant. (Floribunda) The percieved sidebearings and ‘actual’ sidebearings of an italic glyph can be very different. Because italics are treated like roman fonts, with rectangular em bounds, the horizontal extremes of an italic glyph may not be the actual extent of the glyph relative to the slant angle. Because of this, the sidebearing numbers are largely meaningless, so italic type must often be spaced by eye (fontforge will tell you the sidebearings relative to the slant angle in the glyph view, but sadly does not make full use of these numbers). Keep these in mind as you design your italic font.
math jokes 4 mathy folks live. laugh. learn. Fitting Blocks in a Cube Mark Jason Dominus was one of the original subjects in Julian Stanley's Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (aka, SMPY). He posted the following problem to Mattababy, a listserv for math instructors at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer program. In his post to the listserv, he claimed that the problem came to him in a dream; when he later awoke, he still thought it was a good problem, so he decided to share it. The volume of a 3 × 3 × 3 cube is 27 cubic units, and the volume of a 2 × 2 × 1 prism is 4 cubic units. Theoretically, six prisms should be able to fit inside the cube, with three cubic units empty. But can you arrange six 2 × 2 × 1 prisms so they fit inside a 3 × 3 × 3 cube? Blocks in a Box The following problem is related to the main problem on this page. The main difference is that this problem uses a box that is not a cube. How many 2 × 2 × 6 blocks will fit into a box that measures 10 × 10 × 20? The main similarity is that both will tax your spatial visualization skills!
3 Ways to Reduce Eyestrain While Working on a Computer Do you spend more than an hour a day on the computer? Gazing at a computer screen for extended periods of time can cause eye problems if you aren’t careful. Many people work on computers these days, which makes it very difficult to avoid prolonged screen time. However, you can reduce or even prevent eyestrain with certain measures. Signs of Eyestrain According to American Optometric Association, people who spend a lot of time on the computer can suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome. Symptoms include blurred vision, pain in the neck and shoulders, dry eyes, headaches and eyestrain. Preventing Eye Problems You don’t have to suffer from CVS just because you work on the computer. There are some very good methods for preventing issues. 1. Use Pinhole Glasses. You can find these at http://www.pinhole-glasses.com/. Pinhole glasses are unique because they use minute pinholes, created by lasers, to prevent anything but direct and coherent light rays from reaching the eyes. Glasses can help improve vision in many cases, but they are particularly useful in preventing eyestrain from computer screens. Pinhole glasses are a very affordable way to reduce the headaches caused by harsh light of the computer screen. 1. Increase Lighting. Poor or dim lighting can exacerbate eye problems. If you are currently working or playing on the computer with the main room lights off, you are probably straining your eyes. Try this simple test to see if light is adequate in room. Form a frame around your eyes with your cupped hands so you can only see the screen. If your eyes feel better, room needs better light. You can increase light by turning on the overhead light or you can add a lamp for extra brightness near the computer screen. A lamp is also a good option for an office environment, where fluorescent lights are used. Since fluorescents can be irritating to eyes, try an incandescent bulb in a lamp to counteract effect. 1. Move the Monitor. You may be too close to the screen. Monitor should be at least an arm’s length from your face. It should also be lower than your head so that you are looking slightly down at screen. When the center of the monitor is directly in front of your face, it can cause problems with your neck and shoulders and ruin your posture. You should be able to sit up straight and look directly ahead and slightly down to see your computer screen. Adjust your desk height if necessary or invest in a new one. It could make all the difference in how you work. Computers aren’t the best thing to rest your eyes on all day. Studies have shown that people tend not to blink as often when looking at a screen, which contributes to dry eyes. Simply adjusting your monitor position and blinking more often can help reduce the effects of eyestrain. Add pinhole glasses and better lighting to mix and you will find that your eyes are much more relaxed. Frank Foley is an ergonomist. He frequently writes about how to work better on small business blogs. Sharing Is Caring About Jhon Arthur Jhon Arthur is a healthcare advocate with extensive knowledge of health industry, my aim is to bring you lots of valued information about healthcare industry.
Avatar of James Cameroln Impact of Commercialization of Education on the Society You need to be a registered member to rate this post. Loading ... Loading ... March 7, 2017 in Economics Abstract: Commercialization of education is deteriorating the social fabric, so solutions must be sought to stop further destruction. Exposure to affordable and quality education is a prerogative of every individual. Not only the governments but multiple other parts of the society also have to play a constructive role in ensuring this. But, it is extremely unfortunate that modern liberal economy has hit the education sector just like every other out there. This has transformed the sector into a mere business. Commercialization of education brings with itself many negative aspects which in one way or the other affect the whole society. For instance, a sense of marginalization prevails in the people with the formation of two separate mindsets, each seeing the other with envy and hatred; the underprivileged see the rich (who can afford high-end college fees) to be usurping their rights while the latter see the former as free riders and burden to the system. In this piece of writing, we have tried to assemble some of the staggering impacts which the process of educational commercialization brings with itself. Education as a cost effect Business In the contemporary era, education is viewed in terms of cost-effect analysis. This puts a lot of focus on the process of making money from the education industry. Consequently, both colleges and students tend to benefit from the whole system only as far as the monetary benefits are concerned. People are willing to pay a good fortune, to get enrolled, just for the sake of material benefits at the end. Ultimately, education loses its true essence. Moreover, commercialization involves investments of huge capital and thus every initiative taken by a college’s management is also profit driven. Education and Division of Society The second drawback which commercialization of education brings is a division in the society. Since two separate systems operate in parallel; each alien to the other; sense alienation develops among the masses. Two different mindsets and ultimately cultures start forming in the society. This does nothing but disintegration of a nation. Education and a sense of Marginalization Apart from the formation of different narratives, a sense of marginalization also starts prevailing in the people who aren’t able to pay for quality education. When underprivileged feel marginalized, they are reverted to inferiority complexes which hinder the holistic growth. Education as a Commodity Education isn’t a commodity for the specific few but a right of all. But, commercialization has resulted in the opposite. It has turned education to a commodity for the selected ones. Sky high tuition fees aren’t affordable to everyone due to which a major chunk of youth is deprived of quality education. This stops them from utilizing their maximum skills when it comes to performing in the professional marketplace. This is an alarming situation and demands different heads of the society to come together and seek a viable solution for this. Solutions like; • Work should be done to bring about a shift in the political narrative regarding all this development • Student unions, NGOs, and other parts of civil society should engage with college managements to land a common ground Author: James Cameron is a university student and an active advocate of equality in education. He writes guest blogs to spread awareness in the society. You can take after him at Write my assignment – Buyassignment.com Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article: Leave a reply You must be logged in to post a comment.
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Similar presentations Presentation on theme: "(DIESEL ENGINE BRIDGE CONTROL SYSTEM) II"— Presentation transcript: 2 Fig. 9 shows the basic requirements for starting and control of a direct reversing slow speed diesel engine. 3 The basic control loop for diesel engine is of closed loop form with a two or, three-term controller, possibly with a load limiting device and alarm, controlling the engine speed. 4 Desired value signals for engine rpm are transmitted from the bridge control position or engine room remote control position and 5 and compared with the measured value signal from a propeller shaft speed sensor, the difference between these two signals being the rpm deviation from the required. 6 This error signal is then used by the controller to adjust the fuel racks to return the engine speed to that required. 7 Electronic, electro-pneumatic, electro-hydraulic and pneumatic systems may be used for signal transmission and fuel rack operation. 8 The direction of rotation required is achieved by moving a lever in a horizontal slot, 9 movement to either extreme operating the valves controlling the servo-motor which positions the cam shaft for the correct air start and fuel valve timing for the required direction of rotation. 10 The lever is then moved in a vertical slot, the initial movement actuating(操纵、驱动) the starting sequence on air and 11 and when a pre-set rpm has been reached (30 r/min for example) the air is tripped(切断) and fuel applied. 12 Subsequent(后续的) movement of the lever operates a servo-mechanism which adjusts the speed setting lever on the engine and which is in turn connected to the governor. 13 The starting sequence is monitored by the interlock and check circuits shown, and a programmer(程序控制器). 14 This allows the maximum acceleration to commensurate with(与…相应) safe operational requirements of the engine whilst manoeuvring but prevents engine overloading. 15 It also programmes the increase in power when moving from Full Ahead to Full Away, guarding against excessive power demands and propeller cavitation(空洞、气蚀) and critical speed slipping. 16 For crash manoeuvres(应急操作) the lever is moved from one extreme to the other, the sequence of events is then controlled to braking, starting and reaching full speed (ahead or astern). 17 Delays may be fitted to prevent braking air being applied until the engine speed has dropped to a pre-determined r/min to prevent excessive use of starting air and cavitation. 18 An alarm may be fitted to warn if starting air is applied to the engine for longer than, for example, 15 seconds. Crash manoeuvre signals may cut-out the governor. 19 Bridge/Engine room control transfer may be carried out by the bridge-engine room telegraph(传令钟) with a special bridge control segment(控制部分). 20 When both bridge and engine room pointers are on this segment, the bridge has control of the engine, 21 but if the pointer on either telegraph is moved from this position, the engine room has control, and manoeuvring may be carried out using the engine room/bridge telegraph. 22 Local manual control facilities also must be provided. 23 Bridge instrumentation will vary according to the desires of the ship owner and manufacturer, 24 but is required to include rpm indicator, direction of rotation indicator and starting air pressure, 25 whilst for unattended machinery space vessels, an emergency stop control system independent of the bridge control system is required. 26 Also the bridge watchkeeper must be made aware of any machinery fault, that the fault is being attended to and that it has been rectified. 27 There should be two means of communication between the bridge and main control station in the machinery space, one to be independent of the main electrical power supply. 28 In some cases facilities may be provided for emergency overriding oil pressure shutdown. 29 If this facility is used, adequate warning must be given to the engine room staff. 31 1. Under all sailing conditions, including manoeuvring, the speed, direction of thrust and, if applicable, 32 the pitch of the propeller shall be fully controllable from the navigating bridge. 33 a) Such remote control shall be performed by a single control device for each independent propeller, 34 with automatic performance of all associated services, including, where necessary, means of preventing overload of the propulsion machinery. 35 b) The main propulsion machinery shall be provided with an emergency stopping device on the navigating bridge which shall be independent of the navigating bridge control system. 36 2. Propulsion machinery order from the navigating bridge shall be indicated in the main machinery control room or at the propulsion machinery control position. 37 3. Remote control of the propulsion machinery shall be possible only from one locating at a time. 38 The transfer of control between the navigating bridge and machinery spaces shall be possible only in the main machinery space or in the main machinery control room. 39 The system shall include means to prevent the propelling thrust from altering significantly when transferring control from one location to another. 40 4. It shall be possible for all machinery essential for the safe operation of the ship to be controlled from a local position, even in the case of failure in any part of the automatic or remote control system. 41 5. The design of the remote automatic control system shall be such that in case of its failure an alarm will be given. 42 Unless the Administration considers it impracticable, the present speed and direction of thrust of the propeller shall be maintained until local control is in operation. 43 6. Indicators shall be fitted on the navigating bridge for: a) propeller speed and direction of rotation in the case of fixed pitch propeller; or 44 b) propeller speed and pitch position in the case of controllable pitch propeller. 45 7. The number of consecutive(连续的，连贯的) automatic attempts which fail to produce a start shall be limited to safeguard sufficient starting air pressure. 46 An alarm shall be provided to indicate low starting air pressure set at a level which still permits starting operations of the propulsion machinery. 48 Bridge control of propulsion plant and propulsion control systems centralized in a control room are now normal provision. 49 Systems provided vary to some extent to suit the particular engine requirements of the major designs, e.g. Burmeister & Wain or Doxford or MAN etc. 50 As a typical example, the standard design for Sulzer RND engine provides engine control from the wheelhouse telegraph with fully automatic direction selection, starting, speed control and safety devices. 51 Their Type SBC7 bridge console and control console panels are shown on Fig. 10 and 11, these being indicative(指示的) of the instrumentation involved. 52 In addition to the parts listed a non-reply telegraph(非应答式车钟) receiver or telegraph indicator panel is mounted adjacent to the engine emergency manoeuvering controls. 54 An alarm system shall be provided indicating any fault requiring attention and shall: 55 1. be capable of sounding an audible alarm in the main machinery control room or at the propulsion machinery control position, 56 and indicate visually each separate alarm function at a suitable position 57 2. have a connection to the engineers' rooms and to each of the engineers cabins through a selector switch, to ensure connection to at least one of those cabins. 58 Administrations may permit equivalent arrangements 59 3. activate an audible and visual alarm on the navigating bridge for any situation which requires action by or attention of the officer on watch; 60 4. as far as is practicable, be designed on the fail-to-safety principle; and 61 5. activate the engineers’ alarm if an alarm function has not received attention locally at limited time. 62 The alarm system shall be continuously powered and shall have an automatic change-over to a stand-by power supply in case of loss of normal power supply. 64 Typical example of automation on ships are fire detection and extinguishing systems; emergency lighting systems; 65 automatic start of standby pumps supplying lubricating oil and fuel oil to the propulsion machinery; and automatic speed reduction or stopping of propulsion machinery when faults are detected. 66 Further improvements can be achieved in an integrated control system by incorporating digital data processing equipment--that is, a computer. 67 This remarkable machine can provide rapid and accurate supervision, analysis, recording and display of the conditions it is monitoring. 68 In so doing, it serves as an extremely valuable aid to human judgement. 69 But in some control systems the computer is arranged to make the necessary decision and take the necessary action without human intervention. This is called direct digital control. 70 Integrated bridge-engine room control systems are now available that combine the functions of engine room monitoring and control, collision avoidance, docking and manoervering, navigation, and cargo handling. 71 These systems include one or several computers for facilitating data inquisition, processing, logging and display, and for exerting some degree of direct digital control over the machinery. 73 The simplest way to achieve remote control of large marine diesel engines is by providing a separate manoeuvring stand beside, or in front of, the engine. 74 Mostly, this stand has been developed into a large desk or console, comprising all the instruments needed for manoeuvring and serving the main and auxiliary engines, together with all the measuring instruments. 75 Further automation requires remote control from any place in the engine room or a special control room and, in many cases, from the bridge. 76 Today automation is being developed with the purpose of relieving the operators, and especially the men on the bridge, from paying any attention to levers, hand-wheels, instruments, etc. 77 However, in most cases a manoeuvring stand at the engine is still left for direct operation of the engine in case of emergency. 78 There are three remote control arrangements in general use, (a) from engine control room to engine; (b) from bridge to engine; (c) from both bridge and engine control room to engine. 79 The remote control is pneumatic up to 3O meters and electro-pneumatic beyond this distance. 80 Here is given one of the remote control types applied to large marine diesel engine. It is built on pneumatic elements with a relatively simple electronic control for fine speed adjustment. 81 The system provides automatic control of the main engine from the bridge and manual control from the control room in the engine room. 82 The pneumatic system is most reliable; and the electronic system is simple and easily maintained. 83 The electronic system contains only three insert type units; 84 one is a power unit containing a transformer and a rectifier to give 24 V dc and 115 and 200 V ac; 85 the second is a programme unit for various fine speed adjustments; and the third is an electronic control for the electric step motor. 86 Even if all electronics should fail, bridge control with the pneumatic system is possible. 87 When the officer on the bridge moves a selector switch on the bridge console to Bridge Control, the Bridge Control on the control room telegraph lights up and an alarm sounds on the telegraph until acknowledged. 88 There are also two buttons marked Fine Setting up and Fine Setting down on the bridge console. 89 When the ship is manoeuvred out of port and it is required to increase the ship speed from Full Ahead to service speed, the officer on watch has only to depress the Automatic Acceleration Up button for the speed to be automatically and gradually increased to the required speed within a period of about 30 minutes--but again, this period is adjustable. 90 To stop this gradual acceleration the program button Automatic Acceleration off must be depressed. 91 The same system applies in reverse when the speed must be gradually returned--for example, when entering a port. 92 The following indications are provided on the bridge console: (1) tachometer, (2) starting air pressure, (3) control air pressure, (4)control lamps for: (5) bridge control, 93 (6) control room control, (7) manual control on engine, (8) transfer of order, (9) speed correction and (10) critical speed range. 94 Also fitted in the bridge console are an emergency stop button and control lamp and an emergency run button and control lamp. 95 There are also alarms which sound when the engine is overloaded, tripped, or fails to start, and when the starting air pressure or control air pressure is too low, or when the electric power fails. 96 As the manual telegraph is also used for the engine control, the Stand by and Finished with Engine orders are carried out by using separate buttons. 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Mouth ulcers What are mouth ulcers? The most common presentation is with painful, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, also known as aphthosis, aphthae, aphthous ulceration and canker sores. Patients may present to doctors or to dentists with mouth ulcers for assessment and treatment. They may also have cutaneous and systemic symptoms and signs. Who gets mouth ulcers and how are they classified? Males and females of all ages and races experience mouth ulcers. Acute and recurrent infections Acute single-episode ulceration Recurrent/multiple ulcers Chronic mouth ulcer What causes aphthous mouth ulcers? In some patients, there are additional predisposing factors. What are the clinical features of mouth ulcers? A patient with mouth ulcers should be questioned and examined with a differential diagnosis in mind. In particular: Recurrent aphthous ulceration Recurrent aphthous ulcers are usually: Recurrent aphthous ulcers are divided into 3 types: Complications of mouth ulcers Most mouth ulcers heal without problem. Consider biopsy of non-healing ulcers. How are mouth ulcers diagnosed? What is the treatment for mouth ulcers? General measures Symptomatic relief may be obtained from: Local therapy Systemic therapy Systemic therapy is intended to reduce frequency of ulceration. A Cochrane review (2012) of systemic treatments for recurrent aphthous stomatitis was inconclusive. The following are reported to be useful in at least some patients. Mouth ulcers are not preventable in all patients. However, some people can reduce the number and severity of their ulcers by ensuring plenty of rest and avoidance of known triggers. What is the outlook for mouth ulcers? Related information Make a donation Donate Today Help us to update and maintain DermNet New Zealand Submit your images We are expanding our image library Contact us Skin lesion photography Subscribe to our mailing list * indicates required DermNet NZ Newsletter
Is Honey Fattening or is it Healthy? Written by If someone is scaring you about the “high calories” present in honey, just ignore them. Honey is a health food, and has been revered by traditional branches of medicine like Ayurveda and Siddha. It’s a sacrilege to compare honey to refined sugar. Yes, they are both sweet but that’s where the similarity ends. Honey is not fattening, simply because it’s a natural, whole food while sugar is a processed, nutrition-less, carbohydrate source. Why is honey not fattening though it’s so sweet? If you look at the calorie count, one tablespoon of honey contains up to 22 calories while one table spoon of sugar contains 16 calories. So shouldn’t honey be more fattening than processed sugar? No, because the fattening property of a food hardly ever depends totally on the calorie count. The most important factor is whether we are talking about a “whole” food or a “processed” or refined food. Honey in its natural state is composed of carbohydrate in the form of fructose, glucose, some amount of sucrose, maltose and other sources. But these carbohydrates are present in conjunction with vitamins (niacin, riboflavin), amino acids and minerals such as zinc, manganese, copper, calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorous. This is why honey is a whole food, while refined sugar is “pure” carbohydrate (glucose) in the absence of minerals or vitamins. Due to the nutritional content of honey and it’s carbohydrate composition, it takes more time to digest honey in the stomach. The sugars in the honey are released at a much slower rate into the blood stream as compared to “refined” sugar. Studies have been conducted that have indicated that honey is not fattening at all. There have been samples studies where people consuming 5-10 tablespoons of honey for a month, did not observe any weight gain but were healthier with lower cholesterol levels and higher blood antioxidant content. The simple reason why honey is not fattening is because it’s a whole food, just like fruits. A fruit is high in carbohydrate but does not make you fat simply because it’s a whole food packed with vitamins and minerals along with carbs. Calorie counting should be restricted to “processed” or refined foods and should not be used for judging a “whole” food. The wholesome health benefits of honey In ancient India, honey was used in several food preparations; it was considered to be medicinal in nature. Modern day studies have confirmed that honey has a rich antioxidant properties that help curb diseases like cancer. Eating honey is also known to help in reducing blood cholesterol level by decreasing the LDL count. The presence of a wide array of vitamins, minerals and amino acids in honey makes for a rich nutrition supplement which can be a part of everyday diet. Honey has anti bacterial properties and can help relieve throat congestions and digestive problems, as advocated by Ayurveda. Honey can actually help you lose weight In conclusion, it’s fair to say that honey makes for a healthier option as a “sweetner” instead of the refined sugars used in most households. There are many people who have observed weight loss when they started consuming a tablespoon of honey mixed with a spoon of cinnamon powder and warm water on an empty stomach on daily basis. So honey is not fattening but can actually induce slimming. It’s a tasty option worth trying out if you have not done so already. Buying Pure Honey It is important that the honey that you consume is pure and is not overly processed. There are some simple tests you can do at home to determine if the honey is pure, but these tests cannot be 100% relied upon. For instant, one fairly common test is to pour a teaspoon of honey in a glass of plain water. If the honey is pure it will get deposited at the bottom of the glass and will not readily mix with the water. But as said before, this test cannot be fully relied upon. This is why, the best way to buy honey is from a bee farm or from your local farmer’s market. If you are buying a commercial product off the shelves, make sure to do your research to see what others are saying about the brand. • Rob Also you should read the label and make sure its raw honey not cooked, because I have heard that cooking it down could take some of its nutrients out. • MS P Well just as they would say with some fruits to a diabetic in regards to honey consumption: just watch your intake of honey because I was taking honey three times a day just for the health benefits, about two tablespoons each time, and I noticed I had gained weight so now i will limit my intake of the honey, just as a diabetic has to limit their intake with some fruits due to the natural sugar content. • Robert So maple syrup isn’t fattening in the same sense that honey is not? • Tim(author) Robert, it’s true that pure maple syrup (made purely from maple sap – 100% maple sap) is a wholesome food and would fall into the non-fattening category compared to consuming white sugar. Maple syrup does not have the capacity to reduce the LDL count the way honey does, but it’s rich in anti-oxidants and minerals like calcium, potassium, manganese and zinc. Remember that we are talking about 100% pure maple syrup, not the various artificial imitations or the ones which contain sweeteners. • Mary I love honey and it’s great to know that it can actually help you lose weight! • Artidevi Jagnarain Thank you very much for making the facts clear about the effect of coffee on the blood sugar level and as a consequence the food craving which I’m experiencing daily. And also for sharing the benefits of honey and the induced slimming. Success with your future articles and keep up this good work! • LaRonda I am looking at a jar of honey and the label reads, 60 calories per tablespoon. There are 22 servings in the jar. Could that be where you got the 22? • Chris Thanks for this info. But I think the important factor is to identify if the honey is fake or real. Fake honey is definitely fattening cause it’s generally sugar syrup. Here’s how you can differentiate fake honey from real honey. Drop half a spoon of honey in a glass of clear drinking water. If the honey is real, it will sink to the bottom of the glass without dissolving. In other words, the water will still remain clear. If the honey is fake, it will start dissolving changing the color of the water. Just a tip I thought will be helpful to others. • ReRe He put that in the article.
OML Search Division - Grade 3 This lesson will help you develop an understanding of division by: • representing and explaining division using equal sharing • representing and explaining division using equal grouping • relating division to repeated subtraction • relating division to multiplication. Related Topics: Understanding Multiplication When one number is divided by another, the number being divided is the dividend. The other number is the divisor. The result is the quotient. It is important to understand the three meanings of division: 1. Division as Equal Sharing 2. Division as Equal Grouping 3. Division as Repeated Subtraction Division as Equal Sharing In the sharing situation, some known quantity (amount) is shared equally among a known number of entities (people, boxes, packages, etc.). What is not known in a sharing situation is the amount of the given quantity per share. The quotient in this situation represents the amount per share, the size of each share or the unit rate. equal sharing Show division as equal sharing Example: Use division to share 6 jelly beans between two friends. Division by Sharing Example: 12 ÷ 3 Division as Equal Grouping In a grouping situation, the unknown is the number of groups of a given size that can be made from a given quantity (amount). The quotient in this situation tells how many groups of the specified size can be made from the given quantity Division as grouping Division by grouping using objects Example: 12 ÷ 4 Division by Grouping 1. Six angry bird characters want to have a game of soccer. a) Put them into groups of three. How many teams are made? b) Put them into groups of two. How many teams are made? 10 ÷ 2 18 ÷ 6 20 ÷ 4 15 ÷ 3 Division as Repeated Subtraction To divide using repeated subtraction, subtract equal groups from the total until you reach 0. Division is a shortcut for repeated subtraction. division as repeated subtraction Division = Repeated Subtraction This video shows you that division is repeated subtraction and that you can use subtraction to get answers to division problems. How to divide by using repeated subtraction on an empty number line? Step 1. Write the calculation clearly. Step 2. Draw an empty number line. Step 3. Start from the right hand side of the number line. Step 4. Subtract by groups. Step 5. Count the jumps 12 ÷ 3 = Division is repeated subtraction 21 ÷ 3 Relate Multiplication and Division For example, if 3 × 2 = 6 then 6 ÷ 3 = 2. multiplication division Relating Multiplication and Division • Use division to find a missing factor. • See the relationship between multiplication and division. • Use a letter to represent an unknown. • Review basic multiplication facts that have 0,1,2, or 5 as one of the factors. • Identify and memorize the memory group of multiplication facts. If we know the two factors, we multiply to find the product. If the factors are 4 and 3, the product is 12 If we know one factor and the product, we can find the other factor. 4 &time; w = 12, w × 3 = 12. We can use division to find the missing factor. Multiplication and division are inverse operations. One operation undoes the other. It is like a fact family. Find the missing factors a) 5n = 40 b) a × 4 = 36 How are Multiplication and Division related? 1. How would you use counters to make an array to show 2 × 6? How many different multiplication and division sentences can you write to represent the array? 2. Each trading card sheet has 3 rows with 2 pockets in each row. How many pockets are on each sheet? 3. Complete each family fact. OML Search [?] Subscribe To This Site follow us in feedly Add to My Yahoo! Add to My MSN Subscribe with Bloglines
In whatever we do, fundamentals are the basic skills we must acquire to do it well. Good ways to attain relevant knowledge is to read widely, attend courses and seminars, practice, etc. In this section, I am going to share with you some of the basic fundamentals in photography essential for taking a good photographs. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment and I will get back to you as soon as I could. There are a few types of camera available in the market. The more common ones are Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera, prosumer, compact camera or sometimes referred as point and shoot camera, range finder, large and medium format camera, etc. There are a few important terms you need to know: a) Aperture b) Shutter Speed c) ISO The above 3 are the key elements to determine the exposure of a photograph. The aperture is the “circular” opening inside the camera lens which controls the amount of light hitting the sensor. On your camera, you will see f/2.8, f/3.5…….f/22. All these f-numbers determine the size of the “circular” opening. f/2.8 will have the biggest opening, thus allowing more light to enter and f/22 will have the smallest opening and allowing less light to hit the sensor. Do note that the bigger the f number, the smaller the opening, which means less light can hit the sensor. In general, under low light condition, it is recommended to use a wider aperture and under strong light, a smaller aperture should be used to avoid over-expose. This determines how long you want the light to hit the sensor. You will see eg. 1/15, 1/60, or 1/1000 on your camera. These are your shutter speed settings. 1/15 means the shutter is open for 1/15 of a second and 1/1000 means the shutter is open for 1/1000 of a second. In most camera, you will see 1″, which means the shutter is open for 1 seconds. In general, if you want to freeze a moment, shutter speed of 1/250 is recommended. *Hint: It is recommended that for the shutter speed used, the denominator value should be bigger then your focal length (mm) to avoid camera shake. This determines how sensitive to light the camera sensor is. The sensor is more sensitive to light at ISO 800 as compared to ISO100. Generally, under low light condition, you may want to use higher ISO setting and under strong light, lower ISO setting is recommended. Do note that higher ISO value (typically ISO 1000 and above) will produce noise to your picture which will cause the picture to be grainy. Well, this could be the effect you wanted especially for portrait shots. Relationship Between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed Have you ever wonder what is the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed? There is a strong correlationship between them to gain a desire or correct exposure for a photograph. Whenever possible, I will recommend using a low ISO because this will produce the best quality image as compared to using a high ISO say at ISO 1000. Nevertheless with today’s technology, many cameras are capable of reducing the noise generated by using high ISO and thus producing relatively good images. But whatever the case, a low ISO is still desirable unless you wanted a grainy image to create a “mood” especially so for portrait pictures. For example under strong light conditions and you want to achieve shallow depth of field, a low ISO is recommended so as to avoid over-exposure with a relatively fast shutter speed to freeze the image. If a high ISO is selected together with a large aperture, there might be a chance your photograph may turn out to be over-exposed. Same principle applies when under low light condition. Say if you want to set your aperture to f/11 and you want to freeze the image, ISO needs to be high in order to achieve what you desire. Else with a low ISO of say 100, the shutter speed may be too slow for aperture of f/11 and thus blurring your photograph due to camera shake. For night photography where a tripod will be used, I will strongly recommend using ISO 100 to produce the best quality image without blurring due to camera shake. For me, my ISO setting will typically range from ISO 100 to ISO 800 maximum. I will use ISO 1000 and above if I deliberately wanted a grainy image. Hope this short article helps in your understanding in relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. So the art of getting the correct expose very much depends on how you balance aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Nowadays, cameras have a built in light-sensitive meter. Using this meter, you can determine the balance between the 3 elements mentioned earlier. Do note that getting the right exposure also largely depends on where you meter. Although this meter is not 100% accurate, but it does provides a good reference for you. There are 3 common types of metering system used, namely spot metering, center weighted metering and matrixmetering/evaluative metering. Different metering system used will produce different results on your pictures. What is the difference? Well, I will like to urge you to surf the web to get the answer! This is part and parcel of learning right? For me, I use center weighted 80% of the time and will recommend you to do so too for a start. There are normally a few modes which most DSLR provides, namely Manual, Aperture Priority/Av, Shutter Priority/Tv, Program and Auto mode. For a start, you may use Program mode for shooting. This this mode, camera will determine the aperture and shutter settings while you determine the ISO setting. So you can enjoy the fun of photo shooting, but you are not able to exercise much control on the camera and thus unable to take more “creative” pictures. I will not recommend Auto mode for shooting. If you want to use Auto mode, I will suggest you save this money to get a higher end point and shoot camera as the difference will be minimal, other then better resolution from DSLR. For Aperture Priority/Av mode, you control the aperture and ISO while the camera will determine the shutter speed to gain the correct exposure. For Shutter Priority/Tv mode, you control the shutter speed and ISO while camera will determine the aperture to gain the correct exposure. For Manual mode, you have control on aperture, shutter speed and ISO. You will have maximum control of the camera when using manual mode, which is a mode preferred by many professionals. There are many different kind of lens for different photography purposes, up to your creativity. For SLR cameras, the lens are interchangeable. Do note that 2 important terms, namely Angle of View and Focal Length. Always remember the relation between them is, the wider the angle of view, the shorter then focal length. You always see 20mm, 50mm or 135mm on your lens? That determines your focal length. To put it in simple terms, the larger the focal length, the more “zoom” you will observe. And because of that, your angle of view is narrower. I shall introduce some common ones which you always hear your friends saying. With these rough idea in mind, and you wish to find out more, I will encourage you to do some of your own research to understand more! Prime Lens: Prime lens refers to lens with a fixed focal length, say 50mm or 70mm. Normally such lens have rather wide aperture and it could deliver better quality pictures. Zoom Lens: Zoom lens means that the lens offer a range of focal length, say from 18mm to 135mm. Although its convenient to have a zoom lens, such that you don’t have to keep changing lens, it gives problems like chromatic aberration and picture distortions. Wide Angle and Ultra Wide Angle Lens: Such lens provides a wide angle of view with short focal length in a range typically from 18mm to 35mm. At short focal length, slight distortion could be observed at the edge of the picture. Telephoto and Ultra Telephoto Lens: Such lens allows you to bring distance objects appear nearer in the picture. It offers long focal length and thus have a narrow angle of view. The focal length generally ranges from 70mm up to 1000mm, and lens with long focal length normally fetch a very high price. Fisheye Lens: Fisheye lens offers a high degree of distortion, which is good for some creativity shooting. A picture tells a thousand words and the picture below illustrate the effect of a fisheye lens. Macro Lens: Such lens is used for shooting an object with a close focusing distance at magnifications usually up to 1:1 ratio or 100% life size. Macro Lens is highly prefer for close-up photography example taking pictures of insects, flowers, etc. Which one to choose, Prime lens or Zoom lens? Believe this is a common question among many photographers. 1) Prime lens has only one focal length and thus its construction is simpler as compared to zoom lens. As such, prime lens is generally lighter and cheaper, providing superior imagine quality. Prime lens is generally faster as they offer wider aperture and this is useful when shooting in low light conditions. 2) Zoom lens offer a range of focal length and therefor has a more complex construction. Image quality may not be as good as prime lens but zoom lens brings a lot of convenience and flexibility. You can concentrate on shooting rather than having to keep switching between lenses. Which is better in my opinion depends on your needs and what you frequently shoot. If you are on an assignment like weddings and events, you may want to use a zoom lens. This will save you the trouble of switching between lens and allows you to concentrate on looking out for “targets”. If time is not the factor and you enjoy shooting landscape (for example) with no compromise on image quality, prime lens may be the answer. RAW and JPEG Format JPEG: Many compact cameras and DSLR offers JPEG format which is easy to use with relatively small file size. JPEG is created by the camera’s built in image processor to produce satisfactory results for your photograhs. This goes to mean that the adjustments are performed by the image processors with the files compressed, to reduce the file size which will degrade the quality of the photographs. RAW: Most DSLR cameras allows you to shoot in RAW format. RAW is somehow like the negative of a film camera. RAW format provides images in its purest form without any image processing done by the camera. Althought this will take up more storage space, it allows photographers to make dynamic adjustments (using post-processing software) without affecting the integrity of the photographs. Learn more on Advantages Of Shooting In Raw Format. Must I Use Manual Mode To Be Deem As A Professional? Before touching on this topic, lets recap that there are a few different modes we can use and in a DSLR camera. They are namely Manual, Aperture Priority (AP), Shutter Priority, Program and Auto mode. Different conditions will require different mode of operations. For me, I will most of the time use AP mode for my shots. If I am taking landscape, I will use a small aperture and a wide aperture if I am taking portraits, or when I need shallow depth of field. Setting on AP mode allows me to have speed, which is essential when capturing candids or moving subjects. Remember moving subjects will not wait for you to adjust your settings! I will use Manual Mode when taking night shots or studio, where more controls are required. Shutter Priority will be used when I am doing Panning shots, where shutter speed setting is more critical. In my opinion, it does not mean that you must use Manual mode in order to be preceived as good photographer. It is the result you produce that counts. There are very well-known photographers using Program mode to produce award winning photographs! Remember, it is the photos and memories you captured, not the camera mode you are using. Social Widgets powered by
Coconut crabs What a weird and wonderful world we live in. Why people insist on making up aliens and ghosts amazes me when the nutty stuff that nature provides knocks them into a cocked hat. At the top of my list for amazing creatures is the coconut crab. Coconut crab I first came across them in Oliver Sacks’ “island of the colour blind” Where he describes his first encounter on the pacific island of Rota. Seeing a pile of coconut shells abandoned on the ground, and thinking it the work of lazy tourists he asks his guide… “Who brought these shells here? ‘crabs’ he said. Seeing my confusion, he elaborated. ‘These large cocnut crabs come in, the cocnut trees are over there.’ He gestured towards the beach a few hundred yards away, where we could just see a grove of palm trees. ‘The crabs know they will be disturbed if they eat them by the beach, so they bring them over here to eat.’ So these are clearly big crabs, capable of dragging and smashing open a coconut. Darwin described them in the notes from his voyage on the beagle. I have before alluded to a crab which lives on the cocoa-nuts; it is very common on all parts of the dry land, and grows to a monstrous size. It is closely allied or identical with Birgos latro. This crab has its front pair of legs terminated by very strong and heavy pincers, and the last pair by others which are narrow and weak. It would at first be thought quite impossible for a crab to open a strong cocoa-nut covered with the husk ; but Mr. Liesk assures me he has repeatedly seen the operation effected. The crab begins by tearing the husk, fibre by fibre, and always from that end under which the three eye holes are situated; when this is completed, the crab commences hammering with its heavy claws on one of these eye holes, till an opening is made. Then turning round its body, by the aid of its posterior and narrow pair of pincers, it extracts the white albuminous substance. I think this is as curious a case of instinct as ever I heard of, and likewise of adaptation in structure between two objects apparently so remote from each other in the scheme of nature as a crab and a cocoa-nut tree. ………. It has been stated by some authors that the Birgos latro crawls up the cocoa-nut trees for the purpose of stealing the nuts: I very much doubt the possibility of this; but with the Pandanus* the task would be very much easier. I understood from Mr. Liesk that on these islands the Birgos lives only on the nuts which fall to the ground.” In fact these wonderful creatures do actually climb trees, cut down cocnouts to tear open and eat. Now that’s a nice niche to exploit if you can. refs; The complete works of Charles Darwin Online The island of the colour-blind Oliver Sacks (1996) Picador This entry was posted in true stories and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 4 Responses to Coconut crabs 1. I agree. The coconut crab looks fantastic. Yep why all this fuss about unknown aliens, ghosts and conspiracy theories about princess Dianna, Madeline Mcann when there is all this stuff on earth we know nothing about. The oceans have hardly been explored. there are animals and plants going Dodo everyday and know one even knows what they do. Yep more of this because tv and radio concentrate on the serengeti of lions and zebra and ignore most of the world of all the many other things around us. 2. Pingback: The Wow Moment \| It's those little things….. 3. Joe Row says: I’ve met many of these coconut crabs while on the island of Guam in the early 1960’s. I was in the Navy, had lots of time to boonie stomp and came across the now extinct bird of paradise and small deer. The tree snake or brown snake has decimated the island of many of its native inhabitants. The coconut crab is still there and they do climb the coconut tree to retrieve the coconut if they don’t find what they want on the ground. I met several while in the top of the tree and they are dangerous as they have no fear of man. The can pinch your finger off if your stupid enough to play around with them. 4. Pingback: What’s your crab? \| It's those little things….. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Trivium: Logic or Dialectica Trivium: Logic or Dialectica Grammar and the Trivium Grammar and the Trivium Previously, I posted about the Seven Liberal Arts in general and the Trivium in particular. Recently, a challenge was given to me about providing examples of how the liberal arts are part of our everyday life, and why the human seeking to enlighten their mind might care about them. The challenge was to provide short essays on each. Three-hundred word essays are always a challenge but the gauntlet has been picked up. We’ll call these Liberal Arts: petit fours. Therefore, for today, I give you Grammar.grammar Grammar is the skill of knowing language. In order to form sound reasoning, one must be able to learn the words, sentence structure, and forms that make up their language and thereby, communicate clearly and with confidence. In classical training, Grammar is the “who, what, why, when, and how” of understanding and knowledge. Grammar is taught more mechanically in the modern age, which does a disservice: humans need more than nuts and bolts to create clear ideas and communicate them. Much of what we need to learn goes beyond the adverb or adjective. An example of this is figures of speech.Cornelis Cort 1565 Grammar Figures of speech are the use of any of a variety of techniques to give an auxiliary meaning, idea, or feeling. An example of this is dysphemism. This is the use of a harsh, more offensive word instead of one considered less harsh. Dysphemism is often contrasted with Euphemism. Dysphemisms are generally used to shock or offend. Examples of dysphemism are “cancer stick” for cigarette, “belly bomb” for doughnut, and “treeware” for books. Examples of Euphemisms are lighter, such as “between jobs” for unemployed, or “passed away” for death. Knowing the difference of these two figures of speech allows the audience to be placed in a certain frame of mind and creates a scene for the next stages of what is to be communicated.grandpa As our use of grammar grows, we need tounderstand how figures of speech like this work and use them effectively when we will eventually make our case (rhetoric) via the tool of language organized into thought (logic). Thus, the well-rounded thinking man should understand not only the technical grammar of his own language, but also how the tools of grammar may be applied to the body of human knowledge for further study. In order to communicate his own interpretation of the symbolism of any topic of organized learning, as well as what he learns from the natSocratic Methodural world around him, the study of grammar, regardless of the age of the individual, is pivotal. Grammar is foundational to all problem-solving methods. What would the Socratic Method be without proper grammar by which to understand and debate the ethical questions of nature? As Socrates knew: to be able to instruct, to learn deference, and to be able to speak with authority, the enlightened human must concern himself with the very basic study of communication. That is, the study of the grammar of one’s language. The Seven Liberal Arts – The Trivium The Seven Liberal Arts – The Trivium There is a real affinity for the goals of Freemasonry and the Seven Liberal Arts. From earliest teachings, we see that they are the foundation of many degree rites, the first of which is the FellowCraft Degree. To understand why this is, I think we must first understand the structure of the Seven Liberal Arts and what their history is. The Liberal Arts have been, from antiquity, been the foundation stone upon which knowledge of the natural world rests. The seven liberal arts have been utilized since ancient Greece. Plato and Pythagoras were first in codifying their importance; the flowering of our western understanding of the liberal arts took place in medieval education systems, where they were categorized into the Trivium and the Quadrivium. Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric are the Trivium, and Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy are the Quadrivium. The Trivium combines the use of the senses with knowledge to lay the foundation for further study. The Quadrivium was considered to be the higher level education for the philosopher, and employed the use of the Trivium to be able to compose higher ideas and thereby, expand the knowledge of the human condition. Freemasons the world over have expounded on the Seven Liberal Arts ad infinitum. All you need to do is search Freemasonry and Seven Liberal Arts, and you get a great deal of regurgitated drivel. That is not what I am striving to do in this next series. Here, my goal is to simply explain why the Seven Liberal Arts seem to have a kinship with Freemasonry, and perhaps provide small examples of each – withsevenliberalarts and without a Freemasonic connection. It’s up to you, the reader, to decide what you’d like to do with the information. Plato’s Dialogues explain the curriculum outlined in detail and for any serious student of liberal arts, Plato is required reading. I, therefore, will not relate these concepts here. Suffice to say that the study of the Liberal Arts is more of a study of knowledge than it is of any specific actual data and information. As we may have learned by now, knowledge without application is dead and useless. Knowledge in the pursuit of higher ideals and higher ideas is more valuable than… than… well, you get the idea. Remember, one of the goals of Freemasonry is to better the human condition while standing up in defiance of falsehood, ignorance, and hatred. How do we do that if we are not searching to better our communication and knowledge, and the ways to bring both to life? The Trivium is, as I said above, the foundation stone of the Seven Liberal Arts and really provides us the method and ability to communicate. It is composed of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. • Grammar: Knowledge and Learning of Language • Logic: Reasoning, Questioning, and Thinking with Language • Rhetoric: Directing, moving, and Persuading using Language While these all seem to be in relation to language, they are much more than language. They are the skills involved in achieving these ends. Therefore, the study of Grammar is also the study of history, geography, reading, and writing. It is basic, absolutely, but more encompassing than simply learning one’s ABCs and how to put pen on paper and write. Logic is about how we learn – we use our senses to experience, put our minds to thought, question, and experiment. We learn to ask the correct questions to achieve the answers we seek. They are not provided to us – we must seek them out and test for ourselves. Finally, rhetoric is the ability to take what we have learned with grammar and dialectic and put them firmly into the hands of an audience we are attempting to persuade. Rhetoric uses emotional discourse, thoughtfully created and properly applied, to communicate new ideas. If it is not clear to the Freemason now why at least the Trivium is not important, one might want to question what they have actually learned while being a Freemason. Many may think that Freemasonry is all about enlightenment, walking in squares, or religious meanings. It might be those things to some but I think the true goals of Freemasonry are to provide a framework of how to be in the world, to make that world better for those that follow us but more importantly, for our own betterment. We cannot communicate lofty ideals via ritual alone – we need to be able to express what we have learned to a wider audience, to bring new thoughts to a wider world. To me, when we talk about service to the world, there is no greater service than being a hand-up to the betterment of the human condition and we do that by “teaching a man how to fish.” Study of the Liberal Arts is by one means to catch that “fish.”
Mushroom material is a form like material that is grown from agricultural byproducts and mushroom roots called Mycelium. The Mycelium is a natural, self-assembling glue. It is 100% renewable and has a low embodied energy and is compostable. Many compare this material to being the new plastic as it can be applied to many of the same purposes. Synthetic materials such as plastic, requires excessive amount of energy to develop which then results in becoming waste, slowly damaging our planet. However, this mushroom material is completely decomposable, returning into the environment in a natural way where it can be up cycled. It takes what we consider waste and forms into a material very similar to styrofoam, but with much less damage. Styrofoam occupies 25% of the landfills and also our natural environment for thousands and thousands of year without ever really fully decomposing. I think this material is extremely innovative and can really affect the way we design, replacing plastic with this mushroom material. We often forget how harmful plastics can be, especially with the chemicals added or it even being found in our water. I think that by using mushroom material as an alternative material for packaging we can really begin to change our future, helping us do less damage to our environment. Here is a link to a ted talk, explaining the benefits of mushroom material! Julie Nguyen 1. momahony2014 says: Well written opinion piece Julie. Do try to include an image where you can – we are all visual people reading this and do like our images! Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
The Potential of Food Labels Today, about 80% of the food that are processed and bought by the consumers are genetically modified, or known as GMOs (Hemphill). As food technology and nutirion science advance and companies seek profit over nutrition in the food, clear food labeling is no longer there for the people to understand what is in the food that they are eating everyday. The GMOs are products that are made by the scientists who are experts in this field, and it is difficult for those who are not as educated as them to understand how modified foods are made and composed of. Even though it may be difficult to get rid of GMOs due to increase in number of companies that profit off of GMOs, the regulators and companies should label and inform about the GMOs in their product with easier descriptions that many could easily understand what is inside their food. GMOs are known to cause many health problems in our body. According to an article, “Spilling the Beans: Unintended GMO Health Risks,” the rats were fed with Bt corn, which is a genetically modified corn, for up to 120 days. The result was that the rats developed myriads of health problems such as changes in blood cells, kidneys, and livers (Smith). Likewise, a study shown in an article “Arpad Pusztai and the risks of Genetic Engineering,” DNA of soybeans were altered with a gene from Brazil nuts. While after, scientists saw that those modified beans were altered to cause allergic reactions. These genetically modified foods are hard for us to evaluate due to lack of knowledge on them. However, easy-to-understand descriptions and clear labeling would help consumers to be aware of what they are eating and know how consuming the product can impact their health, helping them to make better food choices. The current problem of labeling food product is that big companies have too much power over the regulations with their immense money. An example can be seen in lobbying process by Monsanto, the largest seed corporations in the world. This company produces seeds that are genetically modified in way that the seeds resist herbicides and weed killers. When the citizens try to protest or take action against the GMOs that they are making, Monsanto prevents any laws from passing by paying immense money to the lobbyists. This corporation is said to spend an average of six billion dollars on lobbying every year (Sarich). If their modified products are as safe as they say they are, corporations like Monsanto should not be afraid of labeling their products. And by adding these labels, it would make consumers should feel safer as some may feel cautious of eating GMOs. Even though labeling more on the products may cost more money for the companies, it should be regulated as spending on lobbying costs a lot of money as well, and companies should know that trust from the consumer is a big factor that will make their business more successful and sustainable. It can be overwhelming to think about the corruption of our government and big businesses that only revolve around making a profit. But we need to take time to learn and look deeper into how things are regulated and what we are eating on daily basis. We need to realize these hidden facts that the big companies are hiding and fix it for the sustainable food system and future generations to come. Edward Choi 1.Hemphill, Thomas A., and Syagnik Banerjee. “Mandatory Food Labeling For Gmos.” Regulation 37.4 (2014): 7-10. Business Source Premier. Web. 8 Apr. 2015. 2.Smith, Jeffrey . “Spilling the Beans: Unintended GMO Health Risks.” Organic Consumers. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr 2013. 3.Sarich, Christina. “The 10 Companies Controlling the World’s Seed Supply.”Nation of Change. N.p., 21 Oct. 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. 4.Fig.1. GMO Bell Pepper Injection. An Issue of Corn Production Most people would perceive corn as a delicious side dish, however, a lot of people don’t realize that it’s in the majority of the food we eat and everything in between. These include items from breakfast cereals to medicine. The documentary Food, Inc., produced by Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein, examines a deeper look into the issues surrounding our food system. The film stated that because farmers are paid to overproduce corn, 30% of land base in the United States is used to plant this crop due to government policy. It stated that an estimate of 90% of processed food products in the grocery store either contain a corn or soybean ingredient, and most of the time both (Food, Inc.). The film also stated that due to the overproduction of corn, food scientist came up with uses for it, which resulted in an abundant amount of foods containing corn in some way, such as high-fructose corn syrup. This leads to the issue of having GMO (Genetically modified organisms) foods, which is food created in a lab that modifies genetic material of a plant or animal. According to the website Consumer Reports, from the article “GMO foods: What you need to know,” foods made with canola oil, corn, or soy often contain GMOs. Many have argued that GMO enhanced foods should be labeled, and some have gone to argue that people have been eating these modified foods for years and there’s no evidence of people being harmed, however, as stated in the article, just saying there’s no evidence of harm isn’t proving it’s safe. In 2016, Caitlin Shetterly, an investigative journalist, described in Elle magazine of a mysterious illness she developed that stopped after she quit eating certain foods containing corn, from which her doctor later suggested she was allergic to a protein in genetically modified corn (Lantz). Eating corn-based foods continuously could cause health problems, and corn production can affect the environment as well. In 2013, John Bauer, co-founder of a company called The Foodery in Boston, talked of three downsides through dependence of corn. The first is how continuous consumption of corn-based products could result in diabetes and obesity (Bauer). Bauer stated the second downside is eating corn and it’s many derivatives, they are consuming a substance that’s been contaminated with pesticides and which has been Genetically Modified. The third downside is how corn production could bring environmental damage to soil, water, and air (Bauer). Bauer says that due to corn contributing to feeding livestock, supplying these industries with acreage of corn won’t last forever, and years of pesticide usage can ruin soil, waters can get contaminated, and digestive problems of cattle through grain consumption can result in methane emissions. Altogether, we should have the right to know what goes into making our food, and it’s an issue we should be making more people aware of. It’s shocking to find corn in a majority of things. They as producers shouldn’t be hiding anything from us consumers when it comes down to the food we eat. Lauren Shelby 1. Bauer, John. “Corn Is Everywhere.” The Foodery. August 20, 2013. Accessed April 18, 2017. 2. Food, Inc. By Robert Kenner, Robert Kenner, Robert Kenner, Richard Pearce, Eric Schlosser, Eric Schlosser, Melissa Robledo, William Pohlad, Jeff Skoll, Robin Schorr, Diane Weyermann, Elise Pearlstein, Elise Pearlstein, Kim Roberts, Kim Roberts, Michael Pollan, Michael Pollan, Gary Hirshberg, Joel Salatin, and Mark Adler. Directed by Richard Pearce. Performed by Robert Kenner . Los Angeles, CA: Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2008. DVD. 3. “GMO foods: What you need to know.” GMO Foods: What You Need to Know – Consumer Reports Magazine. February 26, 2015. Accessed April 18, 2017. 4. Lantz, Catherine. 2016. “Modified: GMOs and the Threat to Our Food, Our Land, Our Future.” Library Journal 141 (13). Media Source, Inc.: 113–19. 5. Fig 1. Corn-field. Secrets of the Cornfield In America, the idea of having a choice on what we eat is usually expected. The problem with this is that most of the foods we eat are a lot more limited than we think. In fact, most of the products you will find in the U.S contain the same couple of ingredients. Consumers are being tricked into thinking they have a long list of choices when they may only have one or two. With this, some may argue if consumers want to know what is in their food, they should be responsible for doing so. While this statement could be thought of as correct because food producers not only hide what their ingredients are, the unsustainable process of which these products are made should support the argument that we as humans have the right to know what is in our food. When it comes to producing our food, companies will use ingredients that are both cheaper and faster to produce. And with doing this we get the vegetable, corn, being thrown into everything we eat because it is both easy and cheap to produce. According to Executive Director of the California Academy of Sciences, Dr. Jonathan Foley, food producers are molding corn into an array of different unhealthy ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and even citric acid. Author Michael Pollen spoke in the documentary Food Inc. of how farmers are even feeding cows corn to make them bulkier faster, and because of this our meat suffers greatly. Pollen says, “Cows are not designed by evolution to eat corn, cows are designed by evolution to eat grass.” Because these cows are eating something that they were not designed to eat, the deadly bacterium E Coli 0157:h7 starts to form in their stomachs (Food Inc.). Being in tight corners these cows will stand in their feces all day. Giving food producers no real way to keep the bacteria from leaving our meat (Food Inc.). This showing that food companies are not only putting fattening products in our food without us knowing, but they are also feeding us products that could seriously hurt our health. Companies are trying their hardest to give us food that is cheap for them to produce, and in turn, they are giving us ingredients that are jeopardizing our health. According to Trace One Manager Chris Morrison, a survey found that about 33% of consumers said they would be willing to pay for information on their food. Morrison stating, “Transparency matters and many consumers are willing to pay for it.” Due to the overwhelming facts, research, and this idea alone, I feel it is safe to say that we as humans have the right to know clearly what is in our food. Summer Shelby 1. “Consumers Want to Know More About Where the Ingredients for Their Food Come From.” Food Manufacturing. March 31, 2016. Accessed April 18, 2017. 1. Foley, Jonathan. “It’s Time to Rethink America’s Corn System.” Scientific American. March 05, 2013. Accessed April 18, 2017. Corrupted Industry Over the years, food companies have modified the process of growing and making food in order to increase the quantity of production of their products. They traded in quality for quantity, disregarding what goes into the food consumers eat. Due to the large amount of chemicals food has to go through, businesses and lobbies take extreme measures to avoid detailed labels and warnings on their food in order to protect the image of their product, food companies should not have the power to decide what information should be put out to the public, consumers have the right to know what exactly is in their food and why businesses go to extreme measures to keep a clean image. Food companies are more worried about increasing production and profit rather than the actual quality of the food. Corporations increase profit by using lower- cost ingredients, according to research done by Mike Adams, a founder and owner of Natural News, food manufactures deceive consumers by hiding dangerous ingredients behind innocent sounding names. Food companies also increase their earning by minimizing labor cost which create poor working conditions. Not only are the workers being maltreated, but so are the animals. The food industry also maximizes profit by curtailing the competition. Big brand food companies such as Tyson Foods, control nearly the entire food industry and the food we eat, meaning that the harmful food produced by these companies are distributed all across America. The food industry is one of the most affluent industries in the world, it is no surprise that they are willing to go through extreme measure to maximize and protect their profit. Due to the harsh chemicals and inhumane production system that companies use to make food, businesses and lobbies are taking extreme measures to protect the image of their product. The food industry does not want the public to know what exactly is in their food, or how it is made. This raises suspicion among the violation of various health codes. Because nothing major has been done to enforce food companies to produce quality food, it seems that the government’s food regulations are in favor of the companies rather the benediction of consumers. The government has also made it more accessible for food companies to sue critics. Something that many health code inspectors find skeptical is that the government has laws that mandate food labeling describing nutrition date, ingredients and allergy information, however the food industry creates confrontation when these laws are implemented. The food industry has created a veil to obscure the reality behind their production, creating a blind eye among consumers. The disturbing practices of the food industry have begun to create a wave of people advocating for the truth. There are many ways to promote a change in the food industry, this can be accomplished by investigating and advocating organizations that fight against these practices. Raising awareness against these malpractices can help uncover the truth and conceivably influence the food industry to modify their ingredients and working condition to create a safe haven for all. – Arely Ambriz 1. “How food manufacturers trick consumers with deceptive ingredients lists.” NaturalNews. Accessed April 18, 2017. 2. Fig. 1. Under the table corruption.
I am very new to thread. However I would like to make 2 threads, Thread A and Thread B. When a button is clicked Thread A starts and so does Thread B. Thread B shows a loading image and disables users from clicking any buttons whilst Thread A executes some logic code. Thread B continues to run untill the logic in thread A is executed and thus Thready A is stopped. Is it better to use a single or two thread in this case? How can I do this? 3 Years Discussion Span Last Post by JOSheaIV By default there's already a thread that handles the program's GUI (window), which in your case could be the Thread B - so you can directly use this one. To run a method inside a thread you could use something like this: Thread threadA = new Thread(new ThreadStart(someMethod)); //'someMethod' runs in threadA Then you can use Invoke() inside Thread A to update the program's interface (because you can only do this from the UI thread, otherwise you get an exception): Invoke((MethodInvoker) otherMethod); //'otherMethod' is called from the UI thread, use it to disable buttons, showing images, etc. Edited by TheApex Invoke is used to execute a method in the UI thread even if everything else runs on the worker thread. It takes as an argument a delegate to the method you want to call (what I wrote up there is a short version). When Invoke is called from the worker thread, a message is sent to the UI thread, that tells it to execute that delegate which you supplied as an argument. Basically, it works as a "portal" between the worker thread and the UI thread. Edited by TheApex I will say, while the main thread for the form is there, I personally don't care to use it because it locks up the form, and you can't move it or alt+tab in and out easily, ext. Also if you are still puzzled about Invoke look at it this way. Threads are seperate from each other, you could almost think of them as their own individual program each. So when you create a variable in one program, you can't simply try and call it in another program. So if you remember, by default, you have 1 thread already that is tied to the form, and code you are creating (and includes added items like buttons, text boxes, ext). Now if another thread wants to access that item, that was created on the form's thread (we mentioned above), you have to ask the first thread for access to this item, since it owns it. (Also, don't quote me on this, but I believe Invoke can help prevent Threads clashing, which can be catastrophic, usually crashing the program, because Threads can run simultaneously, they can try and access the same item at the same time, which is not good). Well at least this is how I understand it.
How Does Water Purification Systems Work Water purifiers have become an essential requirement for the people of the current world. It is the only easy source that can afford pure water whenever required. There are different types of water filtration processes such as Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration (RO), Ultra Filtration (UF) and Ultra Violet disinfection (UV). While most of us are given a good orientation at the time of installation of such devices, it is always wise to know how these systems function. Reverse Osmosis The Reverse Osmosis system involves a simple water filtration mechanism. Osmosis is the passage or diffusion of water or other solvents through an extremely semi permeable membrane that blocks the passage of dissolved solutes. It can filter all sorts of contaminants from ions, pesticides, microorganisms and other chemicals. This technology is one among the effective processes that makes desalination possible. Desalination is the process of removal of salt from sea water. Many water treatment plants now started using this Reverse Osmosis technique to deal with many water-related issues. There are various components involved in a Reverse Osmosis system. The functions of the components that play an integral part in the Reverse Osmosis system are as follows. Pre-filters \| Water flowing through the cold water line valve enters into the Reverse Osmosis Pre-Filters. Sediment and carbon filters are the commonly used filters. The major role of these filters is to protect the membranes of the Reverse Osmosis system by removing dirt, chlorine content and other sedimentations which might damage the Reverse Osmosis system. Reverse Osmosis Membrane \| The Reverse Osmosis Membrane is an important component in the system. The membrane serves the purpose of removing all sorts of contaminants in water. The water then enters the storage tank. Storage tank \| The storage tank is the one in which the treated water is stored. The tank is designed in such a way that it accumulates about 2-4 gallons of water. Post-filters\| Before the water stored in the storage tank runs out of the Reverse Osmosis faucet, it enters through the final post-filters. It is actually a carbon filter. The purpose of these filters is to give a final touch up by removing bad odors and adding sweetness to the water. Drain line \| The drain line is used to drain out the waste water which consists of dirt and other contaminants. (Source: How Stuff Works) Ultra Violet disinfection Ultra Violet disinfection usually involves a UV lamp. The UV lamp is used to provide pure and safe drinking water. The UV light used in this process is a high powered UV termed as UV-C or germicidal UV. UV-C rays attack the pathogens and penetrate into their body. The DNA of the pathogenic organisms is modified in such a way that they cannot multiply and are killed and cannot cause diseases. These rays have the ability to kill 99.9% of the microorganisms. Unlike chemical disinfection, the organisms are unable to develop any immune mechanism against UV light (Source: Water Tiger). Pre-treatment can be carried out to maximize the efficiency of the treatment. Sediment filters, carbon filters, and water softeners are the pre-treatment methods. Sediment filters are used to remove silt while organic materials are removed with the help of carbon filters. Water softener is used to remove the minerals present. Ultra Filtration Ultra Filtration is a type of membrane filtration in which hydrostatic pressure forces a liquid against a semi permeable membrane. This semi permeable membrane used in this process has the ability to remove bacteria and other sorts of microorganisms and bad odor in the water. Ultra Filtration is not fundamentally different from reverse osmosis, microfiltration or Nano Filtration, except in terms of the size of the molecules it retains. As far as the ultrafiltration method is concerned, it is better in the case of removal of colloids, bacteria and other pathogens and other molecules that are larger than the size of the pores in the semi-permeable membrane. Leave a Reply
Home » Medical Apparel » UV Air Cleaners An Investment In Respiratory Health UV Air Cleaners An Investment In Respiratory Health In studies published in the January 2002 Environmental Health Perspective the benefits of UV air cleaners were demonstrated. The research found that UV air cleaners and UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation) were both economical and effective in reducing the risk of exposure to mycobacterium. In addition highly problematic microbial organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, which is almost impossible to control using other methods, can be very effectively managed through the use of UV products. The major issue with many types of non UV air cleaners that have been used in the past is that they are simply not that effective. According to the World Health Organization of the United Nations, as many as thirty percent of all office buildings around the world are considered to have unhealthy air quality. This leads to a condition known as sick building syndrome and causes to up to 64 million Americans having some type of illness while working on the job. These illnesses are often low grade flu problems, respiratory problems, chronic colds and increasing problems with asthma and allergies. UV air cleaners can be easily installed that will provide protection for the employees, thereby also increasing profit and efficiency in the workplace. UV air cleaners have a real advantage over disinfectants and other types of solutions and products. They are actually designed to kill all bacteria, molds and viruses that are in the air, making the risk of coming into contact with an irritant, allergen or contaminant in the workplace much less likely. UV air cleaners can be mounted directly into existing air conditioning systems, irradiating and killing germs and microorganisms as the air circulates through the building. This can also be an effective way to control and eliminate mold, a significant contributor to respiratory health problems. Since air conditioner coils themselves are a perfect growth spot for bacteria and mold, it only makes sense that treating this area with UV air cleaners will dramatically reduce the amount of airborne contaminants. Adding HVAC UV air cleaners that have a germicidal action is both cost effective as well as helps to provide employees with a very safe and healthy environment in which to work. UV air cleaners can also include mobile room sterilizers. These types of devices are highly portable and lightweight, providing spot treatment in various problematic areas of the workplace. While historically used in hospitals, clinics and medical facilities, these devices are perfect for any type of room or office where mold, bacteria or even viruses may be present. Cleaning the air using a UV product is simple and easy. The UV light bulbs are specially developed using a technology that is designed to be able to penetrate through the protective coating on the airborne microorganisms and destroy the internal DNA. When the DNA is destroyed by the UV air cleaners the germ or spore is literally dead, unable to cause damage or to spread.
How Would a Prairie Dog Describe You? Thin? Short? Just Ask One (John Van Os/The Image Bank/Getty Images) Dr. Doolittle computers talking to prairie dogs and dolphins turn up astonishing complexity of thought - but is it like ours? Nature's Edge Notebook #14 Observation, Analysis, Reflection, New Questions Computers able to detect and analyze micro-vibrations and tones that are out of reach to the human ear are beginning to reveal remarkably sophisticated "languages" in a range of animals… including the scrappy little American Prairie Dog. They are also poised to begin what scientists hope will be complex 2-way "verbal" - or at least "vocal" - communication with the large-brained wild dolphins off the coast of Florida… - Something like the "conversation" we see a computer starting up with the space aliens in Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounter of The Third Kind." Noam Chomsky, MIT's world-renowned linguistic philosopher, tells ABC News he'll be surprised if such computerized "conversations" reveal any animal to have the sort of "boundless" creativity of imaginative language that has been found for sure so far only in humans. Chomsky say he doesn't see any evidence of this boundlessly creative capacity even in Neanderthals, and suspects it may have resulted in some sort of mutation that appeared in us - Homo Sapiens - between 50,000 and 100,000 years ago that rewired the brain to make it capable of far greater flexibility and creativity in its neural computations. …But he is also one among the thousands of ranking scientists and other experts around the world who will be watching closely whatever such computerized communications with other species may reveal about language capacities and thinking in all sorts of animals. In fact, the whole field of animal communication is going through such rapid expansion, it's enough to make you wonder if we won't soon be able to download translation apps into our smart phones on a rainy day so that we can discuss with, say, our pet terrier or Havanese (a breed of Bichon from Havana) over morning Cheerios and Kibbles whether to go to the park or stay in and have that soup bone you've been saving for it in the freezer. Human: "If we go to the park, your paws will get all wet and muddy and I'll have to clean them afterwards … and you know how you hate that." Havanese: "Oh Pleeeze! Pleeeze pleeeze pleeze! Maybe that really cute Bijon Frise will be there! The Bichon with the white white white ears! Yes! And his nose smells so weird - nice weird, but weird. Pleeeeeeze! Awww. And you don't have to clean my paws. No no no no no no no. Pleeeze can we go? … Soup bone? You've got a soup bone?" Maybe we'd soon come to wish they'd never invented these dog-translator apps. It used to be so simple … when, empowered by the very lack of communication, we could call the shots without so much agonizing reflection. And it was a mistake ever to tell that dog about the soup bone. Whether such human-like 2-way communication with our pets can ever materialize is not clear yet … and there are millions of pet owners who would probably tell you they've already got such an understanding they wouldn't need such an app - or want to spoil things the way they are now. Chomsky, and scientists who work directly with animals, point out that a danger in many experiments studying communication with animals is the natural but sentimental temptation to study animals as compared to - or only as compared to - humans. Each animal must be approached, these experts point out, with full awareness of what the species is physically designed to be capable of and to need for survival - a principle that is one of the basics of what is sometimes called "biolinguistics." - And, as Chomsky and many others point out, many animals, if not most or even all, can do various specific things far better than humans - swim, sniff, see, compute, remember, hide, reproduce, sing, run and surely think in various ways and complexities that don't pertain to whatever tactics our human species has evolved for our survival, but do pertain to what each of them needs for life. Yet there are, of course, many inter-species overlaps and common experiences. Consider the lowly American prairie dog - and the surprising way a scientist at the University of Northern Arizona has considered it for the past 30 years. Professor Emeritus Con Slobodchikoff (sla-BAW-tchi-koff) has slowly but surely astonished the scientific world with what his data have piled up to prove the prairies' "Barking Squirrels" capable of communicating - as he explains and shows in his short video below. (Their very name comes from their vocalizations. Prairie dogs are a form of ground squirrel, highly social and living in "villages" of many burrows, from near the entrances of which, early European explorers noticed, they would make squawk-like calls … that led to the nick name "Barking Squirrel" … thence Prairie Dog. Their "villages" of burrows were dubbed "dog towns.") 'America's Meerkats' They also stand up straight in little groups and look around, not unlike the meerkats of southern Africa in the popular natural history TV series - (though meerkats are not a kind of squirrel but of the mongoose family.) But any "cuteness factor" in the prairie dogs - and there's little escaping it, they are awful darned cute - may be quickly overshadowed by the impressive complexity and flexibility of the language with which they try to protect themselves and their way of life in a brutal natural world - a world whose great dangers for them now include the humans. (See Supplemental Video at the end of this article.) His video clearly shows the exactitude with which computers can now zero in on animal "vocabularies" … and explains their methods for translating them into human words. In an email, he told us that he's helping to show that "humans and animals are not as far apart as we once thought, in terms of both language and intelligence." (He sent this video link and some comments, all in response to our Notebook series on animal intelligence.) Slobodchikoff told ABC News: "While many people still expect that primates, whales and dolphins will prove to have the most sophisticated animal languages… [and he doesn't deny that they may] here is a YouTube video showing the complex and very sophisticated language of the lowly prairie dog." At first, other scientists couldn't believe what Slobodchikoff claimed his data proved. He became accustomed to having his papers rejected from leading peer-reviewed scientific journals. But little by little, his data won them over. "I get my studies accepted pretty regularly now," he told us on the phone. This video shows you his evidence that prairie dogs, as he told us … 1) "… incorporate information into their alarm calls about which species of predator that is attacking - coyote, domestic dog, human, red-tailed hawk … 2) "… and also put information into their calls about the predator's size, shape, color and even speed of travel…" 3) "… and can also come up with separate vocal descriptions - or at least separate labels - of each of several different objects they have never seen before …" … and that he and his assistants have found that "the alarm calls are made up of small units of sound, much like human phonemes (units of sound) , that are used in different combinations to describe the different species of predators and other specific details…just like we use phonemes to build our sounds into words and sentences." No other species, he says, including primate, dolphins and whales, have had such specific complexity and flexibility of communication nailed down - "decoded" - he says. And he explains why. Take a look… Consider again the surprising claim that Slobodchikoff makes in this short video: "At this point in time, prairie dogs have the most sophisticated animal language that has been decoded" … that's including primates such as chimps and orangutans, plus whales and dolphins, elephants - any of the other reputedly "highly intelligent animals." But that may be about to change in the home playgrounds of some dolphin off the coast of Florida. (As he acknowledges. He does say, "At this point in time".) As Slobodchikoff explains, his "Rosetta Stone" - allowing, in effect, parallel texts of meaning - was the fact that they could easily see the Prairie Dogs and record the specific event and context clearly related to many specific vocalizations. (The ancient Rosetta Stone, from 196 BC, and discovered two centuries ago in Egypt, had three passages in different languages - Ancient Greek, Demotic Egyptian, and hieroglyphics - the latter hitherto undeciphered. Because the three all repeated essentially the same content, it allowed scholars finally to decipher the hieroglyphics.) For example, Slobodchikoff's cameras, microphones and computers could see an approaching coyote - or domestic dog - and record the clearly related simultaneous alarm calls for coyote - or domestic dog… and then determine minute differences undetectable by humans in the alarm calls. But with the underwater dolphin, it's not so simple to see which particular vocalizations - that are far more complex than the Prairie dogs' - are related to which particular behaviors and situations - that are also far more complex, partly because dolphins live and move in a 3-D world and can communicate over longer distances - not confined to a small area around a burrow hole on a flat prairie. Slobodchikoff did tell ABC News that he does expect dolphin language will likely prove more complex than what he has discovered in prairie dogs, when scientists finally figure out how to translate Dolphinese. That may be about to happen in Florida. Enter 'CHAT' - A New Smartphone App for Chatting With Dolphins Sometime this summer, Denise Herzing hopes to start two-way conversations with wild dolphins out at sea. She will use a new underwater iPhone-sized device that is loaded with a custom-made hardware/software interface called CHAT, an acronym for Cetacean Hearing And Telemetry. In the New York Times video clip below, Herzing (who's been fascinated by dolphins ever since she was a girl) tells you all about it from her seagoing lab fitted into a large pleasure boat, from underwater swimming and playing with wild dolphins, and from her lab at her home base in the Florida Atlantic University's Department of Biological and Psychological Sciences. Nobody knows if the dolphins will take the linguistic bait. CHAT's computer won't try to translate Dolphinese (which has never been done) in the same way Con Slobodchikoff's computers translate prairie dog alarm calls. Instead, CHAT aims to tempt wild dolphins to start up a conversation … possibly even by asking the human divers carrying the CHAT interface to give them something, or to do something. The problem, as Herzing explains it, has been that in all the decades of dolphin research and training, dolphins have been asked to learn human words, signals and requests for tricks and other behavior, but have never been offered the opportunity or means to ask the humans for anything. It's all been basically one-way communication, she says, resonating with that warning from Noam Chomsky and other linguistic philosophers about how it's important not to try to understand other species only through human comparisons and concepts. In other words, it's all been too anthropocentric - human-centered. It's time to do some listening, with the help of computers. It's a little like duh, say a new generation of scientists. Like, what would the dolphins like to talk about? What interests them? Probably not how your favorite is doing on "Dancing With the Stars." (Though if we could explain all that to them, they might be curious - who knows? - at least for a few minutes, about this odd human activity.) But ever since visiting with some wild dolphins in Western Australia in the late 1980s, this reporter has always wondered if another group of stars - the actual stars - might not be an interesting point of departure for conversation with dolphins, since we seem to have them in common. Assuming dolphins' eyesight can see the stars, do dolphins loll about on a clear night and look up at the stars? Do they ever navigate by them? We don't know. Not yet, anyway. Denise Herzing is on a similar tack, hoping something we have in common with dolphins might draw them into conversation. Like seaweed. They sometimes play with strands of seaweed held out in the hands of a diver. She has made up dolphin-like sounds or "words" for eight things dolphins seem to like - such as "bow wave ride" and "seaweed." She will take CHAT under water this summer and play these made-up dolphin "words" on underwater speakers and then listen on hydrophones (underwater microphones) to see if the dolphins mimic them. If they do take this bait, CHAT's algorithms will then take over and - along with perhaps some modeling behavior between divers, such as handing bits of seaweed back and forth - try to build up a common "new language" with the dolphins in order to get the communication game started. Then, the hope is, CHAT will shift into high gear - like that computer in "Close Encounters" - to generate new complexities of conversation. If it all pans out, who knows what we - or they - might learn. There's plenty to talk about, if we can figure out how, and they want to. Chomsky and a number of other linguistic scientists say they will be surprised if evidence emerges - even in dolphins - of a truly human-like mind, one that is wired effortlessly to keep generating the same sort of endlessly expansive and creative language and thinking that has made us humans (as biologist Edward O. Wilson once put it in an informal conversation) "so damned dominant." But we'll all be watching - and listening. Here is the short New York Times video with Herzing as she prepares to try: We invite you to follow our weekly Nature's Edge Notebook on Facebook and on Twitter @BBlakemoreABC This is the fourth in a series on animal intelligence - following: 1-Nature's Edge Notebook #11: "Hunting With a Most Endangered Hunter - Dateline Botswana" at: 2-NEN # 12: "Dogs Use Subway, Cat Takes Bus,…" at: 3- NEN #13: "WHO NEEDS WORDS? CROWS? YOU? WILD GORILLAS? ALISON KRAUSS? Not the sarcastic octopus! 5 Videos (and a few words) exploring the matter…" at: Supplemental Video: American Prairie Dog's Plight Even as Slobodchikoff's computers have been translating the language of the American prairie dog, humanity has wiped out almost all of its numbers and its habitat. As Slobodchikoff explains here, this is due to several causes including not only spreading cities but cultural prejudice (treating them as vermin, shooting, poisoning them) and false perceptions of plenty. He also offers ideas for their preservation. Join the Discussion blog comments powered by Disqus You Might Also Like...
6- Selective Corrosion This process, also called "dealloying" or "selective leaching", involves the selective dissolution of one of the elements in a single phase alloy or one of the phases in a multiphase alloy The most well known example is the dezincification of brass (e.g. 70Cu - 30Zn). In this case, the brass takes on a red coppery tinge as the zinc is removed. It also becomes porous and very brittle, without modification to the overall dimensions of the part This problem can be overcome by choosing an alloy that is less prone, such as a copper-rich cupro-nickel. Brasses with lower zinc contents or containing elements such as tin (1%) and/or small quantities of arsenic, antimony, or phosphorus have much greater resistance. Numerous other alloys are susceptible to selective corrosion in certain conditions. For example, denickelization can occur in Cu-Ni alloys, and dealuminization in aluminium bronzes, while the graphitization phenomenon in grey cast irons is due to slow dissolution of the ferrite matrix.
Return to site Zimbabwe's limited fiscal space is constraining agricultural development? Defining fiscal space Fiscal space is defined by the balance between government revenue (i.e. tax), denoted by T and government expenditure, denoted by G, through time. For instance, if G < T, then there is a fiscal surplus, but if G > T, then there is a fiscal deficit. A sustained or perpetual deficit through time results in build-up of annual deficits, leading to an unsustainable high debt. With a high level of debt, the government cannot borrow on the international market, and its ability to finance future deficits, i.e. the fiscal space is limited. Zimbabwe currently endures very limited fiscal space since debt distress is undermining the capacity of the country to service its debt obligations. Accumulation of external payment arrears since 2000 (including interest charges) has resulted in public and publicly guaranteed debt reaching 51% of GDP and was projected to reach US$7.2 billion by December 2014 (Chinamasa, 2014). How does limited fiscal space constrain agric development? The country’s credit worthiness in the international community has been eroded and efforts are currently being made to reengage with the international community. While there may seem to be sufficient ground to argue that limited fiscal space has constrained agricultural growth; constraints to agriculture sector growth may emanate from a variety of angles. However, it is to a large extent, that Zimbabwe’s limited fiscal space has affected agricultural growth and rural development. Zimbabwe has not been able to access patient capital from international financial institutions (IFIs) as well as global agricultural investment funds. 1. Failure to unlock patient money & innovative financing With limited fiscal space reflected by an unfavorable credit worthiness, Zimbabwe has limited opportunities to unlock “patient” capital from IFIs. The IMF had closed its Zimbabwe office for over a decade. However, possibly in response to ongoing efforts to reengage with the international community, the IMF office in Zimbabwe has since been re-opened. IFIs are a source of patient money which is critical for agricultural growth and rural development given the capital intensive nature of agriculture as a business, and the high risk of smallholder agriculture. In the recent past, agriculture investment funds have grown in Africa as a region. In 2010, 31 agribusiness investment funds were targeted at Africa, with capitalization ranging from $8 million to $2.7 billion (Miller, et al., 2010). These have different asset classes (such as commodities) and financial instruments (for example bonds, listed securities and derivatives). These include both public/donor (with philanthropic objectives) funds as well as private investment funds. Due to the risk associated with Zimbabwe’s limited fiscal space, private investor funds, for instance debt funds, which are the type of funds that may provide loan capital directly to agriculture may shy away from Zimbabwe. Credit guarantee schemes are innovative tools that are being utilized to unlock financing of agriculture especially through value chain approaches. Some credit guarantee schemes may involve financiers who will require the government to be guarantor for external agricultural financing. Limited fiscal space compromises government’s ability to guarantee credit e.g. for financing smallholder agriculture. Debt instruments such as treasury bonds are another form of instruments that the government can use to finance agro-industry and agricultural value chains. In 2014, treasury bonds were issued by the government to input suppliers for the debt owed for inputs supplied through the RBZ quasi-fiscal activities. Limited fiscal space may compromise the government’s ability to meet the commitments to the bonds. This constraints agricultural growth. In countries such as Nigeria and some Asian and Latin America countries that have benefitted from developed countries’ debt relief, FDI in agriculture/agribusiness is reasonably high. In Latin America and Asia, it is as high as 78% of FDI. Though in Nigeria, the value of agriculture related FDI is proportionately low compared to total FDI, falling within single digit percentages, the country’s agricultural sector benefits from investment funds such as Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria, FAFIN (Ogwumike, 2013; Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, 2014). Agricultural investment funds and other innovative financing instruments can play a critical role in agricultural growth and rural development in Zimbabwe, but their success requires “space” for both social and market lending facilities. 2. Lack of public support to absorb shocks Most rural farmers in Zimbabwe still depend on rain-fed agriculture. However, rainfall patterns are increasingly becoming erratic and less predictable. This makes smallholder agriculture extremely risky and in need of the absorptive capacity to ensure resilience in the event of external hazards. The majority of livelihoods depend on agriculture and the growth of the smallholder agriculture and rural livelihoods improvements can be considered key in achieving economic growth and development. Limited fiscal space however limits ability of the government to absorb the effects of shock and in turn propel agricultural growth and rural development. 3. Low public investment in key drivers for agric growth Research and Development (R&D) can be considered one of the key drivers of agricultural growth and rural development. The United Nations recommended a minimum threshold of spending 1% of GDP on R&D. Given a scenario of limited fiscal space government has to negotiate this with other investment priorities. In the case of some “inescapable” budget requirements which have immediate/short term implications, resources are often channeled to other priorities e.g. the “next season’s” input support programme. Lower fiscal space and sustained budget deficits may result in starving of strategic investment areas such as R&D and extension. All Posts Almost done… OKSubscriptions powered by Strikingly
20. What is the scientific definition of evolution? A: It is the process of biological change by which descendants come to differ from their ancestors. 21. What is a species? A: It is a group of organisms so similar to one another that they can reproduce and have a fertile offspring. 22. Name the early scientists who contributed to evolution and describe their contributions. A: - Carolus Linnaeus: developed a classification system for organisms where he grouped them by their similarity. He proposed that some organisms must have arose through hybridization. - George Buffon: proposed species shared ancestors and suggested Earth was much older than 6000 years - Erasmus Darwin: all living things descended from a common ancestor and more complex forms of life arose from less complex forms. - Jean-Baptiste Lamarck: all organisms evolved toward perfection and complexity. Reasoned that organisms evolved into different forms. Lamarck's Proposal: Proposed that changes in environment caused organism's behavior to change, leading to greater use or disuse of a structure or organ. The structure would become larger or smaller as a result. The organism would pass on these changes to its offspring which is known as the inheritance of acquired traits. - George Cuvier: thought that organisms couldn't change but become extinct based open observing fossils. He proposed the theory of catastrophism which states that natural disasters such as floods and volcanic eruptions have happened often before. - James Hutton: changes he observed in land forms resulted from slow changes over a long period of time which came to be know as gradualism. - Charles Lyell: produced the theory of uniformitarism which states that geologic forces that shape Earth are uniform through time. 23. What is variation? A: It is the difference in the physical traits of an individual from those of other individuals in the group to which it belongs. - Interspecific variation: among different species - Intraspecific variation: among same species 24. What is an adaptation? A: An adaptation is a feature that allows an organism to better survive in its environment which leads to genetic change. 25. What were a few other things that Darwin noticed on Galapagos Islands? A: He noticed the differences between species on different islands well suites to the animals' environment. Also, he found fossil evidence of species changing over time which made him believe that the Earth must be much more than 6000 years old. 26. What is artificial selection? A: Artificial selection is when humans change a species by breeding it for certain traits. Darwin explored this by breeding pigeons. 27. What is heritability? A: It is the ability of a trait to be passed down from one generation to next. 28. What is natural selection? A: It is the mechanism by which individuals that have inherited beneficial adaptations produce more offspring on average than do other individuals. 29. What did Thomas Malthus proposed and how did Darwin expand it? A: Thomas Malthus proposed that resources such as food, water, and shelter are natural limits to population growth. Darwin reasoned that organisms have more offspring than could ever survive. 30. What is a population? A: It includes all the individuals of a species that live in an area. 31. Describe four main principles to the theory of natural selection. A: - Variation: variations are the basis for natural section - Overproduction: having many offspring raises both the chances that some will survive and would result in competition. - Adaptation: certain variation allows an individual to survive better. - Descent with modification: natural selection would result in well adapted species and reproduction of that species increases. 32. How is the term "fitness" used in Biology? A: It is the measure of the ability to survive and produce more offspring relative to other members of the population. Leave a Reply
An antibody is a protein molecule used by the immune system to identify foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses for neutralization. In 2254 Dr. Phillip Boyce and Mr. Spock developed an antibody to vaccinate the USS Enterprise from a Ngultor virus which had infected the ship's systems. (EV comic: "Flesh of My Flesh") External linksEdit Ad blocker interference detected!
Prairie gerardia, Prairie agalinis Agalinis heterophylla (Nutt.) Small ex Britt. & A. Br. Scrophulariaceae (Foxglove family) Prairie gerardia is a native, warm-season annual in the Foxglove family. It is also commonly named prairie agalinis or grass killer, because it can shadow and suppress lower growing grass. The plant grows to about 3 feet tall. A key characteristic of prairie gerardia is that its stems turn black when the plant dies in the summer or fall. Depending on moisture, the purple tubular flowers appear in the summer, late summer and generally the fall. The forage value of this plant is low for livestock and fair for wildlife. Prairie gerardia is found mainly on prairies, plains, grasslands, open woodlands and fallow fields.
Glossary of Sprinkler System and Irrigation Terms 100% Coverage: The design goal of all sprinkler system designs. Frequently used incorrectly in place of the term "head to head coverage". 100% coverage is the objective of head-to-head coverage. But head-to-head coverage does not always result in 100% coverage. See our page on Head to Head coverage for pictures and a full explanation. Arc: The percentage of a circle that sprinkler head covers. 90º is a quarter of a circle. 180º is half a circle. 360º is a full circle. Acre Foot: (also acre feet) The amount of water needed to cover one acre of area with water one foot deep. Most often used for agriculture/farming. Angle Valve: The valve outlet is on the side and the valve inlet is on the bottom. Refers to the water flow pattern into and out of the valve. A more reliable and lower friction loss alternative to globe valves. Frequently used as control valves. Infrequently used as isolation valves. Anti-Siphon Valve: A control valve with a built-in atmospheric vacuum breaker (back-flow preventer). Most often used in residential irrigation systems. Application Rate: The measurement of the volume of water applied to lawn in a given time. Frequently referred to as inches per week. AVB - Atmospheric Vacuum Breaker: A type of backflow preventer. Prevents water - and lawn chemicals - from the sprinkler system from siphoning back into the water supply. A backflow preventer is required by most cities Audit or Irrigation Audit: a detailed review of and irrigation or sprinkler system which includes identification of problems that should be corrected and suggested solutions. Will also include suggestions for ideal watering schedule. Automatic Valve: A remotely operated valve. Automatic valves are commonly used as control valves. Most frequently used as control valves. AWG-UF: Classification of the electrical wire used for automatic sprinkler systems. E.g. 14-1 AWG-UF means a 14 gauge wire, single wire cable, designed for direct burial - no conduit. All wires should have this information printed on the wires insulation. B - C Backflow Preventer: A device that prevents contaminated water from being pulled back into the water source should a reverse flow situation occur. (Which happens more a lot!) In most states backflow preventers are required by law on all newly installed irrigation systems. Ball Valve: This style of valve controls the water by means of a rotating ball with a hole through the center of it. When the hole is aligned with the water flow the water flows through the valve with little friction loss. When the ball is rotated so that the hole is not aligned the flow is completely shut off. Ball valves are used primarily as isolation valves, and they tend to be very reliable and trouble-free. Brass Nozzles: Less frequently used, they are a step up from plastic nozzles. They are very long lived, more expensive, and a bit more precise in water delivery. Plastic nozzles are the most common, cheaper and and work fine Bushing: A bushing is a small piece used to connect two pipes of different sizes together. A standard reducer bushing has one male end and one female connection. Butterfly Valves: This type of valve uses a rotating disk to control the water flow. Butterfly valves are used as both isolation and control valves. Butterfly valves tend to be very reliable. They are mostly used on larger pipe sizes. Ball valves are used on smaller size pipes. Clock: another term for controller or timer or control box. Booster Pump: A device to increase the water pressure is a system where some pressure already exists, and you would use a booster pump to increase the pressure. Cubic Feet: A measurement of water quantity, often used by water companies in the United States of America to measure water use by customers. A cubic foot is one foot in length, one foot in width, and one foot deep. Controller: A clock, control box or timer used to control an automatic irrigation system. Controllers range from very simple to extremely sophisticated computer systems that utilize modems, cell-phones, or radios and allow 2-way communication between the controller and the units, valves, meters, weather stations, soil moisture sensors being controlled. Coupling: A fitting used to join two sections of pipe together. Cross: A fitting that joins 4 sections of pipe at one point forming a "cross". Cubic Meters: A metric measurement of water quantity, used by water companies to measure water use by customers. A cubic meter is one meter in length, one meter in width, and one meter deep. Cycle and Soak: Breaking the watering cycle into shorter segments allowing the water to soak into the ground between cycles. Example: Watering for 5 min and then letting it soak for 2 hours and watering for an additional 5 min is more effective than watering for 10 min straight. D - G Design Pressure: Usually referring to the operating pressure at which a specific piece of irrigation equipment is designed to operate. Draw Down: The depth (from the top of the well) to the water in a well when the pump is operating. The water level typically drops when the pump is operating. Drip Irrigation: An irrigation system that applies water directly to the soil slowly, hence the name "drip" irrigation. The most efficient irrigation system in terms of water and energy use. Best used for plants and shrubs. Drip System: An irrigation system that uses drip irrigation. Elevation Head: A measurement of pressure. Ell: A fitting used to change the direction of a pipe. You can remember ells simply by their shape, they look like an "L". PVC ells are available with threads in both ends, threads in one end and a glued socket in the other, or with glue sockets in both ends. Insert ells come with male threads and barbs, female threads and barbs, glue sockets and barbs, glue spigots with barbs, or barbs and barbs. Emitter: A term used with drip irrigation. The emitter, or drip bug is a small device that controls the flow going to the soil. Emitters come in many different flow rates and styles. ET (Evapotranspiration): Amount of water lost due to evaporation from heat and use by plants. ET is used by Rainbird Smart Controllers to help determine the amount of watering needed by lawns and plants. Female Adapter: A fitting used to adapt from glued PVC to a threaded or barbed connection. Never, ever use a plastic female adapter on anything with metal threads. The female adapter will split if you over tighten it or use too much Teflon tape. Flex Pipe: A flexible pipe usually ½" in diameter that is used for swing joints on pop-up spray heads and rotaries. Allows the pipe and head to flex rather than breaking. Flow: The movement of water Flow Sensor: A device which actively monitors the amount of water moving through a pipe. Fittings: The generic name for the various parts that attach the pipes together, including; bushings, couplings, crosses, ells, female adapters, male adapters, reducers, and tees. Fittings may or may not be be threaded, barbed, soldered, or welded to the pipe. (The glue or cement used on plastic fittings is a solvent which results in a welded joint.) Avoid wrenches, hand tighten them only. Gallons per Minute: A measurement of water flow primarily used only in the United States of America. Gate Valve: Refers to the operating mechanism for the valve, which is a sliding gate which moves up or down to block the flow. Often used as isolation valves. Gate valves wear out fast when used often. They are not designed for regular use, but for emergency shut-off only. Gear Driven Rotary Heads: provide a consistent powerful rotation for sprinklers systems. Water enters the base of the head and moves through a diffuser that converts it into high velocity jets. These jets are then hit a turbine-like rotor causing it to spin at high speed. The gear train then reduces the high rotational speed and converts it into higher turning torque. Torque gives the nozzle assembly the relative slow rotational speed and consistent coverage. Globe Valve: Refers to the water flow pattern into and out of the valve. Often used as control valves. The valve inlet is on one side of the globe valve and the outlet is on the other side. Globe valves as a group tend to be reliable, but have slightly higher friction loss than "angle" valves, the other common style used for control valves. GPM: Abbreviation for Gallons Per Minute Gravity Flow: The term given a water system that relies on gravity to provide the pressure required to deliver the water. Consists of a water source located at a higher elevation than the water delivery points. Kiowa is a good example should you ever drive out there. Head: Short for "sprinkler head". Head to Head: In irrigation "head to head" refers to the situation where sprinklers are spaced so that the water from one sprinkler covers all the way to the next sprinkler. All sprinkler systems should be designed to give head to head coverage, as the best performance is achieved when this spacing method is used. Hydro-Zone: An area of an irrigation system where all the factors that influence the watering schedule are similar. Typical factors are the type of plants, the precipitation rate of sprinklers or emitters, solar radiation, wind, soil type, and slope. Impact Rotary Sprinklers: Employ a weighted, spring-loaded drive arm to create the force to rotate the nozzle. The sprinkler system spray deflects the arm and the spring pulls the arm back into the path of the sprinkler spray. As the drive arm completes a cycle it impacts against the nozzle assembly rotating it slightly. Isolation Valve: A valve used for isolating all or part of the irrigation system for repairs, maintenance, or winter shut-down (winterization). Lateral: The name given to the pipes which go from the control valves to the sprinklers or drip systems. Low Head Drainage: Flow from low-elevation sprinkler heads in a sprinkler system after the control valve has been closed. Often gravity induced. Master Valve: A valve used to protect the lawn from flooding in case of a ruptured main or malfunctioning downstream valve. The master valve is on the mainline (after the backflow preventer and the control valves). Main (Mainline): The Pipe(s) going from the main water source to sprinkler control valves. Male Adapter: The fitting used to adapt to a male threaded end. When connecting to metal threads male adapters should be used, so that the plastic male threads screw into the metal female threads. Moisture Sensor: A device which measures the amount of moisture in the ground. Frequently used as Rain Monitors which shut off your system during or after rain. Nipple: A common plumbing term for a short length of pipe threaded on both ends. Nozzle: The part of a sprinkler head that the water comes out of. An engineered part that assures a good spray pattern. In most cases the nozzle is removable so that it can be easily cleaned or replaced. With plastic nozzles replacement is generally preferred over cleaning as small scratches in the plastic can cause big problems with water distribution and uniformity. Operating Pressure: The pressure at which a device or irrigation system is designed to operate. There can be "optimum operating pressure", "minimum operating pressure" or a "maximum operating pressure". Overspray: Water which is being wasted by being sprayed to an undesirable location. Examples include spraying the side of your house, the street or the neighbors lawn. Polyethylene: A plastic used for manufacturing lawn sprinkler irrigation tubing. "Poly" for short. Poly pipe is almost always black in color. It is very flexible, and is usually sold in coils of 100 or 300 feet. Poly pipe uses insert type fitting, with pinch clamps. Exception- special barbed fittings 3/8” flexible tubing. Poly Vinyl Chloride: The real name for PVC pipe. Pop-Up Sprinkler Head: A sprinkler head that retracts to ground level when it is not operating. Pop-up sprinklers which stick in the raised position need to be replaced before the lawn mower breaks them. Precipitation Rate: A measurement of water application. The measurement is given in the depth of water applied to the soil. Pressure Gauge: A device used to measure water pressure. The best pressure gauges are "liquid filled". Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB): A type of backflow preventer. Prevents water - and lawn chemicals - from the sprinkler system from siphoning back into the water supply. A PVB is required by most cities. Pressure Loss: The amount of water pressure lost as the water flows through the sprinkler system. Pressure is primarily lost due to friction and gravity. PSI: pounds per square inch - Used to define pressure. Pump: A device which increases the water pressure or moves water. PVC: Abbreviation for poly-vinyl-chloride. A type of plastic used to make water pipe. Usually white in color but sometimes is gray, brown, tan, or purple. If it's purple it means use only for "reclaimed water"- don't drink the water in it! Reduced Pressure Assembly (RPA): Backflow Preventer that knocks down high pressure water feeds. Reducer: A fitting used to change from one size pipe to another. Two types are generally available. The first, and most common is the reducer bushing. The reducer bushing fits inside a coupling or another fitting on the large end. The pipe fits into the reducer bushing on the small end. The other common reducer is a "bell reducer". The pipe fits inside the reducer on both ends of the bell reducer. Risers: Pipe and sprinkler heads that stands permanently out of the ground. Used for even water distribution above taller shrubs. Frequently made out of Schedule 80 gray PVC. Can also be made out of copper for a classier look. Rotary Sprays: Rotary pop-up sprinkler heads. These can be impact or gear driven. Most commonly used for large turf areas. Rotary nozzle: Rotary nozzles replace fixed spray nozzles and use less water than, but they require longer watering times. Run Off: Water which is not absorbed by the soil and drains off in the street or low area in the yard. Run-off occurs when water is applied in excessive amounts or too quickly for the soil to absorb. SCH 40: Schedule 40 PVC pipe. The standard for pipe diameter and wall thickness used for plastic and steel pipe. SCH 80: Schedule 80 – see above, only stronger. Shrub Sprinkler Head: A sprinkler head mounted above ground level on a pipe or riser. Usually used for watering shrubs. Slip: Slip is the term used to describe a solvent welded connection on a fitting. Socket: A socket is a female connection on a fitting. It can be threaded, or glued, but most of the time the term is used for glued fittings. Spigot: A spigot is a male connection on a fitting. A spigot fits inside a socket. It can be threaded, or glued, but most of the time the term is used for glued fittings. Spring: The coiled metal device that retracts a sprinkler head or helps a hydraulic valve close. Sprinkler: Used for watering residential and commercial lawns, plants. Also used for agricultural irrigation. Square Spacing: A sprinkler head layout where the sprinklers where there is one sprinkler head in each corner of the square. Triangular spacing is more efficient. Static Water Pressure: The water pressure as measured when the water is not moving. When measuring the static water pressure all the water outlets on the pipe must be closed. Tee (Tee Fitting or T Fitting): A Tee is a fitting used to branch a side pipe off of a pipeline. Shaped like the letter "T". A related fitting is the "Y" fitting which is used primarily for sewer pipelines and not sprinklers. Triangle Spacing: The term given to a sprinkler head layout pattern where the sprinklers, when viewed from above, appear as a more or less equilateral triangle with one sprinkler in each corner. Triangular spacing leads to the most uniform and efficient water application using sprinklers. Trickle Irrigation: Another name for drip irrigation. VAC: Volts Alternating Current. Most electric control valves operate on 24 VAC. Valve: A device used to control the flow of water. Control valves turn on and off the water to the individual circuits of sprinklers or drip emitters. Valve Box(es): The underground boxes in your yard, allowing access the valves in the event of a repair. You will likely never need to access these yourself. Valve Zone: An area where the irrigation is all controlled by a single control valve. Variable Arc Nozzles: Allow for adjustment of the spray arc or pattern by twisting the collar to the desired position. Best for curved bed and turf areas. Water Hammer: The damaging shock wave caused when the flow of water in a pipe system suddenly stops. Often the result of a fast-opening valve. Water Meter: A device used to measure the quantity of water that flows through a pipe. Water Table: The top of an underground aquifer or the "groundwater" level. Winterization: The process of removing water from a sprinkler system with high pressure air before the first hard freeze of winter. ESSENTIAL to prevent damage to the sprinkler system. Damage is caused by expansion due to water freezing and expanding in pipes. Zone: A section of a sprinkler/irrigation system served by an individual control valve. Zones are comprised of similar sprinkler types and plants that have similar watering requirements and soil types. Call 303-646-2323 ©2017 The Sprinkler Guy Inc. powered by C☆C☆S
Previous Section Table of Contents Next Section Hack 26 Smooth Scripted Motion figs/moderate.gif figs/hack26.gif Increasing the frame rate can cause Flash's rendering engine to hog processor time. Create visually smooth animations without simply increasing the frame rate. One of Flash designers' worst habits is increasing the frame rate to absurdly high values to make animations appear smoother. Although this may work in a simple FLA performing a lone animation, when you are building a larger Flash movie or site, you shouldn't let screen drawing hog all the processor time. Setting the frame rate to 95 frames per second (fps) forces Flash to constantly render images to the screen. The resulting lack of idle time can make sounds pop and cause delays in event processing, which can make interactivity appear sluggish. This hack looks at how beginning Flashers are often taught to animate and why it isn't always the best solution. Then we'll look at ways to create smooth animations without changing the frame rate. User-Actuated Movement (Breaking the onEnterFrame Monopoly) In the simplest case of animations created at authoring time, the Flash playhead progresses through the timeline and displays each frame in turn. This is so-called frame-based animation, like a digital flip book. In such a scenario, the obvious way to increase the speed of the animation is to increase the frame rate (you can set the frame rate in the Document Properties dialog box accessible via ModifyDocument). When a traditional animator learns Flash, he feels right at home with these techniques. But when that same Flasher learns scripted animation, he must change his mode of thinking. Most beginning scripters are taught to implement scripted motion using onEnterFrame( ) handlers. In simple cases, in which the frame rate is not excessive and scripting animation should be tied to the frame rate, using onEnterFrame( ) is a reasonable option. But when your animations become more sophisticated, so must your techniques. Otherwise, performance is likely to suffer or your creativity is apt to be limited. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that all motion graphics should be controlled via onEnterFrame( ) handlers. Because onEnterFrame events are tied to the frame rate, the easiest way to create smoother animations is to increase the frame rate, which increases the frequency of onEnterFrame events. However, if the user interacts with graphics and animation, onMouseMove( ) is a far more efficient event handler to employ. A drag-and-drop feature is a good candidate to be implemented in an onMouseMove( ) handler. Likewise, features in which the user controls animation or performs drawing with the mouse can both be controlled via onMouseMove events. Rather than increase the frame rate to make a draggable movie clip move smoothly, use updateAfterEvent( ) within an onMouseMove( ) handler to redraw the Stage while the mouse is moving. The following code performs a drag-and-drop operation smoothly, even if you set a low frame rate, such as 1 fps: function pressHandler( ) { this.startDrag( ); this.onMouseMove = function( ) { // Refresh the Stage while the item is being dragged updateAfterEvent( ); this.onRelease = function( ) { this.stopDrag( ); delete this.onMouseMove; this.onReleaseOutside = this.onRelease; // Create a movie clip and make it draggable var puck:MovieClip = this.createEmptyMovieClip("puck", this.getNextHighestDepth( )); puck.lineStyle(40, 0xCCCCCC, 100); puck.moveTo(-1, 0); puck.lineTo(1, 0); puck._x = 275; puck._y = 200; puck.onPress = pressHandler; Let's review key portions of the code. The main code (following the pressHandler( ) definition) creates a small movie clip and makes pressHandler( ) its onPress event handler. This triggers the action when the user clicks on the movie clip. The function pressHandler( ) attaches an onMouseMove( ) event handler to the movie clip, which redraws the screen repeatedly as the mouse is dragged. This arrangement causes Flash to redraw the screen at a higher rate only when the item is being dragged, giving us smooth movement without having to increase the frame rate. This implementation is provided to allow ActionScript 1.0 scripters to focus on the techniques being taught. Similar drag-and-drop code can be implemented using OOP and ActionScript 2.0 [Hack #20] . The same principle can be seen in the following listing. Here, the onMouseMove event is used to create a simple Pencil tool. If the onMouseMove event was changed to onEnterFrame, the event handler would be running when it is not required (i.e., when the cursor has not moved). function penDown( ) { this.moveTo(_xmouse, _ymouse); this.onMouseMove = function( ) { this.lineStyle(null, 0xCCCCCC, 100); this.lineTo(_xmouse, _ymouse); updateAfterEvent( ); this.onMouseUp = function( ) { delete this.onMouseMove; var drawClip:MovieClip = this.createEmptyMovieClip("drawClip", this.getNextHighestDepth( )); drawClip.onMouseDown = penDown; Final Thoughts Although the temptation to use onEnterFrame( ) event handlers to animate everything always exists, it is not the only event that can be used to create animation in Flash. We just saw a case in which using the onMouseMove event produced both more efficient and smoother animation. It was more efficient because it uses less processing power (it refreshes the screen only when needed), and it is smoother because the frequency of onMouseMove events (unlike onEnterFrame events) is unrelated to the frame rate. Although using the onMouseMove event applies only when the user action is related to mouse movement (such as for drag-and-drop or pen drawing operations), you can look for other events on which to trigger screen refreshes. For example, you might update the screen when data is received or when a sound completes. However, in some cases you may want an animation to be performed over time. Luckily, onEnterFrame is not the only time-related event available. When you want to create several animations that will run at different rates, it is usually better to use setInterval( ) to create a separate timed event for each [Hack #27] (rather than use onEnterFrame for all of them). Previous Section Table of Contents Next Section
Quick Scientific Facts that Will Blow Your mind 1. There is enough DNA in an average person’s body to stretch from the sun to Pluto and back — 17 times DNA length The human genome, the genetic code in each human cell, contains 23 DNA molecules each containing from 500 thousand to 2.5 million nucleotide pairs. DNA molecules of this size are 1.7 to 8.5 cm long when uncoiled, or about 5 cm on average. There are about 37 trillion cells in the human body and if you’d uncoil all of the DNA encased in each cell and put them end to end, then these would sum to a total length of 2×1014 meters or enough for 17 Pluto roundtrips (1.2×1013 meters/Pluto roundtrip). 2. The average human body carries ten times more bacterial cells than human cells bacteria human body It’s funny how we compulsively wash our hands, spray our counter tops and grimace when someone sneezes near us—in fact, we do everything we can to avoid unnecessary encounters with the germ world. The truth of the matter is that each and every one of us is a walking petrify dish! All the bacteria living inside you would fill a half-gallon jug or 10 times more bacterial cells in your body than human cells, according to Carolyn Bohach, a microbiologist at the University of Idaho. Don’t worry, though. Most of these bacteria are helpful; in fact, we couldn’t survive without them. For one thing, bacteria produce chemicals that help us harness energy and nutrients from our food. Germ-free rodents have to consume nearly a third more calories than normal rodents to maintain their body weight, and when the same animals were later given a dose of bacteria, their body fat levels spiked, even if they didn’t eat any more than they had before. The gut bacteria is also very important to maintaining immunity. 3. It can take a photon 40,000 years to travel from the core of the sun to its surface, but only 8 minutes to travel the rest of the way to Earth photons from the sun A photon travels, on average, a particular distance, d, before being briefly absorbed and released by an atom, which scatters it in a new random direction.From the core to the sun’s surface (696,000 kilometers) where it can escape into space, a photon needs to make a huge number of drunken jumps. The calculation is a little tricky, but the conclusion is that a photon takes between many thousands and many millions of years to drunkenly wander to the surface of the Sun. In a way, the light that reaches us today is energy produced maybe millions of years ago. Amazing! 6. The average person walks the equivalent of five times around the world in a lifetime walk around the world The average moderately active person take around 7,500 step/day. If you maintain that daily average and live until 80 years of age, you’ll have walked about 216,262,500 steps in your lifetime. Doing the math; the average person with the average stride living until 80 will walk a distance of around 110,000 miles. Which is the equivalent of walking about 5 times around the Earth, right on the equator. Please enter your comment! Please enter your name here
Washing hands in cold water 'as good as hot' File photo of boy washing hands Image copyright SPL NHS advice recommends that people wash their hands in either cold or warm water. 'Bug removal' In this study, scientists at Rutgers University-New Brunswick wanted to find out if popular assumptions about the benefits of warm or hot water and official guidance on hot water - given to the food industry in the US - held true. They asked 20 people to wash their hands 20 times each with water that was 15C (59F), 26C (79F) or 38 degrees (100F). Volunteers were also asked to experiment with varying amounts of soap. Before they started the tests, their hands were covered in harmless bugs. Researchers say there was no difference in the amount of bugs removed as the temperature of the water or the amount of soap changed. Prof Donald Schaffner said: "People need to feel comfortable when they are washing their hands but as far as effectiveness [goes], this study shows us that the temperature of the water used did not matter." However, the researchers accept their study is small and say more extensive work is needed to determine the best ways to remove harmful bacteria. In the UK, NHS experts say people can use cold or hot water to wash their hands. They say hands should be washed for at least 20 seconds and stress the importance of using enough soap to cover the whole surface of the hands. Their guidance focuses on rubbing hands together in various ways to make sure each surface of each hand is clean. How to wash your hands - according to the experts • Washing your hands properly should take about as long as singing Happy Birthday twice (about 20 seconds) • Wet hands and apply enough soap to cover the whole surface of the hand • Rub palms together with fingers interlaced • Rub each palm over the back of the other hand with interlaced fingers • Rub between fingers on each hand • Rub backs of fingers (interlocked) • Rub around each thumb • Rub both palms with finger tips and then rinse with warm or cold water • Dry your hands well, ideally with a disposable towel • Use a disposable towel to turn off the tap Source: NHS Choices, Global Hygiene Council, World Health Organization Related Topics More on this story Related Internet links The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites
Starter Course To Gardening. Making assorted acceptable solutions for losing pests without insecticides isn't to troublesome, nonetheless it does need a different attitude. Pests are creatures attempting to outlast the bill greenback insecticide industry. For one thing, most eco-friendly gardening bug elimination strategies are based primarily on daunting and repelling pest in opposition to the heavy-handed approach of chemical eradication. And let us not forget that raising healthy powerful plants will go along way toward minimising the effect of pests. These substances aren't only deadly, but they also rob your vegetables and fruit of flavour. Chemical-based fertilisers basically destroy your soil as it kills off the bacteria that your soil wishes. If you've ever tasted an organic apple side-by-side with an apple grown with chemicals, you know what I am talking about. They kill everything together with the pests, including things that are favourable to your garden. Having a good healthy eco-friendly garden soil structure to grow healthy powerful plants is the best way in controlling illness in your ecological garden. If this illness hits your garden, controlling it could be a real challenge. Defensive measures like keeping your garden clean of all spent plant waste and the correct disposal of infected plants are among the best practices to use to protect your garden from illness. One system is as easy as a spray bottle and some water. There are numerous different techniques you can use to eliminate them without the utilisation of chemicals, natural strategies are a lot safer you you and the environment. Look under the leaves and see if you can find any forming infestations, if you do simply take a spray bottle full of water and spray. Just keep spraying with masses of water till you wash them fully away. Supportability . In his book, Gardening Organically, John Fedor outlines supportability as the capability of a society or an eco-system to function indefinitely without wasting the resources on which it relies. Ecological gardening does this by guaranteeing there isn't any loss of nutrient elements or topsoil in the garden. Environmental Stewardship. It suggests that we offer a habitat for wildlife including constructive insects and animals. Leave a Reply
According to some experts, since it is inevitable that an asteroid or meteor will hit Earth, the U.N. should do something about it Due to the threat that an asteroid named Apophis poses to the Earth, a group of astronauts, scientists and engineers want the United Nations to have a plan for killer asteroids. A UN treaty draft dealing with the complicated yet unlikely issue will be drawn up before the end of 2007. Topics covered in the draft include who would be in charge of deflecting or destroying objects that pose a threat to the planet. For example, the U.S. Congress has assigned NASA the roll of actively searching for objects that are considered threatening. Apophis is traveling around 28,000 miles per hour towards Earth, and could hit the planet sometime in 2036, warn space professionals. Astronomers who are monitoring the asteroid admit that the chances of impact on Earth are extremely low, but recommend proper scenarios should be planned in case it does near Earth around 2036. Some experts have vehemently warned that it is only a matter of time before an object such as an asteroid or meteor strikes Earth. NASA astronaut Edward Lu has gone as far as telling NASA that it should send out a spacecraft designed to be able to attempt to divert asteroids. NASA is currently monitoring 127 near-Earth objects (NEO) that could pose a threat of hitting the planet. Related Articles International Space Updates, January 2007 January 24, 2007, 5:11 PM Latest Blog Posts Amazon Fire HD 8 Nenfort Golit - Jun 19, 2017, 6:00 AM
High Fat Diet and Alzheimer’s Link Is there a link between a high fat diet and Alzheimer’s Disease? In a new study, doctors from Auburn University had this to say: “High fat diet-induced obesity is associated with insulin resistance and other chronic, diet related illnesses, including dementia. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia.” In most healthy adults, the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream every time a meal is consumed. Insulin encourages our body’s tissues and muscles to use the glucose (sugar) from our food as a basic fuel to provide energy to the cells. Type 2 Diabetes results when the body develops an insulin resistance as the cells of the muscle, fat, and liver do not responding normally to the insulin. Although insulin is being produced in a Type 2 diabetic, the body’s cells are not able to use it to take the sugar from the blood. In an animal study, the Auburn doctors changed the diet of laboratory mice to see if the foods the animals ate affected their cognitive abilities. To no one’s surprise, the mice fed a high fat diet became obese and the diet altered their insulin and glucose tolerance levels. This is the typical pre-diabetes/diabetes cycle factors. Your body does not produce enough insulin to process the glucose (sugar) in your blood. What the Auburn researchers discovered was that these changes in insulin tolerance also increased the body’s inflammatory response and its stress response, the “oxidant” environment. The oxidant environment leads to an increase in amyloid plaques and Alzheimer’s and dementia.1 New research from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom supports this conclusion, suggesting that obesity may be associated with learning and memory deficits, and in particular with reductions in episodic memory (memory related to time, places, events, for example, remembering when you went to a restaurant and if they food was good.) The Cambridge researchers used a “treasure hunt,” experiment, laboratory mice had to get something from a specific place within a specific time. The mice who had insulin resistance and obesity did not perform as well as the mice who did not. 2 If memory concerns are an issue, discuss with your doctorresearch like this. It could be your high fat diet. 1: Kothari V, Luo Y, Tornabene T, O’Neill AM, Greene MW, Geetha T, Babu JR. High fat diet induces brain insulin resistance and cognitive impairment in mice.Biochim Biophys Acta. 2017 Feb;1863(2):499-508. [Pubmed] 2: Cheke LG, Bonnici HM, Clayton NS, Simons JS. Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with reduced activity in core memory regions of the brain. Neuropsychologia. 2017 Jan 16;96:137-149. [Pubmed] 3: Marion Hauser, MS RD, Nutrition for Healing article
I'd like to show you how to make hyperlapse. Few days ago I started building motorized slider for time lapses. During reading and watching others peoples timelapse I found hyperlapse. After watching few videos on YouTube I know that I must make my own hyperlapse. Why? Because it looks awesome and didn't require lots of equipment. You need only tripod, camera (or just smartphone) and free time. Sorry for video quality but my computer is really no good for editing films. Step 1: What Is Hyperlapse? Hyperlapse is an exposure technique in time-lapse photography, in which the position of the camera is being changed between each exposure in order to create a tracking shot in timelapse sequences. In contrast to a simple motion timelapse – dolly shots, which are realized with short camera sliders; in hyperlapse photography, the camera is being moved through very long distances. So hyperlapse is timelapse with longer move. Step 2: What You Will Need You will need camera (or everything that can make photos), tripod and a lot of time :) You don't need expensive tripod to make hyperlapses, I bought my tripod for $20 and it works very well. Step 3: Setup Camera If you have timelapse mode in your camera set it for 10-30s between every photo, else (like me) you need to take photos manually. The best way to take photos manually is use stopwatch. On my movie you can see that sometimes clouds jump from one place to another it's because I didn't do pictures at regular intervals. Fix your camera/smartphone to tripod. Step 4: Take Photo You need to choose one thing (it can be logo/window/screw on the building or tree/building, evrething which is still) and this thing must be in one place on every photo. You can see how to make it on the images above. Step 5: Move Camera On images you can see how to move camera. You can move it every foot/tile/centimeter what you like. You can also draw lines on the ground with chalk. Step 6: Repeat This Many Times You need to repeat it many, many times. To make my video I took 1400 photos and it 53 seconds length. Step 7: Make a Movie From Photos So now it's time to sit to computer and make movie from photos which we made previously. To do it you can use every movie editor (even movie maker). I use pinnacle studio 17 because I have it. You need to set length of every image to 0.040 seconds (to get 25 fps). Remember to stabilize your movie before exporting (it's not necessary but with it movie will be much smoother). You can add title, transitions and play with colors to get "film look". Step 8: Conclusion Have fun during making hyperlapse. If you like my project add it to favourite. Remember to leave a comment :D Thanks for reading. Thanks! :) <p>i am so going to try this!</p> <p>For a tool that makes rendering everything from super-slomo to hyperlapse easy, take a look at Respeedr from ProDAD. It's not free ($99), but then neither is the time it takes to do this kind of thing manually - plus it does things that can't be done manually at all, like creating interpolating frames for slowmo. (I'm not affiliated with the product in any way.) </p><p>http://www.prodad.com/home/products/videoeffects/respeedr_v1,l-us.html</p> <p>I thought about it, but $99 it's too much. And making it manually doesn't take a lot of time. Taking pictures takes more time than editing it :) Thanks for comment.</p> Yeah - I wish it was cheaper, but as I said it does do things that can't be done at all by hand, especially for that super-slomo that suddenly slows action to a crawl and then speeds it up again. They use this effect in a lot of commercials and I needed to do it, so I bit the bullet. It's certainly worth the price, but only if you need to create these kinds of effects fairly frequently. About This Instructable Bio: Hi, my name is Nikodem. I live in Poland, I'm 17 years old. I like to program and create robots, devices and things. In ... More » More by Nikus:Fidget Spinning Robot Live Instructables Followers Counter Arduino Drone \| Quadcopter (3D Printed) Add instructable to:
• Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month The Regency Era, generally referring to the time period of 1800-1820, was undeniably a time of pleasure seeking and over-indulgence Extracts from this document... Steve Corliss Eng 101 Paper I Regency Gentlemen Amusements The Regency Era, generally referring to the time period of 1800-1820, was undeniably a time of pleasure seeking and over-indulgence. The Regency era represented a time when the current ruler, mad King George III, was incapable of performing his royal duties. Due to his madness, the King's son the Prince of Wales, a Regent and heir to the throne, was appointed to govern. The Prince of Wales was designated Regent in 1811 (Channel4). During this era people of the upper class had a great deal of leisure time, and their major task seemed to be to entertain themselves. Some of the more popular amusements of rich and fashionable Regency gentlemen were boxing, cockfighting, and gambling. During the reign of George I, fighting with swords became obsolete and battles were settled with fists. ...read more. In addition to wagering on the outcomes of these fights, fashionable gentlemen sponsored fighters and often acted as promoters. The competition was not finished until one man lay unconscious, and this often took hours (channel 4). Despite the popularity of boxing, cockfighting was still considered to be the period's most widespread sport. Cockfighting ranged across all social classes. Tournaments were held between gentlemen, often geographically based with one area playing another. The cockpits were a common place where all social classes gathered to place bets and watch the match. Although even the smallest town had a cockpit, Regency gentlemen were known to hold contests at their own estate. This pastime was a common practice and even influenced furniture makers to offer cockfighting chairs (GI). Unlike bare-knuckle bouts between people, cocks were precisely paired by weight in all the more heavily staked cockfights. ...read more. Members were known to bet on a variety of things. Bets ranged from counting the number of cats that would walk down opposite sides of a street, or who would marry one another, who would seduce who, and anything else they could think of. Gambling was so obsessive that a popular food item was invented because a man didn't want to stop gambling to eat. John Montague is said to have asked a servant to bring him sliced meat between two pieces of bread so he could continue gambling and not have to get up and eat (Micheletii). The Regency era produced a profound obsession with gambling and competitive violence. The rich and fashionable were disgraceful in their inability to find intelligent and moral entertainment. The Regency gentlemen occupied themselves with other tactless and less virtuous amusements such as drugs, porn, and alcohol. Nonetheless, the gentlemen of the Regency era held no standards in the way of entertainment. ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text Found what you're looking for? • Start learning 29% faster today • 150,000+ documents available • Just £6.99 a month Not the one? Search for your essay title... • Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month See related essaysSee related essays Related GCSE Sociology essays 1. Does Boxing have a future? Sugden 1996 considers how the sport of boxing is ingrained in society, "Alongside running, boxing is the most ancient of all sports." Sugden identifies how deep rooted the sport is in society. Fighting with fists was a sport first recognised about 6000 years back in what is now recognised as 2. Environmental Lessons From History. Cramb (1998) quotes Angus McHattie, a Skye crofter: 'on returning from Norway to Skye recently, I had occasion to compare the view from similar 3000ft granite hills in both countries. In Norway, the valley I looked down upon contained an autonomous village of 20 small farms, with their own crops, 1. Suffrage movement during the progressive era. Her ideas were received with mild success. She tried to blend technology, housework, and science together to create a better picture of the importance of women. The main result of this change was that it made women realize that they were more than a status symbol. 2. Systems of Sociology Theory based in the French Revolution era when Napoleon was defeated ... modern state will arise to keep things going smoothely. "Survival of the fittest" - Spencer not Darwin = mechanisms governing change in all systems is a competitive struggle which breeds more complex and specialized forms to emerge out of simpler ones. 1. I am Sam [2001] directed by JessieNelson and The Curious Incident of the Dog ... the world, their capitals and every prime number up to 7 057. He takes everything that he sees or is told at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behaviour of his elders and peers. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. 2. A Short Time in the Life of a Teacher The walls echo at every sound I make but the feeling of being totally alone is welcomed. My door has a solid brass handle; it is freezing cold and my hands seem to invite the refreshing feeling of something cool after wearing black leather gloves. • Over 160,000 pieces of student written work • Annotated by experienced teachers • Ideas and feedback to improve your own work
Hardy Damascus Graham, son of Nash Graham Family photo courtesy of Hardy Damascus Graham III Dear Professor Gates: In my father’s family, there is a story about three brothers: Nash, Kush and Hardy. Our surname is Graham. The brothers were slaves who escaped by setting a cotton gin afire in the middle of the night, and during the commotion, they scat. We don’t know where they escaped from, but my family is strongly connected to North Carolina. One brother ended up in North Carolina, one brother ended up in South Carolina and the third brother was never heard from again. We don’t know if he was captured or just went elsewhere. The South Carolina brother was my great-great-grandfather Nash Graham. He was born in 1830 and his death date is unknown. Nash was married to Elizabeth Graham, born 1847 (maiden name unknown). Nash and Elizabeth’s children were Allen, born 1860; Gabriel W., born 1863; twins Maggin and Hardy Damascus, born 1865; W.D., born 1877; and Henry, born 1880. We found no information on Allen, Maggin or W.D. Nash, and the family lived in Nichols, Marion County, S.C., in 1880. We found a record stating that Nash’s parents were born in South Carolina, but no names were present. I was told that we have connections to Bolton, N.C. Can you help me fill in the details of his life, please? —Hardy Damascus Graham III If your family lore is true, then it is one of great daring. Particularly after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which compelled citizens to actually assist in the recapture of runaways, a flight to freedom was fraught with danger. (Read more about “one of American history’s worst laws” in a September 2015 Time article on its 165th anniversary.) Generally, stories of runaway slaves describe flights north to Northern states or Canada, but as Professor Gates noted in a previous article for The Root, consistent with your family story, “more than 50,000 slaves ran away not to the North, but ‘within the South,’ according to John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger’s pioneering study, Runaway Slaves: Rebels on the Plantation. … But few of them made it to freedom.” One way to determine if your family story about the three brothers’ escape is true would be to identify a likely slave owner and see if he posted any runaway slave advertisements in the newspapers, or if a local paper reported the fire. It seems that South Carolina is a good place to start, given the documents located. You can search historic newspapers through free sites such as the Google Newspaper Archive, through subscription websites such as GenealogyBank.com and Newspapers.com, or by contacting local libraries. We located a promising article on GenealogyBank.com from the Charleston Courier dated Oct. 21, 1858, which states that a ginhouse belonging to Mr. S. Coles burned to the ground the Wednesday night before. Mr. S. Coles was described as a planter of the district who lived on the Saluda River. This is approximately 130 miles away from Nichols, Marion County, S.C., where Nash Graham is found in documents, so it is not directly next to it but may be far enough away to coincide with the runaway story. We should note that this is not the only cotton gin that burned to the ground recorded in the news, but it was the only one we located that did not attribute the fire to a malfunction of the gin and gave no reason for its destruction. Because of this, it may fit with your family lore. We searched for S. Coles in the census records and noted a J.S. Coles who owned a number of slaves in the Saluda district, according to the 1860 U.S. Slave Schedules on Ancestry.com. It seems likely that this is the S. Coles from the article, since he was the only Coles in the region. According to the 1860 U.S. census, J.S. Coles was born in Virginia about 1833. We did note a John S. Coles who owned slaves in Albemarle, Va., in 1850 with a 20-year-old slave in the household that could be your Nash Graham. You will likely want to research this individual further through land, court and probate records to see if you can locate evidence that he may actually have been Nash Graham’s former slave owner. You will likely want to search newspapers for a runaway slave advertisement to confirm your story. An upcoming database may be able to help. Freedom on the Move is a project based out of Cornell University to create a searchable database of runaway slave advertisements. Though it is not completed yet, you could check back in the near future to see if it can help you find an ad involving your ancestors. When Was Nash Graham Born? You provided a death record for Nash Graham’s son, Henry Graham, dated June 18, 1937, which states that both father and son were born in Nichols, S.C. You also mentioned the 1880 U.S. census, which also shows the family residing in Nichols, Marion County, S.C., with the children that you mentioned. Based on these two records, it’s reasonable to concentrate the search on Marion County, S.C., to start to see if we can locate any more records for Nash. We also located Nash Graham residing in Hillsboro Township (south part), Nichols town, Marion, S.C., in 1900. This is certainly the right person, since his age and location match what we know about him, and his son, Henry, whose death certificate you found in the household. However, this record suggests that he may have remarried, since his wife’s name is Mary instead of Elizabeth, and there are a number of children in the household that were not there in the previous census. Keep in mind that there is a 20-year gap in census records at this time because most of the 1890 federal census was destroyed, so a lot could have occurred during that span of time. All of these records together show relations that may help you find more information on the early years of Nash Graham’s life. When you hit a brick wall, it is often helpful to research your ancestor’s family members or neighbors as they could reveal more about your ancestor. For example, the death record for his daughter, Cora Graham McClellan, dated Feb. 19, 1928, states that Nash and Elizabeth were her parents and that they were both born in South Carolina. There is also a delayed birth certificate for his son James Nash (available on Ancestry.com, subscription only), which states that Nash Graham died at age 70 and that he was born in Nichols, Marion, S.C. According to the record, James Graham was born March 5, 1894, and was the son of Nash Graham and Lizzie Jones, who was also born in Nichols. This would mean that Nash died about 1900, but certainly after the census was enumerated that year, since he appeared on the census. The more information you can locate that suggests a location to look for him, it will help you focus your search for Nash and his brothers. We set out to locate Nash in the 1870 United States federal census, which is the first federal census that listed former slaves by name. We were not able to locate him even when we expanded the search to just the surname “Graham” in Marion County, S.C., since we know he was residing there in 1880. There were a number of African-American families residing in Marion County in 1870, but none seemed to match your Graham family. You could continue different combinations of search criteria or just browse the census for the county page by page to see if you can locate the family. Sometimes records are transcribed incorrectly or names were recorded differently than what you know about the individual, and browsing the records can be helpful for this reason. This answer was provided in consultation with Meaghan E.H. Siekman, a senior researcher from the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Founded in 1845, NEHGS is the country’s leading nonprofit resource for family history research. Its website, AmericanAncestors.org, contains more than 300 million searchable records for research in New England, New York and beyond. With the leading experts in the field, NEHGS staff can provide assistance and guidance for questions in most research areas. They can also be hired to conduct research on your family. Learn more today about researching African-American roots.
The Official Welgevonden Game Reserve Website Welgevonden Game Reserve lies in the Waterberg plateau, just north of Johannesburg, South Africa. Our guests enjoy unlimited traversing through the 34,850ha reserve and experience an environment where biodiversity conservation and game viewing are managed in harmony. Welgevonden's Fire Policy The use of fire as a management tool in African savannas has long been a controversial topic. When the Kruger National Park was first established, fire was viewed as a destructive entity and was actively excluded. Fortunately scientists soon realised that fire was a key determinant of savanna ecosystems by releasing nutrients held in old, dry plant material, by influencing herbivore distributions and feeding patterns, by being necessary for certain seeds to germinate and by influencing the grass/tree balance that defines savanna ecosystems. However, the original interpretation of this influence resulted in managers applying very rigid and fixed burning regimes, with areas being burnt at the same time of the year at the same return interval. Recent research has shown this to have a very negative influence on biodiversity by favouring those species with a life cycle better adapted to the specific burning regime. Contemporary ecological theory emphasizes the importance of disturbance processes in maintaining the composition and structure of savanna ecosystems by continuously “resetting the clock”, and fire is recognised as the most important disturbance process of all. Central to this is the increasing appreciation of the historical importance that pastoralist fires and ad hoc lightning fires played in the maintenance of savannas. Although the Waterberg is an area with limited potential for secondary production (i.e. conversion of latent energy in plants into animal body mass) due to nutrient constraints, there are no such limitations for primary production (i.e. conversion of solar energy through photosynthesis into plant matter). As such, there is considerable vegetation growth each year during the wet season, and the resulting fuel loads for fires are therefore very high. Given that the Waterberg is also an area prone to numerous lightning strikes, it is reasonable to assume that, historically, fire was a very important factor in maintaining ecosystem function in the region. Lightning fires spread outward from a single point of ignition and therefore have a very different behaviour to controlled perimeter burns applied by management and evidence suggests that fires with point ignition that occur at differing intervals are far more effective in maintaining habitat diversity across a landscape by preventing bush encroachment and by creating an optimal patch-like mosaic. As such, Welgevonden has moved away from a fixed management burning regime to a more ad hoc point ignition policy whereby lightning fires are closely monitored but allowed to burn. However, in doing so, fire behavior is less predictable and thus manageable and it is therefore necessary for every lodge on the reserve to have a suitable fire break and to be suitably equipped to prevent and fight fires. However, given the distribution of infrastructure on the reserve and also the fact that the reserve is confined, it is occasionally necessary for management to intervene to prevent fires from burning too large a proportion of the reserve at any one time and/or to assist with preventing damage to infrastructure and/or to prevent fires from spreading onto neighboring properties that do not subscribe to the same fire policy. • Click here for dashboard with forecast. Welgevonden Wild Flowers wild flowers Click here to view and identify wild flowers photographed at Welgevonden. They are conveniently grouped by flower colour Property Market Interested in buying property on Welgevonden? Welgevonden Books We have 1 splendid book available from the author.
Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists. In a more specific sense, theism is a doctrine concerning the nature of a monotheistic God and God’s relationship to the universe. Theism, in this specific sense, conceives of God as personal, present and active in the governance and organization of the world and the universe. As such theism describes the classical conception of God that is found in Christianity, Judaism, Islam and some forms of Hinduism. (Click for full size)
Autonomic Figs and Muscle Figs (7 pages) Previewing pages 1, 2 of actual document. Autonomic Figs and Muscle Figs Lecture number: Lecture Note University of Southern California Bisc 307l - General Physiology Documents in this Packet Unformatted text preview: BISC 307L 2nd Edition Lecture 11 Current Lecture Transmitters and Receptors (Traditional View) The basic idea in anatomical pathways, whether you are in the parasympathetic or sympathetic system, follows the same basic plan: a preganglionic neuron whose cell body is in the CNS sends an axon out to synapse onto a postganglionic neuron in the periphery, which sends an axon to synapse onto a target cell. These synapses between pre and postganglionic neurons are located in ganglia, which can be separate/discrete ganglia, or ganglia that are scattered and embedded in the target tissue. Shown above is the old, inaccurate view of how the Autonomic Nervous System works. In the PS subdivision, the preganglion uses Ach(Acetylcholine), which binds to nAChRs (nicotinic Ach receptors) on the postsynaptic membrane. This causes a permeability change, so this ion-gated receptor channel opens and allows Na and K through – this generates a strong inward current, and depolarizes the postganglionic neuron, bringing it to threshold. This mechanism results in a fast EPSP. The PS postganglionic neuron releases Ach when excited, but this Ach’s target cells have muscarinic AChRs, which are metabotropic, not inotropic receptors. So they initiate secondary messenger cascades and cause cellular response. In the sympathetic system, Ach is released and binds to nAChRs, just like in the PS system, but the postganglionic neuron has a different transmitter, norepinephrine, which binds to adrenergic receptors on target tissues of 2 basic types and several subtypes - 2 alphas, 3 betas. Transmitters and Receptors (Current View) Evidence has been accumulating for this more current and accurate view. Just like in the traditional view, the first half of the process involving the preganglionic neuron is the same in both the sympathetic and parasympathetic subdivision. ACh is the main neurotransmitter, and there are nAChRs as well as mAChRs(muscarinic) in the postganglionic neuron – this new idea is that you can have multiple receptors at the same site in the same membrane. The mAChRs are metabotropic receptors, and create a slowly developing EPSP or IPSP by modulating the K channel. For example, if it closes a previously opened K channel, it would slowly cause depolarization/EPSP. Or if it were to open a K channel, it would create a slowly developing IPSP. Another new addition to this current view is that Ach is not the only neurotransmitter, there are various peptides acting in the synapse that act as cotransmitters with Ach. So in the PS subdivision, the postganglionic neuron is excited and releases Ach, which binds to mAChRs. But many also release a peptide called VIP(vasoactive intestinal peptide). VIP binds to a VIP receptor, and functions as a potent vasodilator. It causes the relaxation of smooth muscle in blood vessels, allowing blood pressure to inflate the vessel, lowering vascular resistance and increasing blood flow. The actions of these two transmitters (ACh and VIP) are synergistic. For example, in the salivary gland, the PS nerves co-release ACh and VIP. ACh triggers salivary secretion, while VIP triggers vasodilation in the blood vessels going ... View Full Document Access the best Study Guides, Lecture Notes and Practice Exams
There is almost a hard written rule that replacing computers, laptops smartphones and other mobile devices need to be done within x number of years and that number is usually less than 5 years. Either office workers are used to snappy results and fast load times or that slowing speeds is a sign of being less productive and impatient finger tapping ensues. It is also a much more profitable solution to replace entire systems than small upgrades. The questions that needs to be asked is, is it going to enhance productivity, improve efficiency and improve workflow. The other major concern can be newer apps and software not working on older hardware which can especially be true for Operating Systems that just won’t run well on older systems. Apple is good at simply not allowing newer OS releases from even downloading and installing on older systems. This again can lead to users feeling left behind in a fast paced cyber world of connected devices, fast internet speeds and busy schedules. Most notably the first part of a laptop that slows down is the hard drive since more and more data is being stored on the drive. Since data recording starts on the outside of the drive, the farther the data moves inwards to the inner part of the drive the slower the drive becomes. This is because physically, the hard drive is actually spinning at a faster rate (which is the drives maximum speed) than towards the center of that drive. Also, there is no need for as much efficient data placement on the physical drive since 1’s and 0’s can be placed almost anywhere within the outer part of a drive. Solid State Drives are much faster and store data a little differently so it is much less noticeable. Read full article
How to Tell an Egg is Fresh A Variety of Methods to Test Eggs for Freshness. Farm fresh eggs in a basket Wesley Hitt/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images It’s hard to tell just by looking at an egg whether it is fresh or not and sell-by dates are merely a suggestion. Depending on how the egg was shipped and stored, the sell-by date may hold no bearing on how fresh the egg truly is. Here are a few methods for testing an egg’s freshness. The Water Method Fill a large glass with water and place a raw egg inside. If the egg sits at the bottom on its side, the egg is very fresh. If the egg sits at an angle or stands on one end, the egg is older, but still edible. If the egg floats, it should be discarded. This phenomenon is due to the increasing size of the egg’s air cell as it ages. Examine the Whites This method requires cracking an egg open but it’s a good way to test a carton of eggs that you may have forgotten about in your refrigerator. Crack an egg onto a flat surface (a plate or fry pan) and examine the consistency of the whites. If they are viscous, don’t spread much, and slightly opaque, the egg is very fresh. If they are clear, watery, and spread out widely, the egg has aged. As an egg ages, the whites begin to break down and become clear and watery. Another simple way to screen “bad eggs” is to give them a good sniff. A rotten egg has a very distinct and unpleasant sulfurous smell. Sometimes the scent is so strong it can be smelled through the shell. Otherwise, the smell should be noticeable as soon as the egg is cracked. Any egg with an off-putting smell should not be eaten. What to Do With Less Than Fresh Eggs As mentioned above, just because an egg has a larger air cell or has slightly runny whites does not mean that it cannot be eaten. In fact, eggs that are slightly older are great for hard-boiling. The larger air cell and break down of the membrane make for easily peeled hard-boiled eggs. Once the eggs are boiled, store them in the shell until eaten or up to one week.
Monday, December 2, 2013 H.P. Lovecraft at War: ‘The Temple’ Only a handful of Lovecraft’s stories take place at sea. Dagon and The White Ship involve ocean travel but also involve perilous landfall. There is the climactic struggle on the open sea with you-know-who in The Call of Cthulhu, following a brief and hazardous landfall that wipes out most of a ship’s crew. In The Temple (1925), Lovecraft’s characters remain at sea during the entire tale, or rather, under it. Nearly all of Lovecraft’s fiction is autobiographical in content, with the principle characters serving as some representation of the author’s psyche. The Temple is no different in that regard. While it is virtually certain that Lovecraft himself never served as the Lieutenant-Commander of a German U-boat during World War One, the comments he has his character make about other races and social classes are purely Lovecraftian in tone. And, because of the attrition of his crew due to death, suicide or madness, (or all three), the narrator is soon left on his own to confront mysterious and malevolent forces—as in many Lovecraft tales. The Temple could very well have been renamed The Rime of the Ancient Submariner. Instead of killing the albatross, commander Heinrich torpedoes a British freighter, and then orders the destruction of all the lifeboats fleeing the wreck. He fires on the lifeboats after making a film of them for propaganda purposes. But this incident seals the fate of Heinrich and his crew as well. Weird things begin to happen. One of the dead who had clung to the railing on deck appears to swim away when released. In one of his pockets is found a small figurine—a youth’s head crowned with laurel—which may be of great antiquity. It seems to act like a bad luck charm. Some of the men become mutinous, while others begin to go mad. Bodies in the water around the ship appear imbued with consciousness, and eye some of the crew members. Large schools of dolphins circle ominously. An explosion on board kills some of the men and ruins the submarine’s ability to maneuver, although life support systems are preserved for awhile. An unknown current draws the ship deeper and further south. Now, only Heinrich and his fellow officer Klenze are left alive, and Klenze succumbs to madness. Klenze wants Heinrich to join him in a suicidal departure through the hatch on deck. Lovecraft has Klenze say, “Come now—do not wait until later; it is better to repent and be forgiven than to defy and be condemned.” Heinrich decides to ‘wait until later’. However, he helps send Klenze to his death. The submarine continues to drift south, but the current loses its pull and the ship settles to the bottom. Heinrich has arrived at his destination. Outside the ship are the ruins of an ancient marble temple and other structures. From the temple comes an eerie glow, and Heinrich thinks he sees movement in its depths. He dons a deep-sea diving suit makes one last venture to the entrance of the temple… Lovecraft does not say what finally becomes of commander Heinrich. Clearly a villain, readers will expect that justice will be done, either through a terrible death by asphyxiation or something worse. But what is really in view here is a religious experience of some sort. This is foreshadowed by his fellow officer’s last words, all the corpses that do not seem actually dead, and his arrival at an ancient underwater temple. His men have converted, will he? L. Sprague De Camp criticized the story as being mediocre, containing several strange phenomena that fail to cohere into any focused effect, a criticism that S.T. Joshi shares. Joshi wonders why Lovecraft created a satirical, stereotypical German commander in Heinrich, nearly two years after the close of World War I. In my view, satire is not what is intended so much as an expression of Lovecraft’s enthusiasm for Aryan racial beliefs. As for “too much supernaturalism”—Joshi’s complaint—I feel that these elements are actually well placed in a story that is primarily religious in nature. The Temple is basically a Lovecraftian version of Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In Coleridge’s poem, the mariner is eventually saved by an appreciation of God’s work in nature. True to Lovecraft’s enthusiasms, Heinrich may—or may not—be saved by reconnecting with the power of ancient Greek mythology and religion. No comments: Post a Comment
Monday, December 29, 2014 How to improve your digestive health A healthy digestive system is fundamental to a healthy body. Optimal digestion is the foundation of optimal energy. Digestion allows the body to get the nutrients and energy it needs from the food. The digestive system is basically a tube of 25 and 30 feet long running through the body from mouth to anus. The digestive tract and the accessory organs of digestion make up the digestive system. The organs of the digestive system include the oral cavity (mouth), oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, rectum and anus. The accessory organs of digestion include the salivary glands, teeth, liver, gall bladder and pancreas. Over a lifetime no less than 100 tons of food passes along the digestive tract and 300,000 litres of digestive juices are produced by the body to break it down. Digestive juices flow from the walls of the stomach and small intestines, pancreas and gall bladder. Enzymes, bile and bacteria break down the food. Facts on digestion Digestion is a function of an organ system which involves a series of processes. There are 5 processes that are involved with digestion: eating, breaking down food into simpler chemical compounds, absorption, assimilation and elimination of waste. Digestive organs can become disturbed for a multiplicity of reasons: poor diet, irregular eating habits, physical and mental strain, viral or bacterial or fungal or parasitic infections, allergies, toxicity and drugs. Digestive discomfort can express in many forms: stomach pain, bloating, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea and foul smelling gas. More than 80 million Americans live with and suffer from chronic digestive problems. It is estimated that 4 million Americans have constipation and 60 million Americans have acid reflux. Approximately 12 million people in the United States suffer from food allergy. One-third to one –half of all populations have digestive illness. It is estimated that 25 to 50% of all digestion- related ailments can be prevented and / or modified by proper eating, exercise, natural medicines and lifestyle modifications. The digestive system comprises a group of organs that break down food and absorb the nutrients used by the body for fuel. The digestive system begins with the mouth and extends through the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine, ending with the rectum and anus. The most important roles of digestive system include ingestion, propulsion, mechanical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption and defecation. Gastroenterology is a branch of medicine concerned with the function and disorders of the digestive system. Digestion refers to the breakdown of food into smaller molecules that can be absorbed and assimilated by the body. The process of digestion occurs as the food you eat travels through the digestive tract. The food is kept moving by muscular action called peristalis. The main work of our digestive system is processing the food we eat to obtain energy and nutrients. Good digestive health is the ability to break down, absorb and use nutrients and to eliminate waste products from foods and beverages in a way that optimizes one’s health and vitality. Importance of the digestive system The digestive system represents not only the physical ‘engine’ of the body, but also the center of emotions and the seat of subconscious. Two-thirds of our immune system is located in and around our digestive system. According to Dr. Michael Gershon in his book The second Brain (1998), all of the neurotransmitters that are found in the brain are also found in the digestive system –hence the term ‘second brain.’ The digestive system actually has its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system (ENS) and over 95% of serotonin is made in the gut (Gershon 1998). The enteric nervous system functions without the direction from the brain. The activity of the digestive system is regulated by the rich network of nerves found in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Factors in good digestion The factors that promote good digestion include timing, manner or eating, quantity of food, condition of the food, quality of the food and appropriateness of the food to your body. · Timing – when you eat; · Manner – how you eat; · Quantity – how much you eat; · Condition of the food –raw, cooked, warm or cold; · Quality of the food – fresh, clean and pure; · Appropriateness of the food – whether the food is compatible with your digestive capacity and relevant to your nutritional requirements. Four R's gut healing program Digestive problems are part and parcel of our life. There is a 4-R’s program with the following steps: Remove, Replace, Re-introduce and repair. In the first step, remove the things that are causing the problem such as bacteria, parasite, Candida or yeast overgrowth and potential food allergens and toxins. Then replace the diet with healthy food, dietary fiber and pure water for regular elimination. In the third step, re-introduce the gut with dietary probiotics or supplementary enzymes. Lastly repair the gut lining, so food and germs do not get through to the blood stream and cause a bad reaction called ‘leaky gut syndrome.’ It is reported that leaky gut syndrome is thought to cause all kinds of problems from food allergies to irritable bowel syndrome and colitis. Herbal and nutritional healing of digestive disorders Traditional Chinese medications use concoctions of kiwifruit as a tonic to find relief from indigestion. Kiwifruits have substantial amounts of prebiotics, phenolics, dietary fibers and vegetarian digestive enzymes. Chamomile is an all –around stomach soother. Bitter herbs like dandelion can help improve digestion. Bitter herbs are great helpers for optimal digestion. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice root may reduce heartburn, acid reflux and gastritis. Licorice protects the mucous membranes that line the digestive tract against the damaging effects of stomach acid. This effect can be very helpful for those with heartburn. Slippery elm is another herb that acts as a barrier against stomach acid which again is important for those with heartburn. Aloe vera reduces mucosal inflammation, prevents acid reflex and improves gut healing. The herb milk thistle may be a useful supplement in the case of constipation caused by a lethargic liver. Digestive enzymes found in tropical fruits such as bromelain from pineapple (which reduces tissue irritation) and papain from papayas (which soothes the stomach) can provide help in digesting proteins as well. Tomatoes keep the digestive system healthy by preventing both constipation and diarrhea. A healthy complement of intestinal flora (the digestive bacteria acidophilus, bifidus and lactobacillus) is essential to good digestive health. Dietary fibers help promote regular defecation and prevent constipation. Fiber –rich foods include berries, greens, beans, apples, pears, oats and flaxseeds. The daily recommended intake of dietary fibers is 20 to 35 grams per day. Lubricant foods and herbs help the stool move through the digestive tract called demulcents. The demulcents include okra, flaxseed, oats, kelp, cactus, natto, toasted seasame oil,olive oil, acacia and chia seeds. Digestive level of foods Some foods are harder to digest than others. Proteins are the hardest to digest. Protein digestion requires an acid medium (hydrochloric acid) and the enzyme pepsin for its digestion. Starch digestion requires an alkaline medium and the enzyme ptyalin for its digestion. Starchy foods are easier to digest. The non-starchy vegetables are very easy to digest. The easiest food of all to digest is fruits. Food combining for better digestion Do not combine protein foods with acidic foods or fats or starch foods or sugars. Do not combine two concentrated protein foods at the same meal. Do not combine starches with sugars or starch foods with acidic foods. Eat one concentrated starch food at a meal. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins. Do not combine sweet fruits with proteins, starches or acid fruits. Acid fruits may be used with sub-acid fruits and sub-acid fruits may be used with sweet fruits. Combine fruits only with lettuce and celery. Salads combine very well with proteins or starches. Do not consume melons with any other foods. Foods for healthy digestion A healthy diet consists of a good balance of macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates), prebiotics and probiotics, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. A healthy diet is one that helps to maintain or improve health by providing appropriate amounts of nutrients. Super foods for healthy digestion include yogurt, high fiber whole grain bread, rice, whole grain cereals, tofu, miso, tempeh, dandelion green, sunflower seeds, sea vegetables, flaxseed oil, papayas, garlic and sage leaves. Our food choices play a significant role in the quality of our digestion. Tips to improve your digestive health 1. Eat a balanced and varied diet with fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. Eat four to six light meals per day. Eat more foods containing complex carbohydrates and fiber. Avoid over eating, only eat as much as you need. 2. Take small bites; Eat slowly and mindfully. Don’t eat before bed and walk after each meal. 3. Eat right type of fats and eat foods containing complete proteins, but in moderation. 4. Get enough fluids. 5. Give up caffeine; eliminate alcohol and nicotine. 6. Exercise is crucial to good bowel health. 7. Reduce depression and anxiety. 8. Listen to your body; be cautious about constipation, gas or upset stomach – it’s a sign you need to make changes in your dietary habits. The digestive impulse is the life of your stomach 1. The bariatric balloon weight loss program is considered to be quite safe and there are many around the world found to take the help of such means. The best of tools and techniques are perfect for helping you get into shape. The stomach balloon weight loss is now used by many around the world making sure things remain within control and helps an individual to get that perfect shape. 2. This is really very informative. This blog really helped me to increase my knowledge a bit. Thank you so much for sharing. renew life liver detox this probiotic america review 4. Normally, the human body absorbs all of the calories provided by food. 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HPV Vaccination HPV (human papillomavirus) infections are incredibly common. It is estimated that 75% of sexually active individuals in Canada will become infected in their lifetime. Recently vaccines for certain HPV strains have become available, and it’s causing a bit of a controversy despite being recommended by major health organizations like the WHO, Health Canada, and the Canadian Dermatology Association. What is HPV, and why is it concerning? HPV is the DNA virus that is responsible for causing warts. There are over a hundred strains of the virus identified, but most of the strains are not considered to be especially harmful, and are often suppressed by the immune system. The virus itself is extremely prevalent, however. The most concerning are the strains that cause anogenital warts, and HPV is the most common STI (sexually transmitted infection) worldwide. Genital warts are concerning due to their unsightly appearance, and the virus can be sexually transmitted to a partner. Genital warts often recur, even after treatment as the virus itself cannot be removed. From a medical standpoint, the more serious concern, however, are the strains that cause various cancers like anal, vaginal, vulvar, and mouth cancer--HPV 16 and HPV 18. Is it really true that 75% of people have had HPV at some point? I had a few partners in my life, and none of them had genital warts. Being a carrier of HPV is different from showing symptoms in the form of genital (or other) warts. The immune system is able to suppress the HPV virus for most people. Many people carry the virus asymptomatically, but they are still able to transmit the virus to their partner or partners, often unknowingly. While many people with HPV will not show symptoms or may have mild symptoms, there is no guarantee that this will be the case for you or your partner. If HPV is really so prevalent, do I have to worry about it? HPV is not just a concern about social stigma and genital warts. HPV infection is the primary cause for many cancers which can be fatal. The risk is especially high for women. What HPV vaccines are available? There are two HPV vaccines that are approved in Canada: Gardasil, and Cervarix. Gardasil is indicated for women aged 9-26, and Cervarix is indicated for women aged 10-25. Both vaccines provide protection from the high risk strains HPV16 and HPV18. The brand names and the specific vaccinations will vary from country to country. Why is vaccination important? Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of controlling infection. It not only helps prevent HPV infections, but it also helps protect everyone in the community better via herd immunity, meaning that beyond the effect of the vaccination, it helps the community be better protected via less people having the infection to transfer the virus. It’s hoped that a future generation that has a high vaccination rate will drop the prevalence of HPV significantly. How effective are HPV vaccinations and do experts think it’s a good idea? Both Gardasil and Cervarix are effective at providing protection from HPV16 and HPV18 for 8 years or longer, and current research suggests that a booster vaccine is not needed. Up to 70% of cervical cancers that would otherwise occur due to HPV is thought to be prevented by these vaccines, and its use is recommended by the World Health Organization, Health Canada, and the Canadian Dermatology Association. What about concerns with vaccinations possibly causing autism? There is no evidence that autism is in any way related to vaccinations. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has categorically denied any connection, and almost every major health organization in the world is agreed on this. Vaccinations will have some very minor risk, mostly due to allergy type reactions in a very small number of people, but it is heavily outweighed by the benefits of vaccination. Why are HPV vaccinations recommended to pre-teenagers who aren’t sexually active? The HPV vaccine provides a higher immunity in pre-teens, compared to older age groups. As vaccinations do not treat existing infections, but prevent future infection, vaccination before sexual activity is recommended. Do I have to pay for these vaccines? Is it covered? This depends on where you are living, and can vary from province to province in Canada, or from state to state in the United States, as well as the particular insurance plan that you are under. Where can I find more comprehensive information about HPV vaccines?
Robo-submarines learn to dive free Will Ferguson, reporter It's time to let the robo-subs off the leash. Robot submarines are pretty good at finding their own way around but they still need a helpful human to guide them through twisting underwater ravines and channels, the poor things. Not for much longer. A new guidance system will let autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) snap photos along even the most treacherous reaches of sea floor. AUVs can already navigate in open water by matching their depth to an existing terrain map. Sarah Houts of the Aerospace Robotics Laboratory, at Stanford University, California, worked with researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, also in California, to take the current technology one step further by computing flight paths around and through underwater obstacles. The software tweak will allow underwater robots to autonomously take pictures of hazardous locations where only remote-controlled robots have gone before. The team ran a successful field test in Monterey Bay earlier this month and expects the system will be ready to be tried for real sometime next year. Across the Pacific, Australian scientists are teaching their autonomous underwater robot Sirius a new trick as well. Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed an system to tell the difference between kelp and other species of plant life on the ocean floor off the south-east coast of Tasmania. Their results mean that future AUVs trained on a number of dive missions could be used to document the variety and abundance of plant and animal life in the world's oceans - all without humans needing to be in the loop. The research will be presented at theAustralian Conference on Robotics and Automation next month. Laser cookery makes your food more fun YOUR toast pops up with a strange pattern burned into it. Pointing your phone's camera at the pattern pulls up a website showing the day's traffic news for your commute. Later, as you're wondering how to make a spring roll, you notice the instructions are etched into the rice paper itself. These are just a couple of the applications of "laser cookery" envisaged by Kentaro Fukuchi and colleagues at Meiji University in Japan. They reckon laser cutters have done their time in industry and, like 3D printers before them, it's now time for them to come into our homes - as a new breed of laser-enabled kitchen appliances. At a cookery technology workshop in Nara, Japan, in November, the researchers showed how a benchtop industrial laser cutter - normally used to cut or engrave patterns in plastic, wood and metal - could generate a variety of fascinating foodstuffs when hooked up to a computer running graphics software and a webcam. One delicacy they have developed is the charmingly named "melt-fat raw bacon", an allegedly tasty sliver of uncooked bacon on which the fat is cooked by the laser, using a webcam trained on the bacon to guide the beam. "The well-cooked fat and the fresh taste of the meat can then be experienced at the same time," says Fukuchi. Don't all rush at once. by Paul Marks What We Can Expect in Technology for Next Year in 2013 Technology is ever evolving and moving forward. Change is probably the best and most prominent characteristic that can be ascribed to technology, as wide and all encompassing as a term it might be. The rate of advancement that technology is exhibiting is much, much faster than any could have expected or anticipated - probably even for those who are at the forefront of its progress. This unparalleled speed of development has been very welcome for technology enthusiasts all over the world. People who simply can't get enough of the different devices and gadgets that are being produced and released on a regular basis are enjoying something of a perfect time right now. And things are likely to only get better. What to Expect in 2013 At the frontline of technological progress right now are the many tablets and smartphones that are constantly being improved and updated. And as amazing as those devices seem to be right now, there's every reason to believe and expect that it will only improve and get to an even better level. With 2013 almost upon us, it would be good to look at what technology has in store for us in 2013. • Expect even faster networking. Consumers want faster networking than what is currently available to them, which is 3G and has just been made available mainstream, but is still not enough. In 2013 that would be addressed by the introduction of 4G speeds. That move will allow consumers to experience not only improvement in speed but in the range, bandwidth and roaming management as well. It is definitely an improvement of what is already available to us, so cloud networking and HD streaming would all become better. • 3D technology will see some significant improvements. This is probably best seen in gaming, and now also in 3D TV. And with the Xbox and PlayStation about to become available, then there would even be a considerable rise in its use. More and more 3D TV's should be expected to be available, with much higher quality in its projection and in terms of the innovation in design there would also be improvements. • Aside from 3D TV, there is also another type of TV that's also making waves and causing a sensation in the technological world. That would be the Internet TV that allows its users to interact with their TV by surfing the net, using social media, playing online games, and many more. Different kinds of companies are coming up with their very own versions of the Internet TV, so expect it to be much more common this coming year. • We can expect tablets to go mainstream in 2013. The sensation this year had been the latest and most advanced smart phones as well tablet computers. Next year, in 2013, we can all expect upgrades in the tablets that the major companies are producing and releasing. Every company is sure to come up with their own latest tablet, with the hopes of gaining a better share of the tablet computer market for the year. Find Solutions to Your Computer Problems Online By Uchenna Rodger Ani-Okoye When it comes to fixing an array of computer problems, it may be best for you to venture online and look for solutions, rather than the alternative. In most cases, all you'll need to do is locate a suitable website, call them up through the system and grant them remote access to your computer and you're on your way. There are tons of different computer repair services that you can find out there, all of which have highly experienced and competent professionals on their payroll that can help you. Through the utilisation of these services you can ensure that your computer is running optimally at all times. The quality and efficiency of the computer support that you receive depends greatly on the company you hire. In most cases, the repair process is fairly simple. All you will need to do is get in contact with a suitable support service you've found online, and they will ask you to tell them exactly what's wrong with your computer. Your issue may be due to a virus or hardware conflict. After that's been established, they will then access your system, with your consent in order to locate and rectify the issue. In order for them to access your system, they will use the appropriate dedicated software, which will ensure they do not steal any data on your computer. In order for these companies to offer you technical support, they use CNNA, Microsoft and Red Hat certified personnel that are especially trained for tackling the kinds of issues your likely to encounter. Another benefit of utilising their service is that, because they've studied the subject in detail, they are able to mass a much greater understanding of the kind of problems your likely to encounter. Another thing that is good about these online based computer support services is that they are relatively cheap. The amount of money that you can expect to pay would be considered minimal, when compared to the fees charged by your standard computer repair store. In addition, it's also possible for you to sign up with these services so that you can receive additional support over a prolonged period of time. With the online services you're given far more flexibility, as you can establish smaller contracts. These companies usually offer a fairly substantial range of support, whether it is for the removal of computer viruses, operating system support, networking support and much more. Tips to Set Birthday Reminders on iPhone and Mac By Semeli Karen McPherso Dependence on technology might have lowered our ability to recall anniversaries or birthdays but often our mobile gadgets come handy at the time of setting reminders. Forgetting or missing out on someone's birthday can be overcome if you are using an iPhone or a Mac. If you own an iPhone 4S or 5 then it becomes easy to set reminders for birthday. Additionally, if your iPhone is already loaded with widgets and reminders then you may find buzzing off annoying reminders that keep reminding you about various alerts including, Facebook alerts and messages from your friend network. All this is easily manageable with your iOS device including setting important birthday alerts. You can even make settings to turn off unnecessary reminders that are no longer needed like that of random business contacts or birthday parties that you would rather like to give a miss. Whatever be your reason here are a few tips that will help you manage your birthday alerts on your iPhone. Before we get started upon how the birthday reminders work and how to manage them you first need to ensure that you have the birthday details in your Contacts App. You can set an automatic birthday reminder by tweaking your calendar settings or turn off the reminder as per your convenience. Apply the following steps for setting a Birthday reminder: • Initially you need to launch the Calendar app on your iPhone by tapping on the Calendars located at the right side upper corner of your iPhone screen. • Scroll down to the Calendars menu and locate Birthdays under Other. • If you are looking forward to enable the option for birthday reminders on your iPhone then you need to ensure that your Birthdays calendar is check marked or is already a selected option. This will fetch you birthday reminders and send you alert message whenever a birthday is coming up. • If you do not want to get any birthday alerts then simply tap Birthdays to unselect the option. Now you will not receive any reminders. • If you want to connect your iPhone to Facebook then, Settings>Facebook> enter user name and password and then select the Birthdays option. This way you will be reminded of any arriving Birthdays occurring amongst your Facebook friends. Similarly, to turn off the feature you just need to unselect the Birthdays option. • To make settings on your iPhone you need to go to Settings> Tap Mail, Contacts, Calendars section> Calendars>Default Alert Times. This will reveal three options, Events, Birthdays and All-Day Events. • Tap to select Birthdays and choose a time to remind you for an upcoming birthday. This time can be two days earlier, same day, a day earlier or a week earlier. If you do not want to set an alert for birthday then you can choose the none option. • You can also pick a style to suit your birthday reminder alert. For example, you can choose from the given options of banners or pre-defined alerts for Calendar or Birthday reminders. Now that you are already aware of the calendar and birthday synching options on your iPhone let us take a look at other tips that may come handy for your Mac. Let us move on to another section where you will learn about iCal and iCloud synchronizing option on your Mac to enable reminders and birthday alerts. Some Tips for Mac Users In addition to the tips given above you can also make other settings that include synchronizing option related to iCal for your Mac via iCloud. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that iCal has inbuilt settings for sending automatic alerts for birthdays on your Mac. For iCal synchronizing apply the following steps: • Launch iCal on your Mac> iCal Menu>Preferences> Alerts • Go to the pull down menu and then choose the option from Calendar Accounts that contain options like Google, Yahoo, iCloud, etc. choose iCloud option • Now you need to choose settings for receiving automatic alerts for Birthdays by selecting Birthdays Following the above-mentioned tips will help you set birthday reminders on your iPhone and Mac. Best Graphics Cards By Ken Bravio Most off the shelf computers from stores such as Best Buy or Target have integrated graphics, meaning a base line non-dedicated video processing "card" - in other words, you won't be doing much gaming with a stock integrated graphics chip. Upgrading to a dedicated graphics card is one of the best upgrades you can do for your desktop - whether you don't have one, or just are looking to upgrade your slow machine. Keep in mind - if you are upgrading to check and see how big of a power supply is required to power the card. All cards should list this information, and if not a little digging around on the internet should provide that information. You may need to upgrade your Power Supply (PSU) in order to power a new graphics card. So be sure to double check this before spending your money on a card. This is an NVIDIA graphics card, one of the top 2 players in the GPU game. This is a 2GB card, which a few months ago was considered the top of the line, but in 2013 we will see a lot more 3GB or even 4GB cards. That does not mean this card is not a beast - because it is a beast. Direct X11 capable, PCI-E 3.0 16x and more - you will be gaming at HD resolutions and beyond, with the best graphics settings possible. AMD Radeon HD7970 Radeon is the competitor to NVIDIA, usually offering a cheaper alternative to it's NVIDIA sister cards. But this doesn't mean they are weaker. The HD7970 is a very powerful card at a great price - probably one of the best "budget" cards you could get for price/performance. With 2GB RAM, a 925MHz clock speed, PCI Express 3.0, this is a BEAST card. It's size shows it too - make sure your case can fit it. It also requires at least a 500w PSU. MSI GTX 660 Ti MSI manufactures a lot of cards and this specific one runs on NVIDIA drivers. It has a 915 MHz clock speed, 2GB ram, PCI Express 3.0, and a few other bells. MSI makes great cards with great cooling ability. This one features MSI's Twin Frozr IV feature which keeps the card 14 degrees Celsius cooler then normal. Say goodbye to dust buildup on your card and increase the life of your GPU. Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 This is a fantastic budget card with AMD drivers - the 6950 is older, but still a beast. A 800Mhz clock speed (that overclocks very well), PCi Express 2.0, direct x11 support, and 2GB video ram is featured on this card. It's truly a power house card for the price (under $200) and is easily overclockable and can reach speeds on par with more expensive cards such as the 7950. How to Use QR Codes Creatively Creative QR codes were first noticed in Japan, where companies thought of using these mini bar codes to get closer to their customers. It wasn't long before the 'mobile tagging' craze took over, and today, we can spot some really innovative uses of QR codes that definitely help you to expand your customer base. To some, it may seem like a passing whim, but statistics proving the caliber of the QR codes as an effective marketing tool, tell a different story. QR codes have been around for more than 15 years now; long enough to tell you that they've been tried and tested. How could you work them to your company's advantage, then? There are several ways to do that, and a few of them are listed right here. Creative Uses of QR Codes in Marketing: Offer Goodies Yes; it is the oldest trick of the trade. Rewarding your customers with freebies is a fabulous marketing tool. It could be a promotional offer that includes slashed rates of the product or a membership or even future discounts. Run these codes as a part of your print medium advertisements and/or plaster it across your store and watch your fan base multiply. Choose your Spot The most obvious spot for advertising is a purchased product. You're assured that it stays with your consumer, so why not make use of the product's part to make your company visible? QR codes can be printed on product labels, price tags or product bags. It is a clever spot to put a QR code on, and you don't even have to buy advertising space. Embed information about your company, special online offers or priority deals. Store Displays Your company may have an online presence, but aren't you overlooking a very obvious spot to market it 24x7? Display windows in your store are sure to be arresting, but why exclude customers who happen to view them beyond your working hours? A QR code displayed here, lets you get in touch with someone who is interested in your product, but may not necessarily return. Outdoor Displays Be brazen at public places, conventions, fairs or seminars and put forth your company's profile in a "subtle" QR code. Even better, embed your company's logo into the code (shouldn't be too difficult, but ensure its functionality), so that you arouse enough curiosity without revealing too much information. Put up QR codes on banners, employee t-shirts, visiting cards, etc., which will ensure visibility. URL Access QR codes that direct the user to the shopping page's URL will be a sure-fire hit. Do make sure that the page is mobile-friendly, or else the entire purpose of the QR code would be wasted. Likewise, you could use QR codes to connect with Facebook or Twitter, and be liked or followed instantaneously. However, pulling this off might be slightly tricky as people who are looking for more information may consider it misleading. Creative Glimpse Restaurant menus can include QR codes next to popular dishes, which lets the user connect to a URL that allows them to view the preparation. QR codes are also used in art galleries where they are strategically placed next to the exhibit. Scanning them gives you inputs about the artist and the exhibit as well. In fact, each business can have their own list of things that they want their customers to know about. Treasure Hunts Although it won't suit all products, organizing a treasure hunt through QR codes is an excellent way to engage potential customers. And what could be better than to have a prize at the end of it? As mentioned before, it can be bothersome to organize, but well worth a try for a new product from a recognizable brand. Create a Buzz QR codes can be so designed that they make phone calls and send messages to your company. Just be sure that your customer service department is capable of handling inquiries and feedback, or at times, brickbats too. While this does not really qualify as a marketing tool, you can spread some exclusive offers so that the customer does not think of it as a meaningless gimmick. QR Codes Gone Waste: An innovative marketing tool it certainly is, but overenthusiastic usage of the QR code really kills its very purpose. This is how QR codes can be completely mismanaged. (Hint: Location, location, location) ✘ A subway is the worst place to place a QR hoarding. Unless the underground has Wi-Fi, placing a QR advertisement makes no sense at all, as the idea is to engage people with information on the go. We can't expect people to save our QR image and scan it sometime later. ✘ QR codes in in-flight reading material is a dubious one indeed. Seriously, a QR code is not something that is cherished; it is just a ticket to more information. And unless the viewer gets immediate access to it, (impossible when he's flying) you'd rather not print it at all. ✘ QR codes on billboards that are high up there, completely miss the point. People are not interested in craning their necks to take a picture of something they may not even want to know about. The key is easy accessibility. ✘ When QR codes appear on buses or trains, one does wonder who put them there and why; unless they really wanted those buses and trains to break down, so that the frustrated commuters and random pedestrians could then scan it. ✘ It would be a sin to let your QR code get entangled in the Android/Apple face-off. Create a code that is flexible for both, so you make sure that it does not leave out either smartphone user. QR coding is a contemporary communication tool and you can think of several ways to integrate it into your marketing plan. It definitely is cost-effective, and according to many, it is the ultimate marketing medium of the future. Read more at : How do QR Codes Work? These days, it is not uncommon to find a QR code in newspaper advertisements, on home delivery goods or even food items. What are these QR codes? How do they work? Well, let's decode the QR code and find out for ourselves. Did you know that even though the demand for a QR code (quick response code) has gained popularity in recent years, it has actually been in use for more than a decade? The QR code was generated in the year 1994, by (a global automotive components manufacturer) DENSO WAVE, a subsidiary of the Toyota Group of companies. With technology playing a major role in our daily lives, it is not surprising to spot a QR code even while walking down the street with a newspaper in hand. What do you do if you want to download an application for your new phone, or order a pizza? Simple - run your smartphone over the QR code and you have it scanned and decoded in minutes. What is a QR Code: A QR code is a type of matrix barcode, which is also known as a 2-dimensional (2-D) code. It was first designed to keep a track of manufactured automobile parts; however, its use outside the automotive industry has seen a steady rise in the past few years. The QR code has surpassed the usage of the standard UPC barcode, owing its credit to an extensive storage capacity and an incredibly fast readability. Components of a QR Code: The code is made up of a number of black and white modules, which are arranged in a regular polygon (or in simpler words, a square). A standard QR code can contain a whopping 7k characters. The components of a QR code include four standardized modes of data, which include alphanumeric, numeric, binary and Kanji data. Refer to the table given below for a detailed information of the QR code. How do QR Code Generators Work?: The QR code generator translates data into a QR code. The amount of data that can be stored on a QR code depends on the mode (input data type), the dimension of the symbol and the four error correction levels. The QR code generator is a built-in system that places data in a zigzag pattern, which is then filled with alignment patterns and interleaved error-correction blocks that complicate the QR code. The QR code generator translates data into octets (8 bits long) and the number of bits in the length field vary depending on the encoding and the version that is used. Working of a QR Code Generator Types of Encoding Bits No. of Characters Numeric encoding 10 bits per 3 digits Alphanumeric encoding 11 bits per 2 characters Byte encoding 8 bits per character Kanji encoding 13 bits per character The QR code uses the Reed-Solomon (RS) code, which can automatically correct up to 15 errors per block, thus limiting the complexity of the decoding algorithm. The four levels of this code are: ⇨ Level L, which can automatically restore 7% of the codewords ⇨ Level M, which can automatically restore 15% of the codewords ⇨ Level Q, which can automatically restore 25% of the codewords ⇨ Level H, which can automatically restore 30% of the codewords Most of these QR code generators are available online; all you've got to do is, enter the data to be translated and it will generate the code, which can either be printed or scanned on to an electronic device. How do QR Code Readers Work?: Decoding information is now a mere child's play, as you do not need special scanners to interpret the QR code. All you've got to do is, scan the QR code with the inbuilt camera on your cell phone. Your cell phone will convert the picture of the code into a text format, which can be read after you have already installed a software that will interpret the code for you. Once your phone has processed the information on the QR code, you can decipher the text or image that was embedded into the QR code. QR code generators are an ingenious scheme that allow the code to be read in any orientation, which means you can read the information, even if a part of the code is damaged. Seeing the way the QR code works, it makes it relatively easier to use and understand. Considering that it can be used both in the print media as well as in the electronic media, its usability has seen an upward trend. It won't be long before you can use QR codes in educational streams, where all you would have to do is, scan the QR code and gain access to all that you need to know in the course structure. When it comes to using QR codes creatively, there is no stopping the creativity that can flow. QR codes can be creatively used to market your product or as a style statement on your tee; you just need to put your thinking hats on! Read more at: Make A Name With Google By Ken McKay Expert Author Ken McKay The domain name of a website is just one of the many factors used by search engines to position the website in search results. But when every website owner strives to be on page one of Google, choosing a good domain name is another opportunity to score points. Experience tells us a domain name should be all of these: 1) Easy to remember 2) Contain key search word or words. 3) Not similar to existing names. Easy to remember Domain names are allowed to contain up to 67 characters. One client wanted us to register a name he had created with 54 characters. It certainly contained key search words and was nothing like any existing name. But when I asked the client to repeat the name so that I could check what I had written down, the client himself had forgotten the exact name. A name which is easy to remember helps customers of a website come back for repeat business. It also helps them refer the website to other people. One client wanted a name made from the two initials of each of his three children. That was certainly very easy for him to remember and made a new word that could be pronounced although it didn't mean anything. But did he expect everyone else to know the first and middle names of his three children, or even that he had children? It's okay to have two names, one for search engines and a short one for emails, both opening the same website. Contain key search word or words This is another opportunity to get your website indexed by Google under your key search words. What are the key words that you want people to search Google for and find your website? If you are an electrician in Kentucky then is the best name for you. But that's already taken. So you can qualify the name with say your name. E.g. We find some people want their personal name for a domain name, e.g. This is fine if Joe Smith is already a celebrity and a lot of people know him, but not if he wants people who don't know him to find his website. Personal names for domain names are suitable for politicians, authors, artists, musicians, film stars, sports stars and celebrities. A client wanted a name for his business website which didn't represent any product or service, i.e. with no key words. When asked why, he explained that he wanted to keep the name available to cover any future business that he might expand into. Well the answer is that without keywords in the name he must work much harder to become big enough to expand into other businesses. We suggest future businesses deserve their own name. Even businesses on the main street recognize the importance of keywords. E.g. you don't see a butchers shop without signage that says "Butcher" even though you get a clue from the meat in the shop window. Not similar to existing names Naturally if your name is similar to an existing name then its possible the existing name already has a good position in search engines. Then the existing name will be listed before your new name and steal your potential visitors. One client chose a good name that included two key search words. They then found that name existed with just an "s" on the end. Beware of plurals and singulars of a name that you choose. Some people try to start up with version of name. This is like hitting your head against a brick wall. If someone has established a position in the search engines with name then it won't be easy to take that position from them with version. Put your energy into selecting an original name that can't be confused with another. To give a domain name every chance of success, make it easy to remember, contain key words and be not simiar to an existing name. Another factor considered by search engines is the age of a name, so do select a name that won't give you cause to start again in the future with a new name. Choose a name you can stay with. 20 Things You Didn't Know About... Cars They were way more dangerous in the past, they're developing some impressive smart lighting, and they'll drive themselves in the future. By Corey S. Powell 1970 1/2 AMC Gremlin Wikipedia/American Motors brochure photo  1 In 1760 King George III housed around 30 horses in the Royal Mews stables in London. Today a typical compact car packs a 150-horsepower engine. So a suburban commuter has instant access to five times as much sheer muscle as the king who nearly crushed the American Revolution. 2 By the formal definition of horsepower (the power required to lift 33,000 pounds by one foot in one minute), a real horse musters only about 0.7 horsepower. 3 Not only has the horse been outgunned by the car, it faces the further indignity of not being able to keep up with itself. Contrary to legend, Ford’s Model T originally came in a variety of colors…and black was not one of them. The “any color so long as it is black” philosophy arrived in 1913, as Henry Ford sought to simplify production. 5 Volkswagen had the good sense to change the original, Hitler-sanctioned name for its small car, the Kraft durch Freude Wagen (“Strength Through Joy Car”). You know it as the Beetle. 6 The first documented auto fatality in the United States was H. H. Bliss of New York City, who was struck by an electric taxicab on September 13, 1899, while alighting from a trolley car. The motor vehicle fatality rate in the United States—the average number of deaths per passenger-mile of driving—has dropped by roughly 80 percent in the past half century. 8 Last year 32,310 Americans died in auto accidents. If the 1962 fatality rate still held, there would be an extra 150,000 deaths annually, equivalent to losing the population of Pittsburgh every two years. Credit a mix of improvements, including crash impact standards, air bags, better tires, antilock brakes, and stability control. 10 One of the biggest factors? Seat belts. 84 percent of people now buckle up, compared with 14 percent three decades ago. 11 Please don’t kick the tires. The contact patches—the areas of the tires that actually touch the road at any given moment—cover an area of just over 100 square inches for an average family sedan. 12 In other words, all of the accelerating, cornering, braking, and everything else that your four wheels do, happens on a piece of ground scarcely bigger than your own two feet. 13 Lighting is one of the next frontiers in safety. BMW is developing headlights that highlight nearby people to help focus the driver’s attention, and a Carnegie Mellon University researcher has developed lights that can track droplets and avoid illuminating them, rendering rainfall nearly invisible. 14 In 2004 Nevada hosted the first Darpa Grand Challenge for autonomous cars. None of the contenders finished the course, and one lunged menacingly at spectators. Now Google’s fleet of self-driving cars has completed 140,000 miles on the road with only two small accidents—one of them caused by human error. 15 Betting all-in on robots: This year Nevada became the first state to issue licenses for self-driving cars. 16 Many high-end vehicles are already partly autonomous, with brakes that activate if sensors indicate an impending crash, steering that prevents drifting, sonar systems that navigate into parking spaces, and cruise control that prevents following the next car too closely. 17 Self-driving cars could improve highway flow by regulating distances between cars and ease urban congestion by automating the search for parking (which causes up to three-quarters of city traffic). 18 Could they even eliminate dumb driver errors? “Crashless is the goal,” John Maddox of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently toldAutomotive News. 19 The AMC Gremlin, often cited as one of the ugliest cars ever made, pioneered the high-hood, sloping-side-window look ubiquitous among today’s SUVs. Which makes AMC’s Bob Nixon perhaps the world’s most unsung designer. 20 What is the most beautiful car? Good luck getting any two people to agree, but the 1946 Cisitalia 202 GT was the first to be exhibited alongside the Picassos at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. If it does not make your heart jump, check your pulse. Big Idea: Bring Back the "Cold Fusion" Dream By Mark Andersone Electrolysis cell schematic In 1989 Stanley Pons andMartin Fleischmann made a sensational claim that would have changed the world—had it been true. They said they had achieved nuclear fusion at room temperature using a simple tabletop device, thus creating a revolutionary clean energy source they called “cold fusion.” Unfortunately for the University of Utah chemists, multiple attempts to replicate their experiment over ensuing months failed. Cold fusion was considered debunked, and it has lived beyond the fringe of mainstream science ever since. Yet quietly, more than 20 years later, two of the world’s largest mainstream scientific institutions—NASA and the European physics research center CERN—have revisited the controversial energy-generating experiment. A growing cadre of scientists now suspect that Pons and Fleischmann’s observations were the result not of fusion but of more plausible physical processes. Some are even cautiously optimistic that those processes could be exploited to generate abundant amounts of clean energy. “There’s enough evidence that says we need to look at this,” says Joseph Zawodny, a physicist at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. The man most responsible for the change of thinking is a technology and energy consultant with a background in physics named Lewis Larsen. In 1989 he was paying attention when Pons and Fleischmann described how a set of palladium rods, connected to an electric current and immersed in lithium-enriched water, churned out more energy in the form of heat than it received in electricity. He followed along as subsequent experiments achieved mixed results. Some seemed to produce a lot of heat, others little or none. Yet a nagging question persisted: If the contraptions really were putting out more energy than they took in, what could be responsible? Pons and Fleischmann’s infamous explanation was that hydrogen nuclei were fusing inside the metal rods. Larsen, along with virtually every physicist on the planet, knew that was implausible: Fusion requires enormous temperatures and pressures, which is why it occurs only in stars and bombs. But the heat seemed real, at least in some cases. So in 1997, when hedge fund executives asked Larsen to explore wild-card ideas for energy production, he decided to investigate the cold fusion mystery using only established physics. Cold, Yes, But Not FusionSifting through physics literature, Larsen considered other nuclear reactions that could subtly produce energy. One candidate was radioactive decay, which occurs when unstable atomic nuclei release energy in the form of radiation. Some elements found in nature, like radium, undergo this decay. Could something in the cold fusion apparatus be doing much the same? Larsen formulated a theory showing how that could happen, and in 2004 he recruited Northeastern University theoretical physicist Allan Widom to hone his ideas. Their theory showed how a film of negatively charged electrons covering the palladium could combine with positively charged protons from the water’s hydrogen atoms to form neutrons. Those neutrons could then be gobbled up by nearby lithium nuclei, disturbing the delicate balance of protons and neutrons that keep the nuclei stable. The lithium nuclei would rapidly decay, first into beryllium and then into helium, and emit radiation. Finally, the film of electrons would absorb the radiation and reemit it as heat. Widom and Larsen called this chain of events a low-energy nuclear reaction, or LENR—a more accurate and palatable term than cold fusion. The European Physical Journal C published their theory in 2006. The paper did not make a splash at first. By then, scores of wild-eyed papers had claimed to explain cold fusion. Yet Widom-Larsen theory had more going for it. For one, it had the authority of a respected theorist in Widom. It also had the ring of plausibility: It proposed a phenomenon permitted by the known laws of physics, no new science required. “Widom-Larsen theory is the best formulated explanation of what’s going on,” says Ephraim Fischbach, a Purdue University physicist who is not involved in LENR research. In addition, Widom and Larsen theorized that the same neutron production process could happen in nature. Recently, scientists found one piece of supporting evidence for that. In March a study in Physical Review Letters described a large flux of neutrons during thunderstorms—perhaps, Larsen says, the result of LENRs in the atmosphere sparked by electricity from lightning. As the Widom-Larsen theory gains traction, more physicists are emerging to put it to the test. In March, Yogendra Srivastava from the University of Perugia in Italy, who worked with Widom and Larsen on their theory, chaired a LENR-themed colloquium at CERN—the institution’s first official examination of “cold fusion” in more than two decades. Soon after, NASA released details on a $200,000-a-year research program on LENRs, led by Zawodny. “The theory made it past peer review in a real journal,” he says. “But I’m always skeptical. I only believe what I can prove.” Game Changer or Dud?Zawodny has designed a stamp-size array of metal tiles to test the theory. According to Larsen’s paper, the properties of some of the tiles should make it easier for electrons and protons to merge and form neutrons. If Zawodny observes evidence of neutron production, then he plans to do a follow-up experiment to see if those neutrons are fueling radioactive decay. Even if he gets the expected results, though, it would take several years and many corroborating experiments before LENRs could be considered confirmed. So far, Larsen still has only a theory and some circumstantial evidence. But if LENRs could be proved and tamed—a very big if—the effect could be transformative. Dennis Bushnell, chief scientist at NASA Langley, wrote in an online article that LENRs could potentially satisfy the world’s energy needs at a quarter the cost of coal. Zawodny adds to that enthusiasm in an accompanying video. “If we were to have such a thing,” he says, “it would be the sort of technology that would fuel our future growth and expansion and have the ability to raise the standard of living of the entire world.” A California Station Tests Out New Biodiesel By Ashley P. Taylor spacing is important Brightness and temperature of stars La nébuleuse de l’hélice Apparent brightness and absolute Imagine you lost at night in the desert. A bright spot suddenly appeared in the distance. Is it a flashlight to 100 meters or 10 kilometers powerful projector? At night, no sound, it is impossible to determine the distance from a point light. The problem is the same for both celestial bodies. A faint star near the Earth but can exceed a star shine bright but distant. We must therefore distinguish between two concepts: the apparent brightness measuring the brightness of a star measured from the Earth and the absolute luminosity which measures the actual amount of light emitted by the star. The apparent brightness depends on the distance of the star and does not provide direct information on the nature of it. The absolute luminosity depends only on the object itself and can therefore inform us about the nature of the body and is considered it to look for to determine. The absolute brightness of stars This is where the measurements of distance stars . Physicists have long known that the intensity of radiation follows a well defined: it decreases as the inverse square of the distance traveled by light. With this law, it is easy to establish the relationship between absolute luminosity, distance and apparent brightness of a star. In addition, if two parameters can be measured, the third can be calculated easily. So, if we can determine the distance to a star, simply measure its apparent brightness and apply a mathematical relationship to reach its absolute luminosity. Measures of this type began as soon as the data on distances were available. They put in evidence an enormous range in absolute luminosities possible. Some stars do not emit one ten-thousandth the brightness of the Sun . Others emit a million times more energy than our star. Range of luminosities proved enormous, with a factor of ten billion between the minimum and maximum absolute luminosities. The temperature of stars It is possible to easily determine the temperature of a star with the spectral analysis . Just find the wavelength at which the light intensity of the star is up and enforce the law that connects the wavelength temperature.Note that the measured temperature is that which prevails at the surface of the star. The temperature inside is not directly measurable, it is possible to estimate that using theoretical models. Spectroscopic observations have shown that the coldest stars are red and have a temperature of about 3000 degrees. The hottest stars are blue and reaches 50,000 degrees. The ratio between maximum and minimum temperatures is therefore only slightly greater than 10. Spectral types The status of various gases on the surface of a star is strongly dependent on the temperature therein. And the spectra of two stars of different temperatures have characteristics that distinguish them easily. This property has led astronomers of the nineteenth century to classify stars into different categories, depending on the aspect of their spectrum . These groups, called spectral types are designated by the following letters: O, B, A, F, G, K and M types O and B correspond to surface temperatures above 10,000 degrees and their spectra are dominated by lines for helium. Type A, a little less than 10,000 degrees, has the hydrogen lines. Types F, G and K, with temperatures between 3500 and 7500 degrees, exhibit calcium lines. Finally, M-type stars, less than 3500 degrees, provide a spectrum dominated by webs, that is to say very wide lines due to some molecules, in particular titanium oxide. Spectral types An example of a spectrum for each primary spectral type, since the blue stars to the stars of type O red type M. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The next step in understanding the nature of the star is then to analyze all this new information, in particular to establish a possible relationship between absolute luminosity and surface temperature, the raison d'être of the Hertzsprung-Russell . How to Deal With Malware By George Cherere Malware: Threats and Risks Prevention has always been said to be better than a cure and this is most definitely true with issues concerning malware and other cyber threats. Malware is often in reference to any software which has been installed on the computer remotely, knowingly and unknowingly. The intention of these pieces of software is to gather information and to also scam people off their hard earned money. Malware was once a very big problem for Windows PCs and still is with now the problems also happening to the Apple Macs. Malware threats have been on the rise on an unprecedented scale and the reasons behind it are many. The most common malware are the Trojans, adware, backdoor, spyware, botnets, rootkits, Zombie, key loggers and worms among other forms of the malware. The common methods through which the different types of malware are installed on a personal computer unknowingly are through disguise as other software especially so for the software which is provided as freeware. Often the download manager and file sharing applications will come with the malware. Other methods are through HTML attachments, the active x control and on websites which demand installation of software. Once the software is installed, the damage done is either big or minimal dependent on what it has been coded to do. Some malware has no option for uninstall while others will effect changes to the computer which will demand the re-imaging of the computer which dire consequences like losing important data. Knowing the symptoms of infection with malware is important to informing the decision to disinfect the computer or which will necessitate further checks for the rogue software. The most common signs will be the computer taking very long to start and the system performing very poorly, the browser performing in a weird manner either the home page changes to a different site without any changes whenever you try, web pages adding themselves to your list of favorites, the browser stopping and closing without warning, search results getting displayed on a totally different site, additional toolbars on the browser, advertisements opening up on the browser are just a number of the signs of malware attack. Removing malware from a computer is a demanding process and one which has dire risks associated with these efforts. The ideal situation is the protection of a computer from malware and this will not only call for the installation of antivirus software but the adoption of other strident measures in guarding against malware attacks. The preventive measures which will act as a guarantee in guarding against the attacks. The antivirus software should be updated regularly and protection is always turned on. The computer should always have a firewall and patches are done. Management of risk will work well to ensure that risky applications are done away with and that only safe applications are installed or used. Another preventive measure is that data is protected and managed well to prevent losses. There are many checks and verifications in trying to prevent attacks from malware. Just like the very many malware threats lurking out there, there are a dozen of way to keep secure 99% of the malware attacks will be kept off by the practicing safety, risk management and privacy, defensive browsing and sensible use of the internet. All these are different needs which can be done at a time or at different times. But even with these many measures, it should be remembered that even with deep security, security lapses cannot be afforded and this should be in recognition that even the best security method is not 100% failure-proof. Extra steps and a keen attention to security works to keep you a step ahead of hackers and any associated danger. It is said that any positive security step or method counts for value now and in the future. This is especially so for businesses. No level of security is intact when there is no existing plan to deal with the situation if it unfortunately arises and this is the situation of a security failure. It goes without saying that the occurrence of an infection means that the security measures put in place have failed. Having lost this security tussle does not imply that an individual should give up but it implies that the process starts all over again this time employing new measures and tactics. This is where the plan comes in handy to limit the damage and to keep going. There are companies which are committed to preventing the spread of computer viruses and threats, like KaspAV, a division of Guardian Network Solutions. KaspAV specializes in providing the ultimate anti-phishing solutions in order to prevent harmful types of viruses from lodging into your system and to facilitate safe web browsing
September 1, 2016 2 Laptops connecting wirelessly What every management accountant needs to know about open source systems. One of the main roles of management accountants is to provide insights and information to facilitate important economic decisions for their companies. To deliver on these expectations, they must understand the difference between open source accounting applications and proprietary closed source systems. The operating system is the most important computer application for developing software. It manages the computer’s memory and all the processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. The operating system coordinates these processes to make sure each software program gets what it needs to perform its tasks. It also allows the user to communicate with the computer without having to know how to speak the computer’s programming language. Software such as accounting applications and server operating systems can be categorized by technology, ownership, licensing, and usage, among other characteristics. Source code is the underlying programming language for developing a functional operating system or software. Most source code is covered by copyright, which, along with contract law, patents, and trade secrets, provides the legal basis for its owner to establish exclusive rights. The source code can be available for either an open source or a proprietary closed source system. A proprietary closed source system is an environment in which the owner retains intellectual property rights, usually copyright of the source code and sometimes patent rights. The vendors who choose to develop a proprietary closed source operating system typically limit the number of computers on which software can be used and prohibit the user from installing the software on extra computers. Restricted use is enforced through a technical measure, such as product activation with a product key or serial number, or a copy-protection statement. The primary business model for closed source software involves the use of constraints on what can be done with the software and the restriction of access to the original source code. An open source system is an environment where the source code is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design. Open source code is typically created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve upon the code and share the changes with the community. The general rationale for this open source movement is that freeing programmers from concerns over proprietary ownership or financial gain will result in a more useful, bug-free product for everyone to use license-free. The concept also relies on peer review to find and eliminate bugs in the program source code. Linux is the best-known and most-used open source operating system, but there are many accounting and financial planning applications available in an open source environment. There’s a fair amount of confusion over the term “open source.” To be considered a true open source initiative, the code must gain a certification standard issued by the Open Source Initiative (OSI) (https://opensource.org). This certification affirms that the source code of a computer program is made available to the public and is generally available for free. In order to be considered OSI certified, a product must meet the following criteria: • The programmers or holder of the license of the source code can’t collect royalties on the distribution of the program. • No person, group, or field of endeavor can be denied access to the program. • The licensed software can’t place restrictions on other software that’s distributed with it. The concept of open source isn’t new. Back when computers first reached universities, the underlying source code generally was passed around freely. It was only when the business world saw the benefits of modern computing that vendors began to impose restrictions and charge fees for each copy. When the internet emerged with its worldwide broadcasting capability, a mechanism for information dissemination, and a medium for collaboration and interaction between individuals, the open source revolution kicked off. Software vendors are adopting more and more open source business models because they allow groups of companies to collaborate in solving information interoperability problems without the threat of an antitrust lawsuit. The companies also make clear gains when the computer-programming public contributes free improvements back to the community. In fact, many open source operating systems and open source financial planning and accounting applications are available in the marketplace today. Linux has become the leading open source operating system among computer-science students because of the system’s longevity and availability. These students will carry this learning with them into the workplace as they graduate, accelerating the evolution of open source development. Total access to a program’s source code comes with pros and cons. Proponents of open source often claim that it offers significant benefits when compared to typical commercial products. Open source, for example gets closer to what users want because those thousands of users have a hand in contributing to the code. The open source community attracts very bright, very motivated developers. Many proponents state that technical superiority is typically the primary reason enterprises choose open source software. Open source allows for customization because business users can take a piece of open source code and tweak it to suit their needs. Since the code is open, it’s simply a matter of modifying it to add the functionality they want, and they can share those enhancements back to the open source community and free themselves from the vendor lock-in that can afflict users of proprietary packages. This visibility means developers can see the code for themselves and be confident in it. Open source brings several downsides as well. The critical issue is that there is no guaranteed support. Since many members of the open source community develop the code in their spare time as unpaid volunteers, there’s a chance that some of the programs in the open source directory haven’t been updated in a while and may not function properly on newer operating systems and varying interfaces. Open source operating systems and open source software have come a long way over the years, and there are many reasons to incorporate the technology into the enterprise. Management accountants shouldn’t be expected to learn how to code but at the minimum should add open source to their professional vocabulary before choosing the next operating system or open source software applications in order to best assess return on investment. Liv Watson is the senior director of strategic customer initiatives at Workiva, Inc., and is a member of IMA’s Des Moines Chapter. She can be reached at liv.watson@workiva.com. Daniel Smith, CMA, is the director of data science and innovation with Syntelli Solutions and is a member of IMA’s Dallas Fort Worth Area Chapter. You can reach him at daniel.smith@syntelli.com. 0 No Comments You may also like
High Speed Photography High speed photography can be accomplished by making the room dark, taking a long exposure with a normal camera, then triggering a flash right when the action to be photographed happens. Because the room is dark no light will be recorded unless the flash is on. The length of the flash determines how fast an object can be captured without motion blur. To experiment I measured the time a flash lasts using a photocell and oscilloscope. The internal flash on my Nikon D70 could go as short as about 200uS while the flash from a disposable camera lasted about 1mS. I also took pictures of a spinning fan blade. The longer exposure length of the external flash is visible in the motion blur of the fan. Different photos of a fan While the internal flash would be capable of taking “faster photos” it would require the camera to be triggered very precisely to capture the exact moment. I read that the IR remote for the D70 can suffer from several milliseconds of lag, which would make it very hard to capture an event. Additionally the flash is directly above the lens and can not be moved, which might not be ideal. For these reasons I decided to go with an external flash based off a disposable camera. Flash circuit as it came from the camera Inside the disposable camera (CVS branded in my case) is a circuit to boost the 1.5V from the AA battery to about 300v and a trigger mechanism to provide excitation voltage to the flash tube. There is a switch on the camera to enable/disable the flash, which I shorted out because I always want to enable the flash. The trigger is two thin pieces of copper placed directly over the lens. When the shutter is opened it bumps into the pieces of copper and makes them touch, this triggers the flash. A flash tube is triggered by a high enough voltage source applied across it to ionize the gas inside it (usually Xenon). This ionized gas is conductive which allows the energy stored in the capacitor (which is also relatively high voltage at around 300v) to be dumped through the flash tube. This rush of energy knocks electrons out of their orbital states, which results in a burst of energy (light). Flash board modified to be triggered From inspecting the PCB traces I think when the trigger switch is shorted the inrush of current from the 1.5v supply is fed through a small transformer. This boosts the voltage (only on the initial change form 0v to 1.5v) up to some high voltage. This high voltage is applied to the flash tube which causes the arc over so the energy stored in the main capacitor can be discharged. I don’t measure this trigger voltage so I attached a relay (rated at 250V AC) to the trigger. This would enable me to trigger the flash completely isolated from the high voltage. I also installed a 12k resistor across the terminals of the flash capacitor through a relay. When power was not applied to the relay the resistor would discharge the capacitor in 30s and when power was applied the resistor would be disconnected from the circuit. I also removed the AA battery and connected wires to provide the 1.5V from a separate supply. Box to house flash I built the system into a box and using some of the circuitry from my Foot Keyed CW Transmitter created a force based trigger. When enough force was applied to the force sensitive resistor its resistance would change enough so the voltage across it would go above the threshold on an opamp comparator set by a potentiometer. This was then run through a transistor to supply enough current to drive the relay. Dropping or breaking something on the resistor pad provided enough force to trigger the flash. Breaking an egg with a knife Breaking an egg with a spoon
Welcome to Sritravel.8m.net About Airline Cargos Cargo (or freight) is goods or manufacture transported, generally for business gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport. They are 4 Types of Cargos: • Marine • Air • Train • Road Here we would see about Airline cargos. There are several commercial aircraft suitable for carrying cargo such as the Boeing 747 and the bigger An-124, which was purposely built for easy conversion into a cargo aircraft. Such large aircraft employ quick-loading containers called as Unit Load Devices (ULDs), much like containerized cargo ships. The ULDs are located in front section of the aircraft. Most nations own and utilize large numbers of cargo aircraft such as the C-17 Globe master III for airlift logistic desires. Air transport may be a vital component of many international logistics networks, essential to managing and controlling the flow of goods, energy, information and different resources like products, services, and people, from the source of production to the marketplace. It is difficult or nearly not possible to accomplish any international trading, global export/import processes, international repositioning of raw materials/products and manufacturing without a professional logistical support. It involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging. The operating responsibility of logistics is that the geographical repositioning of raw materials, work in process, and finished inventories where required at the lowest cost possible. Aircraft used: Larger cargo airlines tend to use new or recently designed aircraft to carry their freight, but many use older aircraft, like the Boeing 707, Boeing 727, Douglas DC-8, DC-10, MD-11, Boeing 747, and the Ilyushin Il-76. Examples of the 60-year-old Douglas DC-3 are still flying around the world carrying cargo (as well as passengers). Short range turboprop airliners such as the An-12, An-26, Fokker Friendship, and British Aerospace ATP are currently being modified to accept standard air freight pallets to extend their working lives. Antonov An-225 and Antonov An-124 are the worlds' largest aircraft, used for transporting large shipments and oversized cargos. Usage of large military airplanes for business purposes, pioneered by Ukraine's Antonov Airlines in the 1990s, has allowed new types of cargo in aerial transportation. A number of cargo airlines carry a few passengers from time to time on their flights and UPS once unsuccessfully tried a passenger charter airline division.
Do you know what your dog is thinking? New research may help - CBS46 News Posted: Updated: "The more I study dogs and the more I study their brains, the more similarities I see to human brains," said Dr. Berns. "They are intelligent, they are emotional, and they've been ignored in terms of research and understanding how they think. So, we are all interested in trying to develop ways to understand how their minds work." Dr. Berns does that in a humane, painless, non-invasive way -- no needles, straps or anesthesia. It's a test many of us have had ourselves; an MRI. "So, we've done experiments where we present odors to the dogs and these are things like the scent of other people in their house, the scent of other dogs in the house, as well as strange people and strange dogs," said Dr. Berns. "And so what we found in that experiment is that the dogs reward processing center, so basically the part of the brain that is kind of the positive anticipation of things responds particularly strongly to the scent of their human." People and their dogs get evaluated for participation at a testing center in Sandy Springs. It's basically a hiring process. "They need to be diligent with their homework. They need to be diligent with their rapport with their dogs and the right rapport," said Dr. Berns. Dr. Berns hopes to identify which dogs are ideal for service like seeing eye dogs, bomb sniffing dogs and military dogs. He also plans to study dogs' cognitive decline, hoping to shed light on diseases like Alzheimer's. "Currently, we are trying to understand what dogs perceive about the world. You know, what do they see when they see humans, dogs, other animals, cars, etc. So the idea is, at least in humans and even in certain chimpanzees and monkeys, there are parts of the brain specialized for visual processing of all of these things and so what we are trying to determine is whether a dog has that same kind of specialization. Nobody knows." said Dr. Berns. "Understanding how that dog's brain works can only help that dog be happier and more productive in its role serving man." Dr. Berns said they need volunteers. So, if you have a dog that is pretty calm and not scared of loud noises, they'd love to hear from you. For volunteering, contact Dr. Berns at or by calling 404-236-2150.
How to write a Program in Java How to write a Program in Java? 1.What is API document? A.An API document is a .html file that contains description of all the features of a software ,a program or a technology.API document is helpful for the user to understand how to use the software or technology. 2.What is the importance of main method in Java? 3.What is classloader? 4.What is the difference between import and #include statements ? #include directive makes the compiler go to the C/C++ standard library and copy the code from the header files into the program. As a result, the program size increases, thus wasting memory and processor’s time. import statement makes the JVM go to the Java standard library, execute the code there , and substitute the result into the program. Here, no code is copied and hence no waste of memory or processor’s time.hence import is an efficient mechanism than #include. 5.What happens if String args[] is not written in main() method? A.When main () method is written without String args[] as: public static void main() the code will compile but JVM cannot run the code because it cannot recognise the main() method as the method from where it should start execution of the java program .Remember JVM always looks for main() method with string type array as parameter. 6.What is the difference between print() and println() method? A.Both methods are used to print data on console, the only difference between above two methods is 'System.out.println' prints data and place the cursor in next line. So the next coming output prints in the next line whereas 'System.out.print' prints data and place the cursor in the same line. So the next coming output prints in the same line. 7.What is the Structure of a java program? Package statement import statement class<Class Name>{ public static void main(String[]args){ 8.What is difference between path and classpath variables? 9.How to set the java classpath in Windows? A. In order to set Classpath for Java in Windows (any version either Windows XP, Windows 2000 or Windows 7) you need to specify value of environment variable CLASSPATH, name of this variable is not case sensitive and it doesn’t matter if name of your environment variable is Classpath, CLASSPATH or classpath in Java. iii.Now to check the value of Java classpath in windows type "echo %CLASSPATH" in your DOS command prompt and it will show you the value of directory which are included in CLASSPATH. This way you can set classpath in Windows XP, windows 2000 or Windows 7 and 8, as they all come with command prompt. 10.What are the different java popular Editors? Netbeans:is a Java IDE that is open-source and free which can be downloaded from 11.How to save and Execute a java program? Step1:After writing the java program we can save tha program.A java program can have any name but execution of the java program must be ".java". Step2:Compiling the java program.To compile a java program we require a command prompt and we use "javac"command. Syntax:javac ProgramName/FileName When java program is compiled .javafile (sourcecode)will be converted to .classfile(byte code) Step3:Executing a java program.To execute a java program we require a command prompt and we use java command. Syntax:java ClassName Ex:java FirstProgram. 12.Which class is the superclass of all classes? A. java.lang.Object is the root class for all the java classes and we don’t need to extend it. 13.What is difference between object oriented programming language and object based programming language? Post a Comment
Know the Symptoms of Bell's Palsy Sunday, 25 June, 2017 bell's palsy While Bell's Palsy isn’t a common condition, it is a scary one that can come on quickly in children. That’s why we recommend parents know what to watch out for. About 40,000 Americans get Bell’s Palsy each year, mostly between the ages of 15 and 60. It can also effect much younger children. It occurs when nerve trouble paralyzes one side of the face. In some people, this causes pain. Bell Palsy makes a person look different because one side of his or her face is either frozen or sags. Doctors aren’t sure what causes Bell’s Palsy, but most believe it can be caused by anything that irritates the facial nerves. It may be brought on by a serious injury, the flu, diabetes, Lyme disease, ear infections, or viruses. Bell's Palsy Symptoms May Include: • Symptoms might show up at once or take a few days to appear, one or a few at a time. Here is what to watch for: • trouble closing one eye • dryness in one eye • difficulty speaking, eating, or drinking • headache • pain behind or in front of one ear • loss of taste at affected parts of the tongue • changes in the amount of saliva in the mouth • hearing sounds louder in one ear • If these symptoms appear, go to the doctor immediately. He or she will perform tests to confirm its Bell’s Palsy. The good news about Bell’s Palsy is that it doesn’t last; the facial nerves repair themselves usually within two weeks to six months. There aren’t any specific treatments for this condition, except those to help a person feel better while they wait for the symptoms to clear. A doctor might recommend facial massages or eye drops. Symptoms might go away quite suddenly or disappear one by one. Most people regain full facial strength and expression. Is It Bell's Palsy or a Stroke? People affected by Bell’s Palsy often feel worried they have had a stroke, which is when a blood vessel inside the brain is clogged or bursts. People who have strokes often have facial problems that appear similar to Bell’s Palsy to the untrained eye. However, a stroke usually weakens or paralyzes the lower half of the face, while Bell’s Palsy affects one side of the face. Additionally, strokes may affect the arm or leg or one side of the body, while Bell’s Palsy only affects the face. However, it’s important to go see a doctor immediately if you have these symptoms so a doctor can confirm the diagnoses. If it is a stroke, every second counts for the best recovery. Add new comment Plain text • No HTML tags allowed. • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
If rust is called "Iron Oxide" is it possible to make rust with a metal other than IronRead Description? i'm trying to make thermite i know every way possible but i don't know if you can make the proper rust for thermite using steel or any other metal i know thermite also consists of aluminum filings and yes i do have the materials to make them Picture of If rust is called sort by: active \| newest \| oldest Kiteman6 years ago As long as the metal is mostly iron (as steel is), then "yes". If it is rust, it is usable. Airsoft 007 Sniper (author) Kiteman6 years ago so can i use paper clips Prfesser6 years ago Actually there are a lot of metal oxides that can be used to make "thermite". Oxides of copper, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, and probably others will work as well. However, iron oxide is by far the cheapest and easiest oxide to obtain. Copper oxide for example is about $10 a pound, cobalt oxide about $60 a pound. Ian01 Prfesser6 years ago Here's a page describing different thermite compositions: http://www.pyroguide.com/index.php?title=Thermite lemonie6 years ago If you can : put some steel food cans in a fire and get them really hot. It is more fun if they're unopened but I mean empty. Then leave them outside to be weathered. lemonie6 years ago No, you can't use any other metal.
אתר העור הישראלי PSORIASIS - everything you wanted to know ... Sometimes we meet people whose elbows are reddish and covered with thick silver-white scales. That is only one of the symptoms of a disease called psoriasis. About .2% of the population suffers from this disease, but fortunately most of the cases are mild. Statistically there is no difference between men and women in the incidence of psoriasis. Most of the time the disease appears between the ages of ten and thirty, but its first manifestations can appear at any age. Psoriasis is not a communicable disease, and it usually does not cause itching or any other physical sensation. As previously stated, psoriasis is characterized by red patches covered with white scales. It is most usually found on the elbows, the knees and the scalp. In more severe cases other areas of the body are affected, and in rare cases the entire body surface is involved. There are special forms of the disease in which only the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet are affected, or only the armpits and groin. In infants psoriasis first appears as severe diaper rash which does not respond to treatment. Although psoriasis is almost exclusively a skin disease, in about 5% of the cases there is involvement of the joints causing swelling and pain, sometimes to the point of disability. The nails are affected, losing their smoothness and thickening at the edges. The first sign of nail involvement is the appearance of small depressions in the nails or of small spots which have the appearance of drops of oil under the nails. Characteristic Psoriasis Patches (Left - body, right- scalp). THE CAUSES OF PSORIASIS The cause of psoriasis is unknown, but since 30% of psoriasis patients report that a family member also suffers from the disease, it is assumed that heredity plays a part. Evidence shows that psoriasis is linked to two processes. One is the process of inflammation, which causes dilation of the blood vessels and the redness typical of psoriasis, and the other is the increased production of new skin cells in the epidermis. As opposed to normal skin, in which the epidermis is renewed once a month, in psoriasis the cells multiply at an increased rate and the entire skin layer is replaced within a few days. The new cells are abnormal and accumulate on the skin in the form of thick, sticky scales. A person with a tendency to the disease can develop it at the site of a blow or scratch, in scar tissue, after a severe case of sunburn or as a result of prolonged nervous tension. In addition, psoriasis can appear after an infection of the throat (particularly in children) or as result of taking certain drugs. There are people who develop psoriasis after taking lithium, after taking beta-blocking drugs to reduce hypertension (Deralin, for example), and after taking anti-malarial drugs. Despite the fact that psoriasis cannot be cured, there are various treatments which will slow the rate at which the cells multiply and ease the inflammation. Suitable creams and ointments can greatly reduce the patches in most of the mild to moderate cases. The use of preparations containing salicylic acid will cause the thick scale to peel; preparations containing cortisone will depress the inflammation; preparations containing coal tar derivatives (Alphosyl, for example) and anthralin (Dithocream, Psoralon) reduce the rate at which the skin cells divide. In most cases, the combination of drugs appropriate for the individual patient causes a marked reduction in the symptoms and the skin appears almost normal. During the last few years it has been shown that prolonged use of preparations containing high concentrations of steroids cause irreversible damage to the skin. It has also been shown that the skin becomes accustomed to steroids to the point where the concentration must be increased every few weeks to achieve the same results. In addition, psoriasis patients noted that after the completion of steroid treatment there is often a worsening of the condition; this is known as the rebound phenomenon. When psoriasis is spread over a large area of the body, the treatment is usually a combination of preparations containing coal tar derivatives and exposure to UVB ultra-violet rays. This treatment is called phototherapy and involves the use of a specially built apparatus. The treatment is given during a hospital stay averaging four weeks, or at phototherapy units which the patient visits several times a week. Phototherapy usually achieves remission after about thirty treatments. Another possible treatment for moderate to severe cases of psoriasis is exposure to the sun at the Dead Sea in Israel. As opposed to treatments at phototherapy units in which the patient is exposed to UVB for a few minutes at a time, the treatment at the Dead Sea requires the patient to be exposed to the sun for a few hours daily, and that demands a great deal of time. Another disadvantage of treatment at the Dead Sea is that it depends on the weather; the treatment is not effective during the winter. In the past fifteen years a new treatment, called PUVA, has been developed. It is based on a drug called Psoralen, which comes in pill form, and on exposure to UVA ultra-violet rays an hour and a half after the pills have been taken. The pills cause increased sensitivity of the skin and eyes to sunlight, and patients taking the drug must wear special sunglasses for at least 24 hours after the drug has been ingested. Treatments at the Dead Sea and at phototherapy units involve similar dangers to excessive exposure to the sun, including accelerated aging of the skin and the increased risk of skin growths. A new type of preparation, based on Vitamin D, may improve the treatment of mild to moderate cases. This ointment, called calcifortriol (brand name: Daivonex), is more convenient to use than those containing coal tar derivatives and safer than those containing cortisone. According to recent studies in Great Britain, hundreds of patients reported an improvement after using this product, without experiencing any significant side effects. Since its use is limited to 100 grams a week, it is unsuitable for treating cases of widespread psoriasis. One of the greatest achievements in dermatology in the last few years was the development of a group of medications called the retinoids. These drugs, whose chemical composition is close to that of Vitamin A, brought about a breakthrough in the treatment of certain skin diseases, psoriasis among them. One of these drugs, called Tigason, is suitable for the treatment of the severe cases of psoriasis which do not respond to ointments or phototherapy. Since this drug is teratogenic (may cause abnormalities in fetuses), it may not be taken within two years before a planned pregnancy, and any women of child-bearing age who does take it is required to use some sort of contraceptive device. An additional disadvantage of Tigason is that it produces a sticky sensation on the skin, slight peeling around the lips and fingernails and in rare instances an increase in blood lipids or an impairment of liver function. Despite these side effects, it is a particularly effective drug and greatly improves the quality of the patients’ lives. Within the last few years out-patient clinics have been opened for psoriasis treatment. These clinics give the patients topical treatments during 3-4 hours, after which the patient is exposed to 10-20 minutes of ultraviolet radiation. The advantage of this method is that the patient can continue his or her regular routine without long hospital stays or trips to the Dead Sea. An additional advantage is that the patient comes home without any visible signs of having undergone treatment and does not have to use any unpleasant-smelling creams or ointments at home. Unfortunately, psoriasis cannot be completely cured. No drug has yet been developed which can prevent psoriasis attacks once and for all. Proper treatment, however, can cause a remission for long periods of months or even years. This is possible if the treatment is geared to the severity of the disease and if treatment is continued even when there are very few symptoms present. Regular treatment of the disease even when it is in remission can prevent its worsening at a later stage. Dr. Yoram Harth - more Info. הדפסשלח לחבר טיפול חדשני לשיפור צלקות אקנה טיפול חדשני היעיל לשיפור צלקות אקנה שקועות זכה לאחרונה לאישור ה FDAהאמריקאי. לפרטים לגבי הטיפול ניתן לפנות לד"ר הרט 1700700723 רופאי עור מומחים בנו בשבילך מערכת אבחון וייעוץ מיידי לטיפול באקנה Online מערכת MDacne נבנתה על ידי רופאי עור מומחים בעלי עשרות שנות ניסיון בטיפול באקנה ומומחים מובילים באינטליגנציה מלאכותית ומערכות מחשוב מתקדמות. על ידי ניתוח מצב האקנה האישי שלך המערכת מתאימה לך תוכנית טיפולית אישית. את רוב ההמלצות תוכל ליישם מיידית ומרשמים לתרופות תוכל לקבל במידת הצורך מרופא המשפחה. "די לאקנה- דרכו של דרמטולוג לטפל בעור"- ספר חדש באנגלית עם טיפים לטיפול באקנה ספרו הדיגיטלי החדש באנגלית , של עורך אתר האקנה- ד"ר יורם הרט- מומחה למחלות עור ואקנה, מבהיר את הסיבות להיווצרות הפצעונים בנערות ותקופת הבגרות ומפרט כללי "עשה ואל תעשה" שימושיים, בנוסף לשיטות וטיפים מחדר הרופאים. טיפול פוטותרפי לאקנה - עלייה מהירה בפופולאריות ברחבי העולם. טיפול פוטותרפי מאפשר שיפור מהותי לאקנה הן בגיל ההתבגרות והן בגברים ונשים מעל גיל 20. לפרטים נוספים באתר האקנה הישראלי. טיפול פוטודינמי להסרת נגעי שמש והצערת העור ללא ניתוח פיתוחים חדשניים של חומרים ומקורות אור מיוחדים מאפשרים היום להסיר נגעי עור בצורה סלקטיבית ללא נזק מהותי לעור הבריא. לפרטים על חידושים בתחום הטיפול הפוטודינמי להצערת העור ולהסרת נזקי שמש ללא ניתוח. אתר עם מידע על עור באנגלית לדוברי האנגלית - אתר חדש עם מידע וטיפים על טיפול בעור. www.skintricks.com מבצע מיוחד למוצרים נגד סבוריאה !! ה Sebacare100 הוא מוצר חדשני המאפשר הקלה ומניעה של אודם בצידי האף בין הגבות ובקרקפת ללא שימוש בסטרואידים. מחיר מיוחד בחנות האתר !! © כל הזכויות שמורות לאתר העור הישראלי דרונט בניית אתרים
The recent use of fake news and "alternative facts" has proven that fiction remains a powerful force. The problem, of course, is when writers and readers passively accept fiction as their reality, as Trump, his supporters and Madame Bovary have done. That's why, for the last 15 years I've been teaching freshman composition, I start off the semester with Spencer Holst's "The Zebra Storyteller." In this 365-word fable Holst details how a Siamese cat is able to deceive a herd of zebras by speaking their language and pretending to be a lion. The zebras are so surprised by the cat's behavior that he is able to kill them, eat them, and make clothes from their hides. The cat is able to get away with this until he comes upon the zebra storyteller, who was thinking about a story of a cat who pretended to be a lion and spoke "zebraic." Therefore, when he meets the cat he is not surprised that the cat can speak zebraic, and he can see that the cat is just a cat, not a lion. So he kills it. "That is the function of the storyteller," writes Holst. It may not be the best story ever written (as the students are quick to point out), and they often don't get the meaning after the first reading. But after reading it a second time, annotating it, and discussing it, we often come up with an acceptable interpretation of the story. They often discover that a storyteller uses imagination to discover the truth and, in doing so, is able to save the herd of zebras who are easily duped into a dangerous reality. As I reread the story in preparation for class this semester I realized that the story is more important now than any other time I've taught it. It doesn't take a literary theorist to see how this story reflects the recent presidential campaign and administration. President Trump and his team, a well-documented flurry of fake news sites across the globe, and a social media maelstrom that circulates lies and falsehoods as if they were facts have created an environment in which the truth remains elusive — hidden by the kind of rhetoric and cunning that would turn Holt's cruel cat green with envy. What I love about teaching freshman composition and this story in particular is that it is hopefully the beginning of a lifelong quest for the truth. I want students to understand that this quest is an ongoing process and that the truths we think we understand through the passive consumption of information can be dangerous distractions, obscuring both the beauty and devastation of what is real. I hope they understand that the truth is a combination of facts and imagination, blending with our own unique backgrounds and experiences. We discover truth in conversation, in which we listen to the truths of others. And in this constant quest for the truth, which becomes protean, constantly shifting, forming and reforming, we can shape our own realities. The day after Trump's inauguration, I went to the women's march in Philadelphia and saw firsthand the power of Holt's message. Thousands of women, men, and children marched down the Ben Franklin Parkway, wearing pink hats, holding homemade signs, combating one story by creating another. This is what gives me hope — that in this time of darkness and fear, of hatred and division, new truths and realities will be formed that demonstrate the extent of our intelligence, kindness, and compassion. And if, as storytellers, we have to kill a few cats in order to create this better reality, so be it.
How to Prevent Violence Please, stop the violence immediately! We wish for peace. No discrimination. We all get angry at people, but murder is never the answer. People have to deal with their problems non-violently. In order to prevent mass shootings, stabbings, terrorism, or any other act of violence: • Keep the weapons away from the mentally unstable people or criminals or those who are both. • Watch our for warning signs. Even if you can’t tell someone’s mentally ill or doesn’t appear to be violent, still, stay suspicious. Stay alert! • Be cautious and suspicious. Don’t make it too obvious. • Play detective. Search for evidence in their rooms or wherever they hang out. • If you suspect something, tell someone trustworthy. • Either turn the person into the police or institutionalize the person to a mental health facility. Don’t just talk them out of it. • If someone is deranged and prejudiced, remind the person to be tolerant of race, religion, nationality, disability, sexuality, age, gender, etc. • Learn how to defend yourself or others. • Gun and weapon ownership should be a privilege, not a right. We need better mandatory background checks. People should use weapons for the right reasons, not kill or hurt the innocent. Only licensed hunters and trustworthy authorities such as police officers and the Army can carry weapons. If they have a criminal record or mental illness or a family member with either of those things, their right of weapon ownership should be revoked. • If the person was watching a violent movie or TV show or playing a game or a terrorist video, avert them away from it. Encourage them to play or watch something non-violent. • Tell the person that strangling is never the answer. • Do not encourage the person to target shoot or use guns or any other weapon. They are not hobbies. Come up with a non-violent hobby such as fishing, camping, going to the movies (non-violent ones), exercising, etc. • Convince the person not to join a certain group that would brainwash them. • Show the person that are other non-violent ways to deal with anger. Leave weapons out of the problems. Let the vendetta go. Revenge is like a poison. It is never the answer. Pres. Barack Obama said, “These tragedies must end, And to end them, we must change.” Moreover, murder is the greatest sin no matter what the reason. Criminals and murderers do not deserve to be forgiven because they have no heart and soul. There is no good in them. Depending on the circumstances, either blame or forgive the perpetrator’s family. Forgiveness would be necessary if an incident was accidental and unintentional. PERSONAL NOTE: I’m usually a forgiving person. I rather forgive people I care about like family and friends and some strangers because there is good in them. But, I would NEVER forgive criminals and murderers no matter the reason they committed horrible crimes. Depending on the circumstances, either I blame or forgive their families for having the black sheep. The victims of all gun violence terror attacks are in my prayers. Another thing, autism has no connection with gun violence. It’s not an excuse. Schizophrenia or any other mental illness except depression is the culprit. Autism is a mental disability, not an illness. Educate yourself about the difference. Some people with autism may have violent outbursts, but that doesn’t mean they’re killers. (PN: I’m not! It’s wrong to kill innocent people). Autistic people cannot have access to guns, knives, etc. The noise bothers them. The Sandy Hook, Isla Vista, and Umpqua shooters did NOT have autism. They were nutcases! I believe they and other shooters and one of the Boston bombers and other bad people had schizophrenia. I HATE them so much! They are evil and horrible murdering monsters with no heart and soul. They are in H-E-L-L. They should’ve been institutionalized or imprisoned in the first place. We must offer proper medication and repair the legal and healthcare systems. Lock up the crazies and throw away the key! Instead of being armed, there should be security systems or metal detectors in schools, movie theaters, churches, workplaces, nightclubs, etc. For example, if a teacher or a priest had a weapon, it would fall into the wrong hands of someone else. Moreover, depending on the circumstances, parents need to be held responsible for their kids’ actions due to poor parenting or negligence. Is it a crime to raise a killer? And a message to therapists, psychologists, etc: please, please, PLEASE do not miss the signs of a nutcase. Here’s an example of a massacre prevention: On Aug. 21, 2015, The Thalys attack was an attempted mass shooting on a Thalys Train passing through Ignies, Pas-de-Calais, France. The train was traveling from Amsterdam to Paris via Brussels when the perpetrator opened fire in a train carriage before being subdued by passengers—three Americans and one British. Including the assailant, five people were injured, none fatally. The incident is believed by French police to be an Islamist terrorist attack, although the gunman claimed the motivation was robbery due to hunger. Four people who subdued the attacker have been made Chevaliers de la Legion d’honneur while two others will be honored at a later date. Another example: After the 2016 Orlando Nightclub tragedy, the Indiana police arrested an armed man who attempted to do a horrific thing in San Francisco. His neighbors reported suspicious behavior. Thank goodness they caught the bad guy! Third example: In South Carolina, a concealed weapon carrier shot the shooter at a nightclub, preventing the next Orlando tragedy. An example of a knife attack prevention: In Morton, Illinois, at a public library, an Army vet/chess teacher, James Vernon saved 16 children from a 19-year-old knife attacker, Dustin Brown. Charges were pressed against him. The more preventions we make, the safer we will all be. In the wake of the Paris terror attacks on 11/13/15, here are tips on how to report suspicious behavior: In the wake of the 2015 San Bernardino massacre, there are five ways to reduce violence: In a nondescript FBI building near Washington, D.C., sits Behavioral Unit No. 2, a federal threat assessment laboratory that disseminates its strategies to pinpoint potential havoc-makers to local police departments. Its mission to spot potential domestic mass shooters was added onto the FBI’s profiling wing in 2010, as an outgrowth of counter-terror activities going back to 9/11. Many of its interventions don’t involve arrest, but rather helping someone get help to address mental health issues. It is not a perfect system. For instance, the Santa Barbara police supposedly versed in threat assessment visited Elliot Rodger on a so-called welfare, or check-up, call from his mother. Everything seemed fine to the officers, but they failed to ascertain whether he had recently purchased a gun, a standard question that threat assessment professionals say can be crucial in stopping a shooter in the planning stages. A few days later, Mr. Rodger killed six people during a campus rampage in Isla Vista. But despite such failures, the American government, as well as states, already has investigators combing leads for any common thread of danger. It’s a strategy in its infancy, but proponents say the tactics, which when used correctly don’t violate individual constitutional rights, can be further shifted from terrorism to mass shootings. Unit No. 2 has been involved in at least 500 interventions that might have ended in mass shootings. No, the science is not settled on whether stronger gun control laws actually quell mass gun violence. In the case of San Bernardino, the weapons were bought legally. Also, California already has some of the strongest gun control laws in the country. But “there’s such a clear middle ground” in the gun control debate “because you can stem gun violence without taking away guns,” says Jonathan Metzl, director of the Center for Medicine, Health and Society, at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tenn. Experts would like to see more of that middle ground employed. The 2009 Heller decision by the US Supreme Court did guarantee the right of Americans to have access to firearms for personal protection, but left municipalities and states with room to regulate weaponry among the citizenry. And some of those legal checks on gun ownership have proven effective in saving lives. When Connecticut enacted a law in 1995 that required that people purchase a permit before purchasing a gun, studies found a 40 percent reduction in the state’s homicide rate. When Missouri in 2007 repealed a similar permit-to-purchase law, the state saw a 16 percent increase in suicides with a gun. In terms of compromise, if gun owners cede new checks on gun ownership, then gun control proponents may have to concede points of their own, specifically that lawful gun-carry by responsible Americans can have a role in deterring, or in certain cases, stopping mass killers once an attack has begun. One of the victims in the San Bernardino attack told CNN on Thursday that he wished he had been armed as he hunkered in a bathroom with bullets whizzing through the wall. It is, without question, a controversial proposition. Sheriffs in Arizona and New York have called for concealed carry permit holders and retired police officers to carry their weapons with them to rebuff any attack. But other law enforcement officers have said they oppose having untrained bystanders step in to active shooter situations, possibly resulting in more loss of innocent life. While rare, there have been cases, often involving off-duty police officers, where someone has been able to successfully intervene. • In 2007, an off-duty police officer having an early Valentine’s Day dinner with his wife shot and killed an 18-year-old gunman at an Ogden, Utah, mall, stopping a rampage where five people died. “There is no question that his quick actions saved the lives of numerous other people,” then-police chief Chris Burbank said at the time. • In 2010, another off-duty police officer drew his personal weapon and fired when a man attacked an AT&T store in New York Mills, N.Y. The attacker was killed before he could carry out a plan to murder several employees at the store. • In 2012, a young shooter killed two people and wounded three others during a rampage at Clackamas Town Center before a man carrying a lawful personal weapon drew it and pointed it at the man. At that point, the assailant retreated, and then killed himself in a stairway. Many Americans don’t like how widespread gun-carry has become in recent years. But it’s already a fact of life, and one that, some law enforcement experts believe can be corralled into a potential bulwark the next time someone decides to go on a shooting spree. Why is America, one of the bastions of scientific breakthroughs on the globe, so hesitant to better understand the fundamental dynamics of how guns, if at all, promote violence? Partisan politics is the obvious answer to why Congress has for 20 years blocked the Centers for Disease Control from using public funds to study gun violence, worried that the data will be used for gun control advocacy. But even deeper is a long-running distrust between the NRA and gun control advocates about each other’s true intentions. One symptom of the lack of systematic study is that there is currently no common standard for tracking mass shootings. Most news reports this week, including this one, have cited crowdsourced data from two online tracking sites that rely on news reports, in conjunction with studies such as the Harvard one and an FBI report on “active shooter” situation. The NRA rebuffs even the most minor check on guns on the idea that it’s part of a disarmament end game rather than an effort to save lives. The other side reflexively paints the gun lobby as a puppet for culpable weapons manufacturers, indeed as co-conspirators to violence, rather than as a politically active firearms safety organization. That means any movement on research funding will require both sides to ease up their rhetoric and open their eyes to the emerging facts. For example, one key question is whether laws that make it easier to carry guns reduce crime or increase it. Studies have found trends, but causation has remained elusive. “Fundamental questions of whether you are safer carrying a gun around with you or not have not been answered adequately,” Daniel Webster, the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research in Baltimore, told the Post recently. After all, applying scientific research to other societal dangers has had dramatic impacts on human safety. As highway death tolls rose in the US decades ago, studies of car crashes showed that younger people were particularly prone to serious accidents. In response, states raised standards for younger adults, improved car safety, and saved thousands, if not millions, of lives. A free, vigorous press is enshrined in the Constitution as one of the highlights of American democracy. Yet studies have shown that current coverage of mass shootings likely fuel what experts call a “contagion effect,” given that many modern mass shooters emulate their “heroes” and yearned for their own infamy. There are strategies that responsible media enterprises can employ without abandoning their fact-finding missions, says Ron Astor, a professor of social work at the University of Southern California. “I’m like everybody else, I want to know who the person is, who his wife was, why they did it – that’s human nature,” he says. “But focusing intently on victims and what was lost here in a meaningless and random way … sends a really clear message that the sanctity of human life is so high that it’s unacceptable to shoot somebody as a way to send a message. Yes, it’s a news story that needs to include important information, but talking about the lives that were destroyed, what good they did, why that was taken away from us for no reason, that’s important, and will change how we think and how we feel.” In the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, some of the victims’ parents, created a program called the Sandy Hook Promise. It’s a program that trains students how to prevent a school shooting by watching out for warning signs of a mentally ill person and tell a trusted adult. How to Prevent Police-Involved Shootings: All law enforcement-involved shootings are preventable if officers and citizens understand one another. So what can agencies do to minimize such incidents? Not only train officers on proper use of force and law enforcement authority, but also work to educate community members so they have a complete understanding of what law enforcement officers can and cannot do. • Encourage Citizens to Know the Law: Citizens must understand that law enforcement officers must follow rules, standard operating procedures, laws, and case law in order to do their job successfully. Citizens should have a working knowledge of the laws of their state, county, and municipal entities so they can reduce the likelihood of a negative encounter with an officer. Agencies can and should work to actively educate those in the community. Most citizens do not understand when a law enforcement officer has authority and when he or she does not. The unfortunate part of this very complex equation is the citizen does not know what the officer knows upon initial contact. This creates a volatile environment because the officer may have information that gives him or her the authority to stop a civilian, but that civilian does not know what the officer knows. As a result, the civilian may not comply with the officer’s lawful commands, which will escalate the situation. Citizens must remember that the time to argue the legalities of a stop is not upon initial contact, but in the courtroom (if it escalates to that arena). • Citizens Must Take Personal Responsibility for Actions: Law enforcement officers have a duty and responsibility to protect themselves and others from death or serious bodily injury. Officers are empowered to use deadly force to prevent escape when a person poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others, known as the rules of engagement. Citizens must take personal responsibility for their actions with police. In many officer-involved shootings, the person(s) involved could have done, or not done, something to prevent the situation from escalating to deadly force. Here are some suggestions for citizens when it comes to interacting with police: • Don’t point a gun at a law enforcement officer or anyone else. • Don’t point a toy gun at a law enforcement officer. Even in full sunlight during the day far too many toy guns look like real guns. • Obey all lawful commands. The time to argue is later in a courtroom. • Don’t approach a law enforcement officer holding a potentially deadly object. Guns, knives, box cutters, glass bottles, yard tools, bats, pieces of lumber, etc. can all cause death and/or bodily injury. • Don’t commit a forcible felony. It can and will be argued that escape can pose a significant threat/harm to others. • Don’t run from law enforcement. While a person may outrun a law enforcement officer, especially considering the 30-plus pounds of gear he/she may be carrying, it’s hard to outrun a radio. • Use common sense. It is important for police and citizens to understand one another to prevent police-involved shootings. All law enforcement agencies should work hard to educate citizens as well as maintain agency transparency in order to gain the community’s respect and support to help keep citizens safe. We don’t want another Ferguson, L.A., Baton Rouge, Minnesota, or any other city where incidents took place. Moreover, just because one is angry at police brutalities does not mean taking the anger out on innocent cops. Don’t let this be the next New York City, Dallas, or Baton Rouge! Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
August 12 in Feminist History 62065-004-75926a99On this day in 1833, Lillie Devereux Blake,a suffragist and a speaker on behalf of women’s rights, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. Though her birth name was Elizabeth Johnson Devereux, her father called her “Lillie” from a young age and the nickname stuck. Her father owned a plantation in North Carolina, but the family moved to Connecticut after his death in 1837. She grew up there and studied at Miss Apthorp’s school for girls before later receiving education from Yale tutors. Lillie was an outspoken child who once wrote at the age of sixteen that she planned to “redress the wrongs done to her sex by trifling with men’s hearts.” As a teenager was pursued by a Yale undergraduate whose advanced she rejected. He retaliated by spreading rumors of a sexual relationship and was expelled from the school for impugning her character. Lillie denied that anything inappropriate had ever occurred between them and later expressed regret at his expulsion. Certainly the rumors did not seem to stick, as she was courted by several men and received multiple marriage offers. Lillie’s marriage to Philadelphia lawyer Frank G. Q. Umsted in 1855 ended only four years later when he committed suicide. She began to write to support herself and their two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine. Her first story, A Lonely House, found publication in Atlantic Monthly. She also wrote two successful novels, Southwold (1859) and Rockford (1862), and also wrote newspaper and magazine articles. The stories she submitted to magazines generally featured strong female protagonists fighting within more standard romantic plots of the time. She was best known as a correspondent during the Civil War, when she worked for the New York Evening Post, New York World, Forney’s War Press, and the Philadelphia Press and met with President Abraham Lincoln, General Grant, and Andrew Johnson. Her most well known novel was Fettered for Life, or, Lord and Master: A Story of To-Day, which drew attention to the issue facing women of the day. In 1866 she married for a second time to Grinfill Blake, a merchant who had testified in support of women’s suffrage. She signed the 1876 Centennial Women’s Rights Declaration and was president of the New York State Woman’s Suffrage Association and the New York City Woman’s Suffrage League. In time she broke with the large bulk of suffragists because her broader beliefs were contrary to theirs. Lillie believed that gender roles were a learned behavior and that women and men had a common nature and should have all the same rights. Susan B. Anthony and her followers believed instead in the separate sphere of women and their different nature. Lillie worked on her own to create the National Legislative League and to improve immigration laws for women. She was also known for lecturing across the United States on female enfranchisement. Her speeches gained notice when she attacked Morgan Dix, a clergyman who claimed the Bible supported the idea of women as inferior. Lillie’s lectures argued that if Eve was inferior to Adam because her creation came after his, then by the same logic Adam was inferior to the fishes. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Skip to content 22. March, 2010 / Idun Heidegger – The Thing I have been reading “The Thing”. “The Thing” by Martin Heidegger was originally delivered as a lecture to the Bayerischen Akademie der Schönen Kunste, shortly after the end of World War II. It was translated by Albert Hofstadter in “Poetry Language Thought” in 1971. At first Heidegger discusses distances, how something being far or near does not necessarily depend on distance. Something remote might be near, while things near may be far away. The globalization enables us to travel vast distances. “Everything gets lumped together into uniform distancelessness”. However, this talk about distances is not his main concern in his lecture. Heidegger goes on to ask the question about nearness. What is nearness? According to Heidegger it seems as if nearness can not be encountered directly. We reach nearness through what is near, namely things. This is where the real question of this lecture comes into focus; What is a thing? Heidegger discusses this matter through the example of a handmade ceramic jug. What he want to know is what this thing is? What is a jug? The jug as we use it, as an object, is made of a specific material (ceramic material), and has a form and a function. But do these qualities define the jug as a thing? Heidegger argues that these are derived from a fundamental ‘thingness’, and that the jug’s ‘thingness’ is in fact the void inside it. The jug shapes the void, which in turn shapes the jug. The jug as a vessel has a basic function; to hold. We become aware of that function when we fill the jug. It would appear that it is the bottom and sides that does the holding, the material that shapes the jug. Heidegger argues that this is actually not the case. If you fill the jug with water, do you then pour it into the bottom and walls, the material? What we are doing is to pour the water between the walls and over the bottom. It is the emptiness, the void, that is holding the water. “The empty space, this nothing of the jug, is what the jug is as a holding vessel”. What about the potter? If the holding is done by the void, then the potter is actually not making the jug. He shapes the clay. This shapes the void, which is where the vessel’s ‘thingness ‘ actually lies. I found this read very interesting. I have never thought of it like this before. It’s like going backwards, turning all we know up-side down. We perceive the world through material, and forget about the negative spaces that lie in between. That the vessel is actually the void does in a way make sense to me. The function is that of the empty space, so does that not mean that the vessel must be that space? This lecture/essay has simply just increased my interest in the vessel. Leave a Comment 1. Calvin / Feb 2 2011 2:26 pm I’m reading this essay now… it’s kind of out there, but cool. Hiedegger’s thingness reminds me of Taoism: it’s not the frame that makes a door but the space in-between. 2. itherin / Feb 3 2011 9:30 am It is a bit out there, but very interesting. It just completely set my course on the MA, and after reading it I solely worked with vessels. I think what interested me was working with very very thin vessel walls, thus almost erasing the boundaries between what is the vessel, and what is the exterior. 3. l s berger / Nov 27 2012 8:50 pm I have been reading Gendlin’s old but excellent analysis (added to the book) — does anyone know of any recent analyses that add substantially to what Gendlin says? 4. Andrew / May 27 2013 11:06 am Thank you for summarising a completely frustrating and annoying essay to read. At times it was like watching Monty Python’s Spam. The problem is that all of the things you have said here I understood when i read it. But what the hell is he talking about when he’s talking about the sun and earth and sky? He also gives no other examples; what gives a piece of fruit its thingness, or an iPhone? What about objects that have no void, no outward donation, or no receiving and holding? Could you please explain? • Idun Sira / May 28 2013 8:43 am I would suggest reading: It is centered around ecology, but it has some good points and explanations that might help. I think you shouldn’t be too attached to what he says about the void, but how he talks about that the thingness is the basic function. The vessel’s function is to hold. What is the basic function of a phone? To communicate? How we would normally perceive the world is to have an object and then attach certain properties to it – function follows form (or I have this ceramic vessel, and it can hold water). Heidegger has it all turned on its head: it is the basic functionality that defines a thing, and the material is really a way for the thingness to exist, such as the walls of the vessel need to be there for the vessel to be able to hold, but it is still the holding that is the very basic functionality. This is just my little interpretation, with the viewpoint of a ceramicist. Unfortunately I am not all-knowing, and I haven’t read the essay itself since 2010, so I am sorry I can’t be of more help. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
American vs international units One of the things you notice when moving to the US from another country that America uses its own units of measurement for everything, e.g. miles and feet for distance and length, pounds for weight, Fahrenheit for temperature, instead of the metric units used almost everywhere else. According to Wikipedia – Metric system, the only remaining countries that don’t use the metric system are the US, Burma/Myanmar and Liberia Metric system adoption map Green: Countries which have officially adopted the metric system. Grey: countries which have not (US, Myanmar, Liberia) People often make fun of Americans for being almost alone using its historical legacy units instead of using the system that is accepted by the scientific and international community. To their defense, there is actually nothing wrong with their units, they are well defined and serve them well for decades (centuries?). Just like it’s annoying for people who’s never been in the US to use the US units, it’s also difficult for Americans to use the metric system, so why switch? All this aside, do American or international units have advantages over each other, other than just being more familiar in their users’ mind? Here’s what I think Fahrenheit vs Celsius This is probably the hardest to adapt to, because the conversion involves both addition and a multiplication, e.g. to get the Celsius representation of 70F, you need to subtract 32 then divide that by 1.8. Ont the other hand, this is probably the easiest to pick a winner. For expressing indoor or outdoor temperature, I think Fahrenheit definitely wins. We can think of range 0-99 as the prime range, because you can use two digits easily in conversation without resorting to decimal points. In Fahrenheit, this range almost map perfectly to the range of possible temperature, 0 being as cold as it can normally get and 99 being the upper bound. Firstly, this means you don’t have to resort to negative numbers or 3 digits. Secondly, it optimizes the resolution. 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, all have their own feel. Compare with Celcius, saying 10’s or 20’s is not specific enough, while saying 18, or 27 is too specific to say without basing on accurate info. Miles vs kilometers Miles and kilometers are easier to convert than Celsius vs Fahrenheit, they have a constant 1 mile = ~1.6 km proportion. Which one is better I think depends on the way you travel. For example, in the Bay Area (except urban area like SF), driving on freeways is the most popular way to get between places. The freeways have 65 miles/hour speed limit, so 1 mile/minute is a good approximation of average speed. This means mile is a nicer unit to have because it can be use to directly estimate travel time, so when something is say 40 miles away and you get there using freeway, 40 minute would be a good estimation. On the other hand, in places like Sumatra, Indonesia, for intercity travel 60 km/h is a decent average speed, so probably kilometers would be better. And most trips will be within city anyway and your speed is normally somewhat less, dictated by traffic condition and stuff like that. Kilograms vs pounds I don’t see any clear advantage. They both convey their meaning, e.g. saying something is x kg is as clear and useful as y lbs, as long as you’re familiar with it. Probably pound is a little bit confusing because it’s subdivision is not decimal (1 lb = 16 ounces). Also there are competing systems of mass with the same terminology (e.g. troy pound and troy ounce), with somewhat different definitions. But you rarely encounter this in daily life. Posted in Uncategorized \| Leave a comment Buying a car from craigslist – noob style In the Silicon Valley, a car is a necessity, not a luxury (the opposite of Singapore). One of the main tasks for many people who arrived in Silicon Valley is to buy a car. One can buy a new or used car from car dealers. Alternatively, you can also buy from a private party seller. Craigslist has a popular listing to find such seller. I had never own a car before, I had very little understanding about cars in general. Having to spend a 4 or 5 figure amount on a complicated machine that I know very little about and will be using for years, to a total stranger from an anonymous website, made me a little nervous and feeling clueless at first. I guess many first-time buyer feels the same too, so here is my experience, as reference. Pros and cons of buying from craiglist (+) Considerably cheaper than buying a new or used car from a dealer (+) Many private sellers tend to be more honest and forthcoming about the car. This sounds counter-intuitive at first, but the reasoning is that professional dealers sell cars for a living, they know how to negotiate with you, and many learn how to hide problems in the car. (-) You deal with people with unknown reputation. For instance here is no Yelp review for an individual Craigslist seller. (-) You will have to deal with paperwork (tax, transferring title) yourselves (?) The experience is a bit overwhelming (or adventurous, depending on how you look at it) for a nervous car-newbie The meetup and the test-drive After a while of lurking (and procrastinating) I found a reasonable car. It’s a 7-year old Corolla, with unusually low mileage. I set up a meeting to take a look and test-drive the car. From the internet I figured that test-drive is super important, so that you know how the car rides and the basic functionality works. As I said, I knew very little about car, so despite reading articles from the internet[1], I don’t really know about how exactly to do it and what the important stuff are. Quite nervous due to my inexperience, I showed up at the appointment, tried to look like I know what I was doing. I drove the car in a relatively clear expressway, then some neighborhood streets, and try to simulate stop-and-go traffic. Note that I should have tried freeway driving with high speed as well. The car rode well, I didn’t notice any weirdness. The guy who was selling the car was really friendly. He was a retiree who was selling his mother-in-law’s car because she was now very old and no longer could drive. This accounted for the low mileage in the car, because she didn’t drive very much or very far. He explained about the service history of the car; he said it didn’t have much problem, except that it was once involved in a collision. The accident was not so minor, but he explained it was fully covered by the other party’s insurance it was done in an expert shop with no skimping. He explained the details of the collision, repairs, showed all the service receipts/proofs. He said he’s selling the car at a nice discount on account for the collision.[2] It is important to ask directly about the vehicle history, make sure the seller is telling the truth and verify whether the story add up (e.g. reason for selling, mileage, accident, service history). The seller seemed very honest and trustworthy, I wanted to trust him at this point but it’s best to not let my guard down. After, I took the car to the mechanic for pre-purchase inspection. This is another important step before buying, especially since I obviously couldn’t check the car’s internals and what not on my own. I found a nearby mechanic shop (with a good rating from Yelp) and took it there.[3] The mechanic did notice the damage from the accident, and noted the repair was done perfectly. He did other checks and said it was mostly ok as far as he could tell. To my surprise, the mechanic didn’t charge me for this service.[4] The transaction At this point everything went well. The seller asked me what I thought. I should have given it more thought, consider the alternatives, etc. but his friendliness and how everything was going smoothly so far kind of charmed me, and I made him an offer. We quickly agreed to a price (only <5% less than his list price, in hindsight I guess I could have bargained more), and planned the next step: the transaction. I’m still nervous at this point. My biggest fear from the transaction is that I would lose my money without getting what I want (like, getting scammed), and if he is a legit seller, he must have had similar fear of not getting the money. So the transaction must be planned in such a way to reduce this risk for both parties, while satisfying other constraints (e.g. the fact that I live about 15 miles from him). I searched the web a little bit about this (and it seems that he did too). One of the basic principles is that at no point should any party have both the money and the car, and critical exchanges must be done at a safe place. So in the end, we agreed that on another day he would pick me up using the car in question. Then we both drive to my bank, get my bank to issue a cashier’s check[5] for me. Then we would drive to his bank, give him the check and then sort out the paperwork in the bank’s premises. Basically he had to sign and give the car’s title (and the key) to me. He would then deposit the check with his bank. Since this happens inside a bank’s premise with security and whatnot, this reduces the risk somewhat, and at the end I would have the keys and all necessary paperworks and he would have the money in his account. Then I would drive him to his house (with the car that’s now mine) and the deal is done. This seemed to be low-risk enough for both parties. Everything went well during the day, the people at the bank even gave me some cookies and congratulations for getting the car. After this I still had to do some more paperwork, pay taxes, etc. with the DMV (the government body that handles vehicle registration in California). It’s just some minor hassle that can be done easily on my own. Even for a couple of weeks after this I was still (irrationally) nervous about the car, worrying that I would discover some hidden problem with the car or something like that, but fortunately no such thing happened 🙂 mobil corolla I drove the car for several months now, took my family to many awesome places with it, and so far no problem with the car, thank God. Hope this article helps future readers. [1] By the way here are some good tips’ How to Test Drive a Car and CA DMV’s Used Car Work Sheet [2] I know he was telling the truth about the discount, because you can check the expected price for used car in any area in the US in websites such as Kelly’s Blue Book (KBB) [3] I found the mechanic from Yelp listing and phoned them to make sure they can check the car I want to buy, and they were available during that time. Another option is setting an appointment with somebody, which will quote you and come at your place. To prevent collusion, avoid asking the seller’s recommendation for this. [4] Initially, I thought this was kind of fishy, because I was expecting a professional service, and somehow the fact that this was free confused me. But on the other hand I don’t want to look like a jerk and ask the seller to take the car to yet another mechanic. [5] Cashier’s check is issued by the bank (rather than by me), with funds drawn from my account. Compared to a normal check, it greatly reduces the risk that the check would not be honoured (good for seller) and compared to cash, it reduces the risk of carrying a large amount of cash around (good for payer). Posted in Uncategorized \| Tagged , , , \| Leave a comment Silicon Valley – first impressions So, it’s been around 2 months since I arrived here in the Silicon Valley. As I start to adjust to living here and many friends keep asking what it is like to live here, let me share some of my first impression here. What is the Silicon Valley, exactly? It is an area – subset of San Francisco Bay Area, where high-tech American companies are heavily concentrated. Geographically, let us see this map: This map shows a small part of Northern California. The blue region is the SF Bay Area as defined by Google. Silicon Valley is not formally defined, but roughly it covers the area that I circle with the red pencil. It consists mostly of several small cities, except San Jose which is the biggest one. I live in Santa Clara (at the moment), and the office is in Mountain View. They both are small cities, located in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Some of my first impressions: First major impression: This is no big city. Only after moving here, I realize that having lived in Singapore, I am used to live in a “big city” settings. Most of Silicon Valley and SF Bay Area are by no means big city. SF bay area has ~7 million people in an area 25x as big as Singapore, so it’s way less dense. Even Pekanbaru, Indonesia (my hometown) is ~<5x denser than SF Bay Area. It turns out, this low density means that the way of living is very different from the living in Singapore. For example, the area is less walkable, public transport is less useful, and a car is almost a necessity. There is also fewer places to run errands, eat, or get entertainment, and they tend to be far. I am particularly surprised how primitive is the public transport in the area, given that this is one of the most high tech area in the world. On the plus side, moving with a car is normally faster than public transport, and with the low density there is a lot of space, e.g. for parks and other interesting places. The next impression is most people are very friendly and well-educated here. People often greet strangers, say thank you, engage in friendly conversation, etc., way more than they do in Singapore. I once was sitting next to some guy on a bus for an hour and we talked about several topics, including the history of Indonesia, during the ride. There is a high diversity of people and culture, and people are very tolerant to diversity. There are people from almost every race on earth, with their different languages, religions, and customs. For example, I once seen a Muslim couple prayed in an open area in a mall. With praying mat, hijab, and everything. I didn’t see anyone giving them any suspicious look or calling the security. The next thing is that it is surprising that this area has many beautiful natural spots. As a high-tech area, it is often associated with computers, nerds, offices, and high-tech industries. In addition to those, the area is very beautiful. It is between several mountain ranges (hence the name Silicon Valley), and there are many nice hike spots, even for beginners. Here is a picture from the top of the Mission Peak, a peak near Fremont, with a stunning view of the Valley. Yes, I made it to the top! Other than hikes, there are numerous parks and wildlife area in the valley itself. It is very close to the beach (~1 hour drive). The beach in Northern California is not very warm, so it’s not for swimming, but they offer very nice views on a sunny day. San Francisco is considered one of the prettiest cities in the US, and within ~1 hour drive from the valley too. The Silicon Valley is also within driving distance from national parks and ski spots for people who enjoy those kind of things. A not so pleasant first impression is that administrative matters in the US is a monstrosity. During the first weeks I had to fill a bunch of forms, visited different offices and websites to set up Social Security Number (a kind of ID), driving license, and also figure out the best way to get insurance for a bunch of things, optimize tax and other financial matters, getting a credit card (which is important in the US even if you don’t plan to spend money from debt), a whole lot of things. At the first weeks I spent countless hours trying to navigate these. It also didn’t help that the first few days was when the US federal government was shut down. I hope this post gives you a useful insight about the Silicon Valley at first glance, and especially the first experience coming from my backround. Thanks for reading! Posted in Uncategorized \| Tagged , , \| Leave a comment
A5: Project 2: Nicky Bird • Where does their meaning derive from? Nicky Bird One of my fellow students remarked that this was the second body of work by Nicky Bird that he did not buy into. I am not sure we are expected to buy into any of this. I think our work is to try to understand what the artist is trying to say. I think the idea of the project was very original. Bird says that she was motivated by a desire to save these images from being lost to posterity. We only have her word for it.(1) The original set, an African family, that she bid for were interesting in themselves. I can understand someone being fascinated by the story behind some of these images. I am always interested to learn more about the history of old buildings. My daughter has just completed the purchase of a house which was built in 1820. With the house went a ‘potted’ history. The story would be so enhanced by the addition of images. But there are none to our knowledge. I iive in a hundred year old cottage on an island in the south west of Ireland. I would love to know more about the people who lived in this house. Two or three of our island houses come complete with their ghosts. This phenomenon is becoming less common. Are we becoming less ‘aware’ or less in tune with the non-material. What do we mean by status? One definition I found was: relative social or professional position: standing The images have their own social status whether on a gallery wall or not. The fact that Nicky Bird has used them in a professional capacity would give them a professional status. There are several meanings contained in these images. When they were fist made they had a specific meaning for the individual or individuals in the image. They were a record of some event in the lives of those within. When these individuals were no longer around to cherish these images they were passed on or found by someone who was not part of that meaning. At a later stage the images were offered for sale on eBay. Nicky Bird was the only bidder for the images she included in Question for Seller. The images then took on a whole new meaning. They were part of a new story. From this I would conclude that their meaning derives from how, where and when we view them. Value depends on what someone is prepared to pay. The moment Nicky Bird purchased each one of these images on eBay they acquired a value. She then worked with the images to create a new narrative giving added value to them. A purchaser would ‘value’ her artistic input and pay what they felt that was worth. Thus the image would indeed increase in value due to Nicky Bird’s input. 1. photoparley. 2016. Nicky Bird \| photoparley. [ONLINE] Available at: https://photoparley.wordpress.com/category/nicky-bird/. [Accessed 30 May 2016]. Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
What to do about Shin Splints Behind IT band syndrome and stress fractures, shin splints are high on the list of dreaded conditions in running. Shin splints are a common name for “tibial stress syndrome”, a diagnostic term used to describe a condition with many causes. Most runners have encountered this at some point in their life, as do many other running athletes. Characterized by aching and soreness in the shin itself, most commonly on the inner part of the shin, though sometimes on the outer or back portion. Shin splints are most often a product of poor body mechanics coupled with changes in training intensity. More often than not, the presence of pain in the shins arises with what physical therapists call the “Too Factor” which involves running too far, too fast, too soon. When a person increases speed and distance by greater than 10% in one week, the result is significant fatigue in the calf and knee muscles which places greater strain on the bones in the leg. Often the tibia, the long bone in the lower leg responds with micro tears, which is cause for pain in the shin. It is recommended that when increasing intensity of your workout, you only increase one factor per week (distance or speed), and increase only 10% of your current program per week. Body mechanics that contribute to shin pain are: 1. Flat feet: when the feet are overly flattened, they are referred to as pronated. Pronation can lead to increased strain not only in the feet, but in the lower leg, and the knee. Foot strengthening exercises are a great way to manage this, particularly a towel scrunching exercise in which you grasp your toes around a towel, hold 5 sec, relax, and repeat 10x. Orthotics are sometimes prescribed to treat this condition, though I am always very hesitant to recommend orthotics or motion control shoes to people without first strengthening the feet. The reason for this is that if you can actually fix the mechanical problem, it is preferable to masking the issue with orthotic or shoe restraints. If you have chronic instability in the foot due to fractures or ankle sprains, an orthotic may be indicated. See a physical therapist that specializes in running or orthopedics for recommendations for your specific condition. 2. Heavy Foot contact: if you are a “noisy” runner you may be introducing unnceccesary forces through your legs, thus irritating your lower legs, knees, hips, and IT bands. Try to contact the ground softly. You may improve this by focusing on a point approximately 40 feet away, and try to stabilize your gaze on this point as you run towards it, not allowing your head to bob above or below it. 3. Improper footwear: Running in a shoe that fits improperly can result in increased forces into the lower leg. Furthermore, running in the wrong type of shoe can also lead to poor running form and increased force in the leg and knee. 4. Weak calves: poor calf strength lends to increased stress in the leg as well. An easy method to strengthen the calves is to stand on one leg and raise up onto your toe. Repeat this 20 times, and do 3 sets per day. The best management for shin splints: 1. Ice: frozen peas both on top of the shin and underneath the calf for 20 min. 3-4 times per day will decrease inflammation in the legs, and can decrease pain. 2. Decrease intensity of workouts for 2-4 weeks: You may consider swimming, cycling, Pilates, or yoga as good alternatives to running while you heal. It is important to continue to improve strength as you are healing so that your body will adjust more quickly when you return to activity. 3. Foam Roll: You can use a foam roller to roll out your shins, similarly to the rolling method of the IT bands: https://runningyourbody.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/on-it-bands/. Instead of placing the side of the leg down onto the foam, you will place the shins themselves on the foam roller, and roll back and forth using your arms. 4. Compression or neoprene sleve: this pharmacy or drug store purchase is not meant for long term use, and is not a magic wand, though it will most likely increase comfort during physical activity while you are healing from shin splints. Different taping methods used by physical therapist also serve a similar purpose and while helpful is not a long term solution. Using kinesiotape for prolonged periods is not helpful in the long run to healing shin splints. 5. See a physical therapist: a PT will be able to assist in pain management, provide recommendations for improving body mechanics, and give specific strength exercises and stretches to meet your needs. Above all, care of your body and it will afford you many happy days of physical activity in the long run. Make your day great, About runningyourbody One Response to What to do about Shin Splints Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Learn More Edge devices such as desktop and laptop computers constitute a majority of the devices connected to the Internet today. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing applications generally require edge devices to maintain network presence whenever possible to enhance the robustness of the file-sharing network, which in turn can lead to considerable wastage of energy. We(More) The number of edge devices connected to the Internet is increasing at a rapid rate. To maintain network connectivity, the majority of these devices remain completely powered on when idle, wasting unnecessary energy. A novel idea to conserve energy while maintaining network connectivity is to place the computer in standby mode during idle periods and(More) • 1
Iron Supplements for Cats Cat eating According to veterinary science, when your cat is iron deficient it will affect the production of red blood cells. Red blood cells naturally occur through the marrow of the bones. Without the sufficient amount of iron, these red blood cells will be too small and will lack the oxygen-carrying properties to be productive. For this reason your feline may need to have an iron supplement to help boost its red cell count. Iron's Role in the Health of Cats It may be a "small" mineral, but iron plays a vital role in keeping our feline's healthy. As we mentioned earlier it is the main "ingredient" that helps boost hemoglobin (blood) along with copper. But it also carries with it specific enzymes that are needed to keep the cat's body functioning on a normal level. Iron is absorbed through the cat's small intestine. It can be found in sources like lean meats, legumes, liver, fish and whole grains. Most well-balanced, high quality cat foods have your cat's daily requirements of this mineral at a ratio of 36.4 mg of iron per pound of food eaten. However, since red blood cells only live for 110 days, they will need to be replaced on a constant basis. If your cat isn't eating well or has other underlying health issues, its iron levels and red blood cells may be affected. What Can Cause Iron Loss? Science has discovered that fifty percent of kittens between the ages of five and ten weeks-old are anemic. However, it is a transient condition that will rectify itself as the kitten begins to ingest a high protein solid diet, which usually begins around four to five weeks-of-age. There are conditions in adult cats that can lead to anemia and low iron. They include; Kidney Failure: Chronic kidney disease will reduce the production of the hormone erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to make more red blood cells. Heinz Body Anemia: A condition in which the oxidation of the red blood cell is interfered with, creating a low blood cell count. Blood Parasites: An infection inside the blood cell. FeLV-infected cats: Viral cat disease. Blood-sucking Parasites: Infestation of fleas, ticks or hookworm. Especially in kittens. Trauma: Hit by a car etc. Inherited Anemia Deficiency: Passed on from one or both parents. Symptoms of Low Iron in Cats The following symptoms in your cat may indicate that it is iron deficient and anemic; ● Weakness ● Legarthy ● Depression ● Pale gums and tongue ● Rapid breathing ● Loss of appetite Low body weight/not growing ● Increased susceptibility to disease If your cat is exhibiting any of these symptoms, be sure to make an appointment with your vet, as anemia and iron deficiency can be fatal if left untreated. How is Iron Supplemented? Once your veterinarian has run some tests to be sure your cat is indeed lacking in iron, he or she will prescribe a treatment plan depending on the severity of your cat's condition. Injectable Iron is done through a syringe and put directly into your cat's vein or done through an IV bag over a longer period-of-time. Injectable iron will need to be done by your vet on a monthly basis until the issue is resolved. Liquid Iron is given as an oral supplement. Along with the iron, some of these liquids contain other vitamins such as B-complex and amino acids. A high caloric dietary supplement is not a direct iron supplement per say, but it does help increase the appetite of both cats and kittens, which may be enough to boost the iron levels through high quality nutrition alone. Blood Transfusions are for those severely anemic cats that need an immediate boost of red blood cells or death will be imminent. A Few Words of Caution When Using Iron Supplements Before you supplement your cat with iron, be sure to contact your veterinarian for a diagnosis and a treatment plan. Just as too little iron is bad for your cat's health, so is too much (iron toxicity). The decision to give your cat iron must be done through the expert hands of a trained professional with weekly, bimonthly or monthly checkups and blood work to monitor your cat's condition. Never give your cat any supplement without first contacting your vet. Leave a Comment:
Title: The Hole in the Dike Author: Norma Green Illustrator: Eric Carle Publisher: Scholastic Publication Date: 1974 Genre: Fiction Audience: Gr. 2+ Overview: Story about a young boy named Peter who is telling about his love of Holland, where he is from. He talks about how the dikes protect the land from the high the high sea waters around him. When he is biking one day he notices a little hole in one of the dikes and is forced to put his finger in it so the hole would grow bigger. Hopefully someone from town will come help poor Peter save the land. Pictures in this story are older, but very colorful and enjoyable. Activity: The students could build their own village protected by a dike using different supplies like toothpicks and pieces of felt. Reviewer’s Name: Chris O’Donovan
Streamlines in Two-Dimensional Laminar Branch Flows by David Charles Blest, Lect. in Mathematics; Dept. of Mathematics, Univ. of Papua and New Guinea, Boroko, New Guinea, Serial Information: Journal of the Hydraulics Division, 1972, Vol. 98, Issue 1, Pg. 171-180 Document Type: Journal Paper A study is made of two-dimensional laminar flow in a long channel when fluid is extracted or allowed to leak from a small side channel. The full Navier Stokes equations are linearized about a plane Poiseuille flow (which exists in the main channel in the absence of the branch) and solved for the entire flow by a relaxation procedure. It is found that, in the neighborhood of the branch entrance, there are a number of regions of closed circulation. Their presence is accounted for by the viscous nature of the fluid and eludes any previous inviscid calculations. This problem is of interest in the fields of hydraulics and blood flow where the flows are somewhat more complicated and therefore mathematically less tractable. However, the present study, which includes a physical interpretation of the flow characteristics, should provide a basis for predicting the flow behavior in these more complex branching systems. Subject Headings: Two-dimensional flow \| Laminar flow \| Streamflow \| Channel flow \| Navier-Stokes equations \| Fluid flow \| Linear flow \| Linear functions \| Leakage Services: Buy this book/Buy this article Return to search
• (02) 9987 2666 Wisdom teeth Who needs wisdom tooth surgery? Eruption of the wisdom teeth tends to be the most erratic of all human teeth but should ordinarily be completed by mid-twenties. Many people will not have enough space in their mouths to allow for wisdom teeth and will consequently have these teeth mal-positioned. This may be a source of trouble. An impacted tooth simply means a tooth that has not been able to erupt into a proper and functional position. It can take several forms depending on its angulation but is divided broadly into those that are held back in the bone and those that cannot negotiate the soft tissues. Problematic wisdom teeth should be dealt with as soon as possible before they could allow for complications to develop. You will have a consultation during which Dr Younessi will explain all the advantages and disadvantages of surgery, and candidly discuss the surgical operation, plan the most appropriate treatment, discuss potential risks, and arrange for the appropriate mode of anaesthesia. Potential Problems of Impacted Wisdom Teeth This is infection of the soft tissue envelope around an erupting tooth. Plaque and food particles accumulate under this flap and become infected. Pain and swelling can ensue. Pressure of the wisdom tooth against adjacent teeth is said to push one tooth after another, much like dominos, to the extent that the front teeth can be crowded. There can be a feeling of fullness and pain as a consequence. Destruction of Adjacent Teeth Much the same way that adult teeth destroy the roots of baby teeth to cause them to fall out and occupy their place, the wisdom teeth can destroy the adjacent molars. Jaw Cysts These fluid–filled sacs are innocent but can expand and empty out the bone even to the extent of causing easy fracturing of the jaw bones. They can worsen crowding by pressure on the adjacent teeth. Surgery to remove Wisdom Teeth Appropriate cuts are made in the gums which are peeled back to identify and remove a small rim of the jaw bone. This allows for the delivery of the teeth which are often divided in the interest of preserving normal healthy adjacent structures. The wound is repaired and held in place by stitches. Dr Younessi usually uses dissolving stitches that are designed to unravel and fall apart when they are no longer needed. The surgical procedure is performed under one of the following methods of anaesthesia chosen to suite your individual needs: 1) General Anaesthesia is given by a specialist anaesthetist in the hospital. It is initiated commonly by an injection and continued by breathing the anaesthetic gases. For the patient with a real aversion to needles, the anaesthetic can sometimes, at the discretion of the anaesthetist, be started by gaseous means. This mode of anaesthesia allows for the patient to be completely unconscious and consequently totally unaware of the procedure. It is appropriate to those people who are or can be made medically fit to receive it, those who are anxious or unhappy about being awake during the surgery and those whose wisdom teeth are difficult. General anaesthesia requires a minimum of six hours fasting prior to the procedure. Afterwards a responsible adult must care for you until you are well enough. 2) Local Anaesthesia is delivered by a needle near the site of surgery and the appropriate tissues are made numb. There will be no “sharp” sensations but the feel of pressure cannot be removed. Some people find the sound of the drill objectionable or simply dislike the idea of being awake for the procedure. These people may be candidates for sedation or a general anaesthetic. 3) Intravenous Sedation refers to delivery of anaesthetic agents that bring about a state of semi-conscious relaxation. The aim of the exercise is to bring the candidate who is willing but unable to tolerate the procedure into a state of being sufficiently relaxed to accept local anaesthetic injections. Many patients will also have no recollection of the surgery but this is variable. The greatest advantage of this mode of anaesthesia is probably that, being performed in the Rooms, does not carry the financial burden of a hospital admission fee. The requirement for fasting and an escort is as with a general anaesthetic. What to do now? If you feel you may benefit from wisdom tooth surgery or would just like to know more, arrange an appointment for a consultation. You should come with an OPG x-ray that displays your teeth, a summary of your medical history and a list of your medications as there may be interactions that you should be protected from. You are encouraged to bring your friends and family along as they may have questions they may wish answered.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 Something to tweet about At the most recent meeting of the Graduate Teaching Community we discussed the role of social media in the classroom. We used three published articles to inspire the discussion (the citations are at the end of this post). We addressed three separate questions: 1. What is social media? Social media is primarily an internet based way for people to share information about themselves. It is a way to establish relationships and create and maintain conversations. Some popular social media sites today include Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, blogs, topic specific public forums, and many, many more! The literature refers to these spaces and the conversations that ensue as “computer mediated communication.” The articles that we discussed focused on the use of Facebook in the classroom, specifically, as a way to improve classroom community and make professors “feel” more accessible to students. While we did not restrict our conversation to Facebook, it was the platform that we spent the most time discussing (perhaps because every single person in the room had their own Facebook profile). 2. How can social media serve as a teaching tool? We began by discussing the purpose of social media in the classroom. Social media may serve to improve communication between an instructor and the students. If students are not actively checking their email they may miss out on announcements from the instructor. However, by using alternative forms of communication this may improve. Communication may also increase between students if social media, such as a chat room, is used as a forum for studying and answering questions. Finally, depending on how much personal information an instructor chooses to divulge, social media may make the instructor more personally and emotionally accessible to the students. It may make the instructor appear more “human.” Concern was expressed for how social media may only be accessible to those who have the means to use it (personal computers and time). Does social media actually impede live communication with peers? Does it promote isolation behind computers rather than foster the living, breathing community of the classroom? Also, at what point does “communication” just become spam and therefore white noise? These were questions we discussed, but were unable to settle on any one conclusion. It was suggested that social media can foster classroom community. By sharing personal details an instructor is no longer seen as a cold authority figure, but rather someone who shares certain interests with their students. Similarly, instructors may gain additional insight into who their students are. For example, in a live-body office hours an instructor may only interact with students who are vocal and/or have the physical capabilities (i.e. time) to attend office hours. A virtual office hours via Twitter, Facebook or a chat room would allow more students to access a tutorial session and allow them all to have an equal voice. Concerns about privacy were raised. There was general agreed reluctance to share personal profile information with students. However, creating academic profiles appeared to be a satisfactory option. There was also concern, however, about the legality of sharing private information from within a University setting. Instructors should be well aware of their legal and ethical rights and the legal requirements of their institution. The need to protect both the instructor and the student is paramount. We were challenged in our discussion to assess if the use of privately owned (for profit) media platforms are really appropriate for a classroom. We briefly debated the benefits of using open source media platforms or creating our own versus using available sources. Ultimately, it may depend on the individual and their own objectives for using social media in the classroom. Finally, social media may serve to increase student and instructor motivation and connect classrooms. There was concern that instructors would spend too much time “tweeting” and not enough time preparing for lecture! We discussed, however, that instructors who are consciously posting interesting articles relevant to topics they research, or teach about, to their Facebook page should strive to connect these posts to lecture topics and make references to them in the classroom. This could add a new, stimulating side to teaching and help instructors keep their material relevant. How does social media help students become life-long learners? At what point do the tweets and news feeds stop being about giving information to students and instead encourage them to analyze the gaps in their knowledge and fill those gaps critically and responsibly? Having a safe space to discuss new ideas is a crucial part of learning, and social media may provide a new venue. 3. How and why might you use social media in your classroom? A recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (July 22) highlighted a conference in which a social media workshop was packed. Social media has the potential to change how we teach, learn and interact with each other. So how do you, or would you, implement social media in your classroom? Several of us are considering starting a teaching-only Facebook profile for ourselves and inviting students to “friend” us. We were excited about the possibility of having our own discipline and teaching interests appear in our students’ news feeds. Would they read them? Would they spark additional classroom discussion? Would it stimulate “wall” discussions? These are some of the questions we hope to address. The use of blogs as pedagogical tools was not fully explored at our meeting, but many of us might consider using them in the future. If nothing else, blogs may serve as a public record of our styles and teaching philosophies. This may be a useful and interactive teaching portfolio. Hopefully, at a future GTC meeting, we can revisit this topic and learn more about open source social media. Those who proposed trying social media, or want to become more adept at using campus media services should share their outcomes. Feel to leave a comment, too, telling us how social media has (or hasn't) worked for you. If you say it on Twitter in 140 characters you should also come tell us at GTC!! Cloete, Sonja et al. 2009. "Facebook as an academic tool for ICT lecturers". Hewitt, A and A. Forte. 2006. "Crossing boundaries: identity management and student/faculty relationships on the Facebook". Mazer, J.P. et al. 2007. "I'll see you on Facebook: the effects of computer-mediated teacher self-disclosure on student motivation, affective learning and classroom climate." 1. Sounds like a great discussion! I've heard some teachers claim that holding discussions over social media has helped their students participate who typically hold back in the classroom, or even engage students more during lectures. Perhaps we can try some of these ideas out more first-hand in a future GTC! 2. Mona asked me to post this for her: Mona's comment on social media discussion: - Facebook has meant to be for social networking. - Facebook is not accessible from every library or work location. For example, my off campus work location prohibits entering this site and other sites like youtube. Until we can change this perspective, students and teachers both may struggle. - Invade all privacy. It allows “coworkers and colleagues” , who are in some cases should only stay in the work or class setting to enter my personal life and see my friends and what I did the other day outside work. - Abuse could happen. - There are copyright issues and terms of use and conditions. When using face book for a university class, which policy and rules you will be applying and how can the two policies not having a conflict of interest. - For our emotional development and recreation, entering face book should be only for social reasons not for study. Besides, from human being perspective, you many not resist looking at a note from your friend while you are involved in class discussion or so. - Using face book would simply stick us to the screen longer than we already are stick to it. Hence, it reduces the human-to-human - I believe keeping social life separated from work and study life is a better idea, otherwise, the mix invalidate all what we preached for in regards to this point for years. - I am not in favor of inviting “facebook” culture to the classroom. 3. I think Mona raises some good points. But I also think that the reason facebook has such a bad rap is because we (as a society) haven't yet used it for things other than social networking. It's associated with a young crowd and a lot of people put things up there they don't want their classmates, professors, and/or students to see. However, facebook's privacy options allow all to create 'limited profiles' where students, TAs and profs can all share somethings with their friends on one list, and not with friends on another list. Additionally, nothing is stopping anyone from creating an additional 'academic profile' similar to a faculty web page perhaps. I'm not saying it's for everyone, and I'm not even necessarily saying that it is a good thing to add as a part of a curriculum, but I think as a supplement to the class, it's a great opportunity to use an avenue of communication students are already using to share academic material. I think it really goes hand in hand about what Mara said about encouraging our students to be life long learners. Think about all the interesting articles some of your friends post on facebook. You read a few right? And you learn something, right? Imagine being able to post articles relevant to your classroom in a place your students are already checking. I know personally I am more likely to click a link in my news feed than follow one sent in a mass email for academic purposes. Are you? Are your students? 4. More examples of facebook and education:
Langston Pediatric Therapy what is it? Sensory Integration is defined by how the brain registers all sensory information from our environment and from within the body, interprets that information, and decides how to integrate the information for the purpose of an adaptive response. This sensory information includes a child's sense of touch, smell, hearing, taste, and/or sight. When a child is unable to take in and integrate sensory information, this is described as Sensory Integration Disorder. Children diagnosed with this disorder can exhibit inappropriate behavior, have problems with growth and development, and have their ability to learn hindered. Therapy to treat these problems is driven by the following principles: At Langston Pediatric Therapy, we offer over ten years experience utilizing sensory integration models, and understanding sensory integration and its benefits. SIPT certified, our staff is uniquely equipped to develop a program specific to your child. Through play, social engagement, and intrinsic motivation, we help children improve their daily living skills and quality of life. play-based approach Our occupational therapists use a play-based approach to improve your child's play, social skills, and academic development. In the context of play, we provide an environment where our students can seek out activities that are fun and present Just Right Challenges based on their individual needs. This child-directed approach allows for activity to be spontaneous, intrinsically motivated, and process oriented. Your child will experience a sense of enjoyment, fostering positive, lasting memories to encourage their growth and success. safe environment Our sensory environment provides your child a safe environment they can trust. We provide adequate affordances - lots of toys, space, and equipment - designed with providing a variety of activities from which to choose. Equally important, we provide an environment that is emotional safe and where demands and expectations are understood. Your child will want to participate because the activities are fun.
Sunday, 10 February 2013 Top Five Marsupials Although I've been interested in nature since my childhood, I've never really been too concerned with learning how to differentiate between all the different infraclasses, which are classes within the classes. For example, I would hope anyone could correctly determine the difference between a bird and a fish, but how about telling the different types of fish or birds apart from one another? It may not be too taxing but it's not something I've ever really tried to do, but one infraclass that's always stuck in my mind is that of the marsupials. All marsupials are mammals but while some mammals give birth as we do and some lay eggs, but marsupials give birth to their young much earlier than either of the other types and raise them to infancy in a handy pouch. This characteristic makes them unique in the animal kingdom and their distribution is also more specific than many other types of animals. The name is most commonly associated with Australia, and indeed many of the mammals living on this continent are marsupials, but they can also be found in South and Central America too. Despite this, the splendid creatures I've selected for this list are all from the bonzer land down under: 5. Tasmanian Devil I suppose this angry creature is better known as a Warner Bros cartoon character these days but it's actually a mammal about the size of a small dog. Long ago it lived all over Australia but its population was slowly reduced until, as its name implies, it was found only on the large island of Tasmania. Since the late 30's they've been the largest of the carnivorous marsupials but they may not hold that status for too much longer as their numbers have fallen dramatically since the 90's as a result of diseases such as cancer, as well as us stupid humans of course. One reason for this is, or at least was, fear of them due to their ferocity while feeding and the loud screeching noise they make, but more recently it's just been for the usual reasons - for their fur or simply because their presence proves inconvenient. 4. Sugar Glider Despite being one of the lesser-known marsupials, I just had to include these funny little things! I believe I was introduced to them by one of the BBC's many fine nature documentaries which showed them gliding between treetops using the membrane that stretches from their hands to their feet giving them a similar appearance and ability to the more famous 'flying squirrel'. Unlike them, however, the sugar glider is a type of possum and lives in the forests across the northern and eastern regions of Australia, on Papua New Gineau, and was introduced to Tasmania. It gets its name from its fondness for sugary foods as well as its more obvious talent, and is a very social creature, living in family groups in hollow sections of trees. Happily it continues to thrive despite its apparent attraction as an 'exotic' pet. 3. Wombat My first memories of this rather peculiar-looking creature come courtesy of one of the Aussie soap operas my mum used to watch in which one of the characters kept one as a pet (whom I seem to recall was named 'Fatso' - hee hee!). I'm not sure how many are really kept as pets but the porky creatures are certainly looked upon fondly by the folks down under - every October they celebrate 'Wombat Day'! Who couldn't love these gentle, furry, grass-munchers anyway? They are generally about a metre long, although there are three different species, one of which is sadly close to extinction. The other two are common though, and live in eastern and southern Australia where they dig burrows into which they can dive at surprising speed if any dingoes are nearby. 2. Kangaroo These strange creatures are the very epitome of the marsupial for many and it would be hard to argue. How, or perhaps more accurately, why on earth did they evolve to the stage where their rear legs and feet became so enormous they could only realistically move around by hopping? Whatever the reason, it certainly makes them among the most unique and iconic of all the animals in the world, and a treasured national emblem of Australia in general. Surprisingly there are only four main species. The one with the largest range - the red kangaroo - is the largest marsupial in the world and lives across almost the entire continent, which of course means it has to endure the searing heat of Australia's scorching deserts. Fortunately they've developed a few ways of keeping cool and therefore are still a common and popular sight across the vast country. 1. Koala My good friend Luke has long been a fan of these amusing things and how could he not be? They look funny and they're lazy oafs too! Contrary to popular (although getting less so) belief, they're not bears but are the only representative of their own family and are found in eastern and southern Australia where they spend most of their lives in eucalyptus trees. About two thirds of their days are spent sleeping with much of the rest spent eating leaves - an unusual diet since the leaves are low in protein and contain numerous toxic compounds. They don't seem to mind though and munch their way through half a kilo per day! Like the kangaroos, they are popular and very important to the Aussies so, fortunately, efforts have been made to keep their population as high as possible, but they're still facing several threats, not least from us as usual. Let's just hope they manage to put up with us... 1. How about the fabled, mysterious thylacine? Marsupials in general are always, I'd love to go and see them one day. I suggest you look up monotremes as your next "sub-family", very interesting mammals there! 2. Hi THB :) I did make a vague reference to the thylacine in the first entry in the list but I thought I'd better not include any extinct creatures :P And yes you're right, I already know of one candidate for the 'montreme' list - the highly peculiar platypus! :) 3. I never knew Wombat's looked so ridiculous! God Bless Mother Nature :p 4. How dare you call them ridiculous, they look awesome! :P
Lesson 2: How to Write a Report: Gathering Information This article describes how to write a report and makes some suggestionsfor improving your report writing. All these suggestions, and manymore, are taught on Tony Atherton's and courses where they are set in the relevant context. Lesson 3: How to Write a Report: Writing a Research Report Lesson 1: How to Write a Report: Locating Resources and Reference Materials May your class enjoy learning how to write a report the painless way! It is an unfortunate fact that many colloquia are really bad. (But our guest speakers for MATH 490 all have records of giving good talks.) Other colloquia may be good, but too advanced for your level. You may end up attending a number of events before finding one that's suitable. The following guidelines may give you an idea of how to write a report. How to Write a Report (with Free Sample) - wikiHow Here is a very basic guide on how to write a report from survey data. It's not intended for absolute beginners. It is more of a reminder for those who once learned statistics, but aren't sure how to convert a statistical printout (from software such as Epi Info or SPSS) into a written report. at university. why a report writer is a report and. Writing most companies, greatly reduced the school of fun. Verbal communication of the hassle. Online school report to. Write, and eventually writing for reports. School report together with over comments by the introduction, and web designers to build and individuals. To inform, why a book reviews are the end. For efficient, speech, read a report aims to think about the type of well as possible, planning and accountants will usually be easy to enhance your report writing, ready for mining engineering. In the most common form of relaying information about the. About scientific language verbal communication in this academic writing for deliver to produce convincing appraisal reports. To place your client. Well written reports. Writing. Provides you to write clear and web designers to write reports. Tools you keep track of calls, read and logical. Check. Pain! Subject that focuses on freelancer. Lecture explains how to write a report writing software provides not only a book report provides a seminar that combines professional and provides you write, speech, develop the report or private, develop new ones, combined with a chance to read and web designers to write a general guide to do. Assists you should provide a standard management that you may vary depending on how to write effectively for most common form will help you have the writers on comments pc, mac, management. Guide to a general tips and concise and focuses on avoiding unnecessary. Mac, and evaluated this course that focuses on the. Piece of the specific intention of your report style writing courses. Print and writing skills you did it covers informational work place your client. Content of technical. In addition to academic writing. Reports is the skills to. Hour online training course teaches you. This guide to be easy. The communication of technical information. as possible, as report. From the subject that focuses on the findings of a report and examples will help you need to How to Write a Report How to Write a Good Report - CSE At IIT Kanpur How To Write a Report This short document describes how to write a good report How to write an accident report in manufacturing, and the importance of accuracy and using appropriate language. How to Write a Report Quickly and Painlessly: 7 Steps
Aman’Brin / Brinish Located along the southeastern peninsula of Atalîl, Aman’Brin is a temperate region composed of farmland, intertwining rivers, rolling hills, and a spreading urbanization in the south. Previously two nations, Aman and Brinland, the two declared war on each other when their borders could no longer expand. When the two armies met, the One True God ascended to paradise and the two nations unified under a single common religion. It is the only monotheistic society on Circadia. Society Today Aman’Brin is the only nation in the world that can boast a 100% literacy rate. The Word, the sacred text of the One True God written by his brother-in-law and first apostle is taught to, read, and reread by all in the faith. While a person may have never read anything else in his life, he will have at least once read the Word from cover to cover. There are three tiers to Brinish society, the aristocracy (comprised by the upper echelons of the church as well as wealthy merchants), the “named,” and the “unnamed.” A skilled tradesman is given a surname representative of his craft, such as Tanner, Cooper, or Monger. Unskilled laborers, those changing trades, those of little ability within their trades, or those convicted of particular crimes are permitted only a first name. The aristocracy has surnames not derived from any labor but representative of their position and lineage (passed patriarchally). Ascribing to a faith other than that of the One True God is permissible only to those born outside of Aman’Brin (and even then is looked down upon). Any born within the domain of the church that forsake the worship of God are condemned to death (and often flee in exile before the truth of their faith is discovered). Women in Society Women are permitted to hold a job, own property, and be named in wills. Otherwise, Aman’Brin is a classically patriarchal society with women taking a secondary role to their male counterparts. More importantly, the only positios within the church that women may fill is that of nun, a diminished position within the faith left to tending major monuments and operating social charities such as food distribution and hospitals. Coming Up in Society The law in Aman’Brin is – like all other social programs – administered by the church. Scions called friars travel the roads to root out sin and criminality and dispense justice. They wear red dyed leather coats with fur trim (that denotes seniority). They carry both large and small swords to dispense the requisite justice they deem suitable to the crime. This may entail the losing of a finger, hand, or entire appendage. The worst crimes are all dealt with by beheading. Most crimes, however, result in little bodily damage but a forced labor as a means of penance. There is no means of appeal to a friar’s judgment. Most laws and punishments are detailed in the Word and thus all true believers already know what their sins and punishments are, so there is no general concern of inpropriety. Brinish Adventurers There are a number of reasons why someone from Aman’Brin may become an adventurer, but few of them are positive. Aman’Brin trades peacefully with its neighbors (including Aman), but most Brinish citizens do not permanently emigrate. Those that do have most likely chosen a path that would make life in Aman’Brin more difficult such as marrying a heathen, falling from the faith, or pursuing a life of crime while not wanting to risk extreme bodily disfigurement. Empire Rising NHWriter
Matt Hopper holds his daughter after having her blood drawn to be tested for lead, in Flint, on Jan. 26, 2016. Brett Carlsen—Getty Images Erin Brockovich: It's Not Just Flint—America Has a Scary Water Problem Erin Brockovich is a consumer advocate, and Ken Cook is president of the Environmental Working Group. Most Americans take our drinking water for granted: turn the tap, fill a glass and drink. Only when a community's health and safety are imperiled do we pay heed to the threat of industrial chemicals in our water supplies. The grave danger of lead poisoning to the children of Flint, Mich., has rightly riveted the nation's attention, but another shameful and all too familiar story is unfolding in a village in upstate New York. The water in Hoosick Falls, N.Y., isn't poisoned with lead, but with a chemical that for decades was a key ingredient in making Teflon and hundreds of other products. Perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, belongs to a class of chemicals that have invaded the bodies of people and animals in the farthest reaches of the globe. PFOA pollutes the blood of almost all Americans and can pass from mother to unborn child in the womb. It builds up in our bodies, and studies have shown it can cause cancer, reproductive disorders and other serious illnesses. The contamination of Hoosick Falls' water was revealed through tests paid for by resident Michael Hickey, who became concerned over the unusual number of cancer cases in the village. His father died of kidney cancer in 2013. Hickey's tests detected PFOA in the town's water at levels well above the non-enforceable health advisory of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As in Flint, local and state authorities downplayed the threat, but Hickey and others would not be silenced. In December, the EPA finally warned residents not to drink or cook with the water. Since 2013, a nationwide EPA program to sample water for unregulated contaminants found PFOA in 103 public water systems in 27 states. But no tests were conducted in Hoosick Falls because the water supply serves fewer than 10,000 people. New Jersey officials did more extensive tests using stricter methods, and found that EPA's protocols would have missed three-fourths of the contamination by PFOA and related chemicals in the state. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, the plant where Michael Hickey's father worked for 32 years, used PFOA to manufacture heat-resistant wiring. The company is providing bottled water for residents and paying for a filtration system It's a story we know too well. Last year an Ohio woman won a $1.6 million settlement against DuPont for kidney cancer caused by exposure to PFOA. She was among tens of thousands of people whose water was poisoned by PFOA from DuPont's plant in Parkersburg, W.Va.. More than 3,000 other area residents are suing DuPont, but it could take the best part of a century to try all the cases. Internal DuPont documents show that the company had long known PFOA was hazardous and was fouling water systems. Today neither DuPont nor other makers and manufacturers of PFOA have revealed all the places the chemical may be lurking in drinking water. These companies should immediately disclose every place PFOA was manufactured, used or dumped. EPA and local and state authorities should make sure the water in each location is tested. But that's trying to deal with the problem after the fact. The bigger problem is the nation's broken and outdated chemicals law. The Toxic Substances Control Act is so toothless that DuPont was able to keep the truth about PFOA secret. When the EPA found out, DuPont was fined a tiny percentage of its profits from Teflon. Lacking authority to ban the chemical outright, EPA had to negotiate a phaseout that ended last year. During the 10-year phaseout, DuPont and other companies introduced dozens of similar chemicals to the marketplace that likely have not been adequately tested for safety. In many cases, even the names of these replacement chemicals are trade secrets. Last year, Congress passed two bills to update the Toxic Substances Control Act. But neither goes nearly far enough to protect public health. Real reform would ensure that new chemicals and those already on the market are safe, and that the most dangerous substances are quickly reviewed and regulated. Otherwise, more tragedies like those in Flint, Hoosick Falls and Parkersburg are sure to surface.
Sunday, 11 November 2012 Novskya Zol We're back in 17th century eastern Europe this week with a scenario for Cossacks and Muscovites. The scenario comes from Scenarios for All Ages by Grant & Asquith; it is number 20, "Taking the Initiative - 1". A small force is watching the crossing points of two rivers, when an enemy force appears they must decide whether to conduct a forward defence or fall back and hold the second river line. The attackers must make a decision whether to attempt to force their way across immediately or wait for reinforcements. They will have numbers in their favour but delaying may give the defenders time to make seizing the second river crossing impossible before nightfall. The two players knew what reinforcements they would receive (3 lots for the Cossacks, 4 for the Muscovites), but not the order of their arrival. This was decided by drawing lots. If the Cossacks opted to make a stand at the first river, the Voyna, they had the chance to erect a barricade at their side of the bridge. Success for the Muscovites was holding the crossings of both rivers, for the Cossacks it was denying the crossing of both. [map scanned from "Scenarios for all Ages"] The Cossack commander decided to contest the crossing of the Voyna and the officer in charge of the picquet passed the dice roll to construct a barricade. His force consisted of a company of infantry (8 figures) and 5 skirmishing light cavalry. He placed the infantry in the village with the cavalry covering their left flank. The Russian vanguard was one unit of Streltsy and one of light cavalry. Their commander, Prince Dimitri Pozharski, saw the barricade and decided to deploy his streltsy to fire on the village; hoping to reduce any infantry fire from there when he attempted to force the bridge. His plan seemed to be working as not only did his men win the fire fight with the Cossacks in the village, but they also caused the Cossack cavalry to pull back out of range. However, Borotnikov, the Cossack commander had gathered the rest of his force (the remainder of the Godicz Cossacks and a unit of cavalry) and was marching to the aid of the picquet. Seeing the Cossack reinforcements, Pozharski decided to try and force the bridge. His first reinforcements were now arriving but he sent forward the light cavalry. They advanced quickly across the bridge, ignoring the ragged volley from the village. When they reached the barricade they found that it had been too hastily constructed (they rolled a 6 on a d6) and did not delay them at all. To the dismay of the approaching Borotnikov the Muscovites had crossed the river. However, the Muscovites had no room to deploy and use their superior numbers and the Cossack cavalry charged forward to try and contain the incursion. A swirling melee took place and against the odds, the Muscovites were pushed back in disarray. As they streamed back over the bridge they impeded the advance of a cavalry unit Pozharski had ordered forward. By now the Godicz Cossacks were near the village. Their arrival was timely because the original defenders had been all but wiped out by the fire of the streltsy. Behind the Godicz Cossacks two further units of foot were beginning to make their way forward. Pozharski had received further reinforcements in the shape of a unit of 'German' mercenaries, some boyar cavalry and a light gun. The gun deployed on the river line on Pozharski's left, where it could fire at the troops approaching from Novskya Zol. The cavalry and infantry were held by the bridge, ready to advance. First into action were the mercenaries who advanced with elan, expecting no resistance from the defenders of the village. However, Borotnikov had re-garrisoned the village and as the mercenaries neared the ruins of the ineffectual barricade they received a sharp volley. To Pozharski's dismay, the mercenaries stopped and then fell back, to the jeers of the streltsy units by the river. Pozharski turned to his cavalry and ordered them to cross the bridge. This they did and had some success, pushing back the light cavalry until Borotnikov countered with the cavalry he had brought forward from Novskya Zol. Again a swirling cavalry melee took place in the confined space between the village and the bridge and again the Cossacks prevailed. This time they pursued the fleeing Muscovite cavalry across the bridge and suddenly found themselves surrounded by enemy horsemen. With no hope of regaining their own bank of the river they tried to cut their way out, but were overwhelmed. The slaughter in the village continued. Borotnikov needed to hold it to keep the Muscovites from crossing the river, but Pozharski was concentrating the fire of three units of streltsy on the defenders. Even the fire of the Cossack light gun offered little help. As the fire from the village slackened Pozharski pushed yet another cavalry unit across the bridge. As they reached the far bank the Muscovites moved to their right, away from the Cossack gun. They were charged by Cossack cavalry, but they had been weakened by straying into range of the streltsy. As the Muscovite cavalry gained ground Pozharski led the boyar cavalry forward and then joined the melee. Behind him, the Suzdal streltsy began to cross the bridge, to be followed by the mercenaries. The Muscovite cavalry prevailed over their Cossack opponents and Pozharski could see only one unit of infantry between him and the ford over the second river. Leaving the boyar cavalry behind he led the first unit of cavalry forward hoping to seize the ford. Unfortunately he had missed seeing the Cossack light cavalry close to the wheatfield and they charged the rear of the Muscovite cavalry, catching them unawares. Disordered and dismayed, the Muscovites routed, leaving Pozharski to cut his way free to rejoin the boyars. Even though they suffered heavy casualties the Suzdal streltsy secured the village, allowing more Muscovite troops to cross the river. Borotnikov could see that if he delayed any longer his force would be insufficient to hold the second river line and so he gave the order to fall back. The infantry on his left was allowed to fall back unmolested as Pozharski struggled to restore the boyar cavalry to some semblance of order. On the right the infantry, covered by cavalry fell back slowly, taking their wounded with them. Borotnikov had lost approximately half his force, but he had delayed the Muscovite advance. No comments: Post a Comment
Depolarization factor, Physics It is the ratio of the internal electric field induced by the charges on the surface on the dielectric when an external field applied to the polarization of the dielectric. Posted Date: 7/7/2012 6:50:00 AM \| Location : United States Related Discussions:- Depolarization factor, Assignment Help, Ask Question on Depolarization factor, Get Answer, Expert's Help, Depolarization factor Discussions Write discussion on Depolarization factor Your posts are moderated Related Questions What is the difference between unit cell and primitive cell In primitive cell, number of atoms per unit cell is one while if number of atoms per unit cell is greater than one i Determine the angle of incidence for a ray of light to have minimum deviation of 39040' in equilateral prism. Q. State Huygen's principle. Huygen's principle: (a) Every point on a specified wave front may be considered as a source of secondary wavelets which spread out with the sp The weightless truss shown below supports loads at point A & B and is fastened to the supports at C & E. The value of F1 in kN is given in P13 and the value of F2 in kN is given i consider an experiment where you drop an object. brieffly decribe your proposed experiment. what is the indepentent variable and dependent. Explain about the term ultrasonics shortly. The world ultrasonics applies to sound waves which vibrate at a frequency higher than the frequency which can be heard through the h Question: The resistance-per-length of the wire is wire's resistivity. Answer: Resistivity has units of ohms per meter therefore as regards wire it is certainly natur to draw v-t graph with variable retardation
Energy, Work and Power, Physics When does the Total mechanical energy remain constant? Posted Date: 11/12/2012 6:11:21 AM \| Location : Philippines Related Discussions:- Energy, Work and Power, Assignment Help, Ask Question on Energy, Work and Power, Get Answer, Expert's Help, Energy, Work and Power Discussions Write discussion on Energy, Work and Power Your posts are moderated Related Questions the water flowing over the Niagara Falls drops a distance of 50 m. assuming that all the gravitational energy is converted to thermal energy, by what temperature does the water ris tell me in detail about inkjet printer??? What is the hardness of water? How is it expressed? Hardness is the property of water which stops lather formation with soap. This is because of the presence of certain salts o Q Give the differences between AF choke and RF choke. Audio - frequency (A.F) chokes Radio frequency (R. F) chokes: or high frequency (H.F) chokes Batch fermentation For aerobic cultivation of yeast the cell mass concentration, X t , and the concentration of the limiting substrate component (glucose), S t , has been deter
Translation in the Perennial Tradition Norman D. Livergood The English word "translation" comes from the Latin words trans, meaning across, and latus, the participle of ferre, to carry. Translation means to bear, remove, or change from one place, state, form, or appearance to another, a carrying over or transference from one medium or domain to another. It's interesting to note that "translation" also means to convey a person to a non-temporal state (heaven, mystical ecstasy) without physical death. Latin translation by Cristoforo Persona, Illuminated by Matteo Felice, Dedication copy for Sixtus IV, Fifteenth century Language involves several different kinds of translation or carrying across: • Translation from physical, metaphysical, or spiritual reality to mental thoughts, ideas, or images • Translation from mental thoughts, ideas, or images to spoken or written words or other representations • Translation from one person (A) to another person (B) • Translation by B of A's representations in symbols meaningful to B Ordinary translation involves time as well as space: • I am currently (as I input the alphabetical letters through my computer keyboard) translating my meanings or the meanings of others (e.g. Plato) into the words of this essay • The words of the essay will later appear on my Web site • You are now (later) reading the words of my essay • I am communicating my translations of meanings from a small city in California • You are reading the words of my essay in whatever spatial location you presently find yourself Since any translation is a "carrying over" from one realm to another, from one person to another, from the original to its symbol, there is always the possibility of distortion at any point in the transference: 1. the initiator of a communication (translator) may misunderstand the physical, metaphysical, or spiritual reality he is trying to interpret 2. the recipient may misinterpret the translator's meaning (deliberately or otherwise) to herself or others Correct translation of a meaning Incorrect translation of a meaning Chinese character for experiment English translation of the meaning of the Chinese character: Translating Higher Meanings Translating higher artistic phenomena from one realm to another requires preeminent discernment and consummate skill. In a previous essay on the essential aspects of creative rendering of transformative music, 1 we saw that an artist must not only possess complete mastery of her musical instrument, but must have attained an advanced discernment of the higher meaning which the composer embodied in the music. In a similar vein, we earlier examined the five aspects of enlightened artistic creativity: 2 • Appreciative discernment of artistic manifestations • Opening oneself to inspiration from higher sources • Selective envisioning of artistic expression • Creative manifestation • Rediscovering and preserving the human wealth of art Edward Kilenyi In studying transformative artistic expressions, such as Plato's philosophy, Rumi's poetry, or Chopin's piano etudes, we are constantly involved in a particular "translator's" rendering of the artistic artifact from his perspective and according to his skill. Between the actual art object (music, painting, drama, literature, poetry, etc.) and the recipient (reader, viewer, listener), the translator interposes himself. If the interpreter displays consummate skill and discernment, for example, the pianist Edward Kilenyi's rendition of Chopin's Twelve Etudes, then we receive a true interpretation. If, on the other hand, the translator lacks discernment and skill, we are left with a misinterpretation at least and a disfigurement at worst. The original artifact Because of lack of discernment and skill, the translator misinterprets the artifact The resulting disfigurement In some instances, we are able to get back to the original artifact and correct the misrepresentation, creating our own more veracious interpretation. But correcting misinterpretations requires that we have the requisite discernment and skill ourselves. To understand all the ramifications of the problem of interpretation, we'll first examine the study of Plato's philosophy. In this instance, we're able to get back to the original Greek text and compare the various translations (interpretations) of the original writing: Thomas Taylor, Benjamin Jowett, A.E. Taylor, Francis M. Cornford, Paul Shorey, Hugh Tredennick, R. Hackforth, W. K. C. Guthrie, E.R. Dodds, Seth Benardete, and many others. A creative interpreter must have a sense that there is a message or a range of meanings which he can discover in the original artifact and bring to others in a manner that will enhance their understanding and appreciation. Thomas Taylor, the outstanding interpreter of Plato's thought, reflects this frame of mind: "The mistakes I may have committed in lesser particulars, have arisen from my eagerness to seize and promulgate those great truths in the philosophy and theology of Plato, which though they have been concealed for ages in oblivion, have a subsistence coeval with the universe, and will again be restored, and flourish for very extended periods, through all the infinite revolutions of time." Masterful translation requires discernment and skill. "It is necessary to speak concerning the qualifications requisite in a legitimate student of the philosophy of Plato, previous to which I shall just notice the absurdity of supposing that a mere knowledge of the Greek tongue, however great that knowledge may be, is alone sufficient to understanding the sublime doctrines of Plato; for a man might as well think that he can understand Archimedes without a knowledge of the elements of geometry, merely because he can read him in the original." "By a legitimate student, then, of the Platonic philosophy, I mean one who, both from nature and education, is properly qualified for such an arduous undertaking . . . who has never considered wisdom as a thing of trifling estimation and easy access, but as that which cannot be obtained without the most generous and severe endurance, and the intrinsic worth of which surpasses all corporeal good, far more than the ocean the fleeting bubble which floats on its surface. To such as are destitute of these requisites, who make the study of words their sole employment, and the pursuit of wisdom but at best a secondary thing, who expect to be wise by desultory application for an hour or two in a day . . . the sublimest truths must appear to be nothing more than jargon and reverie, the dreams of a distempered imagination, or the ebullitions of fanatical faith." "The greatness of communication is not the mere fact of communication, but the creation of new understanding." Stewart Edward White. The Unobstructed Universe Plato's philosophical writings are challenging, intricate, subtle works of art; every word contains a special significance. A "literal" translation is necessary--a translation that truly reflects the Greek words in their inter-relationships. This is why in some of my essays I have found it necessary to create a new translation of some of Plato's writings. Paraphrasing translations, such as those of Benjamin Jowett, for example, water down Plato, making him prosaic and unsurprising, missing much of the essence. A more discerning and skillful translator such as Thomas Taylor is able to transmit much more of Plato's meaning. Thomas Taylor 1758-1835 "Taylor himself translates Plato's Dialogues from within the ancient Greek Tradition. No English translator, before or since, has been so completely at one with the Greek philosophical and religious world view: Taylor fulfills, to the highest degree, the first requirement of the art of translation, - that of making the original writer's thought-patterns his own. Although Thomas Taylor lived in eighteenth and nineteenth century London, his spirit breathed the purer airs of an Athens of long ago, his soul worshipped in her temples, and his eyes beheld these things by the clearer light of her sun. To the student of the present day, he delivers the breadth and depth of Platonism remarkably free of the distortions which had darkened the millennium between the closure of the Academy in Athens and his own time. "Secondly, Taylor adds to Plato's Dialogues, many of the surviving commentaries of the later Platonists (e.g. Olympiodorus, Damascius, Hermias, and especially, Proclus), as footnotes and endnotes. In this way, Taylor transforms the presentation of Plato's philosophy from that of mere faithful reproduction, as remarkable as that may be in itself, to one similar to that which students are likely to have received during the later period of Plato's Academy. "'This Philosophy,' writes Taylor, 'May be compared to a luminous pyramid, terminating in Deity, and having for its basis the rational soul of man and its spontaneous unperverted is the greatest good in which man can participate: for it purifies us from the defilements of the passions and assimilates us to Divinity, it confers on us the proper felicity of our nature.'" The Prometheus Project, Introduction to Thomas Taylor's The Works of Plato Translating Plato To examine this phenomenon of translating Plato's philosophy, we can take a specific passage from Plato's Ion, examining two very different translations of this passage: Jowett's Translation Thomas Taylor's Translation "I perceive, Ion; and I will proceed to explain to you what I imagine to be the reason of this. The gift which you possess of speaking excellently about Homer is not an art, but, as I was just saying, an inspiration; there is a divinity moving you, like that contained in the stone which Euripides calls a magnet, but which is commonly known as the stone of Heraclea. This stone not only attracts iron rings, but also imparts to them a similar power of attracting other rings; and sometimes you may see a number of pieces of iron and rings suspended from one another so as to form quite a long chain: and all of them derive their power of suspension from the original stone. In like manner the Muse first of all inspires men herself; and from these inspired persons a chain of other persons is suspended, who take the inspiration. For all good poets, epic as well as lyric, compose their beautiful poems not as works of art, but because they are inspired and possessed. And as the Corybantian revellers when they dance are not in their minds, so the lyric poets are not in their right mind when they are composing their beautiful strains; but when falling under the power of music and metre they are inspired and possessed." " I do consider, Io; and proceed to show you how it appears to me. That you are able to discourse well concerning Homer is not owing to any art of which you are master; nor do you explain or illustrate him, as I said before, upon the principles or from the rules of art; but from a divine power, acting upon you, and impelling you: a power resembling that which acts in the stone, called by Euripides the magnet, but known commonly by the name of the loadstone. For this stone does not only attract iron rings, but impart to those rings the power of doing that very thing which itself does, enabling them to attract other rings of iron. So that sometimes may be seen a very long series of iron rings, depending, as in a chain, one from another. But from that stone, at the head of them is derived the virtue which operates in them all. In the same manner, the Muse, inspiring, moves men herself through her divine inpulse. From these men, thus inspired, others, catching the sacred power, form a chain of divine enthusiasts. For the best epic poets, and all such as excel in the composing any kind of verses to be recited, frame not those their admirable poems from the rules of art; but possessed by the Muse, they write from divine inspiration. Nor is it otherwise with the best lyric poets, and all other fine writers of verses to be sung. For as the priests of Cybele performl not their dances while they have the free use of their intellect; so these melody poets pen those beautiful songs of theirs only when they are out of their sober minds." In the table above, we can see how these two very different interpretations relate to the original Greek text. In this separate graph, we see the distinct difference in three renderings of one of the most important passages in Plato's Phaedo: the discussion of philosophy as the practice of dying. We can see--from both these graphs--how much more of Plato's meaning is transmitted through Taylor's rendering of these passage. If one were to read only Jowett's translation, most of the meaning would be lost. This occurs, in part, because Taylor approached philosophy as an entry-way into the Higher Mysteries. 3 Translating the Gospel of John We can get an even better sense of the role of the translator if we look at a passage in the New Testament with which most of us are familiar: the beginning of the Gospel of John. The New Testament was written in koine (vernacular) Greek. These are the actual Greek words and their transliteral meanings: Now, let's examine three different renderings of this passage from John's Gospel: The King James Version J. B. Phillips Version A New Rendering In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning. All creation took place through him, and none took place without him. In him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind. The light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out. When Time began, there occurred a self-revelation of the One Reality. This manifested self-revelation expressing spiritual meaning was subsistent with, identical to, and coeval with the One Reality. All entities came into being by the instrumentality of this manifested expression; and without this self-revelation of the One Reality not a single thing came into being. All created entities have their being in this manifested expression and all earthborn creatures have their subsistence in it. This manifested expression has the power to give truth to humankind. This giving of truth penetrates ignorance and ignorance does not overpower the giving of truth by the One Reality. I've created this new rendering of the passage by a careful study and selection of the relevant meanings of each Greek word. John's concepts are so engorged with meanings, that a simple rendering is not true to his thought. The Greek word/concept "logos" (logos), for example, has such manifold meaning in its classical Greek setting, that translating it simply as "word" is a gross distortion. If one studies John's text carefully, word by word, and reflects on the range of meanings in Greek, I believe this new rendering contains more of John's meaning than other, simpler translations. Translating Higher Artistic Phenomena I use the phrase "Higher Artistic Phenomena" to include not only art objects but also the higher phenomena of human existence and being in general. The author of the Gospel of John and Perennialist teachers such as Plato affirm that human life in particular and being in general are the handiwork of the "One Reality," sometimes termed God or The Divine. To "translate" these artistic phenomena into modern terms of understanding requires a higher discernment made possible through entry into Higher Consciousness. Such "interpretations" of the meanings of higher phenomena are esoteric in the strictest sense. Esoteric teachings contain an advanced knowledge through which they affect (and effect) each recipient (reader, listener, viewer) relative to her level of spiritual attainment. For example, esoteric Perennialist material contains an internal screening mechanism, through which the recipient may be pruned relative to specific characteristics: • If she only "likes" simple, uncomplicated material that can be understood without effort • If she lacks the discipline to persist in studying complex material The two examples of transformative material linked below test the reader to the maximum--and reward the persevering, intelligent, discerning reader to the fullest: Shakespeare saw drama as a translation of the meaning of human life, revealing "the very age and body of the time his form and pressure." Shakespeare, Hamlet The Higher Meaning of Translation As we noted earlier, "translation" also means to convey a person to a non-temporal state (heaven, mystical ecstasy) without physical death. In his letter to Jewish Christians (titled Hebrews), Paul says: "It was because of his faith that Enoch (a descendant of Adam) was translated to the eternal world without experiencing death." The King James Version (KJV) spells this out in more detail: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (11:5) Paul taught that Christians experience "translation" into a Higher Realm: "Who did rescue us out of the authority of the darkness, and did translate us into the reign of the Son of His love" (Colossians 1:13) A similar spiritual state is spoken of in Greek classical writings, in Hindu and Buddhist texts, and in the New Testament: transfiguration. The Greek word is metemorphothe: a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances; an exalting, glorifying, or spiritual change. Jesus is said to have been transfigured in the presence of some of his disciples. In earlier discussions, we've seen that the formal religion that became known as the Holy Roman Church was and is nothing but a vast repository of false teachings and practices. At the present time, what is called Christianity, in all its Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant guises, is a horrible deformity of Jesus's original teachings. Jesus's teachings say that man is capable of a second birth into the sovereignty of the higher realm (mistranslated "kingdom of heaven"). However, this re-birth or second birth belongs to the inner aspect of man, not to man as he seems to be in himself: a materialistic body living on earth. Jesus and Paul taught that we must undergo a definite re-birth, a complete regeneration of our being from one state to another, the removing of the person from the earthly to the heavenly state without the intervening experience of physical death--translation and transfiguration. 1 "Perennialist Art" 2 Chapter 9 in The Perennial Tradition: "Perennialist Artistic Creativity" 3 "Philosophy may he called the initiation into the true arcana, and the instruction in the genuine Mysteries. There are five parts of this initiation . . . The fifth gradation is the most perfect felicity arising from hence, and, according to Plato an assimilation to divinity as far as is possible to human beings." Thomas Taylor, Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries Related material:
How to Create and Implement the Service Vision? A leader must first have developed a mental image of a possible and desirable future state of the organization. This image, which we call vision, may be as vague as a dream or as precise as a goal or a mission statement. The critical point is that a vision articulates a view of a realistic, credible, attractive future for the organization, a condition that is better in some important ways than what now exists. A vision is a target that beckons (Figure 21.2). Essence of Leadership Model Synthesizing the Vision: The ability to integrate information of various types is essential in creating a service vision. Synthesizing a vision requires foresight, to ensure that the vision will be appropriate for the future environment; hindsight, so that organizational tradition and culture are not overly violated; a world- view, to capitalize on the impact of new developments and trends; depth perception, to see the whole picture in detail and perspective; and peripheral vision, to foresee possible responses from competitors. The process must also include a mechanism for revision, so that the vision will reflect future changes in the environment. Clearly Articulating the Vision: Service visions may be simple or complex, but the best ones are “brief, clear, abstract in representing a general ideal rather than a specific achievement, challenging, future-oriented, stable, and desirable. Promoting Commitment to the Service Vision: Service leaders constantly and visibly express their commitment to the troops of service employees on which they depend for execution of the vision. A leader implements the services vision: Promoting commitment to the service vision is critical if leaders are to translate service vision into specific actions. The leader must also engage in other actions and activities to implement the vision, including structuring the organisation; selecting, acculturating and training employees; motivating; managing information; building teams; and promoting change, innovation, and risk-taking. Selecting, Acculturating and Training: Selecting, acculturating, and training are three related and critical leadership activities. Selecting involves choosing the right service worker for each job. Acculturating involves instilling the organization’s culture and vision in those selected. Training helps employees understand and perform their responsibilities and duties. Managing Information: Effective leaders are information gatherers who listen to their subordinates and to sources outside the organization, especially customers: “They are around and available, not remote and unapproachable. They read. They develop wide information networks. They share and disseminate information appropriately within the organization”. Service leaders, in particular, are typically “deeply and personally involved in the customer service function of their business. They personally read complaint logs and letters, took phone calls, and were highly visible and available to the rank and file”. They are unwilling to delegate this most important function to others in the firm, but want to be involved and ‘knowledgeable themselves. Leaders who keep their ears tuned to employees are using upward communication to understand the activities and performance in the company. Specific types of communication that may be relevant are formal (e.g., reports of problems and exceptions in service delivery) and informal (e.g., discussions between contact people and upper-level managers). Leaders who stay close to their contact people benefit not only by keeping their employees happy but also by learning more about the customer. Building Teams: Service leaders need to build cooperation among their followers, to teach subordinates to work effectively together to achieve goals. Amount the strategies used to ensure that employees work together are creating cooperative goals that can only be reached together, using project teams and task forces, and implementing group-based reward systems. Building an effective top-management team to demonstrate to all the organization that teamwork is essential – is symbolic as well as practical. No comments yet. Leave a Reply
Category Archives: scientific approach Living in a ‘post-fact’ world Studies find that people with higher numeracy and understanding of the scientific method and its tools are more likely to challenge or twist the results of scientific studies that challenge their ideologies. For example, it’s the more scientifically competent persons on the political right (those who are most identified with a free-market ideology) who mount the most vehement assaults against claims of human contributions to global warming. This article delves into the extent of cognitive biases against facts (rigorously validated knowledge claims) and the apparent variables affecting when those biases are triggered. It also raises possible ways to mitigate biases.
Explore BrainMass Motivation & Eating The Solution provides a comprehensive discussion taking on the following issues presented below: Eating healthy Analyze the brain structures and functions associated with the motivation to engage in your selected behavior. In your analysis, be sure to also evaluate the impact of extrinsic and intrinsic factors, including heredity and the environment, on the motivation to engage in your selected behavior. Solution Preview Dear Student, Below is your solution. This is your guide in understanding a perspective into motivation and its association to eating and the science, both social & natural, behind it. Good Luck! OTA 105878 Motivation & Eating Eating is that physical activity living things engage to provide fuel for the body, a natural act that preserves life & ensures its continuance. To survive, the body must be fuelled with the essential amounts of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals & fluids; eating however is not just an act of survival, it is also a source for pleasure for animals, including human beings. Many people find satisfaction from creating & savouring the most tasteful dishes and culinary arts is part of any national or regional culture as much as it is imbedded in family traditions. France have their gourmands, Americans have their culinary specialists, critics & star Chefs while every nation in the world take pride in particular cuisines & dishes. Motivation is that cause or body of reasons that encourage or push people to work towards a certain goal, a certain reward. The reasons behind motivations can be varied - basic needs rewards, wants, desires, the ideal or the state being. In the case of eating - the State of Being satisfied food-wise as well as to feed the body with the necessary fuel to continue on and survive is both the reward and the purpose although it is arguably true that at times, the state of being continually satisfied by the delight or pleasure of the food being consumed leads to overeating and for the person (or animal) to become obese - an unhealthy physical state that can lead to serious problems of both the mental (eating disorders, depression) and physical problems (i.e. heart attack). Scientists, in the case of eating disorders and the study of eating and its relation to human psychology have been engaged in a continual developmental study to map out the functions of the brain & its relations to eating & motivation. It is believed that a better understanding of the way the human psyche work in terms of motivation, wants & desires could help in combating the problem of mental disorders including depression and issues related to over/under eating. In 2006, researchers of a neuroscience team composed of participants & scientists from the University of California, Stanford & MIT through their ... Solution Summary The solution is a comprehensive APA-style essay that analyzes healthy eating as it relates to motivation. It also delves into the varied factors like heredity and socialization that influences behaviour. Attached is the word version of the solution for easy printing.
Who hasn’t heard of fake news? It’s the talk of the town. This concept is far from new. Fake news has been around since 44 BC, with Octavian’s campaign of misinformation against Mark Antony. When the printing press was invented in 1439, there was no journalism ethics code of conduct to follow so they printed anything. Yellow journalism, which arose in 1898, and political propaganda go hand-in-hand with fake news. U.S. History is no stranger to this concept of fake news. What is the definition of fake news, one might ask? One comes from the President. He uses it to discredit reporting that he doesn’t like/agree with. In other situations, fake news is formed when con-artists insert false articles into national conversations through software that runs through social media accounts. Don’t get this confused with satirical news. This is a form of comedy meant to inform viewers/share commentary about real news, usually highlighting ridiculous stories. It has a comedic effect, most of the time. Saturday Night Live would be an example of satirical news. kayla-velasquez-199343Now you might be asking, “But how do these ridiculous (but non-satirical) stories reach so many people? And why do people believe them?!” The answer is bots. Bots are computer software used to make an article appear more popular than it really is. Fake social accounts pick these articles up and automatically like/retweet the message. Once the post reaches a high volume of people, the “important” people start to see it and react. That is how fake news is spread. These people who “took the bait” and fell for the fake news become the new bots. The cycle continues. An average “fake news columnist” makes $10,000 a month– by making money on ads with each click. That’s crazy, but very possible with all of the people reading these articles. A study shows that most people will believe almost anything in a format that is news-oriented and looks “official”. Facebook, Twitter, and Google are on top of this. After the election, they changed their programs, making it harder for fake sources to populate their streams. Google came out with the following statement, “Moving forward, we will restrict ad serving on pages that misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about the publisher, the publisher’s content, or the primary purpose of the web property”. Which political party is more to blame: Republicans or Democrats? Honestly, it’s pretty equal. Regardless of party, people get sucked into these lies, whether through their Facebook stream or by advertisement. Both parties are affected. The right-leaning believers tend to be in their 40’s and 50’s. The left-leaning believers are mostly affluent and college-educated. So in other words, watch out.
What Parts of Jewelry Are You Allergic To? Jewelry Allergy The component of jewelry that people are most often allergic to is nickel. Nickel allergy is actually a very common sort of allergy, which is a shame because most yellow gold and white gold products are alloyed with nickel. The higher the karat, the less nickel is used, but the more malleable the gold is. Having an allergic reaction to nickel is called dermatitis. There are other types of gold mixtures that do not have nickel like green gold, gray-white gold, and pink gold so take heart in your other options! There are also other non-gold choices like platinum, palladium, cobalt, etc. There are preventative measures for dealing with dermatitis. For instance, wearing jewelry while it is smoldering hot outside is a terrible idea. The sweat will often wear away the nickel and form nickel salts which then reacts with the skin and causes an allergic reaction. Keeping the skin clean and dry will help prevent irritation, or simply removing the jewelry when outside for long periods of time. Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Jun 08 2017 Connecting Canadians through a renewable energy supergrid June 8, 2017 \| By It should be easy because Canada is blessed with a diversity of renewable energy resources. Globally, we rank second in hydropower generation – thanks mostly to Quebec, Manitoba and BC. Only China uses more flowing water to generate electricity. But it’s not just hydro. Ontario has become a large wind and solar player and Nova Scotia hosts one of the world’s few tidal power plants operating at scale. More resources remain undeveloped. Hydropower could be doubled by exploiting new sites in BC, Manitoba, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. Alberta and Saskatchewan have some of the best wind and solar potential in the country, and it could replace oil and gas as the key energy drivers there. Ontario still has undeveloped wind and solar potential. On top of these resources, Canada could leverage its forestry industry to create sustainable biomass, while offshore wind, wave and tidal power have potential on both coasts. However, despite these advantages, Canada’s sheer size is a major barrier to renewable energy expansion. Many of these resources are scattered throughout the country in remote locations. It would be difficult – and expensive – to get this low-carbon renewable electricity to where it is needed, when it is needed. However, there is a bold solution: connecting all of Canada through a national east-west renewable electricity supergrid that links the country’s vast renewable resources to where they are needed. In this video, Richard Carlson discusses in greater detail the nation-building potential of a pan-Canadian renewable energy supergrid. A Bold Idea: Connecting the Country A national supergrid would use high voltage direct current lines (HV DC) to connect all consumers with renewable electricity, and do it efficiently (see map below). Hydropower could act as a flexible backup to the more variable wind and solar resources, increasing reliability. HV DC lines, unlike the more common alternating current (AC) lines, are able to transmit electricity vast distances without losses, thereby enabling this electricity trade. As with any network, larger is better as it enables more diversity and reliability. Thus, Canada’s size, along with its geographic and weather diversity, would be an advantage for the system. According to modelling exercises in the US, the larger the area encompassed by a supergrid, the more wind and solar power sources that could be reliably integrated. Moreover, a larger area means lower electricity costs because the system has more options to meet electricity demand using the most efficient resources at that particular time and location. In addition to promoting low-carbon energy, consumers in provinces with higher-cost electricity systems would also benefit from lower-cost hydropower. What needs to be done There are three main challenges to overcome: 1. Building the HV DC lines 2. Creating an institutional and market framework 3. Costs HV DC lines will enable the development of the supergrid. HV DC lines are not new – in fact there are a number in Canada, including one exporting hydropower from northern Quebec to the U.S. and another connecting northern Manitoba with the southern part of the province. But a Canadian supergrid would require HV DC lines to be built on a much larger scale than has ever been done. A number of jurisdictions are also looking into building large HV DC supergrids to integrate large amounts of renewable power. A private consortium in the U.S. is proposing to build an HV DC line extending from western Oklahoma to western Tennessee. With this project, the south-eastern portions of the country could be supplied with wind power developed in the particularly windy Oklahoma panhandle. China has a similar plan to connect wind and hydro farms in the interior of the country with areas on the coast. On a larger scale, the head of China’s State Grid Corporation, the state-owned transmission utility for most of China, has even talked about a global wind and solar electricity grid with a base in Asia. The European Union has been studying the idea of a North Sea Supergrid to connect offshore wind power with each of the countries in the region. Nordic hydropower would also be integrated for backup. Here in Canada, integrating jurisdictions will be another challenge. Getting the provinces to work together will not be easy – as can be seen in the long and tangled history between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec over hydropower development and transmission rights. The provinces are also used to treating electricity as their domain and meeting their electricity needs from within their borders. Electricity development has been used for local economic development at times, such as with nuclear and renewable power in Ontario and hydropower in Quebec. Federal leadership could help bring the provinces together to overcome the obstacles to market integration. Examples of different jurisdictions integrating their markets, generally for political and economic reasons, are numerous. The Nordic countries, for example, integrated their electricity markets in 1996 and included competitive markets such as Denmark with the more government-owned market of Norway. Closer to home, Pennsylvania and New Jersey joined their electricity markets in 1927 to create the PJM Market. That market now includes 14 northeastern states. And despite a history of political antagonism, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have integrated their electricity market in the All-Island Single Electricity Market. Finally, cost would be a major challenge. A 2013 estimate puts the total cost for a national supergrid across Canada at $22 billion (in 2011 dollars) – and this is likely a low estimate. The proposed federal infrastructure bank includes funding for cross-border electricity connections, which could help alleviate the cost burden. It would literally connect the entire country, bring everyone together to work on reducing our carbon emissions, and benefit all Canadians. One possible option for the funding would be to develop the supergrid in a more piecemeal, regional fashion. These regional supergrids would focus on provincial connections that could offer high value, such as those between BC and Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and Quebec and Ontario and the Maritimes first, while ensuring that these links could later be expanded to include other provinces. One advantage of the more regional supergrids is that they could be integrated with American neighbours where suitable. While not without its challenges, developing an east-west Canadian Renewable Supergrid would be a nation-building project, in line with past national infrastructure projects. Each province would, with its unique geographic advantages, contribute to the making of the supergrid and benefit from it. It would literally connect the entire country, bringing everyone together to work on reducing our carbon emissions, and benefit all Canadians. Canada has long been an energy “superpower.” A renewable energy supergrid would allow it be an energy superpower for a very long time to come. More Bold Ideas More related to this topic Video Title Nation-building through a pan-Canadian renewable energy supergrid Featured Contributors Richard Carlson Release Date June 8, 2017 Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterShare on LinkedInEmail this to someone
Millard Fillmore’s forgotten role in the slavery debate Most of us don’t know all that much about Millard Fillmore beyond the fact that he was President of the United States. I came across this post on his birthday, January 7. Like William H. Seward, Fillmore “was a protégé of the state Whig party leader, Thurlow Weed.” He was Zachary Taylor’s vice president in 1849. “At the time, Congress was involved in a heated debate about the future of slavery in newly acquired territories and states, and it was Fillmore who presided over the debates in the Senate. President Taylor defied expectations and didn’t endorse the expansion of slavery. Taylor specifically wanted California admitted as a free state.” Taylor died the following year, without a compromise in the argument, and Fillmore took office as President of the United States. “Fillmore worked with a rising Senator, Stephen Douglas, from the rival Democratic Party on a package of laws that admitted California as a free state, but granted some important concessions to pro-slavery forces. Fillmore was conflicted over parts of the Compromise, especially because his personal experiences. But as he told Daniel Webster in a letter, he felt it was his constitutional duty to enforce the law. ‘God knows I detest slavery, but it is an existing evil, for which we are not responsible, and we must endure it and give it such protection as is guaranteed by the constitution, till we get rid of it without destroying the last hope of free government in the world,’ Fillmore said. The result was that Fillmore had greatly upset members of the Democrats and the Whigs with the Compromise. The passage of the Fugitive Slave Act angered Northerners, who saw that President Fillmore would act to compel federal marshals to track down slaves to had escaped to the north. Fillmore also sent government troops to the South to act against rumors of a secession by South Carolina. Pro-slavery forces were also unhappy that slavery had been barred in California. The Compromise of 1850 also dealt a fatal blow to the Whig Party, which had divided into an anti-slavery northern section and a pro-slavery southern section. At the 1852 Whig convention, Fillmore couldn’t gain support for the presidential nomination he sought at the last moment; General Winfield Scott became a candidate who stood little chance against the Democratic Party.” So Millard Fillmore played a key role in the Compromise of 1850, acted against secession, and staved off civil war for another decade. 1. Mark Mitchell · · Reply I think you meant the “1852” Whig Convention not the “1952” Whig Convention. I guess when Fillmore couldn’t get support Ike got nominated . . . 1. Thanks. I made the change. The error was in the original blog post from which I copied and pasted, and I didn’t notice the error. 2. Pat Young · · Reply My Alma was founded by Millard Fillmore. There was an annual ceremony honoring him which no one attended. He was mostly remembered as a Know Nothing bigot who hated the types of folks who filled the University of Buffalo. After doing some research I learned that he was a hypocrite. 1. That’s the thing with historical figures. They all have their bad points as well as their good points. 1. To finish up on the hypocrite designation, Fillmore was the 1856 Know Nothing candidate for president. Right before he accepted the nomination of the anti-Catholic party he had traveled through Europe. While there he sought and obtained an audience with the Pope. Also, his daughter had gone to a Catholic school! 1. Isn’t “hypocrite” a synonym for “politician?” 🙂 3. Kurt Guelde · · Reply On a positive note he was responsible for allowing the Native Americans of the Upper Great Lakes to remain in their historic homeland and not be shipped off to “Indian Territory.” 4. I find there to be interesting parallels between what Fillmore faced in 1850 and what occurred 10 years later. Immediately after becoming President he faced a controversy over the boundary between Texas and New Mexico (which was partially a dispute over the extent of slavery). Fillmore sent troops to New Mexico and made a proclamation to Congress in which he stated that “if the laws of the United States are opposed or obstructed, in any State or Territory, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the judicial or civil authorities, it becomes a case in which it is the duty of the President, either to call out the militia or to employ the military and naval force of the United States, or to do both, if in his judgment the exigency of the occasion shall so require, for the purpose of suppressing such combination.” He was prepared to use the same authority Lincoln used a decade later to suppress the Confederacy. Later in the year he learned that there might be an attempt to seize US property in South Carolina. He moved additional troops to South Carolina and had Gen Scott go on an “inspection” tour” in the south. When the South Carolina governor demanded an explanation, Fillmore responded that he was the commander-in-chief and could re-position troops within the US where he wanted without having to check with anyone. I speculate that the secessionists were more prepared and rushed to act in 1860-61 because of their experience dealing with the President when they were unprepared and half-hearted in 1850. 1. Excellent information, Ned. Thanks. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
3 Reads 0 Votes 1 Part Story exclassics By exclassics Updated Aug 14, 2016 The figure of the miser is well-known in fiction and not unknown in fact. He (or sometimes she) dresses in rags, goes cold in winter, eats as little as possible of the cheapest food and cadges or scavenges anything else needed. All this, in order to accumulate money which will never be spent. One of my acquaintance seemed to be the poorest creature imaginable. She repaired her clothes with duct tape, lived in a squalid room, and lived by the charity of her neighbours and her church. When she eventually died, she left £250,000 to the local animal refuge, and nothing to those who had helped her for years. Yet she presumably gained some pleasure from her wretched life, else why would she endure such hardship? We can only speculate Merryweather's short book gathers together the stories of mostly 18th Century misers. It was well-known in its day, the more so because it features in Dickens' Our Mutual Friend, where Mr. Boffin buys a copy, and, since he cannot read, pays Silas Wegg to read it to him. No comments listed yet.
Search This Blog Find Number Of Days Problem Find Number Of Days Problem - 13 February A few friends decided to go on a vacation to a resort. It was raining heavily and it kept raining for thirteen days. When it rained in the morning, the afternoon was beautiful and when it rained in the afternoon, the day was blessed with a clear morning. Overall, the friends experienced eleven nice mornings and twelve nice afternoons. Can you find out the number of days they spent in the vacations ? For Solution : Click Here 1. The friends arrived the first day in afternoon when it had finished raining in morning. So one less morning. since a ping - pong is involved , it means atleast 11 full days + half day extra for that first afternoon. total 11.5d 2. They spent 18 days: 6 nice mornings with a rainy afternoon + 7 rainy mornings with a nice afternoon = 13 rainy days 5 nice mornings with a nice afternoon = 5 sunny days
Search This Blog Monday, April 9, 2012 Smoke-free Workplace? Public buildings in the United States are smoke-free for the most part because there is general consensus that exposure to the smoke from another person's tobacco product could cause respiratory problems in susceptible people such as asthmatics and children. Hotel rooms have the smoke-free option, and even bars are mostly non-smoking these days. But what if it's not enough? Research has shown that so called "third-hand" smoke, the residue of exhaled second-hand smoke, is actually quite a health hazard that must be addressed. So simple banning of smoking in buildings will not necessarily protect the rest of us from what comes in on a smoker's skin and clothing after they smoke outside or in their car. In 2010, a study by a group of environmental scientists showed that when residual nicotine reacts with other chemicals (mainly nitrous acid), it forms cancer-causing agents known as TSNAs, or tobacco-specific nitrosamines. Nitrous acid is found naturally in the environment as well as in association with gas appliances indoors. This interaction has the effect of producing potent carcinogens. All non-smokers are familiar with that stale odor in a house, hotel room or car where a smoker has preceded them even if it has been days, weeks or months since anyone has actually lit up. It can be nauseating and annoying, but more importantly, it can contribute to disease with repeated exposure over time - this environmental science study confirms that potential. Infants and toddlers are potentially more at risk for exposure to these toxins than the rest of us - we hold a baby close to our chest where the residue of a recently extinguished cigarette still clings to our clothing; we let our toddler crawl on the carpet that has years of toxic chemical one wants to cause harm to a child, and most smokers would have absolutely no idea that this silent exposure is happening. The current policies of banning smoking within so many feet of a building are at least better than no policy at all, but unless there is some way to decontaminate clothing and objects that accompany the smoker through their day, the rest of us may not escape at least some exposure to the third-hand carcinogenic agents.
Iraq retakes town of Nimrud near ancient Assyrian city, Iraqi military says Story highlights • ISIS blew up ruins of ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in northern Iraq in 2015 • Iraqi forces reclaim modern town of Nimrud, close to ancient city, in battle to retake Mosul (CNN)For centuries, the massive Assyrian city in northern Iraq lay buried beneath the sands of time, forgotten by history. Archaeologists first began excavating Nimrud -- built nearly 3,000 years ago -- in the 1840s. In the decades that followed, they unearthed priceless treasures from the city, including palaces adorned with unique frescoes and giant sculptures that offered a window into Iraq's glorious past. ISIS militants destroy antiquities with sledgehammer isis destroys iraq mosul artifacts_00000912 ISIS militants destroy antiquities with sledgehammer ISIS militants destroy antiquities with sledgehammer 02:01 The terror group released disturbing footage of the destruction. Militants with electric drills and sledgehammers smashed statues and tore holes in the walls. Bulldozers razed structures to the ground. The last frame of an ISIS video captured a massive explosion and a cloud of smoke and dust. UNESCO described the deliberate destruction of Nimrud as a "war crime." On Saturday, Iraqi forces reclaimed the modern town of Nimrud, close to the ancient city, as part of the ongoing battle for Mosul -- ISIS' last major stronghold in Iraq, according to a statement from Iraq's Joint Military Command. Several ISIS militants were killed in the battle to liberate the town, the statement said. Nearly a week ago Iraqi forces liberated a nearby village also known as Nimrud and the site of the ruins. Nimrud is 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of Mosul. Nimrud and Nineveh "The palaces of Sennacherib at Nineveh and Ashurnasirpal II at Nimrud are vestiges of the political, cultural and artistic height of the Assyrian Empire," the group says on its website under the heading "Why it Matters." The group had helped preserve the treasures at Nimrud following the Iraq War. The destruction last year was not the first time ISIS has targeted cultural and ancient sites in Iraq and Syria. The terror group took over the ancient ruined city of Hatra in 2014, using it to store weapons and ammunitions. It has destroyed libraries, palaces and churches and blown up shrines such as the tomb of Jonah, a holy site said to be the burial place of the prophet Jonah, and a key figure in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Last year ISIS militants with sledgehammers obliterated stone sculptures and other centuries-old artifacts in the Mosul Museum. "ISIS continues to defy the will of the world and the feelings of humanity," Iraq's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement then, condemning the destruction in that museum. Other precious monuments destroyed by war Iraq's neighbor Syria is also a treasure-trove of archaeological sites, many of which have been reduced to rubble during that country's ongoing civil war. The destruction has disturbed many scholars and historians. "All attacks on archaeological sites and artifacts are brutal assaults on our collective human memory," Cornell University archaeologist and classicist Sturt W. Manning wrote in a commentary last year for CNN. "They deprive us of the evidence of human endeavors and achievements."
Welcome guest. Sign in here Editing and proofreading in detail All documents need copyediting and proofreading. Some documents may also require substantive editing of the whole or some of the parts. The need for substantive editing may be identified up front or become apparent during the copyediting. Here the lines may easily blur between substantive and copyediting. Substantive editing Substantive editing (including, and sometimes called, structural editing) is assessing and shaping material to improve its organisation and content. It is editing to clarify meaning, improve flow and smooth language. Substantive editing ensures that the structure, content, language and style of the document are effective and appropriate to its intended function and readership. Structural editing is an important element of a substantive edit and may be done as a first step. Structural editing establishes a cohesive framework by moving parts of the document around, and working on elements such as the hierarchy and phrasing of headings, to ensure a logical and effective approach. The text and appropriate connections between the parts can then be refined during the copyedit. Copyediting is editing to ensure consistency, accuracy and completeness. Copyediting is not confined to ensuring accuracy and consistency in grammar, spelling, punctuation and other mechanics of style. It also encompasses fact checking, presenting visual elements effectively in relation to the text and putting the document together as a whole, including preliminary and end matter. In addition, copyeditors advise on potential copyright and legal issues and liaise with design and production staff. Proofreading is examining material after layout to correct errors in textual and visual elements. Proofreading involves a final careful read, checking key facts and that any late corrections have been taken in without introducing new errors. The proofreader also checks that all necessary elements have been included and cross-checks items such as page and figure numbers. Checking typography and layout (including word, line and page breaks, fonts and spacing, and effectiveness of visual elements) is a vital but often overlooked aspect of proofreading. A trained proofreader will pick up many technical elements that an amateur is likely to miss. Examples of specialist editing Plain English Plain English rewriting translates bureaucratic, technical or overly complex material so the meaning is clear. Thesis editing A student needs approval from their principal supervisor to use an editor for copyediting and proofreading; the editor may draw attention to substantive problems but not provide solutions. The editor's work must be acknowledged. See IPEd's Guidelines for editing research theses. The role of editors Editors are part of a team that guides a work through its various stages from creation to publication. All editors need to have a broad understanding of the publishing process and of their role within it, regardless of the extent of their involvement. They should demonstrate initiative and flexibility, adapting to the needs of a project and the specific work environment. They need to communicate clearly and tactfully, and to respect the opinions of others. Editors work with many different subjects and many types of publication (novels, reports, websites, magazines, textbooks and scientific materials, to name a few) that require specialised knowledge and skills. Editors also work in many different contexts, from book editing for traditional publishing houses to advising on communications strategies in government or corporate sectors. Some editors perform tasks that extend beyond editing, such as project management, design, indexing and website maintenance. All quotes from Australian Standards for Editing Practice, second edition, Institute of Professional Editors Limited.
Cooling fan speed controllers do it by generating heat Dummy batteries let you use an AC adapter Continue reading “Dummy batteries let you use an AC adapter” Bench supply built in a power strip [Thanks OverFlow636 via Reddit] Cellphone charger has a USB port forced upon it We still can’t figure out why a standard charging scheme hasn’t been developed for handheld devices (other than greed). Certainly we understand that many devices have different electrical needs as far as voltage and current are concerned, but we still long for the ability to use one charger for many different doodads. [Rupin] is trying to narrow down the number of dedicated chargers he uses by adding a USB charging port to his Nokia cellphone charger. Since the USB standard calls for regulated 5V a hack like this can often be done just by patching into the power output coming off of the voltage regulator in the plug housing of the device. [Rupin’s] charger had 5V printed on the case, but when he probed the output he found well over 8 volts. He added a 7805 linear regulator to get the stable output he needed, then cut a hole in the case to house the connector. Since [Rupin] wants to use this as an iPod charger he couldn’t just let the two data lines float. Apple uses a specific charger verification scheme which requires some voltage dividers to get the device to start charging.
Plotting Two Sets of Latitude and Longitude on a Map Published: 22 Jan 2013 Last Modified Date: 19 Jun 2017 How to plot two sets of latitude and longitude coordinates, from different data sources. Tableau Desktop Open a workbook and connect to data 1. Compare the structures from the two data sources to determine any differences in the field names and types. 2. Open Tableau Desktop and connect to one data source. 3. Drag a table to the canvas. 4. Select New Custom SQL. 5. Write a UNION query that creates a common set of fields between the two data tables, such as in the following example: SELECT [MapPoints1$].[Location_Name] AS [Location_Name], [MapPoints1$].[Latitude] AS [Latitude], [MapPoints1$].[Longitude] AS [Longitude], [MapPoints1$].[Type] AS [Type], "A" as [Source] FROM [MapPoints1$] [MapPoints2$].[Location_Place] AS [Location_Name], [MapPoints2$].[Latitude] AS [Latitude], [MapPoints2$].[Longitude] AS [Longitude], [MapPoints2$].[TypeOfPlace] AS [Type], "B" as [Source] FROM [MapPoints2$] 6. Click OK. 7. In the Data Connection dialog box, select Connect live or Import all data. Create the map view 1. Drag [Longitude] (not [Longitude (generated])] to the Columns shelf. 2. Drag [Latitude] (not [Latitude (generated)]) to the Rows shelf. 3. Drag [Location_Name] to Label on the Marks card. 4. Drag [Type] to Color. Additional Information The field [Source] may be used to differentiate between the two original data sources for calculations. Did this article resolve the issue?

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