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T. Jared Bunch, MD Rhythm of Life The lowdown on heartbeat disorders Posted in: Heart Health What does Protein Supplementation after Exercise Do to Your Heart? Published Dec 4, 2013 On Black Friday I showed up early to my community gym to work off some of the effects of a great Thanksgiving meal. My gym was holding its’ own Black Friday sales event. Lining the gym halls were numerous displays of supplements, training tools, workshops, and personal trainers offering seasonal discounts on products and services. Of the many options, protein supplements seemed to be in almost every display. Protein was available in almost every type of food source imaginable and carefully packaged with a picture of massively toned muscles. In fact, the people handing me a small sample protein shake had biceps that made my thigh muscles look small. All of this brought two questions to my mind: what benefits do people who are exercising receive by consuming supplemental protein and what does it do to the heart muscle? Creatine Supplementation Creatine (protein) supplementation has been used for many years. Typically the supplement is used as a natural and legal way to improve endurance and power (1). Creatine can also assist in adding skeletal muscle bulk or mass. Creatine is also used to shorten recovery time after intense exercise. The latter can be measured directly as both lactate production and muscle inflammation are reduced (2,3). Additional creatine supplementation in animals results in higher levels in skeletal muscle, the heart and lungs, and brain (4). I think this latter animal information is important as it suggests that the supplemental protein not only enters the body as a food source, but it directly reaches many of the organs in our bodies in a relatively preserved state. Potential Risks and Benefits of Creatine Use and the Heart With skeletal muscles (the muscles of our arms, legs, stomach, etc.) exercise will strengthen, tone, and enlarge them. This is often the goal of exercise. Creatine helps this process by providing some of the building blocks of muscle growth and recovery. The heart is a unique muscle. It has to do two things actively over 100,000 times per day. The most obvious is that is has to squeeze and pump blood throughout the body. In people that increase the work load of the heart, such as those that develop high blood pressure, sleep apnea, or obesity, the heart muscle thickens to meet the demand. However, the heart also has to actively relax to quickly accept the returning blood. This second action of the heart (relaxation) is often overlooked, but it is equally important. If the heart stiffens and thickens, the time it takes to relax increases. The heart increases its rate during exercise or other forms of stress or excitement by shortening the time it takes to relax. If the heart is too stiff to relax quickly, then during fast heart rates the heart actually becomes less efficient. As a consequence symptoms of shortness of breath and exercise intolerance develop. As a consequence, of your many muscles, the one that you don’t want thickened or hypertrophied is the heart. In this regard, if chronic creatine supplementation stiffens or thickens the heart then its use may be harmful over time. However, as mentioned above, protein also helps recovery. For example, creatine has been shown to increase muscle energy storage and utilization capacity (5). These attributes may prove beneficial in heart muscle that is at constant demand throughout the day. As mentioned in my prior column “Exercise, Is More Really More?” http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/jared-bunch-rhythm-of-life/exercise-is-more-really-more/, chronic structural changes to the heart with extensive exercise training may be harmful. In this column, I discussed many trials that show the heart performs well at certain levels of exercise and when these levels are exceeded some breakdown and fibrosis can develop. One question I have had with protein is, can supplementation prevent or minimize breakdown of heart muscle during or after extreme exercise? Creatine and the Heart Unfortunately there are not a lot of data regarding the long-term effects of creatine and the heart. However, there are some intriguing animal studies that have looked at hearts under stress and the effects of creatine supplementation. One is a study of rats. The rats were separated into 4 groups. One group was sedentary. Another group was sedentary but received creatine supplementation in jelly cubes. Another group was exercised. They exercised the rats by having them swim 5 days a week for 8 weeks. Finally, the last group exercised and received creatine. The cardiac function and fitness of the rats were measurement and creatine did not positively influence either. The energy machinery and stores in the heart (called the mitrochondria) were not more efficient or effective with creatine. When the researchers caused a heart attack in the rats, the creatine did not result in a smaller area of injury or recovery from the stress. In fact, in the animals that were exposed to heart ischemia (low blood flow) the ischemic contracture or breakdown of the heart was the worst in the groups treated with creatine, in particular the exercised rats receiving creatine (6). The authors did not report that the creatine thickened or stiffened the heart. To me there are a few take home messages. First, it is fortunate that the rats did not develop stiffened or thickened hearts. Next, the creatine did not aid in heart recovery and may worsen the heart recovery during or after stress. This latter finding suggests cautious use with extreme exercise particularly when doing activities in which the heart rate will be elevated for a prolonged period of time. Unfortunately hearts that are pushed at a high level for too long will develop some degree if ischemia. This process is accelerated in people that have narrowed heart arteries or a thickened heart muscle. Finally, humans are not rats, so if this is concerning, remember that these findings need to be examined in other species. Unfortunately, the other study involved rats as well, so you can insert the human comment to this one as well. In this study rats were exposed to a significant stress. The stress was endotoxemia. Endotoxemia is a toxin that is often produced by bacteria and can lead to multi-organ failure called sepsis. Similar to humans, when rats were exposed to endotoxemia, their hearts began to weaken and fail as energy sources were quickly consumed to fight the stress. In the rats that received creatine supplementation, the energy stores were not enhanced or preserved and in the heart muscle adversely stiffened. Unfortunately, this stiffening resulted in lower heart function and output (7). In humans loss of heart output often accelerates the failure of other organs. Unfortuantely, this trial minimizes my optimism that creatine will not stiffen or thicken the heart if used long-term in very stressful situations. The Next Steps and What to Do Clearly we need long-term human data and studies to serve as a guide for recommendations. Animal models usually serve as the background to conduct human trials. Until these trials are available consider a few things. If you don’t need creatine or additional protein, don’t consume supplemental protein. Most people in the United States actually consume an excess amount of protein each day. As mentioned in my prior column, optimal exercise times in which the heart is in an aerobic state are between 30-60 minutes a day. In this range, recovery is often quick and healthy regardless of supplementation. However, if you are trying to add muscle mass, then creatine is often a core part of training. In this regard, spend time to make sure you do not have other health related conditions that can stiffen the heart such as high blood pressure. Other treatable or preventable health diseases are sleep apnea, obesity, and diabetes all of which can stiffen the heart. Finally, if you have narrowed heart arteries, have received a stent or bypass operation, or have had a heart attack consider avoiding protein supplementation as part of your exercise training until human data and outcomes become available. 1. Stone MH, Sanborn K, Smith LL, O’Bryant HS, Hoke T, Utter AC, Johnson RL, Boros R, Hruby J, Pierce KC, Stone ME, Garner B. Effects of in-season (5 weeks) creatine and pyruvate supplementation on anaerobic performance and body composition in Ameri- can football players. Int J Sport Nutr 1999, 146–165. 2. Ceddia RB, Sweeney G. Creatine supplementation increases glucose oxidation and AMPK phosphorylation and reduces lactate production in L6 rat skeletal muscle cells. J Physiol 2004, 555, 409–421. 3. Santos RV, Bassit RA, Caperuto EC, Costa Rosa LF. The effect of creatine supplementation upon inflammatory and muscle soreness markers after a 30km race. Life Sci 2004, 75, 1917–1924. 4. Ipsiroglu OS, Stromberger C, Ilas J, Hoger H, Muhl A, Stockler-Ipsiroglu S. Changes of tissue creatine concentrations upon oral supplementation of creatine-monohydrate in various animal species. Life Sci. 2001 Aug 31;69(15):1805-15. 5. Fukuda DH, Smith AE, Kendall KL, Dwyer TR, Kerksick CM, Beck TW, Cramer JT, Stout JR. The effects of creatine loading and gender on anaerobic running capacity. J Strength Cond Res 2010, 24, 1826–1833. 6. Webster I, Du Toit EF, Huisamen B, Lochner A. The effect of creatine supplementation on myocardial function, mitochondrial respiration and susceptibility to ischaemia/reperfusion injury in sedentary and exercised rats. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2012, 206(1):6-19. 7. Vona-Davis L, Wearden PD, Karne NH, Hill RC. Effect of creatine monohydrate on cardiac function in a rat model of endotoxemia. J Surg Res. 2002, 103(1):1-7. Posted in: Heart Health Comments are closed.
Domestic rabbit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the domesticated form of the European rabbit. For information on the wild variety, see European rabbit. For general information on all rabbit species, see Rabbit. Domestic rabbit Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae Genus: Oryctolagus Lilljeborg, 1873 Species: O. cuniculus Binomial name Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) A domestic rabbit or domesticated rabbit (Oryctolagus), more commonly known as simply a rabbit, is any of the domesticated varieties of the European rabbit species. Rabbits were first domesticated in the Middle Ages and are used as sources of food, fur, and wool, as research subjects, and as pets. The male is called a buck and the female is a doe; a young rabbit is a kit or bunny. Rabbits kept in cages for scientific experimentation Phoenician sailors visiting the coast of Spain c. 12th century BC, mistaking the European rabbit for a species from their homeland (the rock hyrax Procavia capensis), gave it the name i-shepan-ham (land or island of hyraxes). A theory exists that a corruption of this name, used by the Romans, became the Latin name for the peninsula, Hispania – although this theory is somewhat controversial.[1] In Rome rabbits were raised in large walled colonies. Selective breeding of rabbits began in the Middle Ages, when they were first domesticated as farm animals. By the 16th century, several new breeds of different colors and sizes were being recorded. In the 19th century, as animal fancy in general began to emerge, rabbit fanciers began to sponsor rabbit exhibitions and fairs in Western Europe and the United States. Breeds of various domesticated animals were created and modified for the added purpose of exhibition, a departure from the breeds that had been created solely for food, fur, wool, or labor. The rabbit's emergence as a household pet began during the Victorian era. Domestic rabbits have been popular in the United States since the late 19th century. What became known as the "Belgian Hare Boom", began with the importation of the first Belgian Hares from England in 1888 and soon after the founding of the first rabbit club in America, the American Belgian Hare Association. From 1898 to 1901, many thousands of Belgian Hares were imported to America.[2] Today, the Belgian Hare is considered one of the rarest breeds with less than 200 in the United States as reported in a recent survey.[3] The domestic rabbit's diet depends upon whether it is a pet, a meat, or a fur rabbit. Meat and fur rabbits are fed diets which will improve meat or fur production and allow for the safe delivery of large litters of healthy kits while minimising costs and producing feces which meet waste regulations where appropriate.[6] Commercial food pellets are available in most countries in a variety of formulations, and are typically fed to adult rabbits in limited quantities to prevent obesity. Most pellets are based on alfalfa as a protein and fiber source, with other grains being used to complete the carbohydrate requirements. Minerals and vitamins geared toward specific requirements of rabbits are added during production. Many commercial rabbit raisers also feed grass hay, although this can represent a hygiene issue in rabbitries.[7] Alfalfa hay in particular is recommended for immature rabbits.[8] In contrast, a pet rabbit's diet may require fewer calories and energy, while taking advantage of many home-prepared ingredients.[9]:172 (See § Maintenance, below.) A diet including too many pellets, root vegetables or sugary fruits can lead to diarrhea, obesity, poor wear on molar teeth and other health problems.[10] Studies have shown that although a short changeover period is needed, domestic rabbits are highly adaptable to diets produced from locally available forage products in developing countries.[11] Fresh water should always be available, either in a water bottle or bowl.[12] Rabbits are hindgut fermenters and therefore have an enlarged cecum. This allows rabbits to digest, via fermentation, what they otherwise would not be able to metabolically process. Because a rabbit has a sensitive and rather substantial gastrointestinal tract, a rabbit's diet should consist of some amount of fiber. Without a proper diet, gastrointestinal stasis can occur and have detrimental effects on the animal.[13] It is in the cecum that this fiber is digested. When caecal pellets are wet and runny (semi-liquid) and stick to the rabbit and surrounding objects they are called ontermittent soft cecotropes (ISCs). This is different from ordinary diarrhea and is usually caused by a diet too high in carbohydrates or too low in fiber. Soft fruit or salad items such as lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are possible causes. Increasing dietary fiber and decreasing carbohydrates should restore the gut flora to normal in the cecum and return gastrointestinal tract motility to normal. This can be avoided by providing a healthy diet of unlimited grass hay as the main part with fibrous green foods such as broccoli and cabbage and limited high fiber/low energy pellets. Note also that there are other more serious but uncommon causes such as cancer, intestinal obstructions and abscesses. [17] [18] Ovulation is induced by sexual stimulation. Sexual maturity age for small breeds (Mini Rex, Polish) is 4 to 5 months. For medium breeds such as New Zealand, or Rex, onset is 5 to 6 months, and 6–7 months in large breeds (Flemish Giant, Checkered Giant). Males usually require more time to fully mature, and normally reach adult sperm counts between 6–7 months. Due to the territorial nature of female rabbits, it is standard practice for the doe to always be brought to the buck's cage. When the doe is brought to the bucks' cage, he quickly mounts her, performs pelvic thrusting culminating in ejaculation, and "flops" off. The whole act may take less than 30 seconds, and is often repeated several times. When he is finished, the buck should then be removed, but many breeders will reintroduce the buck a few hours later to increase the size of the litter.[19][20][obsolete source] Rabbits are often spayed (if female) or neutered (male) at the onset of adolescence to prevent unwanted offspring, and for health and behavior benefits. (See § Spaying and neutering, below.) Rabbits, like all mammals, produce milk for their young. Females have six to eight nipples. They produce milk for four to five weeks. [21][full citation needed] Rabbit milk is fairly high in fat, as a percentage by mass. While most species produce approximately 5% milk fat, rabbits produce 12%. See excerpted table below for comparison of species with the highest and lowest milk fat content.[22] Species Fat Protein Lactose Ash Total Solids Seal, gray 53.2 11.2 2.6 0.7 68 Whale 34.8 13.6 1.8 1.6 51 Bear, polar 31 10.2 0.5 1.2 43 Rabbit 12.2 10.4 1.8 2 26 Bison 1.7 4.8 5.7 1.0 13 Horse 1.6 2.7 6.1 0.5 11 Donkey 1.2 1.7 6.9 0.5 10 The study of rabbit genetics is mainly due to medical researchers, fanciers, and the fur and meat industries. Each of these groups have differing interests and needs for genetic information. In biomedical research community and pharmaceutical industry, rabbits are used to produce antibodies, test toxicity of consumer products, and as a model organism. Among rabbit fanciers, the fiber/fur industry, the genetics of coat color and hair properties are paramount. The meat industry selects for disease resistance, feed conversion ratio, and reproduction potential. Linkage maps[edit] Early genetic research focused on linkage distance between various gross phenotypes using linkage analysis. Between 1924 and 1941, the relationship between the c, y, b, du, En, l, r1, r2, A, dw, w, f, and br had been established (phenotype is listed below). • c -- albino • y -- yellow fat • du -- Dutch coloring • En -- English coloring • l -- angora • r1, r2 -- rex genes • A -- Agouti • dw -- dwarf gene • w -- wide intermediate-color band • f -- furless • br -- brachydactyly The distance between these genes is as follows, enumerated by chromosome. The format is gene1—distance—gene2 -- ... [23] 1. c -- 14.4 -- y -- 28.4 -- b 2. du -- 1.2 -- EN -- 13.1 -- l 3. r1 -- 17.2 -- r2 4. A -- 14.7 -- dw -- 15.4 -- w 5. f -- 28.3 -- br The rabbit genome has been sequenced and is publicly available.[24] The mitochondrial DNA has also been sequenced.[25] Color genes[edit] There are 10 color gene groups (or loci) in rabbits. They are A, B, C, D, E, En, Du, Si, V, and W. Each locus has dominant and recessive genes. In addition to the loci there are also modifiers, which modify a certain gene. These include the rufus modifiers, color intensifiers, and plus/minus (blanket/spot) modifiers. A rabbit's coat only has two pigments, pheomelanin (yellow) and eumelanin (dark brown). There can also be no pigment, causing an albino or white rabbit.[27] Within each group, the genes are listed in order of dominance, with the most dominant gene first. In parenthesis after the description is at least one example of a color that displays this gene. Note: lower case are recessive and capital letters are dominant • "A" represents the agouti locus (multiple bands of color on the hair shaft). The genes are: • A=agouti ("wild color" or chestnut agouti, opal, chinchilla, etc.) • a(t)=tan pattern (otter, tan, silver marten) • a=self or non-agouti (black, chocolate) • "B" represents the brown locus. The genes are: • B=black (chestnut agouti, black otter, black) • b=brown (chocolate agouti, chocolate otter, chocolate) • "C" represents the color locus. The genes are: • C=full color (black) • c(ch3)=dark chinchilla, removes yellow pigmentation (chinchilla, silver marten) • c(ch2)=medium (light) chinchilla, Slight reduction in eumelanin creating a more sepia tone in the fur rather than black. • c(ch1)=light (pale) chinchilla (sable, sable point, smoke pearl, seal) • c(h)=color sensitive expression of color. Warmer parts of body do not express color. Known as himalayan, the body is white with extremities ("points") colored in black, blue, chocolate or lilac, pink eyes • c=albino (ruby-eyed white or REW) • "D" represents the dilution locus. This gene dilutes black to blue and chocolate to lilac.[28] • D=dense color (chestnut agouti, black, chocolate) • d=diluted color (opal, blue or lilac) • "E" represents the extension locus. It works with the 'A' and 'C' loci, and rufus modifiers. When it is recessive, it removes most black pigment. The genes are: • E(d)=dominant black • E(s)=steel (black removed from tips of fur, which then appear golden or silver) • E=normal • e(j)=Japanese brindling (harlequin), black and yellow pigment broken into patches over the body. In a broken color pattern this results in Tricolor. • e=most black pigment removed (agouti becomes red or orange, self becomes tortoise) • "En" represents the plus/minus (blanket/spot) color locus. It is incompletely dominant and results in three possible color patterns: • EnEn="Charlie" or a lightly marked broken with color on ears, on nose and sparsely on body • Enen=Broken rabbit with roughly even distribution of color and white • enen=Solid color with no white areas • "Du" represents the Dutch color pattern, (the front of the face, front part of the body, and rear paws are white, the rest of the rabbit has colored fur). The genes are: • Du=absence of Dutch pattern • du(d)=Dutch (dark) • du(w)=Dutch (white) Czech Red • "V" represents the vienna white locus. The genes are: • V=normal color • Vv=Vienna carrier, carries blue-eyed white gene. May appear as a solid color, with snips of white on nose and/or front paws, or Dutch marked. • v=vienna white (blue-eyed white or BEW) • "Si" represents the silver locus. The genes are: • Si=normal color • si=silver color (silver, silver fox) • "W" represents the middle yellow-white band locus and works with the agouti gene. The genes are: • W=normal width of yellow band • w=doubles yellow band width (Otter becomes Tan, intensified red factors in Thrianta and Belgian Hare) • "P" represents the OCA type II form of albinism, P is because it is an integral P protein mutation. The genes are: • P=normal color • p=albinism mutation, removes eumelanin and causes pink eyes. (Will change, for example, a Chestnut Agouti into a Shadow) Holland Lop with black patches on white (a pattern called "broken") Main article: List of rabbit breeds Numerous different, standardized breeds of domestic rabbit have been developed, with various sizes, temperaments, and care requirements. Mostly of them have historically been bred to be much larger than wild rabbits, though selective breeding has produced a range sizes from "dwarf" to "giant", many of which are kept as food and fur animals as well as pets across the world. The modern, long-haired Angora breed is raised for its long, soft fur, which is often spun, like wool, into yarn. Other breeds are raised for the fur industry, particularly the Rex, which has a smooth, velvet-like coat and comes in a wide variety of colors and sizes. There are 49 rabbit breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in the United States,[29] and over 50 rabbit breeds recognized by the British Rabbit Council. There are many more breeds of rabbits worldwide. As with breeds of dogs, rabbit breeds were selectively bred by humans at different times to achieve certain desired characteristics. They have as much color variation between them as do other household pets, and vary in other traits from breed to breed, such as coat length and texture, body shape, ear length and position (many are lop-eared), tail size, etc. Temperaments can vary slightly with breed and gender, as with any animal, and this may include contentment and relaxation versus timidity and fearfulness, alertness, playfulness, and submissiveness versus aggression. Most genetic defects in the domestic rabbit (such as the Holland Lop breed's tendency to develop dental problems) are due to recessive genes. These genes are carefully tracked by fanciers of the breeds who show these animals; just as dog fanciers carefully check for hip, eye and heart problems, rabbit fanciers extensively follow their own lines to breed out unwanted defects. As pets[edit] Standard Chinchilla domestic rabbit Rabbits have been kept as pets in Western nations since the 19th century. Rabbits bond (albeit slowly) with owners,[30] can learn to follow simple voice commands and come when called by name,[31]:166 and are curious and playful. They do not make good pets for small children, as rabbits are fragile and easily injured by rough handling, as well as frequently frightened by loud noises and sudden motions.[32] United Kingdom regulations require certain vaccinations for all rabbits (see § Health, below); such mandates are not common in other countries. (See § Vaccinations, below.) The keeping of pet rabbits is banned in the Australian state of Queensland.[33] Rabbits are especially popular as pets in the United States during the Easter season, due to their association with the holiday. However, animal shelters that accept rabbits often complain that during the weeks and months following Easter, there is a rise in unwanted and neglected rabbits that were bought as Easter "gifts", especially for children.[34] Similar problems arise in rural areas after county fairs and the like, in jurisdictions in which rabbits are legal prizes in fairground games. House rabbits[edit] A house rabbit sharing an apple with its owner Rabbits are increasingly kept as house pets in family homes, in "rabbit-proofed" spaces that do not provide dangerous or valuable things upon which to gnaw.[35][36] Living indoors shelters a rabbit from outdoor dangers such as predators, weather, vehicles, and pesticides, and thus lengthens their lifespan.[35] Rabbits are easy to housebreak, by training them to use a cat-style litter box, with low-dust litter or other materials that will not cause health problems if ingested. Those that are not spayed or neutered may begin to engage in territorial marking (which can frustrate efforts to litter-train as well as damage household items) and aggressive behavior.[37][38][39] (See § Spaying and neutering, below.) Rabbits are usually compatible with other small animals, including other rabbits, birds, and rodents such as chinchillas[citation needed] and guinea pigs (cavies),[40] but this may not be advisable[41] (see § Safety, below). They may also be kept with non-aggressive cats and dogs, after gradual introduction, but are usually supervised with them, as both of these other animals have predatory behaviors that may instinctively lead them to attack rabbits, or simply injure them through overly rough play.[42][43] This is less likely when the cat or dog is raised from infancy with a rabbit. Some dog breeds, especially those developed for vermin control or for small-game hunting, are more likely to act aggressively toward rabbits and other small animals. Keeping a rabbit as a house companion was popularised by[citation needed] Sandy Crook in her 1981 book Your French Lop. In 1983, Crook was a featured lecturer to the 35,000 attendees at the American Family Pet Show in Anaheim, California where she presented her personal experiences of living with her indoor rabbit as evidence of a human–rabbit bond.[44] Throughout the 1980s it became more common to litter-box train a rabbit and keep it indoors, after[citation needed] the publication of Marinell Harriman's House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit in 1985. The US-based House Rabbit Society was founded in 1988.[45] A house rabbit eating parsley Rabbits are relatively inexpensive to keep when compared to larger animals, such as horses, or to carnivorous ones such as cats and dogs, but their care can still be moderately costly.[46] Accommodations can range from a sheltered outdoor hutch (see § Housing, below) to an indoor pen or rabbit-proofed room.[35][47] Pet rabbits' housing, indoor or outdoor, is often equipped with shelves, ramps, tunnels, toys, and other enrichment items. Some indoor/outdoor pet rabbits, kept inside at night, are given the equivalent of a dog run, or collapsible lawn pen fencing, to use during the day. A pet rabbit's diet, focused on providing adequate fiber, typically consists of timothy grass or other hay (about 80% of the diet),[48] a fair quantity of leafy greens and other fresh vegetables (not just carrots, which are sugary),[49] and a limited amount of commercial pellet fodder.[50] However, testing to determine if this hay/vegetable/pellet diet meets the animal's requirements for minerals and vitamins have not been conducted to the extent that pellet diets have been researched in commercial rabbitry.[9]:173–4 Some rabbit welfare organizations and veterinarians recommended that a pet rabbit's diet should model off an approximation of a wild rabbit's natural diet as a foraging animal.[51][52] Outdoor rabbits are also happy to eat some lawn grass, though it is not a complete diet for them. Small scale farming of rabbits often feeds them largely from kitchen scraps. Regular brushing of the coat helps to increase sanitation and reduce ingestion of loose fur, and is especially important for the recently developed long-haired breeds. Regular trimming of the claws (sometimes called nails) may be needed if a pet rabbit lives indoors where it cannot dig and naturally wear its claws down. In the middle-sized breeds, the teeth grow approximately 125 mm (5 in) per year for the upper incisors and about 200 mm (8 in) per year for the lower incisors. The teeth in most breeds abrade away against one another, giving them a constantly sharp edge. Behavioral concerns[edit] As the domestic descendants of wild prey animals, rabbits are alert, timid creatures that startle fairly easily, and many of their behaviors are triggered by the fight-or-flight response to perceived threats. According to the House Rabbit Society, the owner of a pet rabbit can use various behavioral approaches to win the animal's trust,[39] which can be a long and difficult process.[30] A rabbit's body language and posture are key factors to determining temperament. Fearful behavior is often the most difficult to discern, as it can be mistaken for submissive behavior, or even contentedness. When a rabbit is fearful it may be twitchy, attempt to flee, crouch low with its ears pulled back, may have an accelerated pulse, or even produce a high-pitched scream. A rabbit's facial expressions may indicate fear, especially with bulging eyes, and cheek muscles pulled tight. A fearful rabbit will sometimes thump its hind legs; while this is a behavior that evolved to alert other rabbits to a potential threat, solitary rabbits also do it instinctively. Contrarily, rabbits may sometimes seem unusually calm when frightened, but are nevertheless highly stressed (see § Tonic immobility, below). Rabbits are social animals whose welfare benefits from being housed with other rabbits;[53] however, house rabbits can be kept singly if enough attention is paid to them by the owner. Rabbits have been identified with few zoonotic (animal-to-human transmitted) diseases, and are considered low-risk for people with competent immune systems, but a risk exists of transmission of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and various Salmonella bacteria species, particularly for people with compromised immune systems. A rare risk is the deadly bacterial disease tularemia (or "rabbit fever", among other names). There is no vaccine currently available (though one was "on the horizon" as of 2008); instead, good hygiene is the best preventative.[54] If a rabbit feels a need to defend itself, it may attempt to kick or scratch the perceived threat with its hind legs after rolling onto its back. This could be dangerous for the rabbit as well as for the perceived threat, as it risks injuring its legs or spine.[55] Simple improper holding or handling of a pet rabbit can lead to strong kicks by the frightened or uncomfortable animal.[56] Rabbits are occasionally aggressive,[39] and may grunt, lunge, and even bite as well as scratch. Usually they do not bite hard enough to break skin. Rabbits become aggressive when they feel threatened or are cornered. Non-neutered rabbits may also act aggressively as part of mating behavior or out of protectiveness of their young. Rabbits are most likely to develop aggressive behaviors at the onset of sexual maturity if not spayed/neutered.[39] Rabbits' propensity for chewing on electrical cords can lead to fire hazards, so keepers hide cables or cover them with flexible clear tubing if they are within range of their rabbits. Some sources suggest that it may not be a good idea to keep rabbits in close proximity with rodents. Guinea pigs in particular are susceptible to respiratory disease from bacteria that rabbits carry. Additionally, rabbits may harm small rodents sharing their territory.[41] Commercial rabbitry[edit] See also: Cuniculture Meat rabbits[edit] Meat-type rabbits being raised in an outdoor hutch, as a supplementary food source, during the Great Depression Wool rabbits[edit] Fur rabbits[edit] Dried rabbit pelts All rabbits produce fur. Rabbits such as the Palomino, Satin, Chinchilla rabbit and Rex rabbit are commonly raised for fur. Each breed has unique coloring and fur characteristics. The rabbit is fed a diet especially balanced for fur production and is harvested when the pelts have reached prime condition, at an older age than would be optimal for meat production. Rabbit fur is widely used throughout the world. China imports much of its fur from Scandinavia (80%) and North America (5%) according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report CH7607. Laboratory rabbits[edit] Rabbits have been and continue to be used in laboratory work such as production of antibodies for vaccines and research of human male reproductive system toxicology. In 1972, around 450,000 rabbits were used for experiments in the United States, decreasing to around 240 000 in 2006.[58] The Environmental Health Perspective, published by the National Institute of Health, states, "The rabbit [is] an extremely valuable model for studying the effects of chemicals or other stimuli on the male reproductive system."[59] According to the Humane Society of the United States, rabbits are also used extensively in the study of bronchial asthma, stroke prevention treatments, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and cancer. Rabbits being raised on pasture at Polyface Farm A multi-level "pet condo" offers a house rabbit a degree of hopping space and variety even when not free in rabbit-proofed areas at home. An appropriate hutch provides clean water at all times, and is at least high enough for the rabbit to stand on its back legs without its head touching the ceiling, and horizontally roomy enough to enable the rabbit to take 4 or 5 hops along its length and/or width. The hutch is shaded or otherwise appropriately cooled in summer. It may be heated in winter (although most rabbits, and especially the larger breeds, can be kept outside, with extra bedding, even into temperatures well below freezing, as long as they have a source of unfrozen water. Cages are grouped and covered to increase ambient temperature. Even newborn rabbits do well in a cold environment if they have sufficient nesting material and many siblings to share body heat with, but should stay with the mother for longer periods of time in the winter for warmth. Below -10 degrees Celsius (15 degrees Fahrenheit), it is necessary to shelter all the animals indoors. Domesticated rabbits are most comfortable in temperatures between 10–21 C (50–70 F), and cannot endure temperatures above 32 C (90 F) very well without assistance, such as deep shade, cooled stones, frozen water bottles, and/or fans. Housing is cleaned regularly to ensure that no build-up of feces or urine occurs, as this can lead to health problems. Solid rabbit waste can be measured in cubic yards per year. This waste is excellent for gardening and composting, and can be collected for these uses whether the rabbit is housed indoors or outdoors. Rabbit droppings are often put in bins with red worms to create the compost, added to compost bins for enrichment of other compost, or applied directly to a garden as a "cool" fertilizer that will not chemically burn plants. Checkered Giant at an exhibition Conformation shows[edit] Show jumping[edit] Main article: Rabbit show jumping Spayed or neutered rabbits kept indoors with proper care may have a lifespan of 8 to 12 years, with mixed-breed rabbits typically living longer than purebred specimens, and dwarf breeds having longer average lifespans than larger breeds.[63] The world record for longest-lived rabbit is 18 years.[63] Veterinary care[edit] Rabbits visit the vet for routine check ups, vaccination, and when ill or injured. Veterinarians who have experience with rabbits, desirable for regular health checkups, can be difficult to locate. However, most emergency medical situations involving pets require the same treatment regardless of the animal's species.[64] Some veterinary surgeons have a special interest in rabbits and some have extra qualifications. In the UK, the following postgraduate qualifications demonstrate specialist training in rabbits: Certificate in Zoological Medicine, Diploma in Zoological Medicine and Recognised specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery.[65] Some of the conditions that can occur in domestic rabbits include the following: dramatic or sudden loss of appetite, severe depression,[66] breathing problems,[67] sudden onset of head tilt, signs of maggot infestation,[68] not passing stools. Rabbits can also be exposed to poisons, involved in an accident, fall from a height or be exposed to smoke. Other conditions which indicate a need for medical treatment are drooling, unexplained weight loss, diarrhea or fur loss. There are many other symptoms for which a rabbit requires medical aid or veterinary attention. Routine checkups[edit] Routine check ups usually involve assessment of weight, skin, health and teeth by the owner or a veterinarian. This is essential because a rabbit's health and welfare can be compromised by being overweight or underweight or by having dental problems. Checking the teeth is particularly important part of the examination as back teeth can only be seen with an otoscope. Veterinarians can also give personalized advice on diet and exercise. In most jurisdictions, including the United States (except were required by local animal control ordinances), rabbits do not require vaccination. In the United Kingdom, all rabbits are required to be regularly vaccinated against rabbit hemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis.[69] These vaccinations are usually given annually, two weeks apart. If there is an outbreak of myxomatosis locally, this vaccine can be administered every six months for extra protection.[70] Myxomatosis immunizations are not available in all countries, including Australia, due to fears that immunity will pass on to feral rabbits. However, they are recommended by some veterinarians as prophylactics, where they are legally available.[31]:182 Spaying and neutering[edit] Rabbit fancier organizations and veterinarians recommend that pet rabbits be neutered or spayed by a rabbit-experienced veterinarian.[31]:123[71] Health advantages of neutering and spaying include increased longevity, and for females, a reduced risk of ovarian and uterine cancer and endometritis.[31]:195–9[38][63] Neutering and spaying also reduces territorial marking in males, and aggression toward other rabbits.[37][38][39] Risks associated with spaying a rabbit include infection of the surgical site, and death from anesthesia.[72] Parasitic fungus[edit] Some vets now recommend treating rabbits against the Encephalitozoon cuniculi, a parasitic, microscopic fungus. Some studies have indicated that in the UK over 50% of rabbits may be infected with E. cuniculi. The usual drugs for treatment and prevention of this infection are the benzimidazole anthelmintics, particularly fenbendazole, also used as a deworming agent in other species of animal, and shown to be effective in treating this condition in rabbits. In the UK, it is sold over-the-counter in oral paste form as a nine-day treatment for rabbits under the brand name Panacur Rabbit. Fenbendazole is particularly recommended for rabbits kept in colonies and before mixing new rabbits with each other.[73] E. cuniculi is the primary cause of "wry neck". Fly strike[edit] Fly strike is a rare condition which mostly affects rabbits kept in extremely unsanitary conditions and is more likely to occur during summer months. Fly strike happens when flies (particularly the botfly) lay their eggs in the damp or soiled fur or in an open wound of a rabbit. Within 12 hours, the eggs hatch into the larva; stage of the fly, known as maggots. The maggots, initially small and almost invisible to the naked eye, can burrow into the skin of the rabbit and feed on the animal's tissue. Within 3–4 days, the larvae can be large as 15 mm long. In rare cases, if not treated, the rabbit can pass into shock and die. The most susceptible animals are those living in unsanitary housing, older rabbits that do not move much, and those that are unable to clean their bottom areas carefully. Rabbits raised on solid floors are more susceptible than rabbits raised on wire floors. Rabbits exhibiting one or more episodes of diarrhea are often inspected, especially during the summer months.[74] In 2002, the medicine Rearguard was approved in the United Kingdom for 10-week-per-application prevention of fly strike. Viral diseases[edit] Rabbits are subject to infection by a variety of viruses. Myxomatosis is a threat to the health of pet and livestock rabbits. Rabbits caged outdoors in Australia are vulnerable in areas with high numbers of mosquitoes. In Europe, fleas are the carriers of myxomatosis. In some countries, annual vaccinations against myxomatosis are available. In Australia, myxomatosis was intentionally introduced into the feral population of European rabbits (which have become an invasive species) as a means of population control. The Australian government will not allow veterinarians to purchase and use the vaccine that would protect domestic rabbits, for fear that this immunity would be spread into the wild by escaped livestock and pets.[75][unreliable source] This is also the motivation for the pet-rabbit ban in Queensland.[33] Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), also known as viral hemorrhagic disease (VHD) or rabbit calicivirus disease (RCD),[76] is caused by a rabbit-specific calicivirus known as RHDV or RCV, discovered in 1983. It is highly infectious, and usually fatal. Outward signs are not obvious and usually include little but a fever and lethargy, until after significant internal organ damage results in labored breathing, squealing, bloody mucus, and eventual coma and death. Internally, the infection causes necrosis of the liver and damages other organs, especially the spleen, kidneys, and small intestine. Vaccines are available (and mandatory) in the UK, but often not available elsewhere as of October 2015. Like myxomatosis, RHD has been introduced into feral populations intentionally, especially in Australia and (illegally) in New Zealand, to thin their numbers, and it has escaped quarantine in some areas. The disease has killed tens of millions of rabbits in China (unintentionally) and Australia, with other epidemics reported in Bolivia, Mexico, South Korea, and continental Europe. Outbreaks have been successfully controlled in the United States (where it was still occasionally reported as of 2007[76]) and the UK. Populations in New Zealand have bounced back after developing a genetic immunity, and the disease has no effect on native wild rabbit and hare species in the Americas, which are not closely related to the Old World rabbits. West Nile virus is another threat to rabbits.[77] This is a fatal disease, and while vaccines are available, they are not specifically indicated for rabbits. Recourse against the disease includes limiting the number of mosquitoes that are around pet rabbits. Sore hocks[edit] The formation of open sores on the rabbit's hocks, commonly called "sore hocks", is a problem that commonly afflicts mostly heavy-weight rabbits kept in cages with wire flooring[78] or soiled solid flooring. The problem is most prevalent in rex-furred rabbits and heavy-weight rabbits (9+ pounds in weight), as well as those with thin foot bristles. Most rabbits can live safely on wire floors with the provision of a resting board or mat. Ultra heavy-weight breeds such as Flemish Giants or Checkered Giants are best raised on solid or partially solid flooring. Alternatively, plastic-floored cages can be used in place of wire floors to provide more comfort. Respiratory and conjunctival problems[edit] Wry neck[edit] Inner ear infections, certain parasites, strokes, or other diseases or injuries affecting the brain or inner ear can lead to a condition known as "wry neck" or "head tilt." Although a heavy infestation of ear mites, an ear infection, or a head or neck injury can result in these symptoms, the most common cause of these symptoms is E. cuniculi, a parasite (see § Parasitic fungus, above). This condition can be fatal, due to a disorientation that causes the animal to stop eating and drinking. Dental problems[edit] Signs of dental difficulty include difficulty eating, weight loss and small stools and visibly overgrown teeth. However, there are many other causes of ptyalism, including pain due to other causes.[80] A visit to an experienced rabbit veterinarian is strongly recommended[by whom?] in the case of a wet chin, or excessive grooming of the mouth area. Gastrointestinal stasis[edit] GI stasis is sometimes misdiagnosed as "hair balls" by veterinarians or rabbit keepers not familiar with the condition.[83][84] While fur is commonly found in the stomach following a fatal case of GI stasis, it is also found in healthy rabbits. Molting and chewing fur can be a predisposing factor in the occurrence of GI stasis, however, the primary cause is the change in motility of the gut. Tonic immobility[edit] A rabbit cannot be declawed. Lacking pads on the bottoms of its feet, a rabbit requires its claws for balance. Removing its claws would render it unable to stand.[citation needed] See also[edit] 2. ^[full citation needed] 3. ^ Hare Survey[full citation needed] 4. ^ Online Etymology Dictionary[full citation needed] 7. ^ Templeton, George (1968). Domestic Rabbit Production. Danville, Illinois: Interstate Printers & Publishers. p. 58. 8. ^ "Rabbit Food – Hay and Pellets". House Rabbit Society, Indiana Chapter. 9. ^ a b Brooks, Dale (1997). "Nutrition and Gastrointestional Physiology". In Hillyer, E. V.; Quesenberry, K. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co. pp. 172–174. ISBN 978-0-7216-4023-5. 10. ^[full citation needed] 11. ^ Lowe, J. A. (2006). "Pet Rabbit Feeding and Nutrition". The Nutrition of the Rabbit: 309–323. 12. ^ "General Rabbit Care". American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 13. ^ Krempels, Dana M. (April 19, 2011). "Gastrointestinal Stasis: The Silent Killer". University of Miami Department of Biology. 17. ^ Brown, Susan. "Intermittent Soft Cecotropes in Rabbits". 18. ^ Harcourt-Brown, F. (2002). "10.6.4 Consistency of caecotrophs". Textbook of Rabbit Medicine. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 274–277. 19. ^ Hume, C. W. (1972). The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone / Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. 20. ^ Harkness, John E.; Wagner, Joseph E. (1972). Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger. 22. ^[full citation needed] 23. ^ Castle, W. E.; Sawin, PB (1941). "Genetic linkage in the rabbit". Genetics. 27: 519–523. doi:10.1073/pnas.27.11.519. Retrieved July 24, 2015. 24. ^ "Genome of Oryctolagus cuniculus (rabbit)". Washington, DC: United States National Institutes of Health. Retrieved July 24, 2015. 26. ^ Carneiro, M (2011). "The Genetic Structure of Domestic Rabbits". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 28 (6): 1801–1816. doi:10.1093/molbev/msr003. Retrieved July 23, 2015. 27. ^[full citation needed] 28. ^ Fontanesi, L; Scotti, E; Allain, D; Dall'olio, S (2014). "A frameshift mutation in the melanophilin gene causes the dilute coat colour in rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) breeds". Anim. Genet. 45: 248–55. doi:10.1111/age.12104. PMID 24320228. 29. ^ "ARBA Recognizes 49th Rabbit Breed: The Argente Brun". Retrieved 2016-07-11. 30. ^ a b "Love Match: A Guide to Bonding Your Rabbits". 32. ^ "Children and Rabbits". House Rabbit Society. Retrieved August 30, 2010. 33. ^ a b "Rabbits". Queensland Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved January 29, 2012. 35. ^ a b c d "Outdoor and Indoor Hazards". House Rabbit Society. 37. ^ a b "Litter Training". House Rabbit Society. Retrieved October 3, 2015. 38. ^ a b c "Spaying and Neutering". House Rabbit Society. Retrieved October 29, 2007. 39. ^ a b c d e "Aggression". House Rabbit Society. April 2, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2015. 40. ^ Rubins, Suzanne. "Guinea Pigs as Rabbit Buddies". House Rabbit Network. Retrieved June 10, 2009. 41. ^ a b "Top Ten Questions Asked About Rabbits". Irish Blue Cross. January 31, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2015. Undated. 42. ^ Shapiro, Amy. "Cats and Rabbits". House Rabbit Society. Retrieved January 4, 2008. 43. ^ Shapiro, Amy. "When Fido Met Thumper (Dogs and Rabbits)". House Rabbit Society. Retrieved January 4, 2008. 45. ^ "House Rabbit Society [homepage]". House Rabbit Society. 46. ^ "Choosing a Rabbit as a Pet". Retrieved December 11, 2010. 47. ^ a b "Rabbit Housing Options". House Rabbit Society, Indiana Chapter. 48. ^ "What should I feed my pet rabbit?". Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Australia. 49. ^[full citation needed] 50. ^ "The Place of Pellets in a Rabbit's Diet". San Diego House Rabbit Society. Retrieved October 3, 2015. 51. ^[full citation needed] 52. ^[full citation needed] 53. ^ Chu, Ling-ru; Garner, Joseph P.; Mench, Joy A. "A behavioral comparison of New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed individually or in pairs in conventional laboratory cages". Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 85 (1): 121–139. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2003.09.011. Retrieved December 18, 2010. 54. ^ "Francisella tularensis: Stopping a Biological Weapon" (Press release). Society for General Microbiology. American Association for the Advancement of Science's July 27, 2008. Retrieved October 3, 2015. . Also published by various other science news outlets, e.g. /releases/2008/07/080727224101.htm at ScienceDaily 55. ^ "The Pet Rabbit". Rabbit Resource Handbook For Breeding, Market, and Pet Rabbit Projects. 4-H / Ohio State University Extension. 2004. pp. 103–106. 56. ^ "Children and Rabbits". The House Rabbit Society. Retrieved December 11, 2010. 57. ^ [1][full citation needed] 65. ^ The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons[full citation needed] 66. ^ Harcourt-Brown, F. (2002). "Anorexia in rabbits 2". In Practice. 24 (8): 450–467. doi:10.1136/inpract.24.8.450. 67. ^ Paul-Murphy, J. (2007). "Critical care of the rabbit". Vet. Clin. North Am. Exot. Anim. Pract. 10 (2): 437–61. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2007.03.002. PMID 17577559. 68. ^ Cousquer, G. (2006). "Veterinary care of rabbits with myiasis". In Practice. 28 (6): 342–349. doi:10.1136/inpract.28.6.342. Retrieved October 2, 2015. 69. ^ British Veterinary Association Rabbit Care Downloads 70. ^ Intervet vaccination literature.[full citation needed] 73. ^ RWAF Encephalitozoon cuniculi[full citation needed] 74. ^ House Rabbit Society: Fly strike[full citation needed] 75. ^ "Rabbits – Myxomatosis and Calicivirus". FeralFeast!. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2012. 77. ^[full citation needed] 78. ^ "Housing". House Rabbit Society. 79. ^ a b c Respiratory Disease by Susan A. Brown 80. ^ MediRabbit: Differential Diagnosis for Ptyalism Further reading[edit] • Harriman, Marinell (2005) [1985]. House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit. Alameda, California: Drollery Press. ISBN 978-0-940920-17-0. External links[edit]
Cookies policy The Word 15 June 2005 The word: Slime mould TAKE a walk in the garden or woods in early summer or autumn and you may come across something on the ground that looks suspiciously like dog sick. It may be dog sick, but equally it could be a slime mould, a strange cross between an animal and a fungus that feeds on dead grass or leaves and thrives in the ground’s moist warmth. Why strange? Slime moulds are known as “social amoebas” but they don’t behave like any other single-celled creature. The moulds are hard to classify because their life cycle is similar to a fungus’s (they reproduce via spores), but they share more genes with animals than they do with, say, yeasts. We know about their animal genes because we now have the complete genetic blueprint for Dictyostelium discoideum, the most commonly studied slime mould (Nature, vol 435, p 43). And then there’s the outlandish way a slime mould hunts its prey. It moves about the damp soil as a single blob of protoplasm with many nuclei, gobbling up bacteria and particles of organic matter and growing through simple cell division. Then, as its growth outstrips its food supply, the creature sends out a chemical signal to other slime moulds, which gather together to form a multicellular super-organism. Covered in slime and often as big as a human hand, it crawls through the forest in search of food, reaching a top speed of about a centimetre an hour. Then, when resources run low, it finds a sunny spot to bask and transforms itself into a spore factory, dispersing its cells on the wind to better hunting grounds. ... To continue reading this premium article, subscribe for unlimited access. Quarterly by Direct Debit Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)
Why are autumn leaves mostly yellow in Europe and red in North America? Evolution provides the answer – or, rather, a whole lot of intriguing answers Nature’s puzzle: autumn foliage along the Blue Ridge National Park near Asheville, North Carolina. Nature’s puzzle: autumn foliage along the Blue Ridge National Park, North Carolina. Photograph: Richard Ellis / Alamy The stunning display of autumn is almost over – a few tattered yellow and russet leaves still cling to almost bare branches. I’ve loved these last few weeks, getting out into the woods to soak my retinae in the reds, oranges and yellows against lingering green. With all that wealth of colour at my feet as well, it’s impossible not to come home with leaves stuffed in pockets. Some of them will be laminated and turned into bookmarks or mobiles. Musing on variation within a leaf, I found one miniature escutcheon emblazoned with a broad V-shaped stripe of yellow and orange, on a green background. I thought I’d never seen anything like it before, but having found one I started to find more and more. Most likely, then, I’ve seen these patterned leaves many times before, without seeing them. The colour of a British wood in autumn is predominantly yellow. There are relatively few European trees which have red leaves in the autumn. But there are splashes of crimson or rust-red colours from a few indigenous trees, like the rowan, as well as from introduced species, like the North American red oak. The woods near me are full of these oaks, enlivened by the red-coppery hue of their large, serrated leaves. But what is it all for, this wonderful display? It’s not for me, I know that much. The colours weren’t put there for humankind to enjoy. Leaves, and the trees that bear them, have evolved, like the rest of life on the planet. And when you take something like the changing colour of autumn leaves and start to ask why, you’re starting off on an intellectual journey which will take you beyond that moment of visual satisfaction, while robbing nothing from that experience. It’s not enough just to notice the white rabbit – you must follow him. Autumn’s changing colours in Wiltshire – timelapse video But are those colours nothing more than pigments which have been there all along, and which simply become unmasked as emerald chlorophyll breaks down? That would be a very short rabbit hole – and this would have ended up a very short article indeed. It might be part of the story – and is certainly true of many yellow pigments – but it’s not all of it by any means. In particular, where leaves do become red in autumn, it’s not that the red pigments (anthocyanins, also the colour in blackberries) are simply being unveiled as the green of summer fades. The red is new: it’s being made in the leaf as the days grow shorter. Evolutionary biologists have long pondered the phenomenon of the changing colours of autumn leaves. It’s possible that the red pigments are manufactured in the leaf as a side-effect of something else that’s happening at this time. Perhaps it’s simply a change in leaf physiology linked to cooling temperatures. But it could also be that the red pigment is somehow adaptive: that red autumn leaves are a product of natural selection, because they perform a function which offers some advantage to the tree. Maybe the red leaves are designed to attract animals which will help the tree disperse its seeds, advertising the ripe fruit on offer. Or they could be doing almost the opposite: discouraging potential leaf-eaters. If leaves look dead, or just not green (and by association, young and tender), that could turn off a hungry folivore. The red colour could also be a warning of the presence of toxins in the leaf. Or it might thwart potential leaf-eaters in another way: insects keen to munch on leaves may be more obvious to predators when sitting on a red leaf, and more likely to end up as prey. Another explanation rests on a different sort of protection offered by the anthocyanins: they also act as natural sunscreen in the ageing leaf, and possibly even as an anti-fungal. Each of these explanations seems perfectly reasonable – but which one provides the real answer? Which quality was selected for in the evolution of trees whose leaves turn orange or red in the autumn? The answer probably lies in a combination of these qualities. Exploring this question requires us to widen and deepen our search. Patterns of leaf colour across the globe provide us with clues. And taking the long view of tree evolution also helps us elucidate which factors may have been most important in the development of red autumn leaves. The early ancestors of deciduous temperate trees did not lose their leaves in autumn: they were evergreen tropical trees. Then, later, evergreen temperate trees. Many of our ever-“green” trees today, while holding on to their leaves through colder months, have red, not green, foliage in autumn and winter. Redness of leaves, then, is likely to have evolved before the mass leaf-dropping habit of our deciduous, temperate trees. Autumn is much redder in North America and east Asia than it is in northern Europe, and this can’t be explained by temperature differences alone. These areas also have a greater proportion of ancient tree lineages surviving: trees have gone extinct at a higher rate in Europe compared with those other areas. Is it possible that the red-leaved trees of North America and east Asia are still carrying with them an anti-herbivore device that evolved in the presence of leaf-eating animals which have long since gone extinct themselves? By the time many red-leaved trees went extinct in Europe, the herbivores had also disappeared – so the selective pressure to develop red leaves had been lifted. But this is still only part of the answer. The interaction between leaf physiology and local climate – in the here and now – must also play a role. Anthocyanins protect the leaf from sunlight as it pushes its own precious chemical resources back into twigs and branches before sacrificing itself. Each leaf I’ve collected this autumn is part of this puzzle, particularly those red ones. The leaf itself is a palimpsest. Its present function is written into its structure, but it also contains faint traces of its ancestry; preserving an ancient memory of a different world, millions of years ago, long before there were any humans to enjoy autumn colours and write about them.
Dianthus Medical Blog Archive Dettol protects: fact or fiction? There is a problem with that, however. Although I do not doubt for a minute that Dettol is highly effective in killing bacteria, to assume that killing a few bacteria around the kitchen translates into better health is a giant leap of faith. The fact is that bacteria are a normal part of our environment, and millions of years of evolution have equipped our immune systems to deal with them. Kitchens are not operating theatres. There is no obvious reason why it is necessary, or even desirable, for them to be sterile. Clearly, a bit of hygiene is sensible, and we don't want to leave chunks of rotting meat around, but going further than that and attempting to massacre bacteria at every opportunity doesn't have self-evident benefits. But hang on a moment, I hear you cry, isn't it just obvious and common sense that fewer bacteria in your kitchen means a lower risk of infection? Well, no. As I said earlier, we are constantly exposed to bacteria in every part of our environment, and we have immune systems that are rather good at dealing with them. If we are to believe that wiping our kitchen surfaces with antibacterial products such as Dettol will improve our health, and if Dettol are going to make that claim in their adverts, then we need to see evidence that it is true. So what does the evidence show? OK, I haven't done the most thorough literature search in the whole world ever here, so it's possible I've missed something (and if I have, dear reader, do please let me know in the comments box below), but as far as I can tell, the evidence shows that household antibacterial products are not beneficial to health, and may possibly even be harmful. Believe it or not, someone has actually done a randomised double-blind controlled trial of household antibacterial products, looking specifically at the rate of infections. They found that antibacterial products made no difference. Concerns have also been raised that household antibacterial products may contribute not only to increased antibiotic resistance, but also, and I personally think this is a more important risk, to an increased risk of allergies. The hygiene hypothesis, which is not yet conclusively proven, but which does have some pretty good evidence behind it, states that the immune system needs exposure to bacteria during childhood as part of the normal maturation process. If too few bacteria are encountered, the immune system has trouble figuring out what it is supposed to be doing, and develops allergic responses instead. This is widely believed (although I repeat, not completely proven) to be responsible for the huge increase in the prevalence of allergies in recent decades in developed countries, as standards of hygiene have improved and children encounter fewer bacteria. Development of allergies is not a trivial matter. Food allergies can be fatal (although thankfully this is rare), but deaths from asthma, another disease with an allergic basis, are far more common. And that's on top of all the misery and discomfort from less serious allergies, such as eczema or hay fever. To sum up, there is no evidence that Dettol protects against infections, and there is a prima facie case that it may increase the risk of allergies (although to my knowledge no-one has done a randomised controlled trial to look at the effect of Dettol on allergies, so we can't say with any certainty that it does). Now, given that "Dettol protects: fact" seems to be such a misleading statement and utterly unsupported by evidence, I reported this advert to the Advertising Standards Authority. For those unfamiliar with it, this is a self-regulatory body in the UK, which is funded by the advertising industry, and claims to uphold standards among advertisers. So, surely they wouldn't let such a misleading advert go unchallenged, would they? Well, yes, they would. They told me that other people have made complaints against Dettol in the past, and they have found in Dettol's favour, and so therefore they wouldn't consider my complaint. That would be fair enough if others had made the same complaint, but the other complaints were about completely different matters. For example, someone complained because they doubted the claim that Dettol could kill MRSA. Apparently it can, so it was fair enough that that complaint was not upheld. That, however, is totally irrelevant to my complaint. I do not doubt that Dettol kills bacteria. My complaint was about Dettol's claim to protect human health, a claim for which there is, to the best of my knowledge, absolutely no evidence. In my humble opinion, it is irresponsible to advertise a product as being something that will protect your children's health, when in fact it may be harming them by increasing their risk of allergies. That distinction was completely lost on the ASA. I see this as evidence that the conflict of interest that results from the ASA being funded by the advertising industry is not being well managed. To sum up in advertising-speak: Dettol protects: fiction. ASA protects advertisers: fact. ← Pharma companies, patients, and social networking Sterilisation of drug addicts → 16 responses to "Dettol protects: fact or fiction?"
Balance Bikes are entertaining and appealing to children as they come in a variety of designs. Children will want to go and ride! Balance Bikes help to stimulate the child’s imagination as they ride around. Enter their imagination and experience the ride with them, they will appreciate it, and so will you. B Thomas is mother to three energetic kids who love to ride their bikes and learned by starting on a balance bike. For more information on toddler balance bikes go to B Thomas is a Pediatric Nurse and a mom to three very energetic young boys. For more information on balance bikes go to That's really the secret to balance bikes and why kids as young as eighteen months can discover how to ride using a balance bike. They're half the load of a you'd get in a department store and smaller. So preschoolers don't have any trouble maneuvering the bicycles. They basically hop on and launch on their own using their feet. But if the child has not learnt the ability of balancing the bike and when he is introduced to pedalling on a two wheel bike, it often makes the child fearful about balancing on a two wheel bike. This will need them to use training wheels to master the balancing as well as pedalling but will make the learning process a lot more complex. Striders are a great alternative to tricycles as they allow children to learn how to balance quicker. This saves kids from injuries. Balance bikes are usually small and light. They aren’t so big as traditional bikes. Besides, striders don’t require much maintenance and repair as usual bikes. The parents can use the strider bikes to train their kids by taking them on an outing. This helps the toddlers understand more about the surroundings and make them much more conscious about the world outside and the roads. When they get used to riding this strider bike regularly, they begin to sit on the bike’s seat and start to pedal the cycle while trying to balance on the wheels.
DEFINITION of 'Price Scissors' When the value of one set or sector of a group falls below the value of other sets within the other group. Price scissors occur when the value of a sector falls dramatically while another sector rapidly gains in price. This phenomenon can cause chaos as individuals do not expect prices to take such wild and opposite directions from the norm. BREAKING DOWN 'Price Scissors' For example, if a country is a net exporter of dairy products and a net importer of crude oil, a large price drop in the world wide value of milk combined with a sharp increase in the value of a barrel of oil would cause a price scissors, which derives its name from its graphical illustration. The domestic economy would struggle to cope with having to pay much more for crude while being unable to sell dairy products at prices which they are accustomed to. 1. Sector 2. Sector Rotation The action of a mutual fund or portfolio manager shifting investment ... 3. Net Exporter 4. Financial Sector A category of stocks containing firms that provide financial ... 5. Net Importer A country or territory whose value of imported goods is higher ... 6. Sector Analysis A review and assessment of the current condition and future prospects ... Related Articles 1. Investing What's a Sector? The term sector has several applications in economics and finance. 2. Investing How to Choose the Right Sector Funds 3. Financial Advisor An Introduction To Sector Mutual Funds 4. Investing Shifting Focus To Sector Allocation Investing in sectors may trump international investments for providing diversification. 5. Investing What Is The Value In Value Investing? 6. Financial Advisor Top-Down Analysis: Finding The Right Stocks And Sectors 7. Investing Spread Out Risk With Sector-Based ETFs 8. Investing 4 Reasons Why the Price of Crude Oil Dropped Understand what drives the oil industry and how the price of crude oil is affected. Learn about five reasons why the price of crude oil has declined. 9. Investing Analyzing Mutual Fund Risk 10. Investing Tech Stocks Vs. Financial Stocks in 2016 1. How attractive is the internet sector for a growth investor? Learn why the Internet sector is an attractive option for growth investors, as well as what many of them do to reduce the ... Read Answer >> 2. What is the difference between an industry and a sector? 3. Is the oil & gas drilling sector a good choice for value investing? 4. Is the banking sector a good choice for value investing? 5. How does analyzing an oil and gas's financial statements differ from companies in ... Learn how financial statements for oil and gas companies appear different from companies in other sectors, and discover how ... Read Answer >> Learn how investors hedge against declines in the Internet sector by diversifying their portfolios with non-cyclical and ... Read Answer >> Hot Definitions 1. Cover Letter 2. 403(b) Plan 3. Master Of Business Administration - MBA 4. Liquidity Event 5. Job Market 6. Yuppie Trading Center
Some tips from a proofreader how to Learning English for beginners At Proofreading Services our editors have some tips for not native English speakers about how to learn English. In a rapidly changing world where modern innovative technologies commonly come into our lives, accepted by the international communication language of communication was adopted by the English language. If earlier the English language perceived as helpful, now knowledge and proficiency in English acute necessity. In order that would go along with the world progress, and have the determination to grow with innovative technologies to choose effective and shortest way to the realization of its goals. For optimal selection method of training is necessary to determine that from my experience, you can use most effectively. There are many methods of learning English, such as - Remote online training via Skype, an independent training courses at home and abroad, training with a tutor. For the correct determination of the priority method of teaching English, you must take into account their goals and objectives. This could be for example business English if the business relations with foreign partners require communication and correspondence, if you need English in a professional highly specialised field, travel, etc. First, you need to schedule your training. Decide what time you can devote to their studies and plan to spend much money on the English language and the obtaining of materials. From this depends greatly on the success in learning English, when it will be well formed plan, schedule and budget, in this case, we can confidently begin to learn English. Between the beginning of learning the English language, it is important to understand the principle that in order to achieve the goal, it is necessary to study the psychological mood and achieve results. And only then, if there is motivation, English at the initial stage of training will not seem an unattainable goal. Knowing that always will come to the aid of the teacher, classmates, innovative technologies, we must understand that all the problems and difficulties are solved. But for this it is necessary to focus as much as possible, to show willpower and discipline. The experience of learning English around the world suggests that learning and knowledge of English is an achievable goal. Here, the main commitment, time and patience. To achieve this goal it is necessary to understand the end result, this point is very motivated to learn English. Such motivation creates especially great opportunities that will open up in front of you, when you can be guided in all spheres, understanding, and fluent in English. This open features such as - free communication, tourism and free entrance to all countries, large amount of information which is available in English in the global Internet network, it will be with interest watching movies in the original, listen to music and understand what this or that song. Huge advantage is added as a professional in terms of career growth and financial reward that increases your wages by an average of 30% according to the latest analytical data. To conduct business correspondence and communicate with foreign business partners. English Grammar
Argus Panoptes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Drawing of an image from a 5th-century BCE Athenian red figure vase depicting Hermes slaying the giant Argus Panoptes. Note the eyes covering Argus' body. Io as a cow stands in the background. Hermes and Argus (it): Velázquez renders the theme of stealth and murder in modern dress, 1659 (Prado) Juno receiving the eyes of Argus from Mercury. by Hendrik Goltzius (1615), Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Argus Panoptes (or Argos) is a 100-eyed giant in Greek mythology. Argus Panoptes (Ἄργος Πανόπτης), guardian of the heifer-nymph Io and son of Arestor,[1] was a primordial giant whose epithet, "Panoptes", "all-seeing", led to his being described with multiple, often one hundred, eyes. The epithet Panoptes was applied to the Titan of the Sun, Helios, and was taken up as an epithet by Zeus, Zeus Panoptes. "In a way," Walter Burkert observes, "the power and order of Argos the city are embodied in Argos the neatherd, lord of the herd and lord of the land, whose name itself is the name of the land."[2] The epithet Panoptes, reflecting his mythic role, set by Hera as a very effective watchman of Io, was described in a fragment of a lost poem Aigimios, attributed to Hesiod:[3] In the 5th century and later, Argus' wakeful alertness was explained for an increasingly literal culture as his having so many eyes that only a few of the eyes would sleep at a time: there were always eyes still awake. In the 2nd century AD Pausanias noted at Argos, in the temple of Zeus Larissaios, an archaic image of Zeus with a third eye in the center of his forehead, allegedly Priam's Zeus Herkeios purloined from Troy.[4] Argus was Hera's servant. His great service to the Olympian pantheon was to slay the chthonic serpent-legged monster Echidna as she slept in her cave.[5] Hera's defining task for Argus was to guard the white heifer Io from Zeus, keeping her chained to the sacred olive tree at the Argive Heraion.[6] She charged him to "Tether this cow safely to an olive-tree at Nemea". Hera knew that the heifer was in reality Io, one of the many nymphs Zeus was coupling with to establish a new order. To free Io, Zeus had Argus slain by Hermes. The messenger of the Olympian gods, disguised as a shepherd, first put all of Argus' eyes asleep with spoken charms, then slew him by hitting him with a stone, the first stain of bloodshed among the new generation of gods.[7] The sacrifice of Argus liberated Io and allowed her to wander the earth, although tormented by a gadfly sent by Hera. According to Ovid, to commemorate her faithful watchman, Hera had the hundred eyes of Argus preserved forever, in a peacock's tail.[8][9] The myth makes the closest connection of Argus, the neatherd, with the bull. In the Library of pseudo-Apollodorus, "Argos killed the bull that ravaged Arcadia, then clothed himself in its skin."[10] In popular culture[edit] • In the Harry Potter book and film series, Argus Filch is the name of the excessively-vigilant caretaker at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft. Considering his intricate knowledge of the many secret passages and his obsession with watching students for signs of rule-breaking, his name is likely a reference to Argus Panoptes. • A devil beast based on Argos, romanticized as Algoth, appears in the anime series The Devil Lady who uses Jun's fear of being watched to torment her. He ends up killing himself upon entering a fun house mirror room, terrified of being watched himself. • The fifteenth colossus from the video game Shadow of the Colossus is called Argus and nicknamed "The Sentinel" and "Vigilant Guard". The hundreds of eyes carved into the temple that he resides in refers to the omnividence (all-seeing ability) of Argus Panoptes and the watchful colossus himself. • Argus Panoptes served as the inspiration for one of the Kaijin from Kamen Rider Wizard, the Phantom Argos • In the novel Luka and the Fire of Life, by Salman Rushdie, Argus Panoptes is one of the five appointed guardians of the 'Fire of Life'. • Argus Panoptes was featured in Marvel Comics. He was revived by Hera to be in charge of the Panopticon (a computer surveillance system that was set up to help defend New Olympus). • A song by the alternative band Ween is named "The Argus". • A.R.G.U.S. appears in DC Comics as a secretive agency with ties to Homeland Security that is involved in covert operations around the world and is known to monitor and study various kinds of superhuman activities. • In the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, Argus works at Camp Half-Blood. He is said to have eyes all over his body and even his tongue. He is usually seen driving demigods into Manhattan. • Argus (spelled Argos) appears in the 2007 video game God of War: Betrayal. He is the multi-eyed giant pet of the goddess Hera that was sent by the gods to stop main character Kratos' rampage across Greece, but is slain by an unknown assassin in an attempt to frame Kratos for the murder. • In Halo 5: Guardians, Spartan Linda-058 uses a MJOLNIR armor named after Argus (ARGUS-class Mjolnir); the armor features multiple types of optical equipment attached to it. 1. ^ Therefore called Arestorides (Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca ii.1.3, Apollonius Rhodius i.112, Ovid Metamorphoses i.624). According to Pausanias (ii.16.3), Arestor was the consort of Mycene, the eponymous nymph of nearby Mycenae. 2. ^ Walter Burkert, Homo Necans (1972) 1983:166-67. 3. ^ Hesiodic Aigimios, fragment 294, reproduced in Merkelbach and West 1967 and noted in Burkert 1983:167 note 28. 4. ^ Pausanias, 2.24.3. (noted by Burkert 1983:168 note 28). 5. ^ Homer, Iliad ii.783; Hesiod, Theogony, 295ff; Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca ii.i.2). 6. ^ Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheke, 2.6. 7. ^ Hermes was tried, exonerated, and earned the epithet Argeiphontes, "killer of Argos". 9. ^ Impelluso, Lucia; Zuffi, Stefano (2003). Eroi E Dei Dell'antichità. Getty Publications. p. 28. ISBN 0892367024. Retrieved 10 September 2015. 10. ^ Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheke, 2.4. External links[edit] Media related to Argus Panoptes at Wikimedia Commons
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Back-story) Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the literary device. For "back-stories" of consumer goods, see Back-story (production). A backstory, background story, back-story, or background is a set of events invented for a plot, presented as preceding and leading up to that plot. It is a literary device of a narrative history all chronologically earlier than the narrative of primary interest. As a literary device backstory is often employed to lend depth or believability to the main story. The usefulness of having a dramatic revelation was recognized by Aristotle, in Poetics. Backstory may be revealed by various means, including flashbacks, dialogue, direct narration, summary, recollection, and exposition. The original Star Wars movie and its first two sequels are examples of a work with a preconceived backstory, which was later released as the "prequel" second set of three movies. Shared universe[edit] See also[edit] 1. ^ Backstory at Merriam Webster online 2. ^ Backstory at 3. ^ Backstory: The Importance of What Isn't Told
DrawImage Method (Image, RectangleF, RectangleF, GraphicsUnit) Collapse the table of content Expand the table of content Graphics.DrawImage Method (Image, RectangleF, RectangleF, GraphicsUnit) Draws the specified portion of the specified Image at the specified location and with the specified size. Namespace: System.Drawing Assembly: System.Drawing (in System.Drawing.dll) public void DrawImage( Image image, RectangleF destRect, RectangleF srcRect, GraphicsUnit srcUnit Type: System.Drawing.Image Image to draw. Type: System.Drawing.RectangleF RectangleF structure that specifies the location and size of the drawn image. The image is scaled to fit the rectangle. Type: System.Drawing.RectangleF RectangleF structure that specifies the portion of the image object to draw. Type: System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit Exception Condition image is null. The srcRect parameter specifies a rectangular portion of the image object to draw. This portion is scaled to fit inside the rectangle specified by the destRect parameter. • Creates a destination rectangle in which to draw the image. • Draws the image to the screen. The position of the destination rectangle locates the image on the screen, the sizes of the source and destination rectangles determine the scaling of the drawn image, and the size of the source rectangle determines what portion of the original image is drawn to the screen. public void DrawImageRectFRectF(PaintEventArgs e) // Create image. Image newImage = Image.FromFile("SampImag.jpg"); // Create rectangle for displaying image. RectangleF destRect = new RectangleF(100.0F, 100.0F, 450.0F, 150.0F); // Create rectangle for source image. RectangleF srcRect = new RectangleF(50.0F, 50.0F, 150.0F, 150.0F); GraphicsUnit units = GraphicsUnit.Pixel; // Draw image to screen. e.Graphics.DrawImage(newImage, destRect, srcRect, units); .NET Framework Available since 1.1 Return to top © 2016 Microsoft
Like HowStuffWorks on Facebook! 10 Amazing Ancient Egyptian Inventions Sure, the Great Pyramid is magnificent, but ancient Egyptians can take credit for a whole lot more than that. See more pictures of famous landmarks. Ravi Tahilramani/Photodisc/Getty Images There may be no greater tribute to a society's ingenuity and vision than Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza. Originally standing 481 feet (147 meters) tall, the Great Pyramid towers over monuments like the Statue of Liberty and Big Ben [source: PBS]. Of course, the pyramids are only part of ancient Egypt's legacy. Over the thousands of years ancient Egyptians thrived, they ushered in perhaps the most advanced civilization the world had ever known, and many of the fixtures of their society are still commonplace. For instance, Egyptian women donned ornate jewelry and wigs, the men boxed, fenced and wrestled for sport and the children played with board games, dolls and other toys. They also thrived as inventors, and, as you'll see in this list of five amazing Egyptian inventions, their creations changed everything from fashion to agriculture so drastically that we still see their influence today. Eye Makeup Written Language Egyptian hieroglyphs Egyptian hieroglyphs Sophia Johler/ EyeEm/Getty Images Papyrus Sheets A sample of Egyptian papyrus paper A sample of Egyptian papyrus paper Terry Why/Photolibrary/Getty Images The Calendar Many of us would be lost without a calendar to help us remember dental appointments and important meetings, but in ancient Egypt, a calendar could mean the difference between feast and famine. Without a calendar, ancient Egyptians had no way of knowing when the annual flooding of the Nile would begin. Without that knowledge, their entire agricultural system would be put at risk, so a few thousand years before the common era, they started using one. Their civil calendar was so closely tied into farming that the Egyptians divided it up into three main seasons: inundation, growing and harvest. Each season had four months, with each month divided into 30 days. Adding it all up, you get 360 days a year -- a bit short of an actual year. To make up the difference, the Egyptians added five days between the harvest and inundation seasons. These five epagomenal days, were designated as religious holidays set aside to honor the children of the gods [source: Weininger]. The Plow While historians aren't entirely certain of where the plow originated, evidence suggests that the Egyptians and Sumerians were among the first societies to employ its use around 4000 B.C. [source: Pryor]. Those plows certainly had room for improvement. Likely built from modified hand tools, the plows were so light and ineffective that they are now referred to as "scratch plows" for their inability to dig deep into the ground. What's more, the plows ran on nothing more than elbow grease. For instance, wall paintings illustrate four men pulling a plow through a field together -- not a great way to spend a day in the scorching Egyptian sun. That all changed in 2000 B.C., when the Egyptians first hooked their plows to oxen [source: Leju]. Early designs were connected to the horns of cattle but proved to interfere with the animal's ability to breathe. Later versions incorporated a system of straps and were much more effective. The plow revolutionized farming in ancient Egypt and, combined with the steady rhythm of the Nile River, made farming easier for the Egyptians than perhaps any other society of the time. Breath Mints The bread that Egyptians ate was hard on their teeth. The bread that Egyptians ate was hard on their teeth. Frans Lemmens/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images The next time you peruse the counter at the 7-Eleven for Mentos or Breath Savers, you should thank the ancient Egyptians for devising a way to conceal the unpleasant aromas our mouths sometimes exude. Just as in modern times, bad breath in ancient Egypt often was a symptom of poor dental health. Unlike us, the Egyptians didn't gorge on sugary soft drinks and foods that contribute to tooth decay, but the stones they used to grind flour for bread contributed a lot of sand and grit to their diet, which wore down tooth enamel to expose the pulp of the tooth, making it vulnerable to infection. The Egyptians had specialists for many medical problems, but unfortunately, they didn't have dentists or oral surgeons to fix their deteriorating teeth and gums. Instead, they simply suffered, and scientists who've examined mummies have found severely worn teeth and evidence of abscesses, even in youthful Egyptians. To cope with the unpleasant odors from their rotting mouths, Egyptians invented the first mints, which were a combination of frankincense, myrrh and cinnamon boiled with honey and shaped into pellets [source: Brier and Hobbs]. Writers of the 1998 comedy film "The Big Lebowski," in which pivotal scenes take place in a bowling alley, might have had to find a different motif if it hadn't been for the ancient Egyptians. In Narmoutheos, a settlement 56 miles (90 kilometers) south of Cairo that dates back to the Roman occupation period in the second and third centuries A.D., archaeologists have discovered a room containing a set of lanes and a collection of balls of various sizes. Measuring about 13 feet (3.9 meters) long, the 7.9-inch-wide (20-centimeter), 3.8-inch-deep (9.6-centimeter) lane featured a 4.7-inch (11.9-centimeter) square opening at its center. Unlike modern bowling, in which bowlers strive to knock down pins at the end of the alley, Egyptian bowlers aimed for the hole in the middle. Competitors stood at opposite ends of the lane and attempted to roll balls of different sizes into the center hole and in the process also knock their opponent's ball off course [source: Lorenzi]. Shave and a Haircut Stephen Studd/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images The Door Lock A carving in the Luxor Temple A carving in the Luxor Temple John Wang/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images Whenever you lock your door at night and slide the deadbolt into place, say a prayer of thanks for the ancient Egyptian invention of door locks. The earliest such device, created around 4000 B.C., basically was a pin-tumbler lock, in which a hollowed-out bolt in the door was connected to pins that could be manipulated by insertion of a key. When the key pushed upward on the pins, they slipped away from the bolt shaft, allowing it to be withdrawn. One drawback of these ancient locks was their size. The biggest ones were up to 2 feet (0.6 meters) in length [source: How It Works]. Egyptian locks actually were more secure than the technology later developed by the Romans, who used a simpler design with a spring rather than a bolt to hold the door in place. The Roman locks were hidden inside the door, but compared to the Egyptian locks, they were relatively easy to pick [source: de Vries]. Who Made It? The Inventions Quiz Who Made It? The Inventions Quiz Related Articles • Boeree, C. George. "Evolution of Alphabets." (Jan. 16, 2011) • Brewer, Douglas J. and Emily Teeter. "Ancient Egyptian Society and Family Life." University of Chicago. 2004. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Brier, Bob and Hobbs, Hoyt. "Daily Life of the Ancient Egyptians." Greenwood Press. 1999. (Jan. 31, 2012) • The British Museum. "Writing." (Jan. 16, 2011) • Brown, Robert W. "Ancient Civilizations to 300 BC." University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Jan. 3, 2006. (Jan. 29, 2011) • Buffington, Kelly. "Eyeliner, Egypt, 4000 BCE." Smithsonian. (Jan. 16, 2011) • De Vries, M.J., Cross, Nigel and Grant, Donald P. "Design Methodology and Relationships With Science." Kluver Academic Publishers. 1993. (Jan. 31, 2012) • Discovering Egypt. "Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Writing." (Jan. 16, 2011) • Dunn, Jimmy. "Egyptian Papyrus Historically." Tour Egypt. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Dunn, Jimmy. "Facial Hair (Specifically, Beards) in Ancient Egypt." (Jan. 31, 2012) • Egyptian Papyrus. "Egyptian Papyrus." (Jan. 16, 2011) • Georgia Tech. "Invention of Paper." June 13, 2006. (Jan. 29. 2011) • Hamed, A. Ead. "Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt." (Jan. 16, 2011) • Harrow, Katie. "The history of the written word." New Archeology. 2003. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Hatch, Robert A. "Egyptian Contributions to Astronomy." University of Florida. February 1999. (Jan. 16, 2011) • "History of Toothbrushes and Toothpastes." (Jan. 31, 2012) • Holden, Constance. "An Egyptian Birthplace for ABCs." Science. Vol. 286. no. 5445. Nov. 26, 1999. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Hooker, Richard. "EgyptianTimeline." Washington State University. June 6, 1999. (Jan. 29, 2011) • How It Works: Science and Technology, Vol. 9. Marshall Cavendish. 2003. (Jan. 31, 2012. • Hwt-Hrw, Akhet. "The Calendars of Ancient Egypt." (Jan. 16, 2011) • King, James. "Cleopatra's Needle: A History of the London Obelisk with an Exposition of the Hieroglyphics." Religious Tract Society. 1883. (Jan, 31, 2012) • King Tut. "Egyptian Make Up." (Jan. 16, 2011) • Knight, Edward Henry. "Knight's American Medical Dictionary. " J.B. Ford and Co. 1872. (Jan. 31, 2012) • Leju, Charles Lugor. "Ancient Egyptian Farming and Tools." Minnesota State University Mankato. 2002. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Lorenzi, Rossella. "Bowling Invented in Ancient Egypt." Discovery News. Jul. 25, 2007. • Patch, Diana Craig. "Life in Ancient Egypt." Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 1990. (Jan. 16, 2011) • PBS. "Pyramids -- How Tall?" 1997. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Pryor, Frederic L. "The Invention of the Plow." Comparative Studies in Society and History. Vol. 27 no. 4 October 1985. • Rutgers University. "Ancient Egyptian Calendar and Chronology." (Jan. 16, 2011) • University of Bremen. "The New Gospel Fragments." (Jan. 16, 2011) • WebMD. "History of Makeup." 2009. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Weininger, Richard. "The Nile, the Moon and Sirius: The Ancient Egyptian Calendar." Tour Egypt. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Wherley, Jon. "Drawing by Firelight (30,000BC)." Penn State. (Jan. 29, 2011) • Whittaker, Gordon. "The Rise, Zenith and Fall of Writing Systems." Antiquity. Vol. 84, No. 324 June, 2010. • Wudka, Jose. "Egypt." Sept. 24, 1998. (Jan. 16, 2011) • Zoech, Irene. "The ancient Egyptian recipe for toothpaste." The Telegraph. Jan. 19, 2003. (Jan. 31, 2012)
Doing Good, Made Simple Trees have been planted so far Kilograms of CO2 is offsetted by just one tree Forests Are Lost Every Year - Human activity costs us 46, 923 square miles of forest each year, at this rate it will take less than 700 years for all the forests in all the world to be totally destroyed. One Tree Can Make A Difference - Planting just five trees and growing them for 30 years will offset the emissions from a drive of about 2,500 kms, or a flight of about 10,000 kms. Building Communities - Tree plantings provide an opportunity for community involvement and empowerment that improves the quality of life in neighbourhoods. All cultures, ages, and genders have an important role to play in the projects. How it Works Seed The Change is a for-profit subscription-based business that helps eCommerce stores make more sales while helping the environment. We allow vendors to have trees planted in any of 15 locations around the world every time a product is sold on their store. Once your store is set up, the process is completely automated! We don't plant the trees though. Instead, are working with an established conservation charity that has planted millions of trees in the last 24 years. The charity has well defined cost to plant a tree, from the fees collected through from our vendors we send the appropriate amount of money to the charity. The percentage that is left, is what we use to run and grow our business. Why Plant Trees? Local Impact Local Impact Most of the world's poor depend on agriculture for survival. Widespread deforestation results in land that doesn't produce crops like it once did. Planting trees restores productivity to the land, replenishing the soil and reducing erosion. Global Impact Global Impact Just one tree can store 1,250 kilograms of carbon. That's the equivalent of offsetting a return flight from Los Angeles to London! Just 16 trees can offset the annual carbon emissions of an average American household over its 30 year life. Social Impact Social Impact The sustainable agriculture practices taught to farmers helps them become independent. So as well as benefiting from productive soil, these farmers learn how to make the most of the land. That means more food on the table and a better life for their whole family. One and a half acres of forest is cut down every second Online Store Enquiry Are you ready to become a social-good company? Get in touch using the form below for an obligation-free discussion about getting your store setup with Seed The Change. General Enquiry Is there something you want to know that isn't explained on the website? Are you running a different kind of business but still want to work with us? Get in touch with one of our friendly team.
Majors for Aspiring Pediatricians: Undergraduate Degree Options According to the American Medical Association, prospective doctors typically major in a science field, most commonly biology, chemistry and physics. However, medical schools accept applicants with other undergraduate degrees as long as they complete specific prerequisite coursework. Essential Information Bachelor's programs in biology, chemistry and physics all include classroom lectures and lab sessions in their specific fields, along with general education requirements, which would allow graduates to pursue a medical degree later. Some of these programs may offer pre-med tracks, where students are specifically prepared for medical school admissions and the Medical School Admissions Test (MCAT). After earning an undergraduate degree, an additional 7-12 years of education are needed to become a licensed pediatrician, which includes medical school and a residency. • Program Levels: Bachelor's degree. • Pediatric Medicine Program Fields: Biology, chemistry, physics. • Prerequisites: High school diploma, high standardized test scores, background in the sciences. • Program Length: 4 years. Bachelor of Science in Biology Though there is not one specific undergraduate degree required for enrolling in medical school and becoming a pediatrician, a bachelor's degree program in biology is a common choice, according to the American Medical Association (http://www.ama-assn.org). The biology programs focus on life science, which includes plants and animals, and the study of the human body. Biology students typically divide their time between classroom instruction and required laboratory hours. After completing required general education courses, biology students enter a curriculum heavily focused on the cellular and genetic makeup of living organisms. Students who plan to apply to medical school to become pediatricians should select courses that focus on the structure and development of the human body versus classes that pertain to plant and animal life. Specialized human biology courses typically taken by biology majors may include: • Cellular biology • Genetics • Anatomy • Physiology • Molecular biology • Statistics Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Students majoring in chemistry examine the matter that makes up the world around us, including that of the human body. They learn about the composition of elements and how those different elements react to the environment by studying years of chemistry research and through individual experiments. Many universities offer a medicinal or biochemistry focus for undergraduate chemistry students planning a medical career, which is a beneficial option for students seeking a career in pediatrics. Undergraduate chemistry students enroll in courses primarily focused on chemistry and concentrations within the discipline. Chemistry majors dedicate their time absorbing information in lectures and accompanying labs on topics including: • Organic chemistry • Inorganic chemistry • Biological chemistry • Physical chemistry • Instrument analysis • Advanced calculus Bachelor of Science in Physics Physics majors explore how and why various functions of the world perform the way they do. Physics degree plans include many of the science and math courses that are required for medical school admission. The foundations of physical science are essential for students preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and the basic principles found in a physics curriculum are revisited in medical school curricula. Most of the coursework within a physics degree program focuses on the operations of various aspects of life, from the human body to the universe. While most universities offer the same general classes, some also include physics classes focused on medicine or the human body. Most physics degree plans include the following options: • Mathematical physics • Dynamics • Thermal physics • Biological physics • Relativity • Mechanics Employment Outlook and Salary Information According to May 2014 data reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for general pediatricians was $163,350. The BLS predicted a job growth of 18% for physicians and surgeons, which includes pediatricians, for the decade of 2012-2022. Continuing Education After completing an undergraduate degree program, prospective pediatricians must attend medical school and complete a residency. Near the end of completing their undergraduate degree program, students planning on attending medical school take the Medical College Admission Test, which tests a candidate's knowledge of physical and biological sciences, writing skills and verbal reasoning abilities. Examinees should have been exposed to all of the test subjects throughout their undergraduate program, not only for the purpose of passing the MCAT, but also because these courses covering these areas are typically required as a medical school prerequisite. Once admitted into a medical school, future pediatricians should expect four years of study in medical school, which results in a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), followed by 3-8 years of residency training, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). Medical students interested in pediatrics may choose a track tailored to the health and wellness of children and apply for residencies in children's hospitals or pediatric departments. After completing medical school and residency requirements, pediatricians are required to pass a medical board examination and obtain a license to practice medicine. Pediatricians are a specialized type of medical doctor who can work in a traditional hospital, a children's hospital, clinic or private practice. Within the profession of pediatrics, doctors can specialize in several areas, including general pediatrics, surgery, cardiology and neurology. Pediatricians' hours can vary according to their place of employment and specialty. For example, a private practicing pediatrician may have a very structured schedule, while a pediatric surgeon in a hospital setting may work various shifts and be on call several times a month. Search Degrees, Careers, or Schools
The complete absence of one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) kidneys. Agenesis means "without a beginning". Also known as Potter's Syndrome, bilateral renal agenesis is the complete absence of both kidneys. Severe oligohydramnios (too little amniotic fluid) results, causing growth retardation, typical 'Potter's facies' (beak-like nose, receding chin, and large, low-set ears), and pulmonary hypoplasia (failure of the lungs to reach full size). This condition is incompatible with life.
crested floating heart Nymphoides cristata (Roxb.) O. Ktze. Nymphoides cristata is an herbaceous aquatic plant with floating stems from a buried rootstock. Slender tuberous roots dangle from the stem-leaf node. Nymphoides cristata has a single heart-shaped leaf with smooth margins, cordate base, and short petiole at the tip of each stem. Flowers of Nymphoides cristata are white, with membranous margins, 0.3-0.9 in. (0.8-2.3 cm) wide, petal lobes with a ruffled crest (like a rooster’s comb) along the upper midvein, blooming from summer to fall. The fruit is an oblong capsule, with smooth, rounded seeds. Ecological Threat Nymphoides cristata was first introduced to the U.S. as a water garden plant. Fragments of the plant are spread by wind, flowing water, boats, and trailers. Infestations of Nymphoides cristata were first observed in cypress swamps and water management canals in southeast Florida in the late 1990s. Within a few years, large canals and suburban lakes in the central and eastern parts of the state had become infested. There is serious concern about this plant because herbicides that control other floating and emergent invasive plants have had little effect on it. Similar natives are Big Floating Heart (N. aquatica), Little Floating Heart (N. cordata), and Water Snowflake (N. indica). Nymphoides cristata is still being sold in the water garden trade. Selected Images EDDMapS Distribution State Regulated List Taxonomic Rank Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Solanales Family: Menyanthaceae Genus: Nymphoides Subject: Nymphoides cristata (Roxb.) O. Ktze. Plants - Aquatic Plants
Finding your hardware address: Windows Vista/7, Windows 8 To determine your hardware address: Windows 8 1. Press the Windows key to open the Start screen. 2. From the Windows Start screen, begin by typing cmd. 3. Windows search will filter the available apps until Command Prompt is displayed, select this app and the black Command Prompt window will open on the desktop. 4. In Command Prompt, type ipconfig /all and hit Enter (note the space before the forward-slash). 5. In the results, you may need to scroll up to view the appropriate addresses for your computer’s adapters. The hardware and IP addresses will be listed as Physical Address and IPv4 Address, respectively. Windows Vista/7 1. Click the Windows Start button (the Windows button in the lower left corner of your screen). Type cmd in the "Start Search" field and hit enter. 2. At the C:\ command prompt, type getmac /v. Your network adapters will be displayed, including the twelve-digit physical address for the Local Area Connection, which is your Ethernet adapter's address. If you have a wireless network adapter and wish to use it, the physical address for the wireless network adapter is also displayed. You can tell the wireless apart from the wired hardware address by a "Wireless" or "802.11" label in either the "Connection Name" or "Network Adapter" fields. You will need to enter these numbers (without punctuation) into the automated registration system. If it says "Wireless Disabled", please enable your wireless adapter (often a switch on the outside of a laptop case or a key combination) and run getmac /v again. 3. When you have finished viewing the hardware addresses, type exit at the C:\ prompt to close the window. Please sign in to leave a comment.
Allen's interval algebra From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Allen's Interval Algebra) Jump to: navigation, search Formal description[edit] Relation Illustration Interpretation X takes place before Y X takes place before Y X meets Y X meets Y (i stands for inverse) X overlaps with Y X overlaps with Y X starts with Y X starts Y X during Y X during Y X finishes with Y X finishes Y X is equal to Y X is equal to Y The sentence is formalized in Allen's Interval Algebra as follows: In general, the number of different relations between n intervals is 1, 1, 13, 409, 23917, 2244361... OEIS A055203. The special case shown above is for n=2. Composition of relations between intervals[edit] For reasoning about the relations between temporal intervals, Allen's Interval Algebra provides a composition table. Given the relation between and and the relation between and , the composition table allows for concluding about the relation between and . Together with a converse operation, this turns Allen's Interval Algebra into a relation algebra. For the example, one can infer . See also[edit] • James F. Allen: Maintaining knowledge about temporal intervals. In: Communications of the ACM. 26 November 1983. ACM Press. pp. 832–843, ISSN 0001-0782 • Bernhard Nebel, Hans-Jürgen Bürckert: Reasoning about Temporal Relations: A Maximal Tractable Subclass of Allen's Interval Algebra. In: Journal of the ACM 42, pp. 43–66. 1995. • Peter van Beek, Dennis W. Manchak: The design and experimental analysis of algorithms for temporal reasoning. In: Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research 4, pp. 1–18, 1996.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search In Scientology, the concept of the thetan (/ˈθtən/) is similar to the concept of self, or the spirit or soul as found in several other belief systems. The term is derived from the Greek letter Θ, theta, which in Scientology beliefs represents "the source of life, or life itself."[1] In Scientology it is believed that it is the thetan, not the central nervous system, which commands the body through communication points.[2] According to the Church of Scientology, the concept for the thetan was first discovered in the early 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard, drawing on reports by Dianetics practitioners of past-life experiences. Although the term is comparable to a soul, a thetan can be connected to multiple people over time. An important goal in Scientology is to become one with the thetan as an Operating Thetan.[4] Thetan in Scientology doctrine[edit] The term and concept were defined by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, who adopted the Greek letter theta (Θ) to represent "the source of life and life itself".[5] Hubbard first introduced his ideas of "theta-beings" in a lecture series of March 1952.[6] He attributed the coining of the word to his wife Mary Sue.[7] As an essential point of Scientology doctrine, a person's identity and self-awareness come entirely from a "thetan". It is redundant to refer to "a person's thetan," because the person does not exist independently.[8][9] According to Hubbard's son Ronald DeWolf (born L. Ron Hubbard, Jr.), his father stated that thetans are immortal and perpetual, having willed themselves into existence at some point several trillion[12] years ago.[13][14] After they originated, thetans generated "points to view" or "dimension points", causing space to come into existence. They agreed that other thetans' dimension points existed, thus bringing into existence the entire universe. All matter, energy, space, and time exists solely because thetans agree that it exists. In the primordial past, according to Scientologist teachings, thetans brought the material universe into being largely for their own pleasure.."[15] The universe is thought to have no independent reality, but to derive its apparent reality from the fact that most thetans agree it exists.[16] Scientologists believe that thetans fell from grace when they began to identify with their creation, rather than their original state of spiritual purity.[15] Eventually, they lost their memory of their true nature, along with the associated spiritual and creative powers. As a result, thetans came to think of themselves as nothing but embodied beings.[16][17] Thetans are believed to be reborn time and time again in new bodies through a process called "assumption" which is analogous to reincarnation.[15] Dell deChant and Danny Jorgensen liken Scientology to Hinduism, in that both ascribe a causal relationship between the experiences of earlier incarnations and one's present life.[15] With each rebirth, the effects of the "MEST" universe (MEST here stands for matter, energy, space, and time) on the thetan are believed to become stronger.[15] Jon Atack, whose book A Piece of Blue Sky details how he reached Operating Thetan level V before leaving Scientology, describes Hubbard's doctrines about thetans: "Thetans are all-knowing beings, and became bored because there were no surprises. Hubbard asserted that the single most important desire in all beings is to have a 'game'. To have a 'game' it was necessary to 'not know' certain things, so certain perceptions were negated ('not-is-ed')." Since thetans knew everything, this required them to abandon or suppress perceptions and knowledge. Over time, the loss of perception accumulated and certain thetans began to cause harm to others. MEST (physical) beings also sought to "trap" thetans in order to control them. Thetans came to learn contrition, punishing themselves for their own "harmful" acts.[18] The Scientological notion of the thetan differs from other religions, such as Judaism and Christianity, in three significant ways. While other belief systems “fuse the concept of the body and soul”, the thetan is “separate and independent.” Also unlike the Judeo-Christian tradition, Scientologists believe that the thetan has “lived through many, perhaps thousands of lifetimes.” Third, different from the Christian notion of original sin, Scientology believes that the thetan is basically good, but “has lost touch with its true nature.”[20] Thetans and death[edit] While Hubbard’s discovery of the thetan led to the development of an elaborate cosmology, the doctrinal structure he created is based on the following propositions: “Man is an immortal spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized.”[24] Operating Thetan[edit] Main article: Operating Thetan Cleared Theta Clear[edit] Body thetan[edit] Main article: Body thetan 3. ^ Official Glossary of Scientology & Dianetics Terms Archived November 12, 2005, at the Wayback Machine. 4. ^ Schaefer, Richard T.; Zellner, William W. (2010). Extraordinary Groups: An Examination of Unconventional Lifestyles. Macmillan. Retrieved 2016-03-07. 7. ^ Hubbard, The Auditor 21, p.1 8. ^ What is Scientology 9. ^ Creed of the Church of Scientology 12. ^ Billion in Long Scale 13. ^ "PBS Late Night interview with Ron DeWolf". 17. ^ Melton 2000, p. 32 19. ^ Thousands of billions in Long Scale 20. ^ Cowan, Douglas E.; Bromley, David G. (2015). Cults and New Religions: A Brief History, Wiley Blackwell Brief Histories of Religion. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 9781118722107. Retrieved 2016-06-23. 22. ^ "The Scientology Story - Part 1B: Defining the Theology". 26. ^ Church of Scientology, Scientology Beliefs, accessed 03/28/06 External links[edit]
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary Jump to: navigation, search Character ה Unicode block Hebrew Codepoint U+05D4 ה ‎(transliteration needed) 1. He, hei: the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, after ד and before ו. 2. The numeral 5 in Hebrew numbering. Usage notes[edit] • The letter ה is also used as a silent letter (a mater lectionis) at the end of a word, to indicate the presence of a vowel that is not otherwise indicated. This vowel is usually /a/ (as in יַלְדָּה ‎(yaldá) and סֶלָה ‎(séla)), but often /e/ (as in אֵלֶּה ‎(éle) and תֵּה ‎()), and in a few cases /o/ (as in כֹּה ‎()). However, final vowels are not necessarily indicated by any letter at all; for example, the words לְךָ ‎(l'khá), אָמַרְתָּ ‎(amárta), and אֵלֶיהָ ‎(eléha) all end with a vowel /a/ that is not indicated by a following letter. Conversely, this silent use of ה appears, in a very small number of exceptional cases, in the interior of a word, such as in יְפֵהפֶה ‎(y'fefé). • In writing with vowels, when a letter ה representing the phoneme /h/ occurs at the end of a word, it is written with dot inside, called a mapík, to distinguish it from the silent use: לָהּ ‎(láh), גובה \ גֹּבַהּ ‎(góvah). • Like the letters א‎, ח‎, ע, and ר, the letter ה never takes a dagésh (that is: in traditional Hebrew, which distinguished consonant length, the phoneme /h/ never underwent gemination), and in circumstances where a dagésh would otherwise be expected, there is frequently a change in the preceding vowel. For example, the infinitive of נֶהֱרַג ‎(neherág) is לְהֵהָרֵג ‎(l'heiharég) rather than *לְהִהָּרֵג ‎(l'hiharég). • Like the letters א‎, ח, and ע, the letter ה generally does not take a sh'vá (be it a sh'vá ná or a sh'vá nákh); rather, it takes a khatáf vowel: הֲלִיכָה ‎(halikhá), נֶהֱרַס ‎(neherás), צהריים \ צָהֳרָיִם ‎(tsohoráyim). Additionally, like word-final ח and ע, a word-final non-silent ה takes a patákh g'nuvá after any vowel other than /a/: גבוה \ גָּבֹהַּ ‎(gavóah). • Since ה is used as a silent letter at the end of a word, it also is traditionally used as a placeholder in the representation of consonantal roots that have a sort of “gap” at the end. For example, the roots of the verbs קָנָה ‎(kaná), נִרְאָה ‎(nir'á), הִרְשָׁה ‎(hirshá), חיכה \ חִכָּה ‎(khiká), and הִתְגַּלָּה ‎(hitgalá) are ק־נ־ה ‎(k-n-), ר־א־ה ‎(r-'-), ר־שׁ־ה ‎(r-sh-), ח־כ־ה ‎(kh-k-), and ג־ל־ה ‎(g-l-), respectively. In some forms, this “gap” becomes ת /t/ (as in קָנְתָה ‎(kan'tá)); in others, it becomes י /j/ (as in גילוי \ גִּלּוּי ‎(gilúi)); in others, it becomes a silent א (as in הַרְשָׁאָה ‎(harsha'á)); and in others, it essentially disappears (as in נִרְאוֹת ‎(nir'ót)). Coordinate terms[edit]
In an era of increased competition and economic pressure, some workplaces can seem like a battlefield. Many workers may have observed a colleague being chastised or denigrated by a supervisor, and for some, the attack has been personal. Provocative new research suggests our subsequent feelings and actions vary by gender and are different depending on whether the coworker is male or female. Investigators from Texas A&M and Buena Vista University discovered workers who witness incivility towards colleagues feel negative emotions – especially when the incivility is aimed at workers of the same sex. The study, by Kathi Miner, Ph.D., and Angela Eischeid, analyzes the relationship between employees’ observations of incivility towards same-gender co-workers and negative emotions. Experts say that workplace incivility or rudeness is commonplace and violates conventional workplace norms for mutual respect. The behavior also displays a lack of regard for others. Although our first thoughts are likely to be for the victim of this “abuse,” it can also affect our own feelings as observers. In the study, a total of 453 restaurant employees responded to an online survey examining the “quality of life in the restaurant industry.” Investigators examined how observed workplace incivility towards female and male co-workers relates to four negative emotions — anger, demoralization, fear and anxiety — for both female and male observers. Researchers determined that female observers reported significantly higher levels of anger, demoralization, fear and anxiety when they observed other female employees being treated rudely and discourteously at work. Demoralization was the strongest negative emotion experienced by observing women. Similarly, male observers were significantly angrier, fearful and anxious the more they observed other men being treated uncivilly at work, compared to females. Interestingly, demoralization was not a negative emotion experienced by male observers in these situations. Researchers believe the observations accurately depict the gender differences in how individuals respond to personal attacks upon both themselves and others. The authors conclude: “Our results paint a complex picture about the experience of specific negative emotions in response to observed incivility toward same gender co-workers. The study is published online in Springer’s journal Sex Roles. Source: Springer
Web Results A burette (also buret) is a device used in analytical chemistry for the dispensing of variable, measured amounts of a chemical solution. A volumetric burette ... What is the definition of test tube holder? \| Reference.com A test tube holder is an apparatus designed to support and store test tubes during a scientific experiment. A test tube is a thin-glassed tube with one closed end ... What is the function of a test tube holder and a test tube rack ... A test tube holder's purpose is for holding test tubes in place, but they can also be useful for holding pipettes and stirring rods as well, and a test tube rack holds ... Scholars Online Chemistry AP You may use any convenient units so long as you are consistent and willing to do the math to convert to SI (metric) units when necessary. ... Substitute: a wide glass jar can be used if a single test tube will stand upright with enough tube above ... Laboratory Manual Test Tube Holder_____ ____ Tongs_____ ____ Water Bottle_____ _____. Eye Dropper____ ____ .... standard unit of measurement what would we measure with? You could e-mail your ... Prefixes with SI Units. Prefix giga- mega- kilo- hecto-. Calorimetry Lab - Specific Heat Capacity The SI units for specific heat are given in J/gC. Specific .... Using a test tube holder, lift the test tube containing the heated metal shot from the boiling water bath ... CP Chemistry Lab Activities complete packet 2010-2011 SI. #2-2: Density Blocks. SI, DPM. II. Chemical Quantities. #2-3: Atomic Mass of “ Beanium .... I will distribute heat evenly along test tubes while pointing the open mouth away from ..... Using a test tube holder, evenly heat the test tube with a hot flame, making ..... To become familiar with SI units, measurement, and conversion . Test Tube Rack \| Spectrum Test Tube Rack found in: Heathrow Scientific(R) Universal Bottle/Tube Wire Racks, Julabo(R) Stainless Steel Test Tube Racks, Heathrow Scientific(R).. BIOL 1406 Lab Manual - Austin Community College use SI units when making measurements in lab and convert between SI units. ♢ choose an .... zeros are place holders and not significant. However, the ..... Calculate V1. Measure that amount of stock solution and place it in the first test tube. 4. Chem SOL Framework.pdf - Virginia Department of Education graduated cylinder, test tube, test tube rack, test tube holder ... g) mathematical manipulations (SI units, scientific notation, linear equations, graphing, ratio and ... More Info What are the uses of a test tube holder? \| Reference.com Test tube holders are used to distance a person from potentially dangerous tasks when using chemicals in test tubes. They not only extend a person's reach, ... What is the function of a test tube holder - Answers.com A test tube holder is used to hold a test tube when it is hot. testube holder is the tube that you .... SI units refer to normalised sets of units, not of equipment. Measurement & Units - Physics Teacher Syllabus. OP1 Measure length, mass, time and temperature (SI units); perform simple .... Wearing goggles/ looking through wall (side) of test tube/ tube in holder / ...
What is the purpose of lab? (1/3) > >> In thinking about my lab practical exam, there are two major components: 1. Can the students analyze data appropriately and draw conclusions? 2. Can the students perform the hands on tasks correctly? Which brought a colleague and me to the discussion...is the purpose of lab to teach students hands on skills? If yes, then we should test on ability to set up certain apparatus, use pieces of equipment etc. However, many students will never be organic chemists, microbiologists, (insert favorite lab skills) and the instrumentation they use professionally will likely be different from that used in the lab. Or is lab to help students understand the concepts learned in class by 'making them real'? Then our lab practicals should be all over the concepts and the data analysis and forgo the pipetting and skill components. Both? help. Yes, the purpose of a "lab science" class is to use stuff to help students learn, and give them practical experience using the stuff. They gather data, run experiments, and use critical thinking to analyze their data. Even if you're just looking at microscope slides or picking leaves off of trees, the methodology is still there and is a critical component to the scientific process. Operating the lab equipment is a prerequisite skill for everything else done in the lab. So it is perfectly valid to have equipment operation as practical exam assessment in a laboratory science course. I think it really depends on the course. In general Chemistry here, (1) is making the chemistry 'real' is more important than actual use. In gen chem 1, almost every experiment is a new technique and I expect a certain amount of screwups.... but they should be able to explain it. Although I do include some grading for completely bogus results (your density of water is 2 g/mL.... Really?) and I focus heavily on understanding correct measurements, I'm more focused on showing them what chemistry looks like, and how to interpret their data. This does change when we move to Organic. In this course we have a set of techniques that they use over, and over again. The labs generally get more complicated and finicky as we progress (gearing them up for 3rd year labs). While I still consider interpretation important, technique is now a major portion of the grade. If they can't use those techniques, they can't possibly pass. I had two types of undergraduate labs as a student: Type 1 involved experiments. Here the main goal was to ingrain hypothesis-testing into our heads by repeating it over and over. We were given a question, talked through the hypotheses, figured out (with the TA's help) how to test the hypotheses, and had to write lab reports at the end detailing the process and justifying the conclusions. Each lab also reinforced a lecture topic. Type 2 involved learning to identify things: how to tell different genera and species of similar organisms apart, for instance. The goal here was to acquire get non-classroom knowledge and apply it. I think of the purpose of lab as "To model how scientists do things." Students gain practice at doing things like scientists. Grand scale, that is modeling how we think, set up experiments, test hypotheses, interpret data. Small scale, that is modeling how to run the analysis, how not to contaminate your sample, how to push the button. So I say the answer to the original question is YES. Both aspects are fair game. [0] Message Index [#] Next page
DEFINITION of 'Corporate Orphan' A business unit or division that loses strategic importance due to changes in the larger corporation's overall goals. A corporate orphan can be created when a corporation fails to integrate a merger or acquisition successfully, or when a business or division fails to contribute to the overarching goals of the corporation. When this occurs quite often the business is spun off to preserve shareholder value. BREAKING DOWN 'Corporate Orphan' An example of a corporate orphan would be Skype being acquired by eBay. After purchasing Skype in 2005, eBay tried for years to implement Skype's services without much success. However, one company's corporate orphan can be another's success. In 2009, eBay sold 70% of Skype to private equity investors. The investors then sold Skype to Microsoft in 2011, for a considerable profit. 1. Orphan Drug A drug or biological product that treats a rare condition or ... 2. Corporation 3. Secondary Business A part of a corporation that is not part of the corporation's ... 4. Corporate Charter A written document filed with a U.S. state by the founders of ... 5. Alien Corporation 6. Orphan Drug Credit Related Articles 1. Small Business How Skype Makes Money We explain how the world's most popular VOIP app makes money. 2. Small Business 4 Cases When M&A Strategy Failed for the Acquirer (EBAY, BAC) Learn about four corporate mergers that were either unsuccessful or faced critical challenges. Discover which factors can cause an M&A strategy to fail. 3. Small Business Chat Wars: Business Models of WhatsApp Vs Skype Skype and Whats App are two newer avenues of communication that have been acquired by major companies because of their potential for exponential growth. 4. Investing An Overview of Businesses Owned by Microsoft (MSFT) 5. Small Business Do "Widow And Orphan" Stocks Still Exist? 6. Investing Top 5 Companies Owned By Microsoft (MSFT) Find out about Microsoft's most newsworthy acquisitions. Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 to expand its footprint in the online telecommunications sector. 7. Investing How Ecommerce Titan eBay Makes its Money eBay is a $68 billion ecommerce titan. Here's why. 8. Taxes Explaining Corporate Tax 9. Financial Advisor What's eBay Without PayPal? 10. Taxes Corporate Inversion: How It Works 1. What does it mean when a company in the drug sector has orphan drugs? Understand what it means when a company in the pharmaceutical industry has drugs within its portfolio that are designated ... Read Answer >> 2. In what context is a corporation considered to be an individual entity? 3. What is the history of corporations in America? 4. What does it mean to have orphan drug status? In 1982, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized the lack of incentive for pharmaceutical companies to develop ... Read Answer >> 5. What are the different groups involved in corporate governance? Hot Definitions 1. Cover Letter 2. 403(b) Plan 3. Master Of Business Administration - MBA 4. Liquidity Event 5. Job Market 6. Yuppie Trading Center
Clearer Picture On African Human Expansion Revealed October 23, 2012 Clearer Picture On African Human Expansion Revealed Brett Smith for - Your Universe Online One of the biggest sticking points in the scientific debate over the story of human evolution and eventual diaspora from Africa has been how it is told from two opposite sides of the scientific spectrum–the clinically-based genetics community and the field-based anthropological community. The debate has caused some sniping over the years due to conflicting theories. But now, a group of geneticists from Stanford University set out to reconcile some of those differences through a comprehensive literature review published in the latest edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Through that review–the Stanford team was able to create a new framework that can be referenced by future studies in both the genetics and anthropology fields. "People are doing amazing genome sequencing, but they don't always understand human demographic history" said co-author Brenna Henn, a postdoctoral fellow in genetics at the Stanford School of Medicine. "We wanted to write this as a primer on pre-human history for people who are not anthropologists." The geneticists were able to show how the outward expansions from Africa that occurred between 45,000 and 60,000 years ago can be correlated to historical changes that can be drawn from genetic evidence. "The basic notion is that all of these disciplines have to be considered simultaneously when thinking about movements of ancient populations," said lead author Marcus Feldman, a professor of biology at Stanford. "What we're proposing is a story that has potential to explain any of the fossil record that subsequently becomes available, and to be able to tell what was the size of the population in that place at that time." In the review, the geneticists noted that human expansion into every inhabitable zone on Earth has been accompanied by a loss of genetic diversity that they attribute to what they call a “serial founder effect.” This effect was the result of the migration of small groups that established unique settlements with a limited gene pool. It can be seen in “the genetics of human parasites, morphology, and linguistics,” according to the review. "If you know something about the demographic history of populations, you may be able to learn something about the reasons why a group today has a certain genetic abnormality — either good or bad," Feldman said in a news release. "That's one of the reasons why in our work we focus on the importance of migration and history of mixing in human populations.” “It helps you assess the kinds of things you might be looking for in a first clinical assessment,” he added. “It doesn't have the immediacy of prescribing chemotherapy — it's a more general look at what's the status of human variability in DNA, and how might that inform a clinician." According to the review, this history gave rise to the two types of genetic variation in humans: genomes from African subcultures, which retain an exceptional number of unique variants, and populations living outside of Africa, which contain less unique genetic variants. The identification of these two categories is relevant for mapping genotypes to phenotypes and for inferring the power of natural selection in human history, the geneticists wrote.
Taoism(also spelled Daoism) is based on the teachings of the Tao Te Ching, a short tract written in the 6th century BC in China. Taoism emphasizes spiritual harmony within the individual, complementing Confucianism's focus on social duty. The two great Chinese belief systems were founded at about the same time and continue to exist side-by-side in today's China. There are two main schools within Taoism, usually called "philosophical Taoism" (Tao-chia) and "religious Taoism" (Tao-chaio). The two are not as strongly distinguished as once thought, but philosophical Taoism tends to focus on the philosophical writings of Lao-Tzu, Chuang-Tzu and other early mystics while religious Taoism emphasizes religious rituals aimed at attaining immortality. There are 20 million Taoists worldwide, most of whom live in China, Taiwan or Southeast Asia. Taoism is also increasingly influential in the West, especially in the fields of alternative medicine and martial arts like Tai Chi. Article Info Short URLrlft.co/1041 UpdatedNovember 10, 2015 MLA Citation“Taoism.” ReligionFacts.com. 10 Nov. 2015. Web. Accessed 26 Aug. 2016. <www.religionfacts.com/taoism>
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Schulz is a common German family name in Northern Germany. The German word Schulz originates from the local official known as Schultheiß or (Dorf-)Schulz(e), a local law enforcement officer like a police officer, magistrate, bailiff or mayor.[citation needed] Other German spellings include: Schultz, Schulze, Schultheis, Schultze, Schulte, Schulten, Schulzke, Schultheiß and Schuldt. Adapted spellings used in other languages include Shultz, Šulc and Szulc. In Silesia, the "u" was often replaced by "o"; see also Scholz (including Scholtz). People named Schulz[edit] People named Shultz[edit]
Real-Time Maps Could Help Make Cities More Livable MIT’s Carlo Ratti uses location data from cell phones and laptops to create maps of human activity in cities. When people wander around the MIT campus with a Wi-Fi-enabled cell phone or laptop, they’re also participating in a real-time mapping project. Carlo Ratti, a practicing architect with a firm in Torino, Italy, runs the SENSEable City Laboratory in the university’s department of urban studies and planning. He can reveal patterns of activity on the MIT wireless network, which blankets almost the entire campus, by measuring activity on wireless access points. Similarly, in collaboration with European telecom companies that allowed him access to information about traffic on cell-phone towers, Ratti has monitored cell-phone users in Milan and Graz, Austria, mapping how people move through cities over the course of a day. Ratti’s research, which uses location data to make real-time maps of how people move through space, gives insight into where people like to work and how traffic flows through the city – information that could help architects and city administration design better digital spaces. As huge corporations such as Microsoft and Google move into real-time mapping and municipal Wi-Fi projects (see “Microsoft’s Plan to Map the World in Real Time” and “Killer Maps”), though, Ratti is also worried about issues of privacy. He says city planners, telecoms, and private companies need to work together to design digital infrastructures that will protect individuals’ privacy rights, by giving them control over the data. For example, someone might want to know that a friend is in a particular café, using a real-time map, so they can head there – but he or she might not want the boss to know where they are. Ratti spoke with Technology Review about his Wi-Fi and cell-phone monitoring projects and about collaborating with telecoms and city administrators. Technology Review: How can people use real-time location data? Carlo Ratti: This information becomes very interesting because it can create a feedback loop. When you give this information to the community, the community can change its behavior. Imagine you have a real-time situation of movement of traffic in the city. If everybody knew about that they could optimize their movement through the city based on overall conditions. For example, we’ve been invited to do a project for the Venice Biennale, probably the largest exhibition on architecture and urban studies in the world. It happens every other year in Venice, and this year it will be about cities. Our project is called Rome in Real-Time. We will be trying to overlay on the city map all the real-time information we can get today, starting from cell-phone information, but also including the position of buses and taxis, and overlay all of them on the map. This will be displayed at the Biennale in September and on an urban-size projection screen in Rome. TR: The idea behind it is to see where, for example, your bus is and to monitor traffic? CR: That’s the basics, but what is more interesting, when you see all the dynamics of the city in real time, is not only to optimize your trip but also to really get the pulse of the city – you can see where people are, where you can go and get a drink. Maybe you can also see tourists and the concentration of different nationalities in the city. You might imagine Italians aiming to go to the parts of town with the highest concentration of Scandinavian tourists. This project is a partnership with Italy’s main telephone operator, Telecom Italia. If you think about privacy this would be a nightmare. TR: How do you deal with privacy issues? TR: How are you engaging with industry in this discussion? CR: We are building a SENSEable City Consortium that will bring together the four main actors in this urban, real-time revolution: telecommunications companies, hardware producers, physical infrastructure producers – people who build urban furniture, which is very crucial in the city if you are putting Wi-Fi in street lamps – and public administration. The consortium, which is about to be launched, will be a unique venue for these types of partners to do research together. If you think about how a city worked 20 years ago, the people involved were very well defined. Now it’s as important to have a real-estate developer as it is to have an infrastructure developer. The city of the future is not something dealing only with concrete. The theme is marrying concrete and silicon. Because it’s not yet official I can’t disclose the partners. Big cities and companies have expressed interest, but we are still discussing with their lawyers. Insider Online Only $19.95/yr US PRICE You've read of free articles this month.
Skip Headers Oracle® Java Micro Edition Software Development Kit Developer's Guide Release 3.0.5 for Windows Go To Table Of Contents Go To Index 24 JSR 180: SIP Communications The Java ME SDK supports the SIP API for J2ME (JSR 180) with a proxy server, registrar, and network monitor support. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is defined by RFC 3261, available at SIP provides a standard way for applications to set up communications. The application determines what communication actually takes place. SIP can be used to set up instant messaging, text chat, voice chat, video conferencing, or other types of sessions. 24.1 Understanding the SIP Registrar and Proxy A SIP registrar enables client applications to associate a user name with a specific network address. Client registration informs the SIP proxy server that the client exists. A SIP proxy server is an entry point into a larger network of proxy servers. SIP messages that arrive at one proxy are routed to an appropriate destination, which is usually another proxy server or an end point, such as a desktop computer or a mobile device. Although SIP messages can be sent directly between devices, they are usually routed through a proxy server. For example, suppose Doug wants to start a video conference with Polly. Polly is on the road and her mobile phone sends a message to a registrar that associates her name with the mobile phone's network address. When Doug tries to set up the video conference with Polly, his application uses SIP to ask the registrar for Polly's current network location. 24.2 Running SIPDemo This application is a very simple example of using SIP (JSR 180) to communicate directly between two devices. Usually devices will use SIP with a proxy server to set up direct communications of some kind. To see how SIPDemo works, run two instances of the emulator. In the first, choose Receive message. You can use the default port, 5070, and choose Receive. The first emulator is now listening for incoming messages. In the second emulator, choose Send message. Fill in values for the recipient, port number, subject, and message, or accept the defaults, and choose Send. Your message will be displayed in the first emulator. The first emulator's response is displayed in the second emulator. Try it again with the network monitor turned on. You can see the communication between the emulators in the network monitor SIP tab.
Delving Into Antarctica's Mysteries More UMD News Articles Ice image UMD's $8.75 Million Drilling Project to Unlock Secrets in Ice John Goodge University of Minnesota Duluth “Antarctica has a sense of romance. It has a certain mystique from stories of the early explorers. The inhospitable climate and vastness makes human life seem insignificant. Yet there is incredible beauty and quiet unlike anywhere else." Professor John Goodge, UMD Earth and Environmental Sciences The project will take place in East Antarctica, the planet's coldest and harshest climate. The terrain there looks like the ocean, with swells of white snow and blue ice. John Goodge and his team will spend 15 months over five years, taking core samples two miles into the earth, in search of clues to the earth's atmosphere as it existed a million or more years ago. Professor John Goodge, in UMD's Earth and Environmental Sciences department, has led scientific expeditions to Antarctica 11 times, but this project is his most extensive. "No one has ever tried drilling into the deep ice like this at either pole," said Goodge. "We will get deeper and older paleoclimate records, possibly a million to a million and a half years old. We are searching for the oldest ice ever found. We're also hopeful we can reach the geological formations at the base of the ice sheet; they've never been reached before." The team isn't after the ice itself, it's looking for ancient samples of atmospheric gas, volcanic ash and sediment. “As snow falls, pockets of air mix with the snow. As this snow compresses into ice, the air pockets inside become trapped as gas bubbles, and each year's snowfall adds another layer,” Goodge explained. Century after century of falling snow has created the biggest mass of freshwater ice in the world. Thin ash layers can help to date the ice and confirm its old age. TIMELINE: 2014-2020 The project has a long timeline. A mobile drilling system named RAID is now being constructed and tested in Utah. It's faster technology than the long coring process previously used. The system will be transported by truck and then cargo ship, so drilling field trials in Antarctica can start in December of 2016. In the meantime, airplanes equipped with sensitive gravity, magnetic and laser instruments will fly over the area in a grid pattern to help locate the deepest ice and image the bedrock below. By December 2017 five tractors will begin traversing over snow and ice pulling the drilling system across the East Antarctic ice sheet. Then, in December, January and February, at five sites each for the following five years, the rig will bore through ice all the way to the buried bedrock below. The rig can be operated by a crew of only three drillers. During the nine months between drilling, cores samples will be examined back at UMD and other labs in the U.S. The funding came from the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Goodge is the lead principal investigator on the project. He studies geotectonic evolution of continental crust in East Antarctica and the origins of the Transantarctic Mountains. Jeff Severinghaus of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, co-principal investigator, conducts research on Antarctic paleoclimate by studying ice cores. Alexandra Isern, program officer at the NSF, oversaw funding of the initial project and coordinated the external technical review of the proposed construction plan. "This polar region is a canary in the coal mine," said Goodge. "The poles are hypersensitive to changes in the planet’s environment." Goodge's drilling project will show the past concentration of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and provide data on how carbon dioxide influences the polar climate. In addition to past climate, studying the continental geology of Antarctica will help scientists understand supercontinent formation, resource distribution, and stability of the ice sheets. The RAID ice field layour, University of Minnesota duluth Rapid Access Ice Drilling (RAID) system, complete with a drill rig, a mechanical shop and living quarters. Note the drilling fluid and fuel in large flexible pouches. By Cheryl Reitan, September 2014. UMD News Articles \| News Releases Cheryl Reitan, Did you find what you were looking for? YES NO Choose appearance: [ Desktop \| Mobile friendly ]
Share this story Close X Switch to Desktop Site Pyongyang's nukes: How dangerous are they? About these ads Possibility of a second test That is just what worries nuclear experts in the United States. About these ads "They will want to test until they get it right," said Michael Swaine, a senior associate in the China program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, at an Oct. 12 seminar on the North Korean situation. Such misfires aren't necessarily symbols of incompetence. Almost all declared nuclear powers have had them. In October 1951, a US bomb test named Buster Able failed not once, but twice. The Soviets had a misfire in 1954. In May 1957, Britain's first attempt at exploding a hydrogen bomb produced only a quarter of the expected yield. In the case of North Korea, whatever went wrong, it probably was not due to haste. Satellite photos of the suspected test site released Oct. 13 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) show that neither buildings nor roads changed much from late 2005 to October 2006. "The North Koreans probably did not rush the test," wrote physicist Matthew McKinzie, an NRDC consultant, in an analysis of the photos. Indeed, the photos show that excavation activity for the test may have been carried out in February 2005. Instead, the misfire may indicate that the device was a somewhat sophisticated plutonium-fueled bomb, according to the NRDC. Via atmospheric sampling, US intelligence has determined that plutonium was used in the North Korean test, according to news reports. For such a weapon to explode efficiently, the plutonium core must be "squeezed" by conventional explosives in a highly precise manner. "It is possible that the detonators igniting the high explosive that compresses the plutonium did not fire simultaneously and thus only produced a partial yield," concludes the NRDC analysis. Why alarm rose in the 1980s Though North Korea's interest in nuclear science was well known in the West, it was not until the mid-1980s that US intelligence began to become alarmed about Pyongyang's intentions. Until 1984, North Korea was not viewed as a serious nuclear proliferation threat. The Central Intelligence Agency had thought the country's nuclear program to be rudimentary, and not capable of producing the fissile material needed for weapons, according to "Spying on the Bomb," a recent book about US nuclear intelligence by Jeffrey Richelson. But in 1986, a top-secret CIA reassessment titled "North Korea: Potential for Nuclear Weapons Development," drawing on unspecified new information, held that Pyongyang might indeed be capable of a making a bomb. The CIA speculated that North Korea's motives might be forcing political concessions from South Korea, hedging against other Asian powers going nuclear, or deterring a US nuclear response in case of hostilities on the Korean peninsula, according to Mr. Richelson, a senior fellow with the National Security Archive. US concerns then began to mount by the year. In 1987, North Korea received from a West German company a small annealing furnace capable of helping to produce centrifuge rotors for uranium enrichment. An inquiry by German intelligence concluded in 1990 that North Korea had possibly obtained crucial information on uranium melting from Pakistan in the late 1980s. Media reports indicate that North Korea allegedly did business with the notorious Pakistani proliferator A.Q. Khan throughout this period. Dr. Khan might have provided everything from rotor designs to a Chinese design for a basic atomic device, according to a Congressional Research Service study on North Korea's nuclear trade. When North Korea withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003, it apparently moved quickly to process weapons-grade plutonium from power reactors that had been subject to international inspections. It is that fuel that probably powered this month's test. Further tests might increase North Korea's confidence in its weapons design. Pyongyang might also decide that another explosion would increase the deterrent value of its arsenal. However, more tests might also shrink North Korea's small plutonium stockpile. That makes it all the more likely that North Korea's scientists are perfecting a deliverable weapons, says Mr. Albright of ISIS. "If you have a chance to test, you want to test something more in line with what you want to deploy," he says. Follow Stories Like This Get the Monitor stories you care about delivered to your inbox.
Country profile - Distinguishing factors (Bosnia and Herzegovina) SOER 2010 Country profile (Deprecated) expired SOER Country profile from Bosnia and Herzegovina Published: 26 Nov 2010 Modified: 21 Mar 2015 Geography, size Bosnia and Herzegovina has a total surface area of 51 209.2 km², composed of 51 197 km² of land and 12.2 km2 of sea (Source: Agency for Statistics of BiH, According to its geographical position on the Balkan Peninsula, it belongs to the Adriatic basin and the Black Sea basin. Therefore, Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to the Danubian countries group as well as to the Mediterranean countries. Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina has common frontiers with the Republic of Croatia (931 km), the Republic of Serbia (375 km) and the Republic of Montenegro (249 km). To the north, BiH has access to the Sava River, and to the south to the Adriatic Sea (23.5 km of sea border). The land is mainly hilly to mountainous, with an average altitude of 500 meters, (0 m at the seacoast and 2 387 m at the highest peak, Maglić mountain). Of the total land area, 5 % is lowlands, 24 % hills, 42 % mountains, and 29 % karst region. Forest lands cover about 2.5 million ha, or 49 % of the total land area, which is among the highest forest coverage in Europe. Forest ecosystems cover 41 % of the territory, and a relatively high number of species are endemic. Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks among the territories with the highest level of biological diversity in Europe. Therefore, forestry in BiH is a very important industrial sector, and the sustainable management of forest resources is a significant factor in environmental, climate and biodiversity protection. There are seven river basins (Una, Vrbas, Bosna, Drina, Sava, Neretva with Trebišnjica and Cetina), of which 75.5 % belong to the Black Sea catchment region and 24.3 % to the Adriatic Sea catchment. The source fields of surface and ground water are particularly valuable natural resources. There are also numerous river lakes (on the Pliva and Una Rivers) and mountain lakes (in the Dinarides range), as well as thermal and geothermal groundwater resources. Bosnia and Herzegovina is rich in thermal, mineral and thermal-mineral waters. Climate Characteristics General climate characteristics of Bosnia and Herzegovina are greatly influenced by characteristics of the Adriatic Sea, local topography - especially the Dinarides Mountains, which are located along the coast and run from the northwest to the southeast parallel to the coast - and atmospheric circulation on a macro scale. For the reasons mentioned above, the climate varies from a temperate continental climate in the northern Pannonian lowlands along the Sava River and in the foothill zone, to an alpine climate in the mountain regions, and a Mediterranean climate in the coastal and lowland areas of the Herzegovina region in the south and southeast. Regarding its location and distinct geological and climatic regions, BiH has a particularly rich biodiversity. It has some of the greatest diversity of species of plants and animals in Europe, and it has an extremely high level of diversity of biotopes (habitats), i.e., geodiversity. It has been predicted that climate change will strongly affect the countries of southern and southeastern Europe (SEE). There is more and more scientific evidence indicating a constant increase of negative climate change impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, meaning that threats caused by climate change are present in Bosnia and Herzegovina too. Although the impact of climate change on global biodiversity has been treated in many studies, there are not enough studies that address regional and local impacts of climate change on biodiversity. Few studies on climate change impacts on agriculture and forestry in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been published, while the areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina which are the most sensitive to global climate change are defined by the Strategy for the protection of biodiversity, including the action plan. But models that could be used for the assessment of possible habitat changes within the plant and animal communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina do not yet exist. Based on existing research findings, the following main types of climate change effects on biodiversity that could be expected in BiH, are the following: 1. Shift of vegetation zones (layers) in a horizontal and vertical direction, 2. Shift and changes in habitats of individual plant and animal types, 3. Extinction of individual species, 4. Changes in the quality and quantity of the composition of biocenoses, 5. Fragmentation of habitats, 6. Changes in ecosystem function. Average annual precipitation in BiH is about 1 250 mm which, given that the surface area of BiH is 51 209 km2, amounts to 64 x 109 m3 of water, or 2,030 m3/s. The outflow from the territory of BiH is 1 155 m3/s, or 57 % of total precipitation. However, these volumes of water are not evenly distributed, neither spatially nor temporally. For example, the average annual outflow from the Sava River basin, which has a surface area of 38 719 km2 (75.7 %) in BiH, amounts to 722 m3/s, or 62.5 %, while the outflow from the Adriatic Sea basin, which has a surface area of 12 410 km2 (24.3 %) in BiH, is 433 m3/s, or 37.5 %. According to the most recent census, which was conducted in 1991, the total population was 4 377 033, and GDP per capita was approximately USD 2 500, placing BiH among medium-income countries. Currently, the population of BiH is estimated at 3 842 942 (as of 30 June 2007; Source: Agency for Statistics of BiH). At the end of 2000, according to estimates from the statistical institutions, the population of BiH was 3 683 665. In 1991, the age structure of the population of BiH was of the type known as 'verging on stationary-regressive' with an insignificantly narrowed demographic pyramid. According to the same source, the current age structure of the population is similar to that of 1991, but in 2000, the population was of the regressive biological type. Urban population is estimated at 80 % of the total population as a result of mass war-time migration from rural to urban areas. There has been an observable rise in the proportion of people aged over 65 (from 6.4 % to almost 11 % of the total population) and a significant drop in the active working population in the 20-40 age group. In Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2007, 33 235 babies were born, which indicates a 2.34 % decrease in the birth rate compared to 2006. 33 832 people died, which indicates a 1.84 % increase in mortality compared to 2006. The natural increase in 2007 is negative and amounts to -597, which means that 597 more people died than were born. This is the first time since 1996 that the natural increase is negative (Source: Agency for Statistics of BiH). Population of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to the 1991 census Economic Structure Besides the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina was the most undeveloped republic in former Yugoslavia. The centrally planned economy has resulted in some legacies in the economy. Agriculture was mostly in the private sector, with small and unprofitable agricultural holdings, so most food was imported. Industry was greatly overstaffed, reflecting the rigidity of the planned economy. It hosted a large share of Yugoslavia's defense plants for military reasons, and in that sense, it was in the center of former Yugoslavia. Three years of the recent war (1992-1995) destroyed the economy and infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, causing production to plummet by 80 %, unemployment to soar, and the death of about 100 000 people and displacement of half the population. Bosnia has been facing a dual challenge: not only to recover from the war but also to complete the transition from socialism to capitalism. Unfortunately, economic data are of limited use because, although both entities issue figures, national-level statistics are not available. Moreover, official data do not capture the large share of activity that occurs on the black market. The grey market is a notable source of income for Bosnian traders. The 'konvertibilna marka-KM'[1] (convertible mark or BAM) - the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Implementation of privatisation, however, has been slow, and local entities only reluctantly support national-level institutions. The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established in late 1997, successful debt negotiations were held with the London Club in December 1997, and with the Paris Club in October 1998, and a new currency, the Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, was introduced in mid-1998. In 1999, the Convertible Mark gained wider acceptance, and the Central Bank dramatically increased its reserve holdings. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as the payment bureaus from former pre-war Bosnia and Herzegovina were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from western Europe, now control most of the banking sector. But a sizeable current account deficit and a high unemployment rate remain the two most serious economic problems. Despite major international aid efforts, the pace of post-war economic recovery has been much slower than expected. GDP by expenditure is estimated at KM 24 161 million in 2007, representing a nominal increase of 14.23 % from 2006 to 2007. Since the war ended, BiH has attracted only around KM 2.1 billion in foreign investment. Economic data are scarce. The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina is an integral part of the Dayton Peace Agreement from 1995 and has created a specific state comprised of two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) and the Republic of Srpska (RS). Under this constitutional construction, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a sovereign state with a decentralised political and administrative structure. In accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) constitutes two administrative parts, i.e. the two autonomous entities: the Republic of Srpska (RS) and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H). In addition, a separate Brcko District (BD) was established within Bosnia and Herzegovina borders. The region of Brčko, which remained contested after the Dayton Peace Agreement, was settled through international arbitration. Brcko District (BD) was established in March 2000 with powers largely similar to those of the entities. The State of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a central authority, but it has only limited and specific powers, whereas the two entities and BD are politically, administratively, and legally autonomous. The two entities are asymmetrical in their institutional organisation. FB&H is composed of ten cantons subdivided into 84 municipalities, whereas RS is composed of 64 municipalities and has no cantons. Since the Dayton Peace Agreement, environmental issues in B&H have been under the responsibility of entity governments. The competent authorities are the Federal Ministry for Tourism and Environment in FB&H, the Ministry for Physical Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology in RS, and the Department for Communal Works in Government of Brcko District. At the State level, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations (MOFTER) is responsible for the environment-related activities. This Ministry is responsible for carrying out the tasks related to defining policies and basic principles, coordinating activities and harmonising plans of the entity authorities and bodies at the international level for, among other topics, conservation of the environment, development and use of natural resources. Transformation from communist to democratic system Bosnia and Herzegovina was created by dissolution of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, and became a member of UN in May 1992. It is a well known fact that former socialist block countries had extensive industry with great waste of resources and pollution as well as relatively low per capita income. Former Yugoslavia had, to a certain degree, a better developed market and somewhat more efficient use of resources compared to other European socialist countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the other hand, was a republic with basic industry and energy sectors within the Yugoslavian framework (i.e. with increased resource exploitation and pollution), and was considered undeveloped. Before the Yugoslavian breakdown Bosnia and Herzegovina exported over 50 % of its production to other Yugoslav republics and over 30 % abroad. Bosnia and Herzegovina suffered from four major blows: (1) collapse of the socialist system which had a firm grip on Bosnia and Herzegovina, (2) loss of market (Bosnia and Herzegovina was a major exporter to Yugoslav republics and other countries) (3) the war itself (great destruction and over 50 % of population displaced). (4) lack of any international experience and tradition, caused by its central position inside former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina was the only former Yugoslav Republic with no international borders). Apart from having to recover from these shocks, the country has a very unfavourable heritage from former Yugoslavia: • Bosnia and Herzegovina (1990 data) is at the top of the list of energy intensity (amount of energy spent by unit of mass product) and SO2 emissions per capita, two of the basic indicators of development and effects on the environment. • Bosnia and Herzegovina had a considerably weaker organisation of environmental protection compared to republics such as Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. It is necessary to emphasise the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina (before the war Socialist Republic Bosnia and Herzegovina) is a centralised republic, with adequate organisation of the state and institutions competent for the implementation of rules. Entities are a completely new category in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the establishment of a governmental structure is still ongoing, a sometimes very painful process in all areas of life, including the process of transformation from communism to democracy. Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a state comprised of two entities – Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) and Republic of Srpska (RS), and one district - Brcko District. The entities have considerable authority and responsibilities for their development. On the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. at state level, there is the Council of Ministers with six ministries, as well as a couple of expert state institutions such as the Agency for Statistics, Institute for Standardization, Measurements and Patents, Agency for Telecommunications, etc. In the environmental sector the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina (MOFTER) has responsibilities for the coordination of activities and international relations. Since the Dayton Peace Agreement, environmental issues in B&H have been under the responsibility of entity governments. The corresponding authorities are the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Physical Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology in the Republic of Srpska, and the Department for Utility Services in the Brcko District. The work of both entity Ministries and the Brcko District Department is governed by the set of environmental laws. [1] 1 EUR=1.95583 KM Filed under: European Environment Agency (EEA) Kongens Nytorv 6 1050 Copenhagen K Phone: +45 3336 7100
What is the main idea of Edwidge Danticat's short story "Night Talkers"? 2 Answers \| Add Yours tamarakh's profile pic Posted on The importance of family and belonging are the two most important themes in Edwidge Danticat's short story "Night Talkers." The title itself is indicative of a sense of family and belonging. As Dany states towards the beginning of the story, he and his aunt have one thing in common: they both talk in their sleep at night. It seems to be a trait the entire tribe has in common. Like Claude, Dany's fellow expatriate who had immigrated to America and wound up back in Beau Jour, Haiti, though neither Dany nor Claude feel they have anything in common with those around them who are declared to be family members, they at least share one trait with those around them--they talk in their sleep at night, and this shared trait helps give them a sense of belonging, as Dany indicates in the final paragraph of the story: The only thing he could think to do for his aunt now was to get Claude to speak and speak and speak, which wouldn't be so hard, since Claude was already one of them, a member of their tribe. Claude was a night talker. (p. 1020) Dany returned to the tiny, distant village of Beau Jour in Haiti for a sense of belonging because, orphaned, he came face to face in New York with the man responsible for killing his parents by throwing a grenade at their house. Wanting to take his revenge but thinking better of it, he returned to Beau Jour to be with the one family member of his who survived the bombing, his aunt, and he did so on an "expired visa," knowing he would not be permitted to return to the states. Similarly, Claude was sent to Beau Jour to find his own sense of belonging as well as to find redemption. In New York, Claude had gotten caught up in criminal activity that resulted in him shooting his own father to death. He was deported from America, abandoned by his mother, and held in prison at Port-au-Prince until released because his mother found him a place to stay with family in Beau Jour. Claude was so astonished by the treatment he received in Beau Jour, everyone welcoming him as family, that he finds a renewed sense of life, as he explains to Dany by the end of the story: I am the luckiest ... alive. I have done something really bad that now makes me want to live my life like a[n] ... angel now. (p. 1020) When Dany's aunt dies unexpectedly, leaving him to remain in Beau Jour all by himself, it is through Claude's words of wisdom that Dany too finds a lasting sense of belonging in Beau Jour. Interestingly, the story of finding family and a sense of belonging is told against a backdrop of extreme hardship. Danticat paints for the reader the severity of poverty in Haiti, yet her message says that Haitians have what Americans never will have: a true understanding of family and belonging. Top Answer epollock's profile pic epollock \| (Level 3) Valedictorian Posted on "Night Talkers" is a story based on life and personal beliefs in Haiti, as contrasted with the less personal relationships of those in America, centered on New York. On the island, communication between close relatives takes place on a non-verbal level, the level of "night talkers." Thus the impending death of Estina is somehow made known to the main male character, Dany, who travels from the United States to Haiti to be with her in her final hours. It is as though Estina intuitively knows that Dany is thinking about carrying out a violent act of vengeance, and silently summons him back to Haiti to prevent him from doing so. As one of the major characters says, "Blood calls blood. She [Estina] made him come so he could see her before she died" (paragraph 160.) We’ve answered 333,715 questions. We can answer yours, too. Ask a question
1. Determine the width of a rectangular prism whose length is 18 inches and whose height is 24 inches, if the volume of the prism is 6048 cubic inches. A. 16 in. B. 20 in. C. 14 in. D. 22 in. 2. What is the volume of a cube whose edges are inches long? A. B. C. D. 108 in3 3. Lynn plans to plant a vegetable garden in a rectangular area of her yard that is 15 feet long. She needs the garden to be 6 inches deep and she has 60 cubic feet of topsoil. If she uses all her topsoil, how wide is her garden? A. 8 ft B. 4 ft C. ft D. 12 ft 4. Determine the length of a rectangular prism whose width is 5 mm and whose height is 18 mm, if the volume of the prism is 540 mm3. A. 13 mm B. 6 mm C. 90 mm D. 517 mm 5. Find the volume of the tissue box below. Round to the nearest tenth of a centimeter if necessary. A. 2,560.8 cm3 B. 2,666.0 cm3 C. 2,650.8 cm3 D. 2,667.0 cm3 The McGraw-Hill Companies
Email This Article Your Name: Your Email: Email To: You are sending a link to... Breaking news - sloths are not slothful Not so fast, Mr Sloth. From The Telegraph: The sloth has earned an unfair reputation for laziness and does not sleep for nearly as long as first thought, scientists have discovered. In the first scientific study of sleep in wild animals, researchers found the sloth only sleeps for nine and a half hours a day, six hours fewer than previously thought. The animal, which spends much of its time hanging from the canopy of the rainforest in South and Central America and eating leaves, was believed to get at least 16 hours sleep a day. Scientists monitored the sloth’s sleeping pattern using two sensors on a hat to pick up signals from the brain to show when the animal was sleeping and when it was chewing. The team found that sloths in captivity slept for nearly 16 hours while those in the wild slept for just nine and a half hours. From the leading article: Perhaps, inside, the sloth has been seething with indignation at the calumny against its character. In which case, it might instead be called the wrath. Certainly it shows few signs to justify a redesignation as the lust. Names stick, though. To vary the proverb: give a sloth a bad name and hang it. Except, in the case of the undemanding sloth, hanging is already something of a speciality. In other news, an octogenarian mayfly comforts an infertile rabbit.
© 2016 Shmoop University, Inc. All rights reserved. John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy: Childhood, Illness & Harvard John Fitzgerald Kennedy—or "Jack," as friends and family knew him—was born on 29 May 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts, a quiet, affluent, tree-lined suburb of Boston. His parents, preoccupied with social status and legitimizing their place in Boston's high society, made a concerted effort to provide Jack and his siblings with the finest opportunities available. By all accounts, the Kennedy children enjoyed a privileged lifestyle that including sailing, summer homes on the coast, lavish meals, and upper-crust boarding schools. As a young man, Jack rarely carried cash, knowing that the family's accountant would settle all debts and balances privately.4 Although Jack came of age during the Great Depression, economic hardship was entirely foreign to him (in an incredibly lucky twist of fate, Joe Sr. took the family's fortune out of the stock market shortly before the crash in 1929). In a 1960 interview, Jack acknowledged that he "really did not learn about the Depression until [he] read about it at Harvard."5 Despite his family's wealth and prominence, Jack's childhood was no walk in the park. Beginning in 1919, the future president began to suffer from a steady stream of illnesses, several of which proved to be life threatening. Just three months before his third birthday, Jack contracted scarlet fever and was admitted to the hospital, where he remained for two months. Although he made a full recovery, Jack's bout of scarlet fever only signaled the onslaught of even more health troubles. During his childhood and teenage years, Jack suffered from a plethora of diseases: diphtheria, appendicitis, whooping cough, jaundice, asthma, and pneumonia, to name a few. Sickness would remain a constant in Jack's life, plaguing him throughout college, military service, his tenure in Congress, and the presidency. Although Joe Sr. seemed supportive of his sickly son, his frustration and disappointment with Jack's poor health was thinly veiled. Once, when Jack brought home a date for the evening, Joe Sr. famously asked the girl, "Why don't you get a live one?"6 Largely as a consequence of his persistent illnesses, Jack lived in the shadow of his older brother, Joe Jr. Because Rose and Joe Sr. raised their children in an intensely competitive environment, the two boys fought often—one particularly heated childhood battle left Jack with 28 stitches!7 When Joe Jr. was just a boy, Joe Sr. began grooming him for political office, firmly believing that his eldest son would one day be President. Unbeknownst to Joe Sr., it would be his second son, Jack, who would ultimately fulfill that dream. In high school, Jack was best known for his troublemaking, not his academic performance. At Choate, an elite boarding school in Connecticut, Jack co-founded the Muckers Club, an underground group of rebellious students who organized practical jokes. As a consequence of his Muckers involvement and his continued sickness (he spent the summer after his junior year undergoing tests at the Mayo Clinic), Jack was only a mediocre student, graduating 65th in a class of 110 students. Despite showing aptitude in English and History, he earned consistently poor marks in subjects like science and Latin, and seemed more concerned with his social standing than with his studies. In 1936, with the help of family connections, Jack was admitted to Harvard, where his older brother was already a student. At Harvard, Jack developed a reputation as a playboy; in letters to friends, he bragged of his numerous and varied sexual conquests. Jack also became more invested in his education, developing a passion for international relations that would carry through to his presidency. His senior thesis, an examination of Britain's isolationist policies prior to World War II, later became the basis for his first bestselling book, entitled Why England Slept. Thus Jack, the often-sick, often-average son, began to carve out his own identity as a scholar, author, and future politician. People who Shmooped this also Shmooped...
Chagos Archipelago From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Chagos) Jump to: navigation, search For the current administration, see British Indian Ocean Territory. Chagos Archipelago Disputed islands Chagos map.PNG Map of Location of the Chagos Archipelago Chagos Archipelago is located in Indian Ocean Chagos Archipelago Location of the Chagos Archipelago Location Indian Ocean Major islands Diego Garcia, Peros Banhos, Salomon Islands, Egmont Islands Area 56.13 km2 Administered by British Indian Ocean Territory (UK) Capital and largest settlement Eclipse Point Town (3,000) Claimed by Outer islands Chagos Archipelago Population 3,000 (as of 2014) Ethnic groups The Chagos Archipelago (/ˈɑːɡs/ or /ˈɑːɡəs/) or Chagos Islands (formerly the Bassas de Chagas,[2] and later the Oil Islands) is a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical islands in the Indian Ocean about 500 kilometres (310 mi) south of the Maldives archipelago. This chain of islands is the southernmost archipelago of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, a long submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean.[3] The Chagos forms a terrestrial ecoregion together with the Maldives and the Lakshadweep.[4] The islands and their surrounding waters are a vast oceanic Environment Preservation and Protection Zone (EPPZ) (Fisheries Conservation and Management Zone (FCMZ) of 544,000 square kilometres (210,000 sq mi)), an area twice the size of the UK's land surface. Officially part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Chagos were home to the Chagossians, a Bourbonnais Creole speaking people, for more than a century and a half until the United Kingdom evicted them between 1967 and 1973 to allow the United States to build a military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands. Since 1971, only the atoll of Diego Garcia is inhabited, and only by military and civilian contracted personnel. The sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago is being disputed between the UK and Mauritius. The United Kingdom excised the archipelago from Mauritian territory prior to Mauritius' independence.[5] The Chagos contain the world's largest coral atoll (The Great Chagos Bank). It also has one of the healthiest reef systems in the cleanest waters in the world, supporting half the total area of good quality reefs in the Indian Ocean. As a result, the ecosystems of the Chagos have so far proven resilient to climate change and environmental disruptions. On 1 April 2010, the British government Cabinet established the Chagos Archipelago as the world's largest marine reserve. At 640,000 km2, it is larger than France or the US state of California. It doubled the total area of environmental no-take zones worldwide.[6] The protection of the marine reserve will be guaranteed for the next five years thanks to the financial support of the Bertarelli Foundation.[7] The setting up of the Marine Reserve would appear to be an attempt to prevent any resettlement by the evicted natives in the 1960s and 70s. Leaked US Cables have shown the FCO suggesting to the US counterparts that setting up a protected no-take zone would make it "difficult, if not impossible" for the islanders to return. The reserve was then created in 2010.[8] Mauritius initiated on 20 December 2010 proceedings against the UK under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to challenge the legality of the MPA which the United Kingdom declared around the Chagos Archipelago. The Chagos Archipelago. (Atolls with areas of dry land are named in green) The number of atolls in the Chagos Archipelago is given as four or five in most sources, plus two island groups and two single islands, mainly because it is not recognised that the Great Chagos Bank is a huge atoll structure (including those two island groups and two single islands), and because it is not recognisd that Blenheim Reef has islets or cays above or just reaching the high-water mark. In addition to the seven atolls with dry land reaching at least the high-water mark, there are nine reefs and banks, most of which can be considered permanently submerged atoll structures. They are listed in the table from north to south: (alternate name) type Area (km2) number of islands Land Total 8a Nelson Island parts of mega-atoll Great Chagos Bank 70°14' to 72°37' E 1) a number of drying sand cays 2) main island and three islets at the northern end The Chagos Archipelago is a hotspot of biodiversity in the Indian Ocean The main natural resources of the area are coconuts and fish. The licensing of commercial fishing used to provide an annual income of about two million dollars for the British Indian Ocean Territory authorities, however licenses have not been given since October 2010, when the last one expired after the creation of the no-take marine reserve.[11] Sovereignty dispute[edit] United Nations' resolutions banned the dismemberment of colonial territories before independence. Mauritius has repeatedly asserted that the British claim that the Chagos Archipelago is one of its territories is a violation of law and of UN resolutions. The UK has stated that it has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Chagos but has also said that the Chagos will be returned to Mauritius once the islands are no longer required for defence purposes.[5] The Chagos as Bassas de Chagas on 1794 Samuel Dunn map section Early history[edit] According to Southern Maldivian oral tradition, local traders and fishermen were occasionally lost at sea and got stranded in one of the islands of the Chagos. Eventually they were rescued and brought back home.[12] However, these islands were judged to be too far away from the Maldives to be settled permanently by Maldivians. Thus for many centuries the Chagos were ignored by their northern neighbours. 16th to 19th century[edit] Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to discover the archipelago. Although Portuguese navigator Pedro de Mascarenhas (1470–23 June 1555) is credited with having discovered the islands during his voyage of 1512–13, there is little corroborative evidence for this; cartographic analysis points to 1532 or later. Portuguese seafarers named the group as Bassas de Chagas,[14] Portuguese: Chagas (wounds) referring to the Holy Wounds of the crucifixion of Jesus. They named as well some of the atolls, such as Diego Garcia and Peros Banhos Atoll, mentioned as Pedro dos Banhos in 1513 by Afonso de Albuquerque.[15] Neglected by the Portuguese, this lonely and isolated group, economically and politically uninteresting, was never made part of the Portuguese Empire.[16] 20th century[edit] In April 1966 the British Government bought the entire assets and real property of the Seychellois Chagos Agalega Company, which owned all the islands of the BIOT, for £600,000 and administered them as a government enterprise while awaiting US funding of its proposed facilities, with an interim objective of paying for the administrative expenses of the new territory. However, the plantations, both under their previous private ownership and under government administration, proved consistently unprofitable due to the introduction of new oils and lubricants in the international marketplace, and the establishment of vast coconut plantations in the East Indies and the Philippines. Between 1967 and 1973, the entire population was removed against its will from the islands and moved to Mauritius and the Seychelles to make way for a joint United States-United Kingdom military base on Diego Garcia.[21] In March 1971, Seabee US Naval construction battalions arrived on Diego Garcia to begin the construction of the Communications Station and an airfield. To satisfy the terms of an agreement between the UK and the US for an uninhabited island, the plantation on Diego Garcia was closed in October of that year. The plantation workers and their families were initially moved to the plantations on Peros Banhos and Salomon atolls in the northwest of the archipelago; those who requested were transported to the Seychelles or Mauritius. In 1972, the UK decided to close all the remaining plantations throughout the Chagos, and deported the Ilois to the Seychelles or Mauritius. The then-independent Mauritian government refused to accept the islanders without payment, and in 1973, the UK gave the Mauritian government an additional £650,000 to resettle the islanders. However, despite this islanders often found themselves in woefully inadequate housing and living conditions. Current situation[edit] There are no indigenous peoples living on the island, and the UK represents the Territory internationally. A local government as normally envisioned does not exist.[22] Around 1,700 armed services personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors, mostly American, are stationed on Diego Garcia.[23] There are two transnational political issues which affect the BIOT, through the British government. WikiLeaks cablegate disclosure (2010) According to Wikileaks CableGate documents,[27] the UK proposed in 2009 that the BIOT become a "marine reserve". The summary paragraph of the referenced diplomatic cable follows: People and language[edit] A Chagossian, known as "Samson", photographed by a US National Geodetic Survey team in 1969. Former natives[edit] The islanders were known as the Ilois (one French Creole word for "islanders") and they numbered about 9,000 total, and 7,500 native Chagossians before European settlers. They were of mixed African, South Indian, Portuguese, English, French and Malay descent and lived very simple, spartan lives in their isolated archipelago working in the coconut and sugar plantations, or in the fishing and small textile industries. Few remains of their culture have been left, although their language is still spoken by some of their descendants in Mauritius and the UK. The island names are a mixture of Portuguese, Dutch, French, English and Ilois Creole. The tribes that inhabited the islands were forcibly removed by the US and British governments during the late 1960s and early 1970s - effectively turning the islands into a military base. While a number of islanders had petitioned for return their former homes, their efforts have not been accepted by the US and UK legal systems.[29] Outside of the US, the main island of Diego Garcia is the world's largest military base. Present occupants[edit] As of 2012, the islands have a transitory 'population' of about 3,000 – 300 British government personnel and 2,700 American Army, Navy and Air-Force personnel. The biodiversity of the Chagos archipelago and its surrounding waters is one of the main reasons it is so special. But this incredible diversity is under threat as at least 60 species that call Chagos home are already on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[citation needed] Seabirds nesting on South Brother island in the Chagos Archipelago Mammals Environments of Chagos Archipelago provides rich biodiversity and support varieties of cetacean species in the vicinity,[30] mostly the toothed whales such as sperm, pilot, orca, risso's dolphins, and other dolphins such as spinner dolphins.[31] There are also Donkeys roaming free on the island that were left behind when the Ilois were relocated. The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is the world's largest terrestrial arthropod, reaching over one metre in leg span and 3.5-4 kilos in weight. As a juvenile it behaves like a hermit crab and uses empty coconut shells as protection but as an adult this giant crab climbs trees and can crack through a coconut with its massive claws. Despite its wide global distribution, it is rare in most of the areas it is found. It is primarily threatened by over-collection for food, but also as ornaments for sale to tourists and as bait for fish traps. Demand for coconut crabs as souvenirs is strong, and other threats include habitat destruction and predation from introduced species such as rats. The coconut crabs on Chagos constitute one of the most undisturbed populations in the world. An important part of their biology is the long distances their young can travel as larvae. This means the Chagos coconut crabs are a vital source for replenishing other over-exploited populations in the Indian Ocean region.[citation needed] Conservation efforts[edit] Sampling work in the Chagos.JPG The Chagos is one of the few marine locations in the world where there are almost no ongoing, direct human impacts over almost all of its areas. In April 2010 the Chagos was designated as a marine reserve by the UK government. That will, among other things, allow the area to serve as a reference site for global scientific research to aid in understanding of such things as climate change, tropical marine ecosystems and the impacts of commercial fisheries. On 1 April 2010 Britain announced the creation of the Chagos Marine Protected Area, the world's largest continuous marine protected reserve with an area of 545,000 km2 (210,000 sq mi).[34][35][36] This followed an effort led by The Chagos Environment Network,[37] a collaboration of nine leading conservation and scientific organisations seeking to protect the rich biodiversity of the Chagos Archipelago and its surrounding waters. The Chagos Environment Network cites several reasons for supporting a protected area: The Chagos no-take marine reserve would maintain the pure and unpolluted waters of Chagos, providing a safe refuge for its rich marine life, including many threatened animals, such as turtles and sharks. Seabirds and nesting turtles too will benefit from the additional conservation measures that a protected area will bring. Both groups are recovering from severe depredations of the past in a way that is not possible in most places. World fish stocks have declined because the human race exploits the sea. A large ‘no-take’ protected area will assist fish population recovery, potentially increasing fish numbers over a much wider area. The protected area will also provide a temporary refuge for migratory species, such as tuna, from exploitation. However, there have been arguments for keeping a controlled fishery, the fees from which could be used to support conservation efforts in the area. With regard to the forcibly removed Chagossian people, whatever the outcome of legal challenges brought by Chagossian groups against the UK government, the Chagos Environment Network believes that the Chagos Archipelago need conservation now and that this will be beneficial to everyone under all future legal scenarios. The Chagos Environment Network urged that the Chagos Islands and their surrounding waters be designated as a no-take marine reserve "without prejudice” to the outcome of the legal process. This designation would mean that the Chagos Islands and their resources would remain healthy no matter what the future holds, but that conservation arrangements could be modified if necessary in the light of a change in circumstances. The Chagos is one of the few marine locations in the world where there are almost no ongoing, direct human impacts over almost all of its areas (with the obvious exception of the huge military base on the main island). The marine reserve could serve as a reference site for global scientific research to aid in our understanding of such things as climate change, tropical marine ecosystems and the impacts of commercial fisheries. Deep ocean The deep oceanic waters around the Chagos Islands, out to the 200 nautical mile limit, include an exceptional diversity of undersea geological features (such as 6,000 m deep trenches, oceanic ridges and sea mounts). These areas almost certainly harbour many undiscovered and specially adapted species. UK international commitments The creation of the Chagos Protected Area would be an important contribution by the UK to at least seven international environmental conventions. It would also contribute to the UK’s global commitments, such as halting the decline of biodiversity by 2010, establishing marine protection networks by 2012, and restoring depleted fish stocks to sustainable levels by 2015. See also[edit] 1. ^ a b "CIA World Factbook, United Kingdom, territorial Disputes". Retrieved 2016-07-02. 2. ^ "Track of the Calcutta East Indiaman, over the Bassas de Chagas in the Indian Ocean". Retrieved 2012-06-21. 3. ^ World Wildlife Fund (2001). "Maldives-Lakshadweep-Chagos Archipelago tropical moist forests". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08. Retrieved 2012-06-21. 6. ^ North Sea Marine Cluster. "Managing Marine Protected Areas" (PDF). NSMC. Retrieved 5 February 2013. 7. ^ PA (2010-09-12). "Billionaire saves marine reserve plans". London: Retrieved 2012-06-21. 8. ^ Rob Evans and Richard Norton-Taylor (2 December 2010). "WikiLeaks: Foreign Office accused of misleading public over Diego Garcia \| Politics". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-10-20. 9. ^ "Mauritius: MPA Around Chagos Archipelago Violates International Law - This Is a Historic Ruling for Mauritius, Says PM". Retrieved 23 March 2015. External link in \|publisher= (help) 11. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 21 Jun 2004 (pt 13)". Retrieved 2013-10-20. 20. ^ British Hydrographic Services. Admiralty Charts. Maps in the Chagos Archipelago 22. ^ "The World Factbook". Retrieved 2013-10-20. 24. ^ Mauritius to reiterate its conditions for renewed talks with UK on Chagos at the Wayback Machine (archived December 23, 2011) 25. ^ "Chagossians fight for a home in paradise". The Sunday Times. 2010-03-06. Archived from the original on 2011-09-24. Retrieved 2012-06-21. 26. ^ UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic#International Human Rights: The Chagos Islanders 27. ^ "Hmg Floats Proposal For Marine Reserve Covering". Embassy London. WikiLeaks. 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2010-12-02. 29. ^ 30. ^ 31. ^ 32. ^ John Pike. "Diego Garcia "Camp Justice"". Retrieved 2012-06-21. 33. ^ Wetland and marine protected areas on the world heritage list at the Wayback Machine (archived May 5, 2001)[dead link] 36. ^ "New protection for marine life", Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 1 April 2010, archived from the original on 4 April 2010, retrieved 7 April 2010 38. ^ Consultation on Whether to Establish a Marine Protected Area in the British Indian Ocean Territory at the Wayback Machine (archived February 6, 2010)[dead link] Further reading[edit] External links[edit]
Jury trial From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Trial by jury) Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the form of trial. For the jury itself, see Petit jury. "Trial by jury" redirects here. For other uses, see Trial by Jury (disambiguation). Trial by Jury Usher.jpg Holy Roman Empire[edit] England and Wales[edit] During the mid-14th Century, persons who had sat on the Presenting Jury (i.e., in modern parlance, the Grand Jury) were forbidden to sit on the trial jury for that crime. 25 Edward III stat 5., c3 (1353). Medieval juries were self-informing, in that individuals were chosen as jurors because they either knew the parties and the facts, or they had the duty to discover them. This spared the government the cost of fact-finding.[14] Over time, English juries became less self-informing and relied more on the trial itself for information on the case. Jurors remained free to investigate cases on their own until the 17th century. The Magna Carta being forgotten after a succession of benevolent reigns (or, more probably, reigns limited by the jury and the barons, and only under the rule of laws that the juries and barons found acceptable), the kings, through the royal judges, began to extend their control over the jury and the kingdom. In David Hume's History of England, he tells something of the powers that the kings had accumulated in the times after the Magna Carta, the prerogatives of the crown and the sources of great power with which these monarchs counted: Abolition of the Star Chamber July 5, 1641 In 1670 two Quakers charged with unlawful assembly, William Penn and William Mead, were found not guilty by a jury. The judge then fined the jury for contempt of court for returning a verdict contrary to their own findings of fact and removed them to prison until the fine was paid. Edward Bushel, a member of the jury, nonetheless refused to pay the fine. Bushel petitioned the Court of Common Pleas for a writ of habeas corpus. The ruling in the Bushel's Case was that a jury could not be punished simply on account of the verdict it returned. The role of jury trials[edit] • In France and some countries organized in the same fashion, the jury and several professional judges sit together to determine guilt first. Then, if guilt is determined, they decide the appropriate penalty.[15] Pros and cons[edit] This last point may be disputed. For example, in highly emotional cases, such as child rape, the jury may be tempted to convict based on personal feelings rather than on conviction beyond reasonable doubt.[citation needed] In France, former attorney, then later minister of Justice Robert Badinter, remarked about jury trials in France that they were like "riding a ship into a storm," because they are much less predictable than bench trials. The jury trial in various jurisdictions[edit] Challenging potential jurors[edit] Majority and unanimous verdicts in criminal trials[edit] See also: Hung jury In Australia majority verdicts are allowed in South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Queensland, while the ACT require unanimous verdicts. Since 1927 South Australia has permitted majority verdicts of 11:1, and 10:1 or 9:1 where the jury has been reduced, in criminal trials if a unanimous verdict cannot be reached in four hours.[27] They are accepted in all cases except for "guilty" verdicts where the defendant is on trial for murder or treason. Victoria has accepted majority verdicts with the same conditions since 1994, though deliberations must go on for six hours before a majority verdict can be made. Western Australia accepted majority verdicts in 1957 for all trials except where the crime is murder or has a life sentence. A 10:2 verdict is accepted. Majority verdicts of 10:2 have been allowed in Tasmania since 1936 for all cases except murder and treason if a unanimous decision has not been made within two hours. Since 1943 verdicts of "not guilty" for murder and treason have also been included, but must be discussed for six hours. The Northern Territory has allowed majority verdicts of 10:2, 10:1 and 9:1 since 1963 and does not discriminate between cases whether the charge is murder or not. Deliberation must go for at least six hours before delivering a majority verdict. The Queensland Jury Act 1995 (s 59F) allows majority verdicts for all crimes except for murder and other offences that carry a life sentence, although only 11:1 or 10:1 majorities are allowed. Majority verdicts were introduced in New South Wales in 2006.[28][citation needed] In New South Wales, a majority verdict can only be returned if the jury consists of at least 11 jurors and the deliberation has occurred for at least 8 hours or for a period that the court considers reasonable having regard to the nature and complexity of the case.[29] Additionally, the court must be satisfied through examination of one or more of the jurors on oath, that a unanimous verdict will not be reached if further deliberation were to occur. [30] Hong Kong[edit] The jury found no place in the 1950 Indian Constitution, and it was ignored in many Indian states.[36] The Law Commission recommended its abolition in 1958 in its 14th Report.[36] Jury trials were abolished in India by a very discrete process during the 1960s, finishing with the 1973 Code of Criminal Procedure, which is still in force today.[36] Without any proper study comparing existing judicial systems and without any effort to improve the system, it was claimed that the 8:1 acquittal of Kawas Nanavati in K. M. Nanavati vs. State of Maharashtra, which was overturned by higher courts on the grounds that the jury was misled by the presiding judge and were susceptible to media and public influence, was the reason.[37] A study by Elisabeth Kolsky argues that many "perverse verdicts" were delivered by white juries in trial of "European British subjects" charged with murder, assault, confinement of Indians.[36] Main article: Lay judges in Japan New Zealand[edit] New Zealand previously required jury verdicts to be passed unanimously, but since the passing of the Criminal Procedure Bill in 2009 the Juries Act 1981[38] has permitted verdicts to be passed by a majority of one less than the full jury (that is an 11-1 or a 10-1 majority) under certain circumstances. In May 2015, the Norwegian Parliament asked the government to bring an end to jury trials, replacing them with a bench trial (meddomsrett) consisting of two law-trained judges and three lay judges (lekdommere).[39] This has not been fully implemented yet as of February 2016, but is expected soon. In the judiciary of Russia, for serious crimes the accused have the option of a jury trial consisting of 12 jurors.[40] The number of jury trials remains small, at about 600 per year, out of about 1 million trials.[41] A juror must be 25 years old, legally competent, and without a criminal record.[40] The 12 jurors are selected by the prosecution and defense from a list of 30-40 eligible candidates.[40] The Constitution of Russia stipulates that, until the abolition of the death penalty, all defendants in a case that may result in a death sentence are entitled to a jury trial. Lawmakers are continuously chipping away at what types of criminal offenses merit a jury trial.[41] They are similar to common law juries, and unlike lay judges, in that they sit separately from the judges and decide questions of fact alone while the judge determines questions of law.[40] They must return unanimous verdicts during the first 3 hours of deliberation, but may return majority verdicts after that, with 6 jurors being enough to acquit.[40] They may also request that the judge show leniency in sentencing.[40] Juries have granted acquittals in 15-20% of cases, compared with less than 1% in cases decided by judges.[41] Juries may be dismissed and skeptical juries have been dismissed on the verge of verdicts, and acquittals are frequently overturned by higher courts.[41] Trial by jury was first introduced in the Russian Empire as a result of the Judicial reform of Alexander II in 1864, and abolished after the October Revolution in 1917.[42] They were reintroduced in the Russian Federation in 1993, and extended to another 69 regions in 2003.[42] Its reintroduction was opposed by the Prosecutor General.[40] South Africa[edit] United Kingdom[edit] England and Wales[edit] In England and Wales (which have the same legal system), everyone accused of an offence which carries more than six months imprisonment has a right to trial by jury. Minor ("Summary only") criminal cases are heard without a jury in the Magistrates' Courts. Middle-ranking ("triable either way") offences may be tried by magistrates or the defendant may elect trial by jury in the Crown Court. Serious ("indictable") offences, however, must be tried before a jury in the Crown Court. Juries sit in a few civil cases, in particular, defamation and cases involving the state. Juries also sit in coroner's courts for more contentious inquests. All criminal juries consist of 12 jurors, those in a County Court having 8 jurors and Coroner's Court juries having between 7 and 11 members. Jurors must be between 18–70 years of age, and are selected at random from the register of voters. In the past a unanimous verdict was required. This has been changed[50] so that, if the jury fails to agree after a given period, at the discretion of the judge they may reach a verdict by a 10-2 majority. This was designed to make it more difficult for jury tampering to succeed. In 1999 the then Home Secretary Jack Straw introduced a controversial bill to limit the right to trial by jury.[51] This became the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which sought to remove the right to trial by jury for cases involving jury tampering or complex fraud. The provision for trial without jury to circumvent jury tampering succeeded and came into force in 2007, the provision for complex fraud cases was defeated. Lord Goldsmith, the then Attorney General, then pressed forward[52] with the Fraud (Trials Without a Jury) Bill in Parliament, which sought to abolish jury trials in major criminal fraud trials. The Bill was subject to sharp criticism from both sides of the House of Commons[53] before passing its second Commons reading in November 2006,[54] but was defeated in the Lords in March 2007.[55] The trial started in 2010,[57] with the four defendants convicted on the 31st of March 2010 by Mr Justice Treacy at the Old Bailey.[58] Northern Ireland[edit] United States[edit] There has been much debate about the advantages and disadvantages of the jury system, the competence or lack thereof of jurors as fact-finders, and the uniformity or capriciousness of the justice they administer.[66] The jury has been described as "an exciting and gallant experiment in the conduct of serious human affairs."[67] As fact-finders, juries are expected to fulfill the role of lie detector.[68] Verdicts in criminal cases must be unanimous, with the following exceptions: Currently, two states, Oregon and Louisiana, do not require unanimous verdicts in criminal cases. Each requires a 10–2 majority for conviction, except for capital crimes: Oregon requires at least 11 votes and Louisiana requires all 12. Not every case is eligible for a jury trial. In the majority of US states, there is no right to a jury trial in family law actions not involving a termination of parental rights, such as divorce and custody modifications.[70][71] Only eleven states allow juries in any aspect of divorce litigation (Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin).[70] Most of these limit the right to a jury to try issues regarding grounds or entitlement for divorce only. Texas provides jury trial rights most broadly, including even the right to a jury trial on questions regarding child custody.[70][71] However, anyone who is charged with a criminal offense, breach of contract or federal offence has a Constitutional right to a trial by jury. Civil trial procedure[edit] Waiver of jury trial[edit] In United States Federal courts, there is no absolute right to waive a jury trial. Per Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 23(a), only if the prosecution and the court consent may a defendant waive a jury trial for criminal cases. However, most states give the defendant the absolute right to waive a jury trial, and it has become commonplace to find such a waiver in routine contracts as a 2004 Wall Street Journal Article states: 'For years, in an effort to avoid the slow-moving wheels of the U.S. judicial system, many American companies have forced their customers and employees to agree to settle disputes outside of the courts, through private arbitration... but the rising cost of arbitration proceedings has led some companies to decide they might be better off in the court system after all [so long as] they don't have to tangle with juries. The new tactic [is to] let disputes go to court, but on the condition that they be heard only by a judge.' The article goes on to claim 'The list includes residential leases, checking-account agreements, auto loans and mortgage contracts. Companies that believe juries are biased toward plaintiffs hope this approach will boost their chances of winning in court. Critics say that unfairly denies citizens' access to the full range of legal options guaranteed by the Constitution'. Since this article was written (some twelve years ago at the time of writing) it is unsurprising this practice is now all-pervasive and, since it has been extended on-line, it has become commonplace to include such waivers to trail by jury in everything from user agreements attached to software downloads to merely browsing a website. This gives rise to the intriguing notion that while such waivers may not only be all-pervasive and have legal force in one jurisdiction - in this case the United States - in the jurisdiction where a verdict is sought in the absence of jury trial (or indeed the presence of a defendant, or any legal representation in absentia) may well run directly counter to law in the jurisdiction - such as the United Kingdom - where the defendant resides, thus: The Judgment on Regina v Jones issued by the United Kingdom's Court of Appeal's (Criminal Division) states, (in part, in Item 55[76]) '... the issue has to be determined by looking at the way in which the courts handled the problem under English criminal procedure and by deciding whether, in the result, the appellant can be said to have had a fair hearing.' See also[edit] 2. ^ Samons, Loren J. (2007). The Cambridge companion to the Age of Pericles. Cambridge University Press. pp. 244, 246. ISBN 978-0-521-80793-7. Retrieved 2010-12-08. 3. ^ Acilian Law on the Right to Recovery of Property Officially Extorted, 122 B.C. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/acilian_law.asp 4. ^ a b Forsyth 1852, p. 369. 5. ^ a b Forsyth 1852, p. 370. 6. ^ Forsyth 1852, p. 371. 7. ^ Casper & Zeisel 1972, p. 137. 8. ^ Casper & Zeisel 1972, p. 139. 10. ^ Casper & Zeisel 1972, p. 141. 11. ^ Vogler 2005, p. 245. 12. ^ "Narrative History of England". Britannia.com. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 13. ^ Magna Carta of 1215 - http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/magnacarta.html 15. ^ Vouin, Robert (1956). "The Protection of the Accused in French Criminal Procedure". International and Comparative Law Quarterly. 5 (2): 157–173. doi:10.1093/iclqaj/5.2.157. 16. ^ Barkan, S.; Bryjak, G. (2011). Fundamentals of Criminal Justice: A Sociological View. Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN 9780763754242. Retrieved 2015-06-13. 17. ^ Newman, D. (1966) Conviction: The Determination of Guilt or Innocence without Trial 3. Ref. in Alschuler, Albert W. (January 1979). "Plea Bargaining And Its History". Columbia Law Review. 79 (1). Retrieved 2012-01-10. ...roughly ninety percent of the criminal defendants convicted in state and federal courts plead guilty rather than exercise their right to stand trial before a court or jury. 18. ^ [Bikel, Ofra] (June 17, 2004). "Interview: Judge Michael McSpadden". FRONTLINE: The Plea. Boston, Massachusetts: WGBH Educational Foundation. Retrieved 2012-01-10. Those few cases being tried set the standard for everybody in determining what to do with the 95 percent, 96 percent of the plea bargain cases. External link in \|work= (help) 19. ^ Lynch, Timothy (Fall 2003). "The Case Against Plea Bargaining" (PDF). Regulation. Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute. 23 (3): 23–27. SSRN 511222. Retrieved 2012-01-10. The overwhelming majority of individuals who are accused of crime forgo their constitutional rights and plead guilty. 20. ^ McConville, Mike; Chester Mirsky (December 1995). "The Rise of Guilty Pleas: New York, 1800-1865". Journal of Law and Society. Blackwell Publishing on behalf of Cardiff University. 22 (4): 443–474. JSTOR 1410610. 21. ^ "Cot deaths; Munchausen by Proxy, Sir Roy Meadow". Mth.kcl.ac.uk. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 22. ^ http://aph.gov.au/senate/general/constitution/chapter3.htm 23. ^ "Democracy - Faculty Projects :: SETIS". setis.library.usyd.edu.au. Retrieved 2015-06-13. 24. ^ "21 Oct 1824 - TRIAL BY JURY IN THE COURTS OF SESSIONS". Retrieved 2012-07-25. 25. ^ "Jury Trials XII" (pdf). Retrieved 2012-07-25. 26. ^ Criminal Procedure Act 2004 (WA) s 104 27. ^ "Smith v The Queen [2015] HCA 27" (PDF). Retrieved 2015-08-09. 28. ^ Jury Act 1977 (NSW), s 55F 29. ^ http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ja197791/s55f.html 31. ^ Ss. 3 and 24 Jury Oridnance 33. ^ "CHIANG LILY v. SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE [2009] HKCFI 100; HCAL 42/2008 (9 February 2009)". hklii.hk. Retrieved 2015-06-13. 34. ^ "-". thestandard.com.hk. Retrieved 2015-06-13. 35. ^ .Ss 24 and 33A, High Court Ordinance 36. ^ a b c d e f g h Jean-Louis Halpérin (25 March 2011). "Lay Justice in India" (PDF). École Normale Supérieure. 37. ^ "Reality of Nanavati case and why Jury was abolished - Right To Recall Against Corruption - Timeline \| Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-08-20. 38. ^ "s46C Juries Act 1981". 39. ^ "Stortinget fjerner juryen fra rettssalen (Norwegian)". Aftenposten. Retrieved 2016-02-20. 40. ^ a b c d e f g Terrill 2009, p. 439. 41. ^ a b c d Barry, Ellen (November 15, 2010). "In Russia, Jury Is Something to Work Around". The New York Times. 42. ^ a b Terrill 2009, pp. 438-439. 43. ^ "'Judiciary', Singapore - A Country Study". 45. ^ Constitutionally Speaking, 9 September 2009 — http://constitutionallyspeaking.co.za/do-we-need-a-jury-system/ Retrieved 2013-01-08. 47. ^ "Honeymoon murder: Timeline of events for Shrien Dewani - BBC News". bbc.com. Retrieved 2015-06-13. 48. ^ NJA 2012 s. 940, p. 13 49. ^ Mansour, Fati (29 September 2008). "Le jury populaire à l'agonie" (in French). Le Temps. Archived from the original on 29 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-29. 50. ^ "Criminal Justice Act 1967". Retrieved 2013-01-07. 52. ^ "No-jury trial plan 'presses on'". London: BBC News. 2005-11-26. Retrieved 2010-03-24. 60. ^ "Non-jury trial option 'essential' says Goggins". BBC News. 3 March 2010. 63. ^ Doug Linder. "Jury Nullification: History, questions and answers about nullification, links". law.umkc.edu. Retrieved 2015-06-13. 66. ^ Forston, Robert F. (1975), Sense and Non-Sense: Jury Trial Communication, 1975, BYU L.Rev., p. 601 67. ^ Kalven, Harry Jr. (1964), Dignity of the Civil Jury, The, 50, Va. L. Rev., p. 1055 68. ^ George Fisher (1997), The Jury's Rise as Lie Detector, 107, Yale Law Journal 69. ^ "Jury Service". United States Courts. Retrieved 2012-12-16. 71. ^ a b "JURY TRIAL". 72. ^ "The Constitution of the United States of America". Gpoaccess.gov. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 73. ^ "CRS/LII Annotated Constitution Seventh Amendment". Law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 74. ^ http://www.ecasebriefs.com/blog/law/civil-procedure/civil-procedure-keyed-to-yeazell/identifying-the-trier/amoco-oil-co-v-torcomian/ Further reading[edit] External links[edit]
Back to Crafts What you need Cut apart the brown paper bag Now you have a howling wolf! Wolf Organizer What You Need: • 1 cereal box • Scissors • Pencil • 1 or 2 large brown grocery bags • White glue • Black marker • Poster paint (optional) What You Do: 1. Cut the cereal box into two triangle-shaped pieces by cutting from the bottom corner to the opposite corner at the top. You may want to get an adult to help you with this. 2. The bottom triangle of the box will be the wolf’s body (you could also use the top to make a second wolf if you want to). You can leave the inside the color of the box, or you can paint it with poster paint, if you want to have a colorful wolf. 3. Cut apart a brown paper grocery bag and lay one side on your work surface, plain side up. Using your pencil, trace around the bottom edge and side edge of the box triangle on the brown paper, to make two strips. Cut these strips out, leaving about ½ inch (1.3 centimeters) extra on each side of the tracing. 4. Glue the two brown paper strips to the bottom and side edges of the box, folding the extra paper along the edges onto the sides of the box. 5. Lay out another side of the brown paper bag on your work surface, plain side up. Using the pencil, trace around the two flat triangle sides of the box. Cut out those triangles. 6. Glue the two brown paper triangles (plain side facing you) onto the sides of the box. The box should now be covered on all sides with brown paper. 7. Using what’s left of your brown paper bag, or a new one if you need to, draw the shape of a tail for the wolf, with notches along the sides to make it look fringed, and the shapes of two pointed ears. Cut out the tail and ears. 8. Glue the tail to the underside of the box at the open side, so it points backward from the opening. Glue the ears to the sides of the box, towards the top where the head is. 9. Use the black marker to draw the legs and feet on either side of the box, as if the wolf is sitting. Then draw the eyes on either side. 10. Now you have a howling wolf that can sit on your desk and hold your important papers, homework, or letters!
Christmas Video carol A Christmas carol (also called a noël) is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas. The first specifically Christmas hymns for Christians that we know of appear in fourth century Rome. Latin hymns such as Veni redemptor gentium, written by Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, were austere statements of the theological doctrine of the Incarnation in opposition to Arianism. Corde natus ex Parentis (Of the Father's love begotten) by the Spanish poet Prudentius (d. 413) is still sung in some churches today. In the ninth and tenth centuries, the Christmas "Sequence" or "Prose" was introduced in North European monasteries, developing under Bernard of Clairvaux into a sequence of rhymed stanzas. In the twelfth century the Parisian monk Adam of St. Victor began to derive music from popular songs, introducing something closer to the traditional Christmas carol. Carols for dancing It is not clear whether the word carol derives from the French "carole" or the Latin "carula" meaning a circular dance. In any case the dancing seems to have been abandoned quite early.[citation needed] The typical 3/4 (waltz) time would tend to support the latter meaning. Traditionally, carols have often been based on medieval chord patterns, and it is this that gives them their uniquely characteristic musical sound. Some carols like "Personent hodie", "Good King Wenceslas", and "The Holly and the Ivy" can be traced directly back to the Middle Ages, and are among the oldest musical compositions still regularly sung. Compositions continue to be written that become popular carols. For example, many of the carols written by Alfred Burt are sung regularly in both sacred and secular settings, and are among the better-known modern Christmas carols. Tags: personent hodie　歌詞 , 瓦茨拉夫國王歌詞
Though most people probably assume that a monk's life is entirely different from their own, the reality might surprise them. The Russian author Dostoevsky put it best when he claimed that a true monk is nothing other than what everyone ought to be. He was referring to an attitude of heart, a way of seeing life What makes someone truly a monk is his interior attitude, not the practical externals associated with his state of life. Long hair and long beards are "monastic" in one milieu, while shaved heads are the norm in another; some monks don't eat meat while others do, some wear habits while others don't. Trying to determine what is more monastic on the basis of such criteria is futile; the essence of their lives goes much deeper than such banalities. There is a monastic, contemplative dimension in every human being's life. The questions that consume us, which all human beings must face to one degree or another if they ever hope to achieve maturity and real happiness--these are what characterize monks and nuns. There is a monastic, contemplative dimension in every human being's life . Monks have simply chosen to pursue this formally in a full-time, radical way. "Monk" translates from the Greek mónachos, which comes from monos, "one, one alone." Although this etymology has been used to justify the solitary life of the hermit as the purest vision of what a monk is, such an interpretation is mistaken. Monks ordinarily live together in close-knit communities, not off alone by themselves. Granted that there have always been hermit-monks, yet from earliest times mónachos was readily applied to those monks living together and sharing everything in common. also means "unique, one with Christ." It in turn translated the Hebrew word yahid, which means "exile," one displaced from one's true homeland. This, more than anything else, is what characterizes the true monk. To encounter the true God and find our real home in this reality is the monk's perennial task, making him by nature a wanderer (though living in one place), a pilgrim (though already tasting the goal), exploring the vast wilderness of the human heart (though guided by those who went before him). Thus, the monk's deepest reality lies beyond simplistic definitions and the various ways monastic life manifests itself. Instead, a monk tries to embody a particular vision of what life is with an intense singularity of purpose. Specifically, the Christian monk focuses on the relationship of the divine and human, and inspired by the example of Jesus he is consumed with the meaning and experience of this mystery each moment of his life. This is his joy and delight, yet it also becomes an unquenchable passion that refuses him rest. Join the Discussion comments powered by Disqus
Hunting an Elephant MATHEMATICIANS hunt elephants by going to Africa, throwing out everything EXPERIENCED MATHEMATICIANS will attempt to prove the existence of at least one unique elephant before proceeding to step 1 as a subordinate PROFESSORS OF MATHEMATICS will prove the existence of at least one unique elephant and then leave the detection and capture of an actual elephant as an exercise for their graduate students COMPUTER SCIENTISTS hunt elephants by exercising Algorithm A: 1. Go to Africa. 2. Start at the Cape of Good Hope. 3. Work northward in an orderly manner, traversing the continent alternately east and west. 4. During each traverse pass, a. Catch each animal seen. b. Compare each animal caught to a known elephant. c. Stop when a match is detected. EXPERIENCED COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS modify Algorithm A by placing a known elephant in Cairo to ensure that the algorithm will terminate. ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMERS prefer to execute Algorithm A on their hands and knees. ENGINEERS hunt elephants by going to Africa, catching gray animals at percent of any previously observed elephant. ECONOMISTS don't hunt elephants, but they believe that if elephants are paid enough, they will hunt themselves. STATISTICIANS hunt the first animal they see N times and call it an CONSULTANTS don't hunt elephants, and many have never hunted anything at OPERATION RESEARCH CONSULTANTS can also measure the correlation of hat someone else will only identify the elephants. POLITICIANS don't hunt elephants, but they will share the elephants you catch with the people who voted for them. that all possible elephants are completely prehunted before the vice president sees them. If the vice president does see a nonprehunted elephant, the staff will (1) compliment the vice president's keen eyesight and (2) enlarge itself to prevent any recurrence. SENIOR MANAGERS set broad elephant-hunting policy based on the assumption that elephants are just like field mice, but with deeper QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTORS ignore the elephants and look for mistakes the other hunters made when they were packing the jeep. SALES PEOPLE don't hunt elephants but spend their time selling elephants SOFTWARE SALES PEOPLE ship the first thing they catch and write up an invoice for an elephant. HARDWARE SALES PEOPLE catch rabbits, paint them gray, and sell them as desktop elephants. • Back to Rainbow Humor Page
Are Bananas Bad For Diabetics? Bananas are not bad for diabetics as long as they are eaten in moderation. Because of the high sugar content of this particular fruit, it is not good for those who have this condition to eat too many of them within a relatively short period of time. The fact is that bananas have a lot of important vitamins and nutrients that are necessary for the body to function properly, such as high amounts of potassium. Doctors often recommend that diabetics engage in what is referred to as â€œfood therapyâ€, which can include many different types of foods, sometimes including bananas because of their overall nutritional value. Leave a comment
Save $100 Until Sep 14 Learn more... Lessons from Star Trek One of the best examples of the fulfillment of human potential can actually be found in the Star Trek universe created by Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry was more than just a TV producer — he was a futurist who spoke at NASA, the Smithsonian Institution, and many universities. His vision began to take root in the original series but became far more mature in Star Trek: The Next Generation. After Roddenberry’s death in 1991, the other series and movies drifted from his original vision. So my comments will be focused on the Next Generation series, which originally aired from 1987 to 1994. In case it isn’t already obvious, I’m a trekkie. But what I liked most about the show wasn’t the technology or the aliens but rather the vision of humanity’s future that Roddenberry developed. Despite the fictional elements, it’s actually a compelling model for thinking about where the pursuit of personal development might take us. Consider the vision of future human beings that Roddenberry created, particularly the way his characters behaved and the social structure in which they lived. First, all the main characters (i.e. the Enterprise crew) behave virtuously. They appear to be guided by an inner moral compass. They’re brave, honest, honorable, just, and self-sacrificing. They don’t rely on religion for their values, and there doesn’t seem to be a pervasive belief in a higher power. Their values are very humanistic in nature and are an integral part of their high-trust society. Every character has its moral failings now and then, but they quickly self-correct. The three primary virtues are clearly represented in the show’s characters: truth (Data), love (Troi), and courage (Worf). Many of the plots revolve around the interplay of these virtues. For example, “The First Duty” and “Hero Worship” are episodes about the courage to face the truth. “Lessons” is an episode about the courage to love. “The Outcast” is a blend of conflicts between truth, love, and courage. While some episodes are mostly designed to entertain, there are many which explore ethical conflicts between these virtues. Riker as second in command has all of truth, love, and courage in his character, but they’re more fully balanced in Picard, who serves as the show’s ultimate model of human behavior — the captain that everyone respects and admires. Of all the characters on the show, Picard is the most consistent example of virtuous behavior. You also have whole alien races representing these virtues: truth/logic (Vulcans), love/empathy (Betazoids), courage/honor (Klingons). These virtues were present in the original series’ characters as well: truth (Spock), love/passion (McCoy), and courage (Kirk). If you think about other fictional worlds you like, you’ll often find strong characters representing aspects of truth, love, and courage. Each character is clear about his/her purpose in life. Each one works within the area of overlap between passion, expertise, need, and purpose. They don’t work for money but rather for personal fulfillment. There is some type of economy referenced in the background, but it’s virtually irrelevant because the accumulation of material possessions isn’t highly valued or respected. Social status isn’t determined by wealth but rather by achievement and merit. There’s an overall purpose of exploration, which all characters help to fulfill. They’re constantly working on goals that derive from that purpose, and they often have tight deadlines. Technology handles all the gruntwork, which gives characters the freedom to pursue their purpose without worrying so much about meeting their basic needs. People work because they want to, not because they have to. The characters have the freedom to be lazy and do nothing in this world if they wanted to, but they choose to contribute. Today’s technology doesn’t quite support this level of freedom yet, but I’ve been able to get pretty close in my own life by leveraging technology to create passive income via internet businesses, so I can devote the bulk of my time to fulfilling my purpose instead of meeting my basic needs. This was no accident. One of my long-term goals has been to reduce the importance of money in my life. I think that as technology improves and the level of skill required drops, this will be easier for others to do as well. I know the “need” part of the equation is paramount for many people, but if you can manage to semi-automate the satisfaction of your needs, it will free up tremendous time for higher level pursuits. Working at a job just to make money to meet your needs is certainly not the most interesting thing you can do with your life today. One question you can ask yourself is this: If you lived in the Star Trek universe, what would you do with your life? My answer would be that I’d do the same thing I’m doing now — working to grow and to help others grow — only my methods of doing this would be altered by the environmental and technological conditions. What would you do if money were irrelevant and all your needs were abundantly met? The Star Trek characters are extremely competent, well-educated, and highly skilled. Each has developed themselves in a variety of areas, but they each have an area of expertise at which they’re particularly well-suited. Each seems a near perfect fit for their particular duties. They’ve developed their strengths and worked to minimize their weaknesses. Characters achieve their social standing primarily based on their level of competence (which contributes to their rank). There’s no sexism or racism, but nor is there anything like affirmative action. Merit is what matters most. The cream rises to the top. The society is structured such that achievement is expected. Stick an overachiever in this universe (Wesley Crusher), and he receives encouragement and support instead of resistance, red tape, and bureaucracy. The characters have high self-discipline and are emotionally mature. They own themselves. Abundant food and entertainment are available via the replicators, but no one overindulges. You wouldn’t see a character on the show having trouble with oversleeping, unless of course an alien influence is the cause (i.e. “Schisms”). The characters are even disciplined in their thoughts to the degree that they can feel comfortable around telepathic/empathic beings that can read their minds. Their public and private personas are congruent. They have little to hide. The characters are mature and responsible. They do their jobs without complaint. They assume 100% responsibility for their lives and don’t blame others for their situations. They’re passionate about what they do, but it’s a quiet, mature passion, not an unfocused juvenile passion. Hard Work The characters are productive hard workers. They don’t push themselves to the breaking point, but they’re far from lazy. They use technological resources to get things done efficiently, but they direct those resources towards hands-on action rather than overintellectualizing to avoid work. Mutual Respect When doing their jobs, the characters interact within a formal structure, but off duty they’re on a first-name basis. At all times they treat each other with mutual respect. If one character begins to self-destruct, the others step in to help restore balance and integrity — they look out for each other. Trust and trustworthiness are high. This is basically the opposite of how the characters in a soap opera would behave. The characters place the highest trust in their own individual principles. They respect the laws and customs of other societies as well as those of their own, but in cases of conflict, they will violate laws to uphold their own principles, even when serious personal consequences are likely. They do not follow laws or orders blindly — they think for themselves and do what they believe is best. They will even follow their principles to the grave if necessary. Given the circumstances they find themselves in, the characters’ behavior is usually reasonable and intelligent. They tend to follow a systematic approach to problem-solving: gather data, form hypothesis, test hypothesis. They are bold but not stupid. They have both intellectual and emotional intelligence. The characters are highly growth-oriented. They continually work to develop their skills, they self-educate, and they have many creative interests which they pursue during their leisure time (art, music, drama, poetry, etc). They attend conferences, maintain personal journals, and discuss personal challenges with each other to solicit feedback and advice. They mentor each other. The value of growth is often shown via interaction with weaker characters. Take a character that is more like the typical human of today such as Lt. Barclay — he’s timid, incompetent, and lazy. So he’s given counseling to help bring him up to speed, and as the series progresses, his character actually begins to mature as he integrates more and more of the social context. Growth is expected. Even the android character (Data) aspires to be human, not to be like the typical human of today but rather to adopt the best qualities of humanity expressed by the other characters. The characters are highly self-aware. They’re open-minded and often become aware of their own lack of objectivity in certain circumstances. They’re aware of their own weaknesses, but under adverse situations they work from their strengths and do their best. The fish out of water episodes like “Disaster” or “Remember Me” help depict these qualities. Everyone keeps their quarters neat and orderly. There’s no clutter. Everything is well-organized. No Marketing There’s no marketing in the Star Trek universe… no sponsors’ logos emblazoned onto the Enterprise. People select and use objects and technology because of their genuine usefulness, not because of clever sales techniques. The characters on the show are too intelligent to succumb to marketing gimmicks anyway, so today’s type of marketing wouldn’t likely be effective with such people anyway. What About Us? To me this is a reasonable model of how mature human beings should behave and interact with each other. Granted this is a fictional universe, but putting aside the fictional elements and the imagined technology, the human aspects are very real. It may be enormously uncommon today, but it’s certainly not impossible for individuals to behave in this manner. I believe that what holds us back more than anything else is our social conditioning. We’re born into societies that install many values in us, values that most people never take the time to consciously challenge. The solution is to raise our awareness and begin acting more consciously. This requires self-reflection, using our own consciousness to examine what we currently hold in our own minds. We must force our subconscious beliefs and assumptions to the surface, challenge them, and consciously decide if we wish to keep them or replace them. In some ways the Star Trek universe reminds me of the world view Ayn Rand created in her book Atlas Shrugged. However, her characters were primarily motivated by selfishness, which Rand considered a virtue in itself. The Star Trek characters seem to be motivated by meaningful contribution. The most selfish alien race (the Ferengi) are looked down upon by the main characters, perhaps as a commentary on the way humans largely behave today. It would be interesting to build a microcosm of this type of universe today if we could find enough people who’ve achieved this degree of private victory and challenge them to turn it into a greater public victory. Attend Steve's 2016 Workshops Conscious Life Workshop – October 14-16
Rewrite engine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from URL rewriting) Jump to: navigation, search In Wikipedia and other MediaWiki sites, see MediaWiki Manual:Short URL. A rewrite engine is a software component that performs rewriting on Uniform Resource Locators, modifying their appearance. This modification is called URL rewriting. It is a way of implementing URL mapping or routing within a web application. The engine is typically a component of a web server or web application framework. Rewritten URLs (sometimes known as short, pretty or fancy URLs, search engine friendly - SEF URLs, or slugs) are used to provide shorter and more relevant-looking links to web pages. The technique adds a layer of abstraction between the files used to generate a web page and the URL that is presented to the outside world. Web sites with dynamic content can use URLs that generate pages from the server using query string parameters. These are often rewritten to resemble URLs for static pages on a site with a subdirectory hierarchy. For example, the URL to a wiki page might be: but can be rewritten as: A blog might have a URL that encodes the dates of each entry: It can be altered like this: which also allows the user to change the URL to see all postings available in December, simply by removing the text encoding the day '19', as though navigating "up" a directory: A site can pass specialized terms from the URL to its search engine as a search term. This would allow users to search directly from their browser. For example, the URL as entered into the browser's location bar: term Will be urlencoded by the browser before it makes the HTTP request. The server could rewrite this to: Benefits and drawbacks[edit] There are several benefits to using URL rewriting:[1] • The links are "cleaner" and more descriptive, improving their "friendliness" to both users and search engines. • They prevent undesired "inline linking", which can waste bandwidth. • The site can continue to use the same URLs even if the underlying technology used to serve them is changed (for example, switching to a new blogging engine). There can, however be drawbacks as well; if a user wants to modify a URL to retrieve new data, URL rewriting may hinder the construction of custom queries due to the lack of named variables. For example, it may be difficult to determine the date from the following format: In this case, the original query string was more useful, since the query variables indicated month and day: Web frameworks[edit] Many web frameworks include URL rewriting, either directly or through extension modules. • Apache HTTP Server has URL rewriting provided by the mod_rewrite module.[2] • URL Rewrite is available as an extension to Microsoft IIS.[3] • Ruby on Rails has built-in URL rewriting via Routes.[4] • Java, and Servlet/Java EE have extendable URL rewriting via the OCPsoft URLRewriteFilter and Tuckey UrlRewriteFilter. • Java Server Faces, Java EE, and Servlet have simplified URL rewriting via the PrettyFaces: URLRewriteFilter. • Django uses a regular-expressions based system. This is not strictly URL rewriting since there is no script to 'rewrite' to, nor even a directory structure; but it provides the full flexibility of URL rewriting.[5] • Java Stripes Framework has had integrated functionality since version 1.5.[6] • Many Perl frameworks, such as Mojolicious and Catalyst, have this feature.[7] • CodeIgniter has URL rewriting provided. • lighttpd has a mod_rewrite module.[8] • nginx has a rewrite module.[9][10] Not only can it be used to manipulate URLs in various degrees for both internal and HTTP 301/302 status code redirection, but even 200 OK HTTP response message body generation is also possible with the return directive, making it viable to create rather advanced deterministic URL shortening services not limited to direct HTTP status code redirects.[11] As an example, a multi-link multi-variable page generation from a URI like /f101,n61,o56,d/ifconfig is possible, where multiple individual parts like f101 get expanded with the help of regular expressions into variables to signify FreeBSD 10.1-RELEASE and so forth, and the generated page has links to multiple unique external URLs all at once, all done through internal variables and multiple location, rewrite and return directives.[12] • Hiawatha HTTP server has a URL Toolkit which supports URL rewriting.[13] • Cherokee HTTP server supports regular expressions of URL rewriting and redirections. From a software development perspective, URL rewriting can aid in code modularization and control flow,[14] making it a useful feature of modern web frameworks. See also[edit] 1. ^ Many of these only apply to HTTP servers whose default behavior is to map URLs to filesystem entities (i.e. files and directories); certain environments, such as many HTTP application server platforms, make this irrelevant. 2. ^ mod_rewrite documentation 3. ^ URL Rewrite extension for Microsoft IIS 4. ^ "Rails Routing from the Outside In". "Ruby on Rails. Retrieved 25 April 2014. 5. ^ Django URLconf 6. ^ clean urls in Stripes 1.5 7. ^ Guides - Mojolicious guide to the galaxy. Mojolicious. Retrieved on 2013-09-08. 8. ^ Docs ModRewrite - Lighttpd - lighty labs. Retrieved on 2013-09-08. 9. ^ "ngx_http_rewrite_module - rewrite". Retrieved 25 December 2014. 10. ^ Murenin, Constantine A. (18 February 2013). "A dynamic web-site written wholly in nginx.conf? Introducing!". (Mailing list). Retrieved 24 December 2014. 11. ^ Murenin, Constantine A. (23 February 2013). " — Short manual page URLs for FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD and DragonFly BSD". Retrieved 25 December 2014. 12. ^ Murenin, Constantine A. (23 February 2013). "". Retrieved 25 December 2014. 13. ^ URL TOOLKIT part of Hiawatha webserver's manual 14. ^ "Clean URL". DocForge. Retrieved 25 April 2014. External links[edit]
1 / 18 Icelandic volcano erupts A close up of lava from an eruption on Holuhraun, northwest of the Dyngjujoekull glacier in Iceland, Monday, Sept. 1, 2014. Lava fountains danced along a lengthy volcanic fissure near Iceland's subglacial Bardarbunga volcano Sunday, prompting authorities to raise the aviation warning code to the highest level and close the surrounding airspace. The warning was lowered 12 hours later as visibility improved and it was clear that no volcanic ash was detected. (AP Photo/Eggert Johannesson) Icelandic volcano erupts Yahoo News Experts say the seismic activity near the Bardarbunga volcano on Iceland is calming down while tall fountains of fire and lava continue to lick the air along a volcanic fissure, producing a huge plume of steam and gas. A massive white cloud some 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) tall was rising above the fissure eruption in the Holuhraun lava field north of the Dyngjujoekull glacier on Tuesday, September 2, 2014. No ash fall has been detected. Iceland's meteorological agency said the lava eruption appears to be less active. It said the number of earthquakes in the area fell to 300 on Tuesday, compared to 500 the previous day. Thousands of small earthquakes have rocked the region in recent days, leading to concerns that Bardarbunga, which lies under a vast glacier, could erupt. (AP)
Open Access The diversity of LTR retrotransposons Genome Biology20045:225 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2004-5-6-225 Published: 18 May 2004 Eukaryotic genomes are full of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons. Although most LTR retrotransposons have common structural features and encode similar genes, there is nonetheless considerable diversity in their genomic organization, reflecting the different strategies they use to proliferate within the genomes of their hosts. Transposons are mobile genetic elements that can multiply in the genome using a variety of mechanisms. Retrotransposons replicate through reverse transcription of their RNA and integration of the resulting cDNA into another locus. This mechanism of replication is shared with retroviruses, with the difference that retrotransposons do not form infectious particles that leave the cell to infect other cells. The long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons, one of the main groups of retroelements (which include both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons as well as retroviruses), are among the most abundant constituents of eukaryotic genomes. The LTRs are the direct sequence repeats that flank the internal coding region, which - in all autonomous (functional) LTR retrotransposons - includes genes encoding both structural and enzymatic proteins. The gag gene encodes structural proteins that form the virus-like particle (VLP), inside which reverse transcription takes place. The pol gene encodes several enzymatic functions, including a protease that cleaves the Pol polyprotein, a reverse transcriptase (RT) that copies the retrotransposon's RNA into cDNA, and an integrase that integrates the cDNA into the genome. Much of what we know about the mechanisms of LTR retrotransposition (Figure 1) comes from work on yeast retrotransposons [1, 2], but it is generally assumed that the mechanism is very similar among LTR retrotransposons from divergent hosts. First, a retrotransposon's RNA is transcribed by the cellularly encoded RNA polymerase II from a promoter located within the 5' LTR. The RNA is then translated in the cytoplasm to give the proteins that form the VLP and carry out the reverse transcription and integration steps. Typically, two RNA molecules are packaged into one virus-like particle, and the RNA is subsequently made into a full-length DNA copy through a reverse transcription reaction that is first primed from a tRNA that pairs to a sequence near the 5' LTR (the primer-binding site). The resulting partial cDNA (called 'strong stop' DNA) is transferred from the 5' LTR to the 3' LTR, where reverse transcription proceeds. A second priming event initiates at a polypurine tract near the 3' LTR. The cDNA primed from the polypurine tract undergoes an additional strand transfer, ultimately giving rise to a double-stranded cDNA molecule. Finally, the cDNA is integrated back into the host DNA, adding another copy of the retrotransposon to the genome. Figure 1 The life cycle of LTR retrotransposons. IN, integrase; PR, protease; RT, reverse transcriptase; VLP, virus-like particle. Black triangles represent the LTRs. LTR retrotransposon diversity As genome-sequence data has accumulated for a large number of eukaryotes, it has become clear that the genomes of most organisms contain LTR retrotransposons from multiple distinct lineages. Although all are flanked by LTRs and encode gag and pol genes, the lineages diverge considerably in their DNA sequences and genomic organization. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses has attempted to provide a taxonomic framework for understanding the relationships among the vast numbers of retrotransposons that have come to light through genome-sequence analysis [3, 4] (Figure 2); this framework is based on relationships among the amino-acid sequences of the RT protein, the most highly conserved of the retrotransposon proteins. Two retrotransposon families - the Pseudoviridae and the Metaviridae - have been described in detail; both are found in most eukaryotes. The two families are also distinguished by the order of the coding regions within their pol genes (see Figure 3). Discovery of the Gmr1 retrotransposon from Atlantic cod and related elements has shown that some members of the Pseudoviridae (on the basis of RT sequence) have a gene order characteristic of Metaviridae [5]. Figure 2 A schematic tree and classification of LTR retrotransposons. The sectors represent the diverse elements that make up each distinct lineage. The DIRS lineage is named for the founding member from Dictyostelium discoideum. Adapted from [3, 4]. Figure 3 The genomic organization of different types of LTR retrotransposon. Abbreviations: IN, integrase; LARDs, large retrotransposon derivatives; ORF, open reading frame; PBS, primer-binding site; PPT, polypurine tract; PR, protease; RT, reverse transcriptase; TRIMs, terminal-repeat retrotransposons in miniature. The upside-down text indicates that the ORF is transcribed in the antisense direction. See text for descriptions of each type of element. As with any taxonomic framework, the LTR retrotransposon classification system undergoes frequent revision as diverse elements are identified. This is particularly true for the genera that make up the two main families. Three genera have been proposed for the Pseudoviridae (Figure 2): pseudoviruses, hemiviruses and sireviruses (whose names do not necessarily indicate that they are viruses; Figure 2). The sireviruses derive from plant hosts and make up a distinct lineage according to their RT amino-acid sequences; the pseudoviruses and hemiviruses are distinguished by the primer used for reverse transcription (a full tRNA or a half tRNA, respectively). Note that this classification does not correspond directly with the phylogenetic relationships of the retrotransposons, so that the pseudoviruses make up three distinct lineages (Figure 2). The Metaviridae also comprises three genera - the metaviruses, the errantiviruses and the semotiviruses - which can be discriminated by phylogenetic analysis of RT amino-acid sequences. A distinct lineage of elements, the DIRS group (named after the founding member from Dictyostelium discoideum), has yet to be placed within the taxonomic framework. In addition to having characteristic RT sequences, the DIRS elements have some unusual features: they lack a protease and have a tyrosine recombinase instead of an integrase [6, 7]. Organization of the gag and the polgenes Whereas RT amino-acid sequences and the order of domains within pol are sufficiently conserved to be used to classify the LTR retrotransposons, the ways in which gag and pol are organized and expressed vary considerably. As multiple proteins are encoded on one mRNA, the gag and pol genes in some LTR retrotransposons are separated by a frameshift or a stop codon, and occasionally these breaks in the reading frame are ignored by the translational machinery. Much more Gag than Pol is needed for productive VLP formation and consequently for replication of the retrotransposon; the use of either a stop codon that is occasionally ignored or ribosomal frameshifting (strategies called recoding) are used to regulate the ratio of the two proteins. We [8] have analyzed the genome sequences of Caenorhabditis elegans, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Drosophila melanogaster, Candida albicans and Arabidopsis thaliana to predict the strategies used to express their gag and the pol genes. By analyzing the genomic structure and the nucleotide sequences surrounding the gag-pol junction, the type of recoding used for translation of the Pol protein could be inferred [8]. The results indicated that the mechanism used to express Pol is related to the host from which the retrotransposon originates. For example, about 50% of the retrotransposons identified in the study had a single open reading frame (ORF) fusing Gag and Pol, and this organization was the one found most often in plant elements. A single Gag-Pol ORF does not undergo recoding per se but is subjected to other mechanisms, such as differential protein degradation, to ensure a high ratio of Gag to Pol. Retrotransposons in the Metaviridae from the animal kingdom preferentially used -1 frameshifting to regulate Pol protein production. In contrast, a +1 frameshift was more rarely observed but was distributed equally among kingdoms and among Pseudoviridae and Metaviridae. Finally, stop-codon suppression was found in a total of only two possible cases. Additional open reading frames in LTR retrotransposons Although retrotransposon gag and pol genes are believed to be necessary and sufficient for transposition, a number of retrotransposon families with aberrant genomic organizations have now been identified (Figure 3). One frequent structural change is the addition of coding information. Retrotransposons with 'env-like' genes One of the main differences between retrotransposons (with a wholly intracellular life-cycle) and their infectious retrovirus cousins is the presence of an envelope (env) gene in the latter, which allows a virus particle to infect another cell. A number of retroelements have an extra ORF in the same position as the env gene found in retrovirus genomes (Figure 3). The best characterized examples of env-containing retroelements are the Drosophila errantiviruses, including gypsy and ZAM [9, 10]. The life-cycle of these elements has been examined in detail, and gypsy has been shown to be infectious [11, 12]. The presence of an env gene within a retroelement is not limited to the errantiviruses; genomic studies have revealed that env-like ORFs are widespread among retrotransposons in both the Pseudoviridae (sireviruses) and Metaviridae (errantiviruses, metaviruses and semotiviruses) [13, 14]. Elements contaning an env-like ORF in each of these lineages also originate from diverse host species. The retroelement most recently shown to have an env-like ORF, Boudicca, is a metavirus from a human blood fluke [15]. Other examples of metaviruses include the Athila elements, which represent a large proportion of the retroelements in Arabidopsis [16]. In a related element in barley, Bagy-2, the env-like transcript is spliced, similarly to the env transcripts of retroviruses [17]. Members of the sirevirus group make up half of the approximately 400 Pseudoviridae sequences present in GenBank, and of these, about one third have an env-like ORF (X.G. and D.V., unpublished observation). Semotiviruses (also called BEL retrotransposons) with env-like ORFs have also been described in nematode genomes as well as in pufferfish and Drosophila [18, 19]. Do Env-like proteins enable these diverse retroelements to become infectious? In a few cases, the env-like genes have been shown to be significantly similar in sequence to genes of different viruses, suggesting that they were acquired by retrotransposons through transduction of a cellular gene [13]. Except for some errantiviruses, where the Env-like protein has been implicated in infection, the function of the Env-like proteins remains unclear. The amino-acid sequences of these proteins are highly divergent, making it difficult to assess whether or not they have a common function. That said, many Env-like proteins have predicted transmembrane domains (like retroviral Env proteins), although this is not a universal feature. It is possible that retroviral activity has evolved several times in the history of retrotransposons, or that these genes may confer novel function(s), such as movement between tissues of an organism (as suggested for the gypsy elements) or movement within cells (such as between the cytoplasm and the nucleus). Alternatively, the Env-like proteins could serve as chaperone proteins to facilitate replication. Functional studies are required to discern the biological roles of these interesting genes. Other additional ORFs Other novel coding regions have also been identified within various retrotransposons, but it is unclear how broadly these coding sequences are conserved. For example, RIRE2 of rice - a metavirus - has a small ORF of unknown function upstream of its gag gene [20]. Some plant retrotransposons carry ORF(s) that are antisense to the genomic RNA transcript (Figure 3), including the metaviruses RIRE2 of rice and Grande1 of maize [21, 22]. The functions of the antisense ORFs are also unknown. In a few cases, retrotransposons have acquired sequences that probably do not have any role in the life cycle of the elements. The Bs1 retrotransposon of maize, for example, has transduced a cellular gene sequence - in this case a part of a gene encoding an ATPase [23, 24]. LTR retrotransposons lacking ORFs An intriguing story is emerging about the presence of non-autonomous LTR retrotransposons in many eukaryotic genomes. Non-autonomous elements do not encode the proteins necessary for transposition; instead, they are mobilized in trans by proteins provided from functional (autonomous) elements. This mechanism is well documented for DNA transposons [25], and recent genome-mining studies have revealed many types of non-autonomous retrotransposons, suggesting that the process also occurs among retrotransposons. Typically, these elements lack all coding capacity but have retained LTRs, a primer-binding site and a polypurine tract (Figure 3). These are the minimal features required for replication, because the LTRs contain the promoter needed to produce a template RNA, and the primer-binding site and the polypurine tract are needed to prime reverse transcription. The success of some non-autonomous elements is staggering; for example, the non-autonomous Dasheng and Zeon-1 elements are each represented by around 1,000 copies in the maize genome [26, 27]. For most non-autonomous retrotransposons, it is unclear which autonomous element is involved in mobilization. Striking similarities between the non-autonomous Dasheng element and the autonomous RIRE2 element, however, make it very probable that RIRE2 provides the proteins needed to move Dasheng [28]. The evidence for this, mostly provided by the emerging rice genome sequence, includes a high degree of sequence similarity within and adjacent to the LTRs (suggesting that the promoters and/or sequences necessary for reverse transcription are the same), a similar distribution of RIRE2 and Dasheng along the rice chromosomes (suggesting that they may be integrated by the same enzyme), the presence of chimeric Dasheng/RIRE2 elements (suggesting that RNAs from both elements are packaged within a single virus-like particle), and the presence of young Dasheng and RIRE2 elements (suggesting that these elements could be co-expressed). The non-autonomous Dasheng elements are large, ranging in size from 5.5 kilobases (kb) to 8.5 kb [28]. Large non-autonomous elements like Dasheng have now been named 'large retrotransposon derivatives' (LARDS) [29]. The LARDs identified in barley and other members of the Triticeae have LTRs of 4.5 kb and an internal domain of 3.5 kb. The internal domain of the LARDs contains conserved non-coding DNA that may provide important secondary structure to the mRNA, although it is not known how these non-coding sequence features function in the life cycle of the LARDs. On the basis of sequence identity, it seems that barley LARDs may be mobilized by a retrotransposon related to the metaviruses Erika-1 of the wheat Triticum monococcum and RIRE3 of rice. Finally, a second class of non-autonomous LTR retrotransposons has been identified in plants, called 'terminal-repeat retrotransposons in miniature' (TRIMs; Figure 3). They were originally identified in a potato urease gene intron and subsequently found in the Arabidopsis genome, where the founding element was named Katydid [30]. TRIMs also lack an internal coding domain but, in contrast to the LARD type of non-autonomous retrotransposon, TRIMs are very small - less than 540 bp overall. There are TRIMs in both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, but no autonomous partner has been found or proposed. The location of TRIMs within promoters and introns indicates that these elements have been important in restructuring plant genomes. Non-coding information in LTR retrotransposons Variation in retrotransposon genomic organization is not limited to the presence or absence of coding information. Some retrotransposons contain a large amount of conserved non-coding sequence. The barley LARD element with 3.5 kb of non-coding DNA (mentioned above) is one example; another is a group of plant metaviruses that carry several kilobases of non-coding DNA between pol and the 3' LTR. Among these are the maize Cinful [31] and Grande1 [22] elements, RIRE2 from rice [21] and Tat1 from Arabidopsis [32]. For Grande1 and RIRE2, antisense ORFs have been described, but they do not account for the entire segment of non-coding DNA [21, 22]. In addition, many retrotransposons, including the Grande1 and Cinful elements, have a series of short tandem repeats very close to the 3' end of the pol gene, or at a putative pol-env junction. This may suggest a potential function for the tandem repeats: they may facilitate recombination and acquisition of new coding information through gene transduction [31]. In support of this hypothesis, repeated non-coding information seems to be found between the env-like ORF and the 3' LTR in both the SIRE1 [33] and Athila retrotransposons [16]. In the retrotransposons with env-like ORFs, the repeats show similarity to polypurine tracts, suggesting that they might instead have a role in reverse transcription. The sequenced eukaryotic genomes have provided a new appreciation of the diversity among LTR retrotransposons. As sequence data accumulate, additional novel elements are likely to be revealed. The challenge in the future will be to understand how diversity in retrotransposon genome organization and coding sequences reflects differences in retrotransposition mechanisms and strategies employed by these elements to colonize their host genomes. Authors’ Affiliations Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University 1. Voytas DF, Boeke JD: Ty1 and Ty5 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In Mobile DNA II. Edited by: Craig NL, Craigie R, Gellert M, Lambowitz AL. 2002, Washington, DC: ASM Press, 631-662.View ArticleGoogle Scholar 2. 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St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau #Germany Situated in Lower Bavaria where the river Ilz and the river Inn join the Danube lays the city of Passau. Built on the highest point in the old town is the St Stephen’s Cathedral. St. Stephan’s as we see it today was built in 1668 after a devastating town fire destroyed the late gothic cathedral that stood here before. St. Stephen’s is well known for the impressive pipe organ, built in 1733 by Joseph Matthias Götz. It was considered the world’s largest organ until the organ in the First Congregational Church in Los Angeles took over that honor in 1990. St. Stephen’s is a bishop’s cathedral and was founded in the 8th century. Since then it has always stood on this very spot. This is the fifth cathedral to stand here, the other four having been destroyed, rebuilt, destroyed and rebuilt. The plans for this cathedral were made by Italian baroque master Carlo Lurago. The interior stucco works and the frescos were also done by Italian baroque masters. The two towers of St Stephen’s shape the cityscape of Passau. Passau, die Dreiflüssestadt or the City of Three Rivers. The Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Germany „Wart', Berg, du sollst mir eine Burg tragen!“ As legend would have it, the Wartburg Castle in Thüringen, Germany was founded in 1067 by Ludwig der Springer, also known as Count Ludwig von Schauenburg. Ludwig was a member of the German dynastic family of Ludowinger. Little is certain about the man, but he lives on in his legends and in his castle. His nickname comes from a bold leap into the Saale River. After he’d attempted to take hold of the area west of the Saale River, called Saale-Unstrut, and stabbed the Count Palatine Fredrick III to death, he was imprisoned in the castle Giebichenstein. Ludwig was held captive for three years and faced execution. He took advantage of his stay in the castle tower and jumped into the Saale River. A servant awaited him with a boat and his favorite snow-white horse, Swan. As punishment for his murder, he built the church of St. Ulrich in Sangerhausen and later founded the monastery Reinhardsbrunn, which became the family monastery of Ludowinger. In 1067, as legend has it, Ludwig der Springer discovered the future site of the Wartburg Castle while out hunting. He looked up to the mountain and said, "Wait, mountain, thou shalt bear a castle." The mountain was not part of his territories, so he had his men carry soil from the land he did own up the mountain top, to the place he planned to build his castle. The Emperor approved after twelve of Ludwig's most loyal knights drew their swords, stuck them into the soil and swore on Ludwig’s honor that the land rightfully belonged to him. The Wartburg Castle was also the setting of Martin Luther’s secret detention by Friedrich der Weise. After being declared an outlaw, Vogelfrei or ‘free as a bird,’ as mercenary soldiers might call it, which simply put meant any one could kill him if they wanted to, Friedrich’s soldiers abducted Martin Luther and brought him to safety, in disguise, to the Wartburg where he, in the winter of 1521-1522, translated the New Testament into German in eleven weeks. Vogelfrei: "…his body should be free and accessible to all people and beasts, to the birds in the air and the fish in water so that none can be made liable for any crimes committed against him…" Der Meistertrunk Georg Braun; Frans Hogenberg: Civitates Orbis Terrarum, Band 1, 1572 The Master Draught The Thirty Years War was a many-faceted conflict fought in Central Europe, neatly fitted into a nutshell starting with what they call the Defenestration in Prague in 1618 and ending with a series of treaties called the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Many factors figure into this weary, bloody, long-lasting era of human destruction. The most popular reason for the war was, of course, religion: the subject itself is heated, arguers are passionate about their beliefs so it’s easy to wave a spark into a flame. The Holy Roman Empire was Catholic. The emperor was intolerant of those that embraced the teachings of Luther and other forms of the Protestant religion. And the Protestants wanted to be free to practice as they liked. Add a few princes who are promised territory and power and then some people who have lost their homes and are hungry and have little choice except to follow the regiments, plundering and pillaging if they want anything to eat. What you get is terror that spreads across the countryside like wildfire. Historians will also cite what they call the Little Iceage and the scientific data that backs up the theory. Temperatures were, on the average, colder during this span in the early modern period. That meant crops were failing and the people were that much worse off than they had been. Food was scarce, prices were high. Franconia took a beating during this time. By the end of the war, large tracts of land were completely devastated and depopulated. Those who were left died in the years after of disease or starvation. They say the population of the German territories was reduced by about a third but many people also fled. Exact numbers are impossible to quantify. In Franconia today, remembrances of this time period are still evident. Many cities and villages have streets called something like Schwedenschanze, in English, Swedish Entrenchment. And streets named after the Generals Tilly or Mansfeld, and after the Swedish king, Gustav Adolf. And there are towns who honor their local famous legends, like Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the historical festival weekend including a play called The Master Draught, written by Adam Hörber, celebrated every year since 1881 over the Whitsun weekend. The setting is Rothenburg in October 1631. General Tilly, leading an Imperial army of 60,000 men, lays siege to the Protestant independent city-state Rothenburg, threatens to burn it to the ground and execute the city council. But there is one way for them to save themselves. Their Mayor Georg Nusch is asked to down a mug of wine measuring 3.75 liters in one go. Then the troops will leave them alone. He somehow manages that and saves the city. The four-day Whitsun weekend is full of reenaction, colorful period dress, horses, troop encampment, food, beer, and regular performances of the play The Master Draught that premiered in 1881 and has been put on every year since then. For more information, please visit: The Master Draught: Historical Images of Franconia, Germany Sichartshof, eine verschwundene Ortschaft At the base of the low mountain range Steigerwald, in a fertile little hollow called the Edelgraben, there once stood a sheep farm. The first inkling of this farm appears in the Dachsbach registry in 1450 as ‘Sigartzhoffe’ belonging to a man named Peter Sighart. The good man paid a chicken and some grain to settle his taxes. Over the years, thorough searches in the archives have produced a few registry entries, a sentence here, a mere crumb of information there, regarding this mysterious farm: Sigartshoff, Sycharczhoff, Sichartshof. According to an undated entry in the Dachsbach registry that is believed to be before the Thirty Years War, around the year 1600, the little farm had grown into an accumulation of acreage of farmed fields, grasslands, and ponds for farming fish. A patrician from Nuremberg named Sebald Tucher is then documented as having owned Sichartshof in 1629. He bought the farm from the widow Margarethe Hansen and had acquired more land to work. By this time, Sichartshof lay unprotected in the Aisch River Valley, the valley a well-travelled route for mercenary troops involved in the Thirty Years War. Why would Sebald Tucher leave Nuremberg, a city protected behind massive, impenetrable walls, and move out to a country manor amid this time of agitation? Did he want to hunt? Did he want to drink? Did he need the products that the farm could yield for his family in Nuremberg? How did he live? Who lived there with him? This forgotten hamlet is the inspiration for the farm named Sichardtshof in the historical novel series Heaven's Pond. For the answer to these questions and more, watch for the new release of the historical novel The Master and the Maid. The forgotten hamlet comes alive again, its story just waiting to be told! (Historical pictures taken at the beautiful Franconian Freiland Museum in Bad Windsheim. The collection of historical buildings, farm houses and villages is open to the public. Check out their web site:
Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) Malayan sun bear - showing sun shaped marking on chest Loading more images and videos... Malayan sun bear fact file Malayan sun bear description GenusHelarctos (1) The smallest of the world’s eight living bear species, the Malayan sun bear has short, sleek fur which is usually black but can range from reddish-brown to grey. Almost every sun bear has an individually distinct chest patch that is typically yellow, orange, or white, and may sometimes be speckled or spotted (3) (6). The sun bear has a broad muzzle that is relatively short and a large head, giving the bear a dog-like appearance. It has small, rounded ears, a fleshy forehead that occasionally looks wrinkled, and an extremely long tongue (longest of all bear species). With feet turned slightly inward, large naked paws and long curved claws, the sun bear is well adapted for climbing trees. Its feet are extraordinarily large compared with its body size, potentially assisting in digging and breaking into dead wood in search of insects (3) (4) (6). The Malayan sun bears on Borneo are the smallest of this species and are considered by many to warrant subspecies status (Helarctos malayanus eurispylus) (1) (6). Also known as sun bear. Ours Des Cocotiers, Ours Malais. Oso De Sol, Oso Malayo. Head-body length: 120 – 150 cm (2) Shoulder height: 70 cm (3) Average weight at birth: 325 g (4) 35 – 80 kg (3) Malayan sun bear biology As the least studied bear species, comparatively little is known about the Malayan sun bear. It is an opportunistic omnivore, using its long tongue to eat termites and ants, beetle larvae, bee larvae, honey and a large variety of fruit species, especially figs (Ficus species) (4) (7) (8). Occasionally, it will also eat small rodents, birds and lizards (8). During periodic mass-fruiting events, fruit makes up most of the diet, providing the opportunity for sun bears to build up, or recover, fat and energy reserves for the prolonged period of low fruit availability following these events (9). The sun bear is mainly diurnal, spending most day hours foraging, although in human-disturbed areas it becomes more nocturnal (6) (10). Unlike other bears, it does not hibernate, as food is available year round (11). Little is known about sun bear reproduction and cub rearing in the wild. Usually females are only seen with one cub and very rarely with two after a gestation period of approximately 95 days (4) (6) (12). It is possible that sun bears, like other bears, may have delayed implantation to ensure that cubs are born when the mother has sufficient fat reserves, the weather is favourable, and seasonally important foods are available, however this is not known (6). Sun bears give birth in dens or hollow trees where the cub is born naked and helpless. It remains protected for some period of time until it is able to venture out to accompany the mother while she forages and travels (6). It is thought that the cubs remain with their mother until they are fully grown at around two years old (12). The Malayan sun bear has very loose skin around the neck so that if bitten on the back of the neck by another bear, a tiger or clouded leopard, the bear can turn in its skin to bite back of its attacker (11). Malayan sun bear range The range of the Malayan sun bear is not well documented, either historically or presently. However, the sun bear has been encountered throughout Southeast Asia from the eastern edge of India and northern Burma, to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand and south to Peninsular Malaysia and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. The range of the sun bear has been greatly reduced through large scale habitat destruction and poaching and is now thought to be extinct in Tibet, Bangladesh and possibly Yunnan, southern China (1) (3) (6). Malayan sun bear habitat The Malayan sun bear inhabits both primary and logged, dense Southeast Asian tropical forests, including tropical evergreen rainforest, montane forest and swamp habitat. It occurs up to 2,000 metres above sea level (4). Malayan sun bear status The Malayan sun bear is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List 2008 (1) and is listed on Appendix I of CITES (5). IUCN Red List species status – Vulnerable Malayan sun bear threats Malayan sun bears have recently been re-classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List (1), primarily due to the continued destruction of its habitat (6). Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation of the sun bear’s tropical hardwood forest habitat is a huge threat to the Malayan sun bear population. This is caused particularly by human encroachment and illegal logging from both within and outside protected areas in order to grow coffee, rubber plants and oil palms (13). Another threat facing these bears is poaching, even within protected areas, to serve the trade in bear parts. Bear gall bladders and bile products are used in traditional medicines despite the fact that many herbal alternatives are equally beneficial, more readily available, legal and cheaper (3) (14). Further threats include the capture of sun bears as pets and the killing of bears due to increasing human-bear conflicts (3) (15). Catastrophic events such as fire and drought have also been having an impact on sun bear populations, causing a decrease in suitable habitat and food availability, resulting in many bears suffering from starvation (9). As a result of this ongoing habitat loss and excessive human-caused mortality, many sun bear populations have already become extinct (6). Malayan sun bear conservation The Malayan sun bear is understudied, and little conservation action has been targeted at it (3). The Malayan sun bear has been listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 1979, which prohibits international trade (5), and the killing of the sun bear is prohibited under national wildlife protection laws, however, little enforcement of these laws occurs (3) (6). The Malayan sun bear is part of an international captive breeding programme and has a Species Survival Program under the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (11). More research is required as only recently have field studies started to investigate the basic biology, ecology, and behaviour of wild sun bears (6). Conservation of sun bears needs to focus on protection of their forest habitat, proper management of these areas, strict enforcement of their legal status, minimizing human-bear conflict near forest areas, and halting trade in bear parts (6). Find out more For further information on the Malayan sun bear see: Authenticated (01/04/08) by Dr. Gabriella Fredriksson, co-chair sun bear expert team, IUCN Bear Specialist Group. Active during the day. Active at night. An organism that feeds on both plants and animals. 1. IUCN Red List (June, 2013) Image credit Malayan sun bear - showing sun shaped marking on chest Malayan sun bear - showing sun shaped marking on chest © Anup Shah / Nature Picture Library 5a Great George Street United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 117 911 4675 Fax: +44 (0) 117 911 4699 Link to this photo ARKive species - Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) Embed this ARKive thumbnail link ("portlet") by copying and pasting the code below. 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Underwater forests provide new sources of eco-friendly wood Feb 09,2007 00:00 by Bend Weekly News Sources You may have seen this sight on a walk around your local lake: The withered tips of flooded trees poking up like toothpicks in the water. In towns across the country, forests both large and small are sometimes left behind in reservoirs created by hydroelectric dams. According to timber industry experts, millions of acres of forests are hidden right beneath our noses or, rather, right beneath our oars. "The potential is huge when you consider the fact that there are hundreds of dams in the U.S. and thousands more all around the world where these forests remain underwater and undeveloped," said Sheridan Westgarde, president and chief executive officer of the Valor Corp., formerly Aquatic Cellulose, a company that designs and builds technologies for underwater work and construction. According to Valor officials, there are a number of public misconceptions about underwater wood, namely the notion that the quality of the wood has been degraded. Many do not realize that water can actually preserve wood, protecting it from exposure to wind, sun and insects. In fact, in cold, deep waters, wood can remain in pristine condition indefinitely. What this means, Westgarde says, is that these acres of nonliving forests can provide a new, eco-friendly source of quality wood to help reduce dependence on living forests. In the past, accessing flooded timber was a time-consuming and potentially dangerous task, often involving human divers and other manual methods. But now there is a way for technology to do all the work. Valor has developed Tiger-Lynk, a robotic manipulator system featuring an enormous hydraulic arm that can cut and recover trees at depths up to 136 feet. The arm can lift more than 5,100 pounds, meaning that it can easily lift logs or even entire timbers out of the water without a crane or diver assistance. The arm is just one of several components that can be mounted on a vessel, barge or nearly any other type of platform, depending on the job. With its unique capabilities and a new level of mobility, Valor's technology could provide the timber industry with a cost-effective way to recover underwater forest resources on a large scale - something that has eluded the industry for decades, Westgarde says. The Aquatic Robot-120, Valor's newest machine, is scheduled for production this year and will be available for sale or lease to a variety of industries, including energy and civil engineering, in addition to timber.
Learning Oracle PL/SQL PL/SQL, Oracle's programming language for stored procedures, delivers a world of possibilities for your database programs. PL/SQL supplements the standard relational database language, SQL, with a wide range of procedural features, including loops, IF-THEN statements, advanced data structures, and rich transactional control--all closely integrated with the Oracle database server. Knowing where to start with Oracle's procedural language is not always obvious to a newcomer, especially considering the language's feature set and the sheer size of the official documentation (not to mention Oracle's ever-increasing number of pre-built PL/SQL programs). But Learning Oracle PL/SQL offers the signposts and guidance you need to come up to speed on the language, delivered in a manageable number of pages while covering all the essentials. Topics include: • PL/SQL--what is it, and why use it? Why use PL/SQL instead of Java? • Syntax and examples of all core language constructs • Building web-based applications using PL/SQL features available "out of the box" (such as PL/SQL Server Pages) • Securing PL/SQL programs against attack • Benefits of third-party developer tools and integrated development environments Taxonomy upgrade extras:
close hamburger search alert Anxiety Causes Exactly what causes anxiety disorders is unknown, but there are some key factors that raise your risk. Learn about the causes and risks of anxi... Table of Contents powered by healthline Average Ratings What causes anxiety disorders? Current research Much research is being done into what causes anxiety disorders. Experts believe it involves a combination of factors, including genes, diet, and stress. Studies of twins suggest that genetics may play a role. For example, a study reported in PloS ONE suggests the RBFOX1 gene may be involved in the development of anxiety-related conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder. The authors believe that both genetic and nongenetic factors play a part. Risk factors Though the exact causes of anxiety disorders aren’t clear, experts have identified risk factors. For example, you’re more likely to develop an anxiety disorder if you have: Other factors that can increase your risk of developing an anxiety disorder include: Stress: Everyone encounters stress. But excessive or unresolved stress can increase your chances of developing chronic anxiety. Genetics: If someone in your family has an anxiety disorder, you have a greater risk of developing one too. Your risk is especially high if you have a parent with anxiety. Personality type: Some people are more prone to anxiety. Busy, high-strung people with type A personalities have a greater risk of developing an anxiety disorder. Sex or gender: Women are twice as likely as men to have generalized anxiety disorder and other related conditions. The takeaway Experts don’t know the exact causes of anxiety disorders. Your genetics, environment, and personal history likely play a part. If you suspect you have an anxiety disorder, make an appointment with your doctor. They can help diagnose it and treat your symptoms. They may recommend lifestyle changes, counseling, medications, or other interventions. Some medical conditions and medications can produce symptoms similar to anxiety disorders. In these cases, your doctor will likely treat your underlying condition or adjust your medication regimen. Written by: the Healthline Editorial Team Edited by: Medically Reviewed by: [Ljava.lang.Object;@7367010f Published: Aug 18, 2014 Published By: Healthline Networks, Inc. Top of page General Drug Tools General Drug Tools view all Health Management Health Management Programs view all Tools for Healthy Living Tools for Healthy Living view all
Tahrif al-Qur'an: A Study of Misconceptions Regarding Corruption of the Qur'anic Text Muhammad Baqir Ansari The victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran appalled global unbelief and arrogance. As this revolution gained more and more momentum each day, the panic and fear of the unbelievers and the arrogance escalated. In the beginning of the glorious Islamic Revolution of Iran, the criminal superpowers, who had divided the interests of the world among themselves, believed that they could subjugate and control this revolution and bring it into their own orbit, so that the Islamic Revolution of Iran would pose no threat to their interests. However, these superpowers came to realize that this revolution is truly Islamic and aims at the revival of Islam not only in Iran but also all over the world, including Islamic and non-Islamic countries. They even realized that the long-term objective of this revolution is the liberation of all the oppressed people of the world from the yoke of the world-devouring colonialists. The interest and eagerness that the Muslim people and the oppressed of all the world displayed toward this liberating revolution served to enhance the consternation of the colonialists and their devoted agents. For this very reason, they sought to confront this revolution. Every day they hatched plots to overwhelm the Islamic Revolution of Iran. Their satanic conspiracies were channeled through the canals of politics and religion, in a manner that new ideas sprang up in their minds daily. By engineering these plots, they poured their poison into the newly-established roots of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Among their most important political plots, one can name their numerous plans for coup d’état, their fostering and bolstering of political grouplets both in Iran and abroad, their attempts to sow discord among the political and religious leaders, and tens of other intrigues, at the top of which should be considered the Iraqi-imposed war. This destructive war inflicted heavy losses on the lives and properties of the people. The enormous expenses of this war could have been used to improve the conditions of the poor and destitute Muslims of Islamic countries, especially in areas such as Africa and the like. The conspiracies channeled through religion have not been less important and weaker than their political schemes. In this regard, one of the most important and tried ploy of theirs was to revive the differences between the Sunnis and the Shi'ah. As the overwhelming majority of the Muslim people of Iran unanimously follow the school of thought of the Ahl al-Bayt (A) (the members of the Household of the Holy Prophet-peace be upon them all), the superpowers tried to isolate this vast majority of Muslims from the Islamic Ummah in order to brand this Islamic Revolution as a sectarian revolution. The mercenary mullas, the hirelings who laud the reactionary regimes ruling over Islamic countries, played the most crucial role in this regard. These mercenaries rendered the best services to international kufr (infidelity) and arrogance by means of instigating Islamic sects against Shi'ism and by reviving age-old differences which have always served the tactics of the colonialists. They have done so under the name of Islam and sympathizing with Islam. In the meantime, the Wahhabis, who are, at present, ruling over the holy land of Hijaz and the principal base of Islam and al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn (the holy shrines at Mecca and Medina), have created more trouble than all others. Every day, they publish books and leaflets all over the world and in different languages which are full of falsehood, fabrications, and accusations against the teachings of the members of the Household of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon them all). Of course, it is not surprising that the Saudi Wahhabism, which has been sponsored by colonialism and is hated by all Islamic sects, and in whose condemnation Sunni `ulama' have written a large number of books, should embark on sowing discord and exciting sedition. This is because the Wahhabis safeguard the interests of the criminal United States in the region and have bartered Islam for kufr. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran which resulted in cutting off the hands of foreigners and unbelievers, especially the U.S. imperialism, from this country and which led to the awakening and awareness of the Muslims all over the world, pitifully, these so called Islamic elements and rulers of Islamic countries, instead of cooperating with this revolution and turning to Islam and their nations, turned their backs on both and looked toward the global arrogance, thus initiating their stratagems against the Islamic Ummah by reliance on kufr. This point has been stressed by the Holy Qur'an where it says: … وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلً ... and Allah will by no means glue the unbelievers a way against the believers. (4:141) and the Qur'an also says: اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ سَاءَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ They make their oaths a shelter, and thus turn away from Allah's way; surely evil is that which they do. (63:2) In any case, the issue of tahrif of the Holy Qur'an was one of the issues on which they maneuvered very much and spared no efforts in propagating all kinds of falsehood and fabrication in this connection. Without offering any rational proof, they attributed belief in tahrif of the Holy Qur'an to the Shi'ah. They believed that by doing so they could make the Muslims pessimistic toward the teachings of the school of thought of the Ahl al-Bayt (A). These conspiracies prompted for the preparation of this article. Although the colonialists have always contrived to engage the Muslims in conflicts and to keep them busy with mutual polemics and debates with a view to rule over them. Since this matter has not been sufficiently dealt with in the form of short articles for public benefit, this article has been designed to enter into this discussion very briefly, so as to enlighten the minds of all Muslims. Of course, in this respect, detailed books have been written and comprehensive research has been conducted, to which those interested in investigations into this subject can refer for further information. Among the best books on this subject is “al-Bayan”, written by Ayatullah al-`Uzma al-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i. This book's discussion pertaining to absence of tahrif in the Holy Qur'an has been separately published in English. Tahrif of the Qur'an as Viewed by Traditions For those who have a slight familiarity with the books of both sects concerning ahadith (traditions), that is, the Sihah of the Sunnis and the various compilations of the traditions of the Shi'ah, it is manifestly clear that there are numerous traditions on the changes in the Holy Qur'an. Perhaps the traditions on this issue included within the books of the Sunnis are more in number than those of the Shi'ah. Nevertheless, those who have bandied about this issue out of spite and not as an objective and unbiased scientific and scholarly discussion, have always avoided the slightest reference to the traditions included in the books belonging to the Sunnis. They have only zoomed their cameras upon few weak narrations given in the books by Shi'ah. These are the narrations that are not acceptable to the Shi'ah `Ulama' and based on these traditions, they have not issued their views and verdicts. At this stage, before continuing the discussion, it is necessary to draw the attention of the readers to the fact that, from the viewpoint of Shi'ism, traditions related to the Holy Prophet (S) and Ahl al-Bayt (A) generally fall within one of the following four categories based on their degree of reliability: 1. Veracious (sahih) 2. Good (hasan ) 3. Authentic (muwaththaq) 4. Weak 1 (da'if) This classification has been based on the types of narrators and transmitters of the traditions. This means that if a tradition possesses a veracious isnad and if it is narrated by truthful and trustworthy narrators possessing all other necessary conditions, it is correct and reliable and can be used by the `ulama' and the jurisprudents. Otherwise, in the absence of any one of the necessary requirements, the degree of the validity of the narration comes down until it becomes a “da'if” narration that cannot be considered and put to effect and that cannot serve as a document or proof for a view or verdict. As the books on ahadith comprise all kinds of traditions, one of the prerequisites for every `alim (theologian) and faqih (jurisprudent) in making judgments and issuing verdicts is to identify and distinguish the traditions in terms of their verity and untruth. Therefore, upon seeing a tradition, even in a worthy Shiite book, one cannot judge what the view of the Shi'ah on such and such a subject is. Keeping this in view, it becomes evident that by seeing traditions in Shiite books, whether in the four principal books such as al-Kafi2, al Tahdhib3, al-'Istibsar4, and Man la yahduruhu al-faqih5 or in other books such as Wasa'il al-Shi`ah6, Bihar al-'anwar7, and others, one cannot ascribe to the Shiites a view and judgment based on their contents. None of the few traditions concerning alterations in the Holy Qur'an included within the aforesaid books possesses a veracious isnad; therefore, the Shiite `ulama' have not given attention to them. Similar traditions existing in authentic Sunni books have also been disregarded by the Sunni `ulama'. Some of these traditions have been included in the following sources: Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. V, p. 35; vol. VI, pp. 211, 221. Sahih Muslim, vol. II, p. 736; vol. III, p. 100; vol. IV, pp. 167-168. Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol. V, pp. 131-133; vol. VI, p. 55; vol. VI, pp. 449-451. For more information in this field, researchers can refer to the books such as al-'Itqan and al-Durr al-manthur both by al-Suyuti, al Masahif by Abu Dawud, Ruh al-ma`ani by al-'Alusi, and others. In any case, such traditions in Shi'ah and Sunni books have not been used by the `ulama' of Islam and no attention has been paid to them. Immunity of the Qur'an from Tahrif Now that the traditions on the alteration in the Qur'an included in the Shi'ah and Sunni books are not authentic, reference must be made to the Holy Qur'an itself where it explicitly says: إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ Regarding this holy verse, the Shi'ah and Sunni `ulama' of Islam have indicated that the word dhikr (Reminder) refers to the Holy Qur'an and the word hifz (preserving) refers to the fact that Allah the Almighty will preserve the Holy Qur'an from any alteration and mutilation. Shaykh Abu 'Ali al-Tabarsi, a Shi'ah `alim of the olden times, has stated that this holy verse reflects the fact that the Qur'an is immune from any addition, loss, mutilation, and alteration. With respect to this holy verse, `Allamah Tabataba'i has stated: ... therefore, the Qur'an is a living and eternal Reminder which will never die and fall into oblivion. It is immune from any addition and loss. It is immune from and secure. against any alterations in form and style which could affect its character and role, that is, as, “the Reminder of Allah which expresses divine truth and knowledge”. For this reason, the aforesaid verse indicates that the Divine Book has always been and will continue to be guarded against any mutilation and alteration. In the book entitled al-Bayan, Ayatullah al-`Uzma al-Khu i states the following: This verse is indicative of the fact that the Holy Qur'an is guarded against alteration (tahrif) and that the oppressors do not have the power ever to use it as a plaything. From amongst the Sunni `ulama', al-Zamakhshari with regard to this verse states: “Allah is the preserver and protector of the Qur'an against all addition, loss, corruption and alteration in all times. In contrast, the other Divine Books have not remained unaltered. The same verse is also a proof that the Holy Qur'an is the Book which has been revealed by Allah and has not been a compilation and production of human beings - because if that had been the case, like all similar books, it would have been certainly subjected to alteration and corruption. Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi also states: In this holy verse, hifz (preserving) means that the Qur'an is immune from and guarded against corruption, addition, and loss. Here, we do not intend to point out the statements of the `ulama' of Islam in proof of absence of tahrif in the Holy Qur'an, for this will take much space. We only desire to make mention of the statements of a few great 'Ulama' of Islam (as an example) whose opinions are valid and valuable for the Muslims. The Care Exercised in Preserving the Text and Recording of the Holy Qur'an Among matters scrupulously observed by the Muslims are the calligraphy, comparison, and memorization of the Holy Qur'an. In addition to taking utmost care in calligraphy, words, letters, and the diacritical marks in the verses of the Holy Qur'an, the Muslims including Shi'ah and Sunnis have also written independent books on these issues, lest the slightest alteration should take place in the Holy Qur'an as a result of the lapse of time. For this very reason, we can see that they have reckoned and recorded the total number of the verses of the Holy Qur'an, the number of words and letters, and even the total number of the dots used in the Holy Qur'an. 8 Some of the `ulama' of Islam have even counted the total number of the alphabetic letters which are contained in the Holy Qur'an and have said: The letter “Alif” has occurred 48,940 times; the letter “Ba”' (the second Arabic alphabetic letter) has occurred 11,420 times; and the letter “Ta “' (the third alphabetic letter) has occurred 1,404 times; and so on. They have reckoned the total number of dots used in the Holy Qur'an and recorded them as 1,520,030 in number. The `ulama' of Islam have always demonstrated matchless precision in regard to the script of the Holy Qur'an. For example, as for the word ni'mah (نعمة)which can either be written by ة or ت of which are correct, the `ulama' of Islam have stated that the above mentioned word has occurred eleven times with the letter ت and in the remaining instances with the letter ة. Refer to the following verses in which this word has been written with the letter ت (2:231; 3:103; 5:11; 14:28 and 34; 16:72, 83, and 114; 31:31; 35:3; 52:29). The same word has been written with the letter ة in the remaining verses such as in (2:211: 3:171 and 174; 5:7) and so on. Also the word “likayla” connected (لكى لا) which can be written either in connected لكيلاor disconnected لكي لاform has occurred four times in connected form and, in other cases, in disconnected form. Refer to the following verses in which the word has occurred in connected form: (3:153; 22:5; 33:50; 57:23). However, the same word has been written in disconnected form in the following verses: (16:70; 33:37). Similar precise calculations have been made by the `ulama' of Islam in the connected and disconnected forms of other words in the Holy Qur'an such as f'ima (في ما)min ma (من ما), bi'sa ma (بئس ما) in lam (ان لم), an la (ان لا) and so on. Now it is to be seen whether with all this exactitude employed by the `ulama' of Islam in recording the Holy Qur'an from time immemorial till now, can one accuse a group of Muslims of the charge of making alterations in the Holy Qur'an and mutilating it or believing in its corruption? The Extant Holy Qur'an Available to the Shi'ah and the Sunnis Another interesting point is, have those who accuse the Shi'ah of believing in the tahrif of the Holy Qur'an ever tried to investigate the copies of Holy Qur'an printed by the Shi'ah in various countries of the world to find out whether they contain the slightest discrepancy with other editions of the Holy Qur'an or not? Which Qur'an contains these forged chapters and verses that are ascribed to the Shi`ah Qur'an? Which Qur'an contained these that not a single person has ever seen them? Instead of spending so much time in finding a weak tradition or quotation in unauthentic books in a bid to accuse the Shi'ah of believing in the tahrif of the Holy Qur'an, wouldn't it have been better for the mercenary `ulama', who embark on sowing the seeds of discord among the Islamic Ummah, to obtain and see numerous copies of the Holy Qur'an of different editions printed by the Shi'ah to discover whether such an accusation is fair or not? At present, the antiquated hand-written manuscripts of the Holy Qur'an by the Shi'ah from the early days of Islam until now are kept in museums of Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, etc. Some of these manuscripts are, once in a while, precisely reprinted in the same form and exposed to public view. Those who entertain the slightest doubt concerning this matter can personally refer to these manuscripts. In the museum of the Qur'an in the holy city of Mashhad, I have personally seen some copies of the Holy Qur'an written on parchment made of deer skin. The period of writing of these copies of Qur'an dates back to more than one thousand years. Some of them are attributed to Imam `Ali (A), al-'Imam al-Sajjad (the fourth Imam), and some others are attributed to other Imams, Shi'ah 'Ulama' and pious men. Similarly, in other museums and libraries, there are also some copies of the Qur'an which are very ancient, but so far no one has been able to claim that even a single word of these manuscripts of the Qur'an differs from what is now available to the Shi'ah and to the Muslims of the world. Thus it is advisable for one to think realistically and not be influenced by these kind of propagandistic hue and cry and not to pay attention to the mental fabrications of malicious individuals and of those who attempt to disunite the people. We, certainly, do not believe that such propaganda will ever have any influence on the minds of the Muslims; however, this subject was worth mentioning lest some simple-minded people might be deceived by these futile statements. At this stage, it is necessary to review the words and statements of the Shi'ah `ulama' from the beginning until now to unveil the ignorance and malice of some of the so-called 'ulama' of Islam who are nowadays sowing the seeds of discord among the Islamic Ummah through their poisonous writings. Unfortunately, the celebrated personality of the Sunnis, Abu al Hasan 'Ali Nadwi, who claims to be the leader of the Muslims of India and who is one of the renowned Islamic writers, has explicitly claimed in his recent book called Islam and the Earliest Muslims: Two Conflicting Portraits, published in English, Arabic, Urdu, and Persian with wide circulation all over the world, that with the exception of four Shi'ah `ulama', all others maintain that the Qur'anic text has been mutilated. His exact statement in this regard on page 45 of the book is as follows: They hold that the Qur'anic text was mutilated; there is almost a consensus among their scholars on this point.' Then he says in footnote of the same page: 1. Only four Shiite doctors, Saduq, Sharif Murtaza, Abu J'afar Tusi and Abu 'Ali Tabrasi are exceptions to this agreed view of Shiite theologians. But some of them are reported to have recanted their views. Anyway, them is always a doubt that they might have expressed their opinion in favour of purity of the Qu'ran because of their accepted principle of taqaiyya or dissimulation of one's faith. We see that following his claim, propagandistic publications run by consuming the funds of the treasury of the Muslims-which is nowadays controlled by the Wahhabis and others in the form of petro-dollars also publicize the same allegation in the farthest reaches of the world without conducting any research to confirm its veracity. As an example, a propagandistic publication issued in South Africa under the title of The Truth about Shi'ism, Part 2, states the following on page 20: The truth about Shi'ism in relation to the Qur'an is summarized in the undermentioned facts. 1. Besides the difference of opinion of only four Shiah theologians in all the centuries of Shi'ism's history, all Shiah authorities unanimously proclaim that the Qur'an which we have in our possession is a fabricated Qur'an. 2. Even the four Shi'i theologians - i.e. four in the entire history of Shi'ism - who dissented with the teaching of Shi'ism in this regard, do not believe that those who reject the Qur'an are kafir. Thus, although all Shi'i authorities unanimously proclaim the belief of the fabrication of the Qur'an, these four dissenters accept all such deniers of the Qur'an to be Muslims. Thus, their dissent and difference are of no real significance. They remain Shiahs who treat lightly the Shi'i teaching of a fabricated Qur'an. Now the following statements made by great Shi'ah `ulama' are quoted, in chronological order: (1) Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan, one of the great Shi'ah 'ulama' of the third century of Hijrah, states the following in his book al-'Idah in rejecting some of his contemporary Sunni 'ulama's statements who, by relying on some traditions, believed in the corruption of the Holy Qur'an: But those who, by quoting such traditions, hold that the Qur'anic text has been corrupted, are definitely making a mistake. (2) Abu Ja'far Mubammad ibn `All ibn Babawayh al-Qummi, known as al-Shaykh al-Saduq, (died 381/991), states the following in his book entitled al- 'I'tiqadat (Beliefs): With respect to the Holy Qur'an which Allah Almighty has revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (S), we believe that this is that very Qur'an which is between the two covers and is in the possession of the people, and that there is not anything more than this. Whoever charges us with believing in excess, has lied. (3) In reply to the questions of `Tarabulusiyyat', al-Sayyid al Murtada `All ibn al-Husayn al-Musawi al-`Alawi, (died 436/1044), states: Knowledge and certainty on the validity of the narration of the Holy Qur'an are like the knowledge and certainty on the existence of countries, cities, famous historical events, popular books, and the poems compiled by the Arabs. This is because the specific regard and attention and the strong motive for the narration of the text of the Holy Qur'an and its up keeping had been much stronger than the precision and attention given to the above-cited items .... During the time of the Messenger of Allah (S), the Holy Qur'an had been a compiled collection exactly as it is now. The Holy Prophet (S) had even charged a group of his Companions with the responsibility of memorizing and safeguarding the Holy Qur'an. At that time, it was customary for the people to recite the Holy Qur'an before the Holy Prophet (S) to ensure the accuracy of the text. The Holy Prophet (S), too, listened to their recitation. A group of the Companions, such as `Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, and others read the whole text of the Holy Qur'an several times in the presence of the Holy Prophet (S). With a little attention, one comes to realize that all these matters indicate that the Holy Qur'an has been a compiled collection. No one takes into account the opponents of this belief, be they from Imamiyyah (Twelver Shi'ah or Hashwiyyah, for their view is derived from a group of akhbariyyun (or ashab al-hadith, i.e., followers of the traditions) who had narrated weak ahadith on the subject, thinking that they had related reliable and valid ahadith. Whereas such weak ahadith have no power to challenge something based on definitive knowledge and certainty. (4) Shaykh al-Ta'ifah Abu Ja'far Mubammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi d. 460/1067), states: The remarks about addition and loss in the Qur'anic text are not worthy of respect the Holy Qur'an possesses; as (meaning that the text of the Holy Qur'an is today more than what it was before), there is a consensus among the `ulama' regarding the invalidity of this matter. Regarding the deficiency of the Holy Qur'an (meaning that some parts of the Qur'anic text have been deleted), apparently the consensus of the Muslim sects also proves the contrary. The same holds true in our school of faith. This is exactly the belief that has been confirmed and proven by al-Sayyid al Murtada (may Allah be pleased with him). This belief has been clearly expressed in the narrations and traditions. However, there are a number of traditions from the Shi'ah and Sunnis concerning the deficiency of many verses of the Holy Qur'an and regarding the interchange of some of the verses. All these traditions are “akhbar al-'ahad”, i.e. traditions which are not mutawatir and cannot cause certainty. Thus, one should turn away and keep away from these sorts of ahadith and should not engage oneself in them. Moreover, these traditions are paraphrasable; had these traditions been correct, they would not have marred the Holy Qur'an which is presently available between the two covers, because knowledge and certainty prove the validity of this Qur'an and no one from among the Islamic Ummah has any objection to or complaint against it, nor does anyone reject it. (5) Al-Shaykh Abu `Ali al-Tabarsi, who passed away in 548/1153, states the following in the tafsir entitled Majma` al-bayan: There is a consensus and unanimity among the Muslims that there is not any `excess' in the Holy Qur'an. But with regard to the deficiency of the text of the Holy Qur'an, a group of Imamiyyah and a group of Hashwiyyah who are Sunnis have said that there are alterations and deficiencies in the Holy Qur'an, but the true belief accepted by the Imamiyyah holds otherwise. (6) Al-Sayyid Ibn Tawus, (died 664/1265), states the following in the book called Sa`d al-su `ud In truth, the Imamiyyah believe in the absence of tahrif in the Holy Qur'an. Then, in the refutation of some Sunnis who maintain that the Qur'anic text has been corrupted, he states: I am surprised at those who, while believing that the Holy Qur'an has been preserved by the Messenger of Allah (S) and has been compiled by the Prophet (S) himself, have narrated the differences of the people of Makkah and at-Madinah and of the people of Kufah and Basrah. They have also believed that "بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ" (“In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful) is not an integral part of the surahs (chapters) of the Holy Qur'an. It is more surprising that they have reasoned that if ""بِسْمِ اللَّهِ (“In the Name of Allah...”) had been an integral part of the surah, then it could have been preceded by something else also. Surprisingly enough! When it is believed that the Holy Qur'an is immune from and guarded against any excess and deficiency, and when such a belief is supported by man's wisdom and by religion, how could it be said that what had been revealed before the surahs has not been included as a part of the Holy Qur'an? Is such a thing possible?” These were opinions of the great Shi'ah `ulama' of the past whose statements are authentic and valid for all other `ulama' of the subsequent centuries. Thus, there is no necessity to lengthen the discussion and to quote the statements made by the `ulama' of the subsequent centuries. Hereunder, it will only suffice to mention their names along with the titles of their books in which this discussion has been incorporated. (7) Al-Muhaqqiq Zayn al-Din al-Bayadi (died in 877/1472), in al Sirat al-mustaqim. (8) Muhammad Baha' al-Din al-`Amili, known as al-Shaykh al-Baha'i (died in 1031/1622), quoted in tafsir Ala' al-Rahman. (9) Mulla Muhsin, known as Fayd al-Kashani (died in 1091/1680), in tafsir al-Safi (10) Al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Hurr al-`Amili (died in 1104/1692), in his treatise entitled Risalah fi ithbat `adam al-tahrif (a treatise on absence of corruption in the Qur'an). (9) Al-Qadi al-Sayyid Nur Allah al-Shushtari (d. 1019/1610), the contemporary of al-Shaykh al-Baha'i, quoted in Ala' al-Rahman. (12) Al-Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi ibn al-Sayyid Murtada al Tabataba'i, known as Bahr al-`Ulum (died in 1212/1797), in Fawa'id al-'usul. (13) Al-Shaykh Ja'far ibn al-Shaykh Khidr al-Janahi al-Najafi, known as Kashif al-Ghita' (died in 1228/1813), in Kashf al-ghita' `an mubhamat al-Shari`at al-gharra'. (14) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Hasan ibn al-Mawla `Abd Allah al Mamaqani (died in 1323/1905), in Tanqih al-maqal. (15) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Jawad al-Balaghi (died in 1352/1933), in Ala' al-Rahman. (16) Mulla Fath Allah al-Kashini (died in 988/1588), in the commentary of Manhaj al-sadiqin. (17) Mirza Hasan al-'Ashtiyani (died in 1319/1901), in Bahr al fawa'id. (18) Ayatullah Sayyid Husayn Kuhkamari (died in 1299/1882), in Bushra al-wusul ila `ilm al-'usul. (19) Al-Sayyid `Abd al-Husayn Sharaf al-Din al-Musawi al-`Amili (died in 1377/1957), in Ajwibat masa'il Musa Jar Allah. (20) Ayatullah al-`Uzma al-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i, contemporary, in al-Bayan. These were the names of the great Shi'ah ulama' who wrote books confirming the absence of any kind of tahrif in the text of the Holy Qur'an. Surely, there may be comments by other `ulama' whose books are presently not within our reach. It should be also noted that making mention of the names of these `ulama' does not necessarily mean that the other `ulama' do not believe in this point. It rather means that since they had not compiled any books in this field, we could not quote their relevant views and opinions. It is hoped that this brief paper would remove all doubts and accusations made on the teachings of the school of thought of the Ahl al-Bayt (A), and would serve as a basis for further investigations by the researchers and investigators. Wa al-Salam `ala man ittaba`a al-Huda (and peace be on him who follows the guidance). 1. Ayatullah al `Uzma Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i, al-Bayan fi tafsir al-Qur'an. 2. Allamah Tabataba'i, al-Mizan fi tafsir al-Qur'an, vol. 12. 3. Al-Suyuti, al-'Itqan fi 'ulum al-Qur'an. 4. Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi 'ulum al-Qur'an. 5. Abu Dawnd al-Sijistani, al-Masahif. 6. Ibn al-Jawzi, Funun al-'afnan fi 'ulum al-Qur'an. 7. Ibn al-Khatib, al-Furqan. 8. Ibn al-Jazzi, al-Tashil fi 'ulum al-tanzil. 9. Abu 'Abd Allah al-Zanjani, Tarikh al-Qur'an. 10. Dr. 'Abd al-Sabur Shahin, Tarikh al-Qur'an. 11. Hadi Ma'rifah, al-Tamhid fi 'ulum al-Qur an. 12. Rasul Ja'fariyan, Ukdhubat tahrif al-Qur'an. 13. Allamah Tabataba'i, al-Qur'an fi al-Islam. 14. Al-Shaykh Aqa Buzurg al-Tehrani, al-Naqd al-latif fi nafy al-tahrif. 15. Abd al-Husayn al-Rashti al-Ha'iri, Kashf al-'ishtibah. 16. Al-Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahim al-Tabrizi, Ala' al-Rahim. 1. Allamah Tabataba'i, The Qur'an in Islam (1985). 2. Ayatullah Dr. S.M.H. Beheshti, Understanding the Qur'an (1985). 3. R. Bell, Introduction to the Qur'an (1953). • 1. For more study in this field see Al-Tawhid journal, vol. 1, Nos. 1 to 3. • 2. Al-Kafi, al-Shaykh Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni al-Razi (died 329/941). • 3. Al-Tahdhib, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi (died 460/1068). • 4. Al-'Istibsar, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi(died 460/1068). • 5. Man la yahduruhu al-faqih, al-Shaykh al-Saduq Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn Babawayh al-Qummi (died 381/991). • 6. Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Hurr al-'Amili (died 1114/1702). • 7. Bihar al- anwar, 'Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (died 1111/1699). • 8. Refer to the book called “Funun al-'afnan fi 'ulum al-Qur'an”compiled by Jamal al-Din Abu al-Faraj 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Jawzi.
Skip to Main Navigation \| Skip to Content What is Earth Day 365? President Ambrose plants a tree Earth Day 365 recognizes that social, economic and environmental sustainability must be practiced everyday and are the foundation upon which we will improve the state of the environment for the next generation. We celebrate Earth Day, the modern environmental movement launched in 1970, and the shared values amongst the UCM community that improve the learning and working environments, and that create a more livable and sustainable community. We inform the UCM and local communities through environmental education programs, through policies inclusive of social, health, economic and environmental perspectives, and through best-practices examples that promote innovation improving well-being of future generations. We advocate the empowerment of individuals and stakeholders to take personal and positive actions to curb global climate change and solve critical environmental issues. Because UCM is and will continue to be the community leader in sustainability!
Question: Is there a time of year that is worse for my asthma? Answer: Many people with asthma find that their asthma is worse certain times of the year. If someone is allergic to certain airborne allergens, the asthma can be worse during warm weather months -- spring, summer, and fall, for example, for pollen and allergy. The cold or flu season is generally in the winter time and children and adults both often find that catching colds or catching the flu will result in asthma exacerbations. Next: How Does Stress Affect Asthma? Previous: How Is Acute Asthma Treated In The Emergency Department?
A New Normal for China-North Korea Relations Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Roman Harak A New Normal for China-North Korea Relations In the early 1990s, though, geopolitical shifts inevitably brought fundamental changes to China-North Korea relations. China’s reform and opening up and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Beijing and Seoul alienated China and North Korea, two close neighbors that previously fought side-bye-side on the battlefield. However estranged they became, both sides subtly worked together to maintain a unique and adequately close relationship. Some academics and media outlets have used the logic of a “buffer zone” to explain China’s North Korea policy in recent years — specifically, to explain why China hasn’t abandoned North Korea. But this doesn’t get at the substance of China-North Korea relations. China’s ties with North Korea are based on political or even ideological traditions and postures. In fact, for North Korea, it is China that acts more like a buffer zone: a political, economic, military, and diplomatic shield between North Korea and the international community, and particularly the United States. China sometimes even has to take the blame or pay the price for North Korea’s inappropriate and unacceptable behavior, even acts that Beijing did not necessarily intend to accept or tolerate. In the bigger picture, the China-U.S. relationship of course plays a more crucial role, and the present de facto Sino-U.S. competition may have helped to shape China’s complicated mindset toward North Korea. Now, certain changes (though not necessarily fundamental ones) are expected in the China-North Korea relationship. The current coldness may be sending the message that China’s kindness and tolerance come with a price. The price is North Korea’s compromise and cooperation, which Pyongyang may find unacceptable. And once again, we see the triangle of China, North Korea, and Russia becomes unequal again as Moscow and Pyongyang move carefully closer to each other. Sign up for our weekly newsletter The Diplomat Brief
EW offers a ''Troy'' history lesson \| EW.com EW offers a ''Troy'' history lesson EW offers a ''Troy'' history lesson. In order to follow the film's story line, EW provides the lowdown on Helen, the Trojan horse, and the poet Homer HELEN When Trojan prince Paris stole the queen of Sparta around 1184 B.C., her hubby King Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon massed an army to retrieve her (and waged war in what is now Turkey). TROJAN HORSE Presented to the Trojans as a gift for the goddess Athena, the horse was so big ”that a portion of the city wall had to be dismantled to let it in,” says Nancy Worman, assistant prof of classics at Barnard College. HOMER ”The Iliad,” the poet’s epic about the 10-year war between Troy and Greece, was composed nearly 400 years after the fact.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011 When did "Craft" Become a Dirty Word? +Mandala Class This is something I think about from time to time... The definition of "craft" from is [kraft, krahft] Show IPA noun, plural crafts or,for 5, 8, craft, verb an arttrade, or occupation requiring special skill,especially manual skill: the craft of a mason. skill; dexterity: The silversmith worked with great craft. the members of a trade or profession collectively; a guild. a ship or other vessel. Craft would include things like weaving and pottery, which most of us would probably argue falls in the realm of Art. When did "craft" become a dirty word (at least to Art teachers...)? When did the definition change? Probably when people started referring to trace this, cut this, glue it here, follow the directions at summer camp kind of stuff as craft. And while I'm thinking out loud in writing, who says you can't make Art out of "crafty" materials? I can't remember the name of the artist, but this lady visited and gave a talk at ESU when I was in college and I remember her saying "I should be able to make Art, anytime, anywhere, and out of anything." That's why I don't turn down many donated materials. (That and my fear that Art budgets will continue to decrease each year.) I have a bunch of little furry pom-pons that someone gave me last week, I plan to use them to help my younger students explore texture and then let my older students use them to construct relief sculptures like the ones my 6th grade students completed last spring. I'm not trying to insult teachers who don't take supply donations- they may not have room to store them or may not have the need. But my point, I guess, is that I think Art can be made out of just about anything. And now I need to end this post and head to bed because this is starting to get really ramble-y. One more thing, though! If you are interested in learning more about mandalas, Willowing.ning is hosting a FREE Mandala class taught by Guadalupe Brizuela Cabal. It started on Monday and will last two more weeks but it's not too late to join! I created 4 designs today- 2 starting with the template she provided and 2 all by myself with a compass and a ruler. I'm really enjoying it so far. 1. I've been thinking a lot about this too. I know in the past that I have felt my skin crawl when some tells me to go make crafts with my students. But now I'm actually starting to find the word more appealing. I also think this is just one of those circumstances where the word has evolved a new definition or connotation as time goes on. 2. Good post. I agree with you on the whole idea of craft "bigots". let them walk a mile in our shoes..........
Bringing Infant Vision Up to Speed A newborn's world is a blur that clears up in about 6 months--unless a baby is born with cataracts. Removing cataracts without delay can allow a baby to develop decent vision; waiting on surgery more than a few years can mean banishing a child to a netherworld of vague shapes for the rest of its life, as the brain misses out on a critical period in the early months during which it learns how to interpret sensory input. Now scientists have revealed the stunning speed with which a young brain learns to comprehend visual input once the blinders are removed. Researchers from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and McMaster University in Hamilton tested the eyesight of 28 babies who had just had surgery to remove cataracts. Led by psychologist Daphne Maurer, the team showed the babies striped patterns of various widths on a plain background. If the infants are able to make out the black and white lines, they will stare at them; otherwise their attention wanders. Immediately after surgery, the babies, who ranged in age from a few weeks to 9 months old, saw about as clearly as newborns. But barely an hour had passed before the babies' visual acuity had doubled--they could see stripes half as wide as those they registered right after surgery, the researchers report in the current issue of Science. Once the cataracts are removed, Maurer says, the babies are "racing to catch up" with others their own age. After 1 month, the babies' vision is close to normal. "It came as a big surprise" that babies could recover so quickly, says neuroscientist Donald Mitchell of Dalhousie University in Canada. No one knows, he says, how months-old babies seeing the world for the first time can improve their vision so rapidly--much faster than newborns do. Somehow, says Maurer, "the brain is primed and ready to see."
MREMAP(2) Linux Programmer's Manual MREMAP(2) mremap - re-map a virtual memory address #include <unistd.h> #include <sys/mman.h> void * mremap(void * old_address, size_t old_size , size_t new_size, unsigned long flags); mremap expands (or shrinks) an existing memory mapping, potentially moving it at the same time (controlled by the flags argument and the available virtual address space). old_address is the old address of the virtual memory block that you want to expand (or shrink). Note that old_address has to be page aligned. old_size is the old size of the virtual memory block. new_size is the requested size of the virtual memory block after the The flags argument is a bitmap of flags. In Linux the memory is divided into pages. A user process has (one or) several linear virtual memory segments. Each virtual memory segment has one or more mappings to real memory pages (in the page table). Each virtual memory segment has its own protection (access rights), which may cause a segmentation violation if the memory is accessed Accessing virtual memory outside of the segments will also cause a segmentation violation. mremap uses the Linux page table scheme. mremap changes the mapping between virtual addresses and memory pages. This can be used to implement a very efficient realloc. indicates if the operation should fail, or change the virtual address if the resize cannot be done at the current virtual address. On success mremap returns a pointer to the new virtual memory area. On error, -1 is returned, and errno is set EINVAL An invalid argument was given. Most likely old_address was not page aligned. EFAULT "Segmentation fault." Some address in the range old_address to old_address+old_size is an invalid virtual memory address for this process. You can also get EFAULT even if there exist mappings that cover the whole address space requested, but those mappings are of different types. EAGAIN The memory segment is locked and cannot be re- ENOMEM The memory area cannot be expanded at the current virtual address, and the MREMAP_MAYMOVE flag is not memory available. programs intended to be portable. 4.2BSD had a (never actually implemented) mremap(2) call with completely dif- ferent semantics. getpagesize(2), realloc(3), malloc(3), brk(2), sbrk(2), Your favorite OS text book for more information on paged memory. (Modern Operating Systems by Andrew S. Tannen- baum, Inside Linux by Randolf Bentson, The Design of the UNIX Operating System by Maurice J. Bach.) Linux 1.3.87 1996-04-12 1
Consider the following op-amp amplifier circuit. Assume that theop-amp has an open loop gain of 105, an input impedance of 1MΩand an output impedance of 50Ω. a. Calculate the gain, input impedance and output impedance of theamplifier. b. What is the purpose of the resistor R on the non-invertinginput? What value would you choose for this resistor? c. Explain what this circuit will do if the inverting andnon-inverting inputs were reversed. Expert Answer Get this answer with Chegg Study
What is the Creel Committe?Include organizations in the context of the roles and Images of women during war-time. 1 Answer \| Add Yours lit24's profile pic lit24 \| College Teacher \| (Level 3) Valedictorian Posted on The Creel Committee or the Committee on Public Information (CPI) was an independent agency of the United States of America intended to influence American public opinion regarding American intervention in World War I. It was established by President Woodrow Wilson through executive order 2594 on April 13th 1919. The chairman of the committee was George Creel. The main purpose of the committee was to influence American public opinion to support the American government's intervention in World War I. The CPI used all the available media of that time-newsprint,posters, telegraph and cinema-to influence public opinion. Initially facts were given a spin to support the war effort, soon however the CPI began churning out raw propaganda which portaryed the Germans as monsters. The committee was abolished in 1919. Most of the women's organisations supported the war effort by extending their traditional domestic services like running canteens for the soldiers or providing nursing care to the wounded soldiers. They also supported the war effort by their fundraising. Two of the prominent women's groups were-The women's wing of the Red Cross and the National League for Women's Service. We’ve answered 333,715 questions. We can answer yours, too. Ask a question
Public Release: Researchers come up with new answers concerning a weight-regulating hormone University of Copenhagen The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences For years, scientists have failed to locate the DNA variants that control the weight-regulating hormone, leptin. However, new research has enabled the identification of four genes associated with leptin levels, which is particularly relevant within an obesity context. The study focuses on the powerful hormone leptin, which regulates humans' long-term energy balance by informing the brain about the amount of stored body fat. Finding genes that cause fatness either by influencing our behavior or biology allows for a deeper understanding of why some people accumulate more fat than others. The research opens new avenues for treatments to counteract the genes that make us unhealthy. The research has just been published in the science journal, Nature Communications. Four new genes "By studying the genetic code of over 50,000 men and women, we identified four genes associated with leptin levels," says Assistant Professor Tuomas Oskari Kilpeläinen from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen who directed the study "Genome-wide meta-analysis uncovers novel loci influencing circulating leptin levels". Leptin also influences our appetite. "It is produced when we are well fed, and it signals to the brain that there is plentiful energy and therefore reduces eating," adds Kilpeläinen. Under normal conditions, leptin is generated by fat tissue, and the amount of leptin in the blood equals the total amount of fat tissue in the body. However, as long as 20 years ago, it was discovered that rare mutations in the leptin gene could cause extreme obesity. This happens if the mutation leads to a complete lack of the leptin hormone, which makes the patients constantly hungry, and therefore they gain weight quickly at a young age. However, such cases are very rare. Normally, the leptin gene is very functional, but it depends on the individual in terms of how much leptin circulates in the blood - people with equal levels of body fatness may have different leptin levels. These differences could affect our body weight and health, so it was important to look for genes that regulate leptin levels. Global collaboration The study used data from 36 different genetic studies and involved scientists at 146 institutions worldwide. To look for genes determining leptin levels in blood, the researchers examined the links between 2.5 million DNA variants and leptin levels. "We found that the strongest DNA-variant associated with increased leptin levels was near the leptin gene itself, but we also found leptin-increasing variants near three other genes," says co-author Niels Grarup, Assistant Professor and Group Leader from the Section for Metabolic Genetics, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research. At a closer look, the DNA variants linked to leptin levels in the blood did not seem strongly associated with body weight. Some previous studies suggest that people with low leptin levels may be more sensitive to changes in leptin levels. More studies are needed to determine whether leptin-regulating variants may be important for appetite regulation in such individuals.
August 14, 2008 Deconstructing Food Labels What you need to know to shop smarter and eat healthier For me, grocery shopping isn't as easy as it once was. There are too many choices. At one time, the only words I looked for on a package were the phrases "low-fat" or "whole grain." Not anymore. Take pasta. Now there are organic and gluten-free choices too. So, is organic white pasta healthier than nonorganic whole grain pasta? Then there's gluten-free pasta. I don't have celiac disease, but for some reason, I just feel like gluten-free is the healthier choice. Not only am I trying to maintain a low-cholesterol, heart- healthy diet -- I'm also concerned about the possibility of pesticides and fungicides on my vegetables. Nutritionists advise us to eat lots of veggies, but some people are getting sick from eating them because of contamination. And if I stopped long enough to think about how that thick cut of filet mignon was raised, then slaughtered, I'd probably give serious consideration to vegetarianism. Most poultry, pork and beef products purchased in supermarkets were injected with hormones to promote faster maturity. Think you're more humane going with cage-free or free-range eggs? Maybe not. Sometimes those labels can be misleading. What does it all mean? You could spend hours in the grocery store, reading food labels and weighing options. Here's some help: What it means: The National Organic Standards Board defines "organic" agriculture as an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It's a labeling term, defined by law, and enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA uses private and state agencies to inspect and certify food companies marketing organic foods. The organic label guarantees that the food was raised humanely and without the use of toxic agricultural chemicals, antibiotics, preservatives or other man-made additives. Organic foods also haven't been genetically altered or irradiated. Small farmers selling less than $5,000 in organic sales are exempt from the certification process, but must still comply with the government standards. Failure to do so could lead to fines of up to $10,000 for each violation. Decoding the "organic" label: - "100 percent organic" applies to single ingredients such as fruit, vegetable, meat, milk and cheese (excludes water and salt). - "Organic" applies to multiple ingredient foods that are 95 percent to 100 percent organic. - "Made with organic ingredients" means that between 70 percent and 95 percent of the ingredients are organic. - "Contains organic ingredients" means the product contains less than 70 percent of organic ingredients. Is it healthier? Organic food isn't genetically engineered. More pesticides are used on genetically modified crops, or GMOs. Some studies also have found that GMOs contain hormones that could cause disease or cancer in animals and humans. Advantage: Some European studies have shown that organic foods are more nutritious. Medical News Today reported in November that a 4-year European Union study suggests that organic fruit, vegetables and milk may contain higher concentrations of cancer-fighting and heart healthy antioxidants. Researchers said that eating organic food was equivalent to eating an extra portion of fruits and vegetables. Disadvantage: It costs more to eat organically. A nonorganic Red Delicious apple at Harris Teeter is $1.99 a pound, compared to an organic apple of the same variety, which is $2.49 a pound. Beware of misleading labels -The term "natural" has no official meaning at all. - "Natural" also doesn't always mean "healthy." For example, "natural" coconut milk is still high in fat. - Labels that say "Earth Friendly, Farm Friendly" claim to be an alternative to the USDA's National Organic Program label. But this label doesn't follow the same codes as the USDA's National Organic Program. Under the terms of the "Earth Friendly, Farm Friendly" certification requirements, most conventional dairy practices are acceptable. Dietitian Dayle Fuentes also advises consumers to look at the nutrition facts to determine whether the product is a heart healthy item. She also recommends buying food from respectable markets such as Whole Foods, which takes the time to follow their products from farm to shelf. "My advice is to eat food that is grown as close to its natural environment as possible, free of harmful pesticides, antibiotics, chemicals and growth hormones," she says. Local food What it means: Local, or regional, food refers to a movement or effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies. Local food producers tend to be smaller operations, which usually emphasizes sustainable production, processing and distribution practices. Where can you find it: Community-based farmers markets or organic food co-operatives. Is it healthier? Although a locally raised apple may not have the bright glossy sheen of one that came from New Zealand, it's certainly fresher. Advantage: Buying local reduces global warming. Each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1,500 miles -- that's farther than most people travel for their annual vacations. Consider this: If every person in the U.S. ate just one meal a week composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce the country's oil consumption by more than 1.1 million BARRELS of oil every week. Buying locally raised or produced food also puts dollars back into your own community. Disadvantage: A team of researchers at the University of California, Davis, studied the carbon footprint of food. The study raised the idea that just because something is local, doesn't mean that it's better for the environment. Take strawberries. Say mass producers of strawberries shipped their product from California to Chicago by truck. The fuel cost of supporting each carton of berries is considerably small, since it's traveling with thousands of others. But that small farmer selling his berries at local markets in California ferries smaller amounts by pickup truck to each market. Transporting food by container ship or by rail is relatively energy-efficient compared to shipping it by air or a 25-year-old pickup truck. Slow food What it means: It's a movement founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini, an Italian who wanted to spread a global resistance to fast food. It emphasizes cultural cuisine, and the associated food plants, seeds, domestic animals and farming practices of a particular region. The movement now includes 83,000 members in 122 countries. Is it healthier? The slow food movement emphasizes taking the time to make your own pasta or squeeze your own juice. It certainly cuts down on the amount of preservatives you ingest. Advantage: It promotes slowing down to enjoy your meal, making you more aware of flavor, texture and when you've had enough to eat. Disadvantage: It takes more time and more skill to prepare your food. Free-range What it means: Chickens and turkeys can be sold as free-range if they have access to the outdoors. No other criteria -- environmental quality, pen size or population density -- applies. Is it healthier? A 2007 Mother Earth News egg-testing project compared the eggs from 14 free-range flocks around the country to the USDA nutrient data of commercial eggs. It found that free-range eggs may contain one-third less cholesterol; one-fourth less saturated fat; two-thirds more vitamin A; twice as much omega-3 fatty acids; three times more vitamin E; and seven times more beta carotene. Advantage: You may be able to devour your eggs or cordon bleu with a clearer conscience. Disadvantage: The term is sometimes misleading, because it implies that the animal was treated more humanely than maybe it actually was. Cage-free What it means: The birds aren't raised in traditional cages, but it doesn't mean that they were allowed to roam free. They can be raised on the floor of a poultry house or barn, but not allowed to roam in outdoor pens. Disadvantage: Unless you know the farmer raising the product, it's hard to know how the animal was treated. find MORE food labels ON D2 Hormone and antibiotic-free What it means: The animals haven't been treated with antibiotics to prevent disease or hormones to increase growth or milk or egg production. Is it healthier? Consider this: when it comes to milk or dairy products, any hormones or antibiotics given to the animal will flow through its milk too. Advantage: Look for certified organic foods. This means a certifying agency -- usually named on the label -- visited the farm and guarantees that the farmer complied with organic rules. Disadvantage: Unless the label includes the name of a certifying agency, you can't know for certain that the product is truly free of hormones or antibiotics. Products labeled as hormone and antibiotic- free also are more expensive. Grass-fed beef What it means: Most beef products available at supermarkets are grain-fed, so that they mature faster. But cattle don't easily digest grains, which cause liver abscesses. Grass-fed cows consume a more natural diet. Some ranchers have returned to allowing their cattle to feed on grass. Is it healthier? Grass-fed cows may be healthier than their grain- fed counterparts, but all beef is high in fat and cholesterol and lacks fiber. Advantage: Look for the USDA Organic label, which means the grass- fed cattle grazed on fields free of chemical fertilizers or herbicides. Disadvantages: It takes longer for the cattle to mature, which makes it more expensive for the rancher, which leads to higher costs to consumers. But some grass-fed advocates say this isn't a bad thing. Most people should eat less meat. Gluten-free What it means: Free of ingredients derived from gluten- containing cereals, wheat, barley, rye, oats and triticale. This includes kamut and spelt, as well as some food additives, which flavor, stabilize or serve as a thickening agent. Is it healthier? A gluten-free diet is recommended for people suffering from celiac or coeliac disease, an intolerance to gluten. But gluten-free diets aren't always heart-healthy. Gluten-free products often are lower in fiber, and higher in sugar and fat. Advantages: None, if you don't have a gluten intolerance. Although it could lead you to a diet with more fruits and vegetables. Disadvantages: Gluten-free products are harder to find, and often more expensive. Dining out can present greater challenges to a gluten-free diet. Want to know more? To find local food hotspots in your area, go to: Food policy, consumer and advocacy organizations - The Organic Consumers Association, - The Center for Food Safety, Sources: Dayle Fuentes, dietitian for BestHealth at Baptist Medical Center ; "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins; American Society for Nutrition; "Animal, Vegetable Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver; The Organic Consumers Association; The Organic Trade Association;; N.C. Cooperative Extension; "The Organic Food Shopper's Guide" by Jeff Cox. Contact Tina Firesheets at 373-3498 or tina.firesheets@news-
Transportation II. The pedestrian environment A. Private frontages The benefits promised by New Urbanism spring directly from its emphasis on walking as the main way of moving through the world. Where places are made genuinely walkable, private vehicle mileage likely will be reduced and public transit will certainly be more viable. The convenience and interest of living at higher densities will more than make up for any annoyances. Children, the elderly, and those with physical impairments will gain greater quality and quantity of access, and that sometimes-elusive community glue called social capital is likelier to be produced in places with pedestrians inhabiting a public realm. The last decade and more has seen not only the spread of a general public demand that the human environment be walkable, but also the rise of public and professional awareness of the specific components contributing toward that end. Personal safety must be assured, wind and weather shelter provided, and buildings shaped and plants situated to contribute positively. These things must be considered in and of themselves and in how they combine to form pedestrian sheds of plausible scale, with rewarding destinations at both centers and edges. Despite the renaissance of knowledge on design for pedestrians, there is still one technique for systematically relating the components of walkability that is often overlooked — the design of the frontages along the walking route. forming the pedestrian experience Frontage is the general term for the configuration and placement of building and landscape elements immediately forming the pedestrian experience. The frontage includes the vertical walls of a building’s first floor (often too its second floor) as it relates to a sidewalk or path, as well as the various landscape elements horizontally laid out between them. It is the middle realm between the streetspace and the interiors of the buildings along a path, and it may be finely tuned to engage or screen either side. Indeed, that element of participation or distancing not only enables but constitutes much of the genuine attraction of the pedestrian experience. Systematic consideration of frontages can provide the discipline that transforms mere well-intentioned bits of pedestrian confetti scattered along a route — the brick pavers, random benches, and Pollyanna banners of architectural renderings — into something larger than the sum of its parts. Well-ordered frontages provide both usefulness for the inhabitants of the buildings and visual stimulation for passersby. The frontages within traditional urbanist practice are many and varied, but their number is not infinite. Eight generic frontage patterns that are truly supportive of pedestrians can be reliably identified as widespread and perennially successful. All have been and may be embodied in different materials and components suited to local circumstance, but are still recognizable in their similarity. Thus too, they may be codified in the planning for a neighborhood. These basic frontages can be arranged in relation to each other according to where they have most often appeared in rural and suburban districts, villages, towns, and cities across different places and times. Indeed, the differing character of the frontages is so marked that they provide what is perhaps the most reliable set of touchstones for where along the rural to urban Transect a given locale lies. (As an aside, it is arguable that a code prescribing only building types and private frontages would suffice to create good urbanism at almost any density.) The eight patterns, from more rural to more urban, are: 1. Common yard; 2. Porch and fence; 3. Terrace or light court; 4. Forecourt; 5. Stoop; 6. Shopfront and awning; 7. Gallery; and 8. Arcade. The next installments of the Technical Page will discuss, two at a time, the frontages and their refinements. u
3.2 Creating Data Types This section under major construction. In principle, we could write all of our programs using only the eight built-in primitive types, but, it is much more convenient to write programs at a higher level of abstraction. Accordingly, a variety of data types are built into the Java language and libraries. Still, we certainly cannot expect Java to contain every conceivable data type that we might ever wish to use, so we need to be able to define our own. Basic elements of a data type. To illustrate the process of implementing a data type in a Java class, we discuss each component for the Charge.java data type. Here is a diagram illustrating all of the basic components that you need to understand to be able to build data types in Java. Charge anatomy Stopwatch.java implements the following API: It is a stripped-down version of an old-fashioned stopwatch. When you create one, it starts running, and you can ask it how long it has been running by invoking the method elapsedTime(). Data-type instance variables can be arrays. Histogram.java maintains an array of the frequency of occurrence of integer values in a given interval [0, N) and uses StdStats.java to display a histogram of the values, controlled by this API: Turtle graphics. Turtle.java is a mutable type for turtle graphics. Turtle graphics was originally developed by Seymour Papert at MIT in the 1960s as part of an educational programming language, Logo. But turtle graphics is no toy, as we have just seen in numerous scientific examples. Turtle graphics also has numerous commercial applications. For example, it is the basis for PostScript, a programming language for creating printed pages that is used for most newspapers, magazines, and books. Complex numbers. A complex number is a number of the form x + iy, where x and y are real numbers and i is the square root of -1. The number x is known as the real part of the complex number, and iy is known as the imaginary part. Complex numbers are a quintessential mathematical abstraction: whether or not one believes that it makes sense physically to take the square root of -1, complex numbers help us understand the natural world. They are extensively used in applied mathematics and play an essential role in many branches of science and engineering. They are used to model physical systems of all sorts, from circuits to sound waves to electromagnetic fields. These models typically require extensive computations involving manipulating complex numbers according to well-defined arithmetic operations, so we want to write computer programs to do the computations. In short, we need a new data type. Developing a data type for complex numbers is a prototypical example of the value of object-oriented programming. No programming language can provide implementations of every mathematical abstraction that we might need, but the ability to implement data types give us not just the ability to write programs to easily manipulate abstractions like complex numbers, polynomials, vectors, matrices, and many other basic tools that have been developed by mathematicians over the past several centuries, but also the freedom to think in terms of new abstractions. The basic operations on complex numbers are to add and multiply them by applying the commutative, associative, and distributive laws of algebra (along with the identity i2 - 1); and to compute the magnitude, as follows: For example, if a = 3 + 4i, and b = -2 + 3i, then a + b = 1 + 7i, a * b = -18 + i, and \|a\| = 5. With these basic definitions, the path to implementing a data type for complex numbers is clear. We start with an API that specifies the data-type operations: Complex numbere API Program Complex.java is an immutable class that implements this API. It has all of the same components as did Charge (and every Java data type implementation): instance variables (re and im), a constructor, instance methods, and a test client. The code that implements the arithmetic methods makes use of a new mechanism for accessing object values: Mandelbrot set. The uses complex numbers to plot a gray scale version of the The Mandelbrot set is a specific set of complex numbers with many fascinating properties. It is a fractal pattern that is related to the Barnsley fern, the Sierpinski triangle, the Brownian bridge, and oth- er recursive (self-similar) patterns and programs that we have seen in this book. Patterns of this kind are found in natural phenomena of all sorts, and these models and programs are very important in modern science. The set of points in the Mandelbrot set cannot be described by a single mathematical equation. Instead, it is defined by an algorithm, and therefore a perfect candidate for a Complex client: we study the set by writing programs to plot it. The rule for determining whether or not a complex number z0 is in the Mandelbrot set is simple: Consider the sequence of complex numbers z0, z1, z2, ..., zi, ..., where zi+1 = (zi)2 + z0. For example, the following table shows the first few entries in the sequence corresponding to z0 = 1 + i: Mandelbrot iteration Now, if the sequence \|zi\| diverges to infinity, then z0 is not in the Mandelbrot set; if the sequence is bounded, then z0 is in the Mandelbrot set. For many points, the test is simple; for many other points, the test requires more computation, as indicated by the examples in the following table: Mandelbrot iteration Is a complex number in the set? In some cases, we can prove whether or not numbers are in the set: for example, 0 + 0i is certainly in the set (since the magnitude of all the numbers in its sequence is 0) and 2 + 0i is certainly not in the set (since its sequence dominates the powers of 2, which diverges). Given a complex point, we can compute the terms at the beginning of its sequence, but may not be able to know for sure that the sequence remains bounded. Remarkably, there is a test that tells us for sure that a point is not in the set: if the magnitude of any number in the sequence ever gets to be greater than 2 (like 3 + 0i), then the sequence will surely diverge. Plotting the Mandelbrot set. Zooming in on the Mandelbrot set A visual representation of the Mandelbrot set is easy to define. Just as we plot a real function by sampling points in an interval, we plot the Mandelbrot set by sampling complex points. Each complex number x + iy corresponds to a point (x, y) in the plane so we can plot the results as follows: for a specified resolution N, we define a regularly spaced N-by-N pixel grid within a specified square and draw a black pixel if the corresponding point is in the Mandelbrot set and a white pixel if it is not. This plot is a strange and wondrous pattern, with all the black dots connected and falling roughly within the 2-by-2 square centered on the point -1/2 + 0i. Large values of N will produce higher resolution images, at the cost of more computation. Looking closer reveals self-similarities throughout the plot. For example, the same bulbous pattern with self-similar appendages appears all around the contour of the main black cardioid region. When we zoom in near the edge of the cardioid, tiny self-similar cardioids appear! Mandelbrot set Program Mandelbrot.java uses this test to plot a visual representation of the Mandelbrot set. Since our knowledge of the set is not quite black-and-white, we use grayscale in our visual representation. It is based on the following function (a Complex client), which computes the sequence starting at a given number and returns the number of iterations for which the magnitude stays less than 2, up to a given maximum: public static int mand(Complex z0, int d) { Complex z = z0; for (int t = 0; t < d; t++) { if (z.abs() >= 2.0) return t; z = z.times(z).plus(z0); return d; For each pixel, the method main() in Mandelbrot computes the point z0 corresponding to the pixel and computes 255 - mand(z0, 255) to represent the grayscale value of the pixel. Any pixel that is not black corresponds to a point that we know to be not in the Mandelbrot set because the magnitude of the numbers in its sequence grew past 2 (and therefore will go to infinity); the black pixels (grayscale value 0) correspond to points that we assume to be in the set because the magnitude stayed less than 2 for 255 iterations, but we do not necessarily know for sure. The complexity of the images that this simple program produces is remarkable, even when we zoom in on a tiny portion of the plane. For even more dramatic pictures, we can use use color (see exercise 3.2.33). Q + A Q. Do instance variables have initial values that we can depend upon? A. Yes. They are automatically set to 0 for numeric types, false for the boolean type, and the special value null for all reference types. Q. What is null? A. It is a literal value that refers to no object. Invoking a method using the null reference is meaningless and results in a NullPointerException. Q. Can we initialize instance variables to other values when declaring them? A. Yes, you can initialize instance variables using the same conventions as you have been using for initializing local variables. Each time an object is created by a client with new, its instance variables are initialized with those same values, then the constructor is called. Q. Must every class have a constructor? A. Yes, but if you do not specify a constructor, Java provides a default (no-argument) constructor automatically. When the client invokes that constructor with new, the instance variables are initialized as usual. If you do specify a constructor, the default no-argument constructor disappears. Q. Suppose I do not include a toString() method. What happens if I try to print an object of that type with StdOut.println()? A. The printed output is an integer: the object's hash code. Most objects that do not have an explicit toString() implementation also do not have an explicit hashCode() implementation. The default value is "typically implemented by converting the internal address of the object into an integer. " Q. Can I have a static method in a class that implements a data type? A. Of course. All of our classes have main(). But it is easy to get confused when static methods and instance methods are mixed up in the same code. For example, it is natural to consider using static methods for operations that involve multiple objects where none of them naturally suggests itself as the one that should invoke the method. For example, we say z.abs() to get \|z\|, but saying a.plus(b) to get the sum is perhaps not so natural. Why not b.plus(a)? An alternative is to define a static method within Complex, like public static Complex plus(Complex a, Complex b) { return new Complex(a.re + b.re, a.im + b.im); but we avoid such usage so that we can write z = z.times(z).plus(z0). instead of z = Complex.plus(Complex.times(z, z), z0) Q. These computations with plus() and times() seem rather clumsy. Is there some way to use symbols like * and + in expressions involving objects where they make sense, like Complex and Vector, so that we could write expressions like z = z * z + z0 instead? A. Some languages (notably C++) support this feature, which is known as operator overloading, but Java does not do so (except that there is language support for overloading + with string concatenation). As usual, this is a decision of the language designers that we just live with, but many Java programmers do not consider this to be much of a loss. Operator overloading makes sense only for types that represent numeric or algebraic abstractions, a small fraction of the total, and many programs are easier to understand when operations have descriptive names such as plus and times. Q. Are there other kinds of variables besides parameter, local, and instance variables in a class? A. If you include the keyword static in a class declaration (outside of any type) it creates a completely different type of variable, known as a static variable. Like instance variables, static variables are accessible to every method in the class; however, they are not associated with any object. In older programming languages, such variables are known as global variables, because of their global scope. In modern programming, we focus on limiting scope and therefore rarely use such variables. Q. Is there a relationship between the Vector in this section and the Vector class in the Java library? A. No. We use the name because the term vector properly belongs to phyiscs and linear algebra. Q. Mandlebrot creates hundreds of millions of Complex objects. Doesn't all that object-creation overhead slow things down? A. Yes, but not so much that we cannot generate our plots. Our goal is to make our programs readable and easy to maintain - limiting scope via the complex number abstraction helps us achieve that goal. You certainly could speed up Mandelbrot by bypassing the complex number abstraction or by using a different implementation of Complex. Q. What does the error message "can't make a static reference to a non-static variable" mean? public class Test { private static int M; // class variable private int N; // instance variable public static int getM() { return M; } // OK public static int getN() { return N; } // ERROR 1. Why does program Bug1.java create a java.lang.NullPointerException when executed? public class Bug1 { private String s; public void Bug1() { s = "hello"; } public String toString() { return s.toUpperCase(); } public static void main(String[] args) { Bug1 x = new Bug1(); Answer: the programmer probably intended to make the no argument constructor set the string to hello. However, it has a return type (void) so it is an ordinary instance method instead of a constructor. It just happens to have the same name as the class. 2. Why does program Bug2.java create a java.lang.NullPointerException when executed? 3. Implement a data type Die for rolling a fair die, say with 6 sides. Include a mutator method roll() and an accessor method value. 4. Implement a mutable data type LFSR for a linear feedback shift register. 5. Implement a mutable data type Counter. 6. Implement a mutable data type Odometer. 7. Implement a mutable data type StopWatch. 8. Implement a data type VotingMachine for tabulating votes. Include mutator methods voteRepublican(), voteDemocrat(), and voteIndependent(). Include an accessor method getCount() to retrieve the total number of votes. 9. What happens when you try to compile and execute the following code fragment? Student x; Answer: it complains that x may not be initialized, and does not compile. 10. Suppose you want to add a constructor to Complex that takes one real argument and initializes a complex object with that value. You write the following code public void Complex(double real) { re = real; im = 0.0; Why does the statement Complex c = new Complex(1.0) given a compiler error? Answer: constructors do not have return types, not even void. So the code above is actually a method named Complex not a constructor. Remove the keyword void and it will work. This is a common gotcha. 11. What happens when you try to compile and execute the following code fragment? Student[] students = new Student[10]; Answer: it compiles and prints out null. 12. What is wrong with the following code fragment? int N = 17; Dog[] dogs = new Dog[N]; Answer: it produces a NullPointerException because we forgot use new to create each individual Dog object. To correct, add the following loop after the array initialization statement. dogs[i] = new Dog(); 13. What does the following code fragment print? Complex c = new Complex(2.0, 0.0); 14. Modify the toString method in Complex.java so that it prints 3 - i as 3 - i instead of 3 + -i, and prints 3 as 3 instead of 3 + 0i. 15. What's wrong with the following code fragment that swaps the Student objects x and y? Student swap = new Student(); swap = x; x = y; y = swap; Answer: First, the data type Student does not have a no-argument constructor. If it did, then it would technically be correct, but the new Student() line is unnecessary and wasteful. It allocates memory for a new student object, sets swap equal to that memory address, then immediately sets swap equal to the memory address of x. The allocated memory is no longer accessible. The following version is correct. Student swap = x; x = y; y = swap; 16. Add a method minus(Complex b) to Complex that takes a complex argument b and returns the difference between the invoking object and b. 17. Add a method divides(Complex b) to Complex that takes a complex argument b and returns the quotient of the invoking object divided by b. 18. Add a method conjugate() to Complex that returns the complex conjugate of the invoking object. 19. Write a program RootsOfUnity.java that takes a command line argument N and uses Complex to compute and print out the N Nth roots of unity. 20. Write a program to read in three real numbers a, b, and c and print out all roots of ax2 + bx + c, including complex ones. 21. Find inputs to the Mandelbrot update formula that make it converge (z0 = 1/2 + 0i), cycle with a period of 1 (z0 = -2 + 0i), cycle with a period of 2 (z0 = -1 + 0i), or stay bounded without converging (z0 = -3/2 + 0i). 22. Write a program ColorMandelbrot.java that plots a color version of the Mandelbrot set. Read in a 256-by-3 array of color values from standar input into an array, and then use the ith color if the Mandelbrot function takes i iterations. Use the data file mandel.txt as an example. Mandelbrot set Mandelbrot set -1.5 -1.0 2.0 2.0 0.10259 -0.641 0.0086 0.0086 23. Julia sets. The Julia set for a given complex number c is a set of points related to the Mandelbrot function. Instead of fixing z and varying c, we fix c and vary z. Those points z for which the modified Mandelbrot function stays bounded are in the Julia set; those for which the sequence diverges to infinity are not in the set. All points z of interest lie in the the 4-by-4 box centered at the origin. The Julia set for c is connected if and only if c is in the Mandelbrot set! Write a program ColorJulia.java that takes two command line parameters a and b, and plots a color version of the Julia set for c = a + ib. Read in a 256-by-3 array of color values from standar input into an array, and then use the ith color if the Julia function takes i iterations. Use the data file mandel.txt as an example. Julia set Julia set -1.25 0.00 -0.75 0.10 24. Point3D. Create a data type for points in 3 dimensional space. Include a constructor that takes three real coordinates x, y, and z. Include methods distance, distanceSquared, and distanceL1 for the Euclidean distance, Euclidean distance squared, and the L1-distance. 25. Intervals. Create a data type Interval.java for intervals on the x-axis. An interval is the set of points in the range [left, right]. Include methods for a constructor (including a check that the left endpoint is no greater than the right endpoint) and a method intersects so that a.intersects(b) returns true if the intervals a and b intersect, and false otherwise. 26. Create a data type PhoneNumber.java that represents a US phone number. The constructor should take three string arguments, the area code (3 decimal digits), the exchange (3 decimal digits) and the extension (4 decimal digits). Include a toString method that prints out phone numbers of the form (800) 867-5309. Include a method so that p.equals(q) returns true if the phone numbers p and q are the same, and false otherwise. 27. Redo PhoneNumber.java but implement it using three integer fields. Make the constructor take three integer arguments. Comment on the advantages and disadvantages of this approach over the string representation. Answer: more efficient with time and memory. More hassle to handle leading 0s correct in constructor and toString method. 28. Write a program to draw the field lines for a uniform field. Arrange N evenly-spaced particles with charge e in a vertical column, and arrange N particles with charge -e in a vertical column so that each charge on one side is lined up with a corresponding charge on the other side. This simulates the field inside a plane capacitor. What can you say about the resulting electric field? A. Almost uniform. Creative Exercises 1. IP addresses. Create a data type for IPv4 (Internet Protocol, version 4) addresses. An IP address is a 32-bit integer. 2. Dates. Create a data type Date that represents a date. You should be able to create a new Date by specifying the month, day, and year. It should supports methods to compute the number of days between two dates, return the day of the week that a day falls on, etc. 3. Time bombs. UNIX represents the date with a signed integer measuring the number of seconds since January 1, 1970. Write a client program to calculate when this date will occur. Add a static method add(Date d, int days) to your date data type that returns a new date which is the specified number of days after the date d. Note that there are 86,400 seconds in a day. 4. Qubits. In quantum computing, a qubit plays the role of a bit. It is a complex number a + bi such that \|a + bi\| = 1. Once we measure a qubit, it "decides" to be a 1 with probability a2 and a 0 with probability b2. Any subsequent observations will always yield the same value. Implement a data type Qubit that has a constructor Qubit(a, b) and a boolean method observe that returns true or false with the proscribed probabilities. 5. Biorhythms. A biorhythm is a pseudo-scientific profile of the three natural cycles of your body: physical (23 days), emotional (28 days), and intellectual (31 days). Write a program that takes six command line inputs M, D, Y, m, d, and y where (M, D, Y) is the month (1-12), day (1-31), and year (1900-2100) of your birthday and (m, d, y) is today's month, day, and year. It should then print out your biorhythm on a scale of -1.0 to 1.0 according to the formula: sin (2 π age / cycle length). Use the date data type created in the previous exercise. 6. Particle. Create a data type for elementary or composite particles (electron, proton, quark, photon, atom, molecule). Each particle should have an instance variable to store its name, its mass, its charge, and its spin (multiple of 1/2). 7. Quark. Quarks are the smallest known building blocks of matter. Create a data type for quarks. Include a field for its type (up, down, charm, strange, top, or bottom) and its color (red, green, or blue). The charges are +2/3, -1/3, +2/3, -1/3, +2/3, -1/3, respectively. All have spin 1/2. Diffusion of particles in a fluid. Simulate diffusion of particles in a fluid. See BrownianParticle.java in Section 9.8. 8. Biorhythms. Plot your biorhythm in turtle graphics over a 6 week interval. Identify critical days when your rhythm goes from positive to negative - according to biorhythm theory, this is when you are most prone to accident, instability, and error. 9. Vector3. Include normal vector operations for 3-vectors, including cross product. The cross product of two vectors is another vector. a cross b = \|\|a\|\| \|\|b\|\| sin(theta) n, where theta is angle between a and b, and n is unit normal vector perpendicular to both a and b. (a1, a2, a3) cross (b1, b2, b3) = (a2 b3 - a3 b2, a3 b1 - a1 b3, a1 b2 - a2 b1). Note that \|a cross b\| = area of the parallelogram with sides a and b. Cross product arises in definition of torque, angular momentum and vector operator curl. 10. Four-vector. Create a data type for four-vectors. A four-vector is a four-dimensional vector (t, x, y, z) subject to Lorentz transformations. Useful in special relativity. 11. Euclidean points. Create a data type EuclideanPoint.java that represents a d-dimensional point. Include a method so that p.distanceTo(q) returns the Euclidean distance between points p and q. 12. Vector field. A vector field associates a vector with every point in a Euclidean space. Widely used in physics to model speed and direction of a moving object or or strength and direction of a Newtonian force. 13. Soda machine. Create a data type SodaMachine that has methods insertCoin(), getChange(), buy(), etc. 14. Months. Write a data type Month that represents one of the twelve months of the year. It should have fields for the name of the month, the number of days in the month, and the birthstone. January 31 Garnet February 28 Amethyst March 31 Aquamarine April 30 Diamond May 31 Emerald June 30 Alexandrite July 31 Ruby August 31 Peridot September 30 Sapphires October 31 Opal November 30 Topaz December 31 Blue Zircon 15. Chaos with Newton's method. The polynomial f(z) = z4 - 1 as 4 roots at 1, -1, i, and -i. We can find the roots using Newton's method over the complex plane: z_k+1 = z_k - f(z_k)/f'(z_k). Here f(z) = z4 - 1 and f'(z) = 4z3. The method converges to one of the 4 roots depending on the starting point z_0. Choose each point in the complex plane with coordinates between -1 and 1 and determine which of the four roots it converges to, and plot the point either white, red, green, or blue accordingly. If Newton's method doesn't converge after 100 iterations, color the point black. Name your program NewtonChaos.java. Newton's method 16. Gauss multiplication. Implement complex multiplication using only 3 floating point multiplications (instead of 4). You may use as many as 5 floating point additions. Answer: Gauss gave the following method to multiply (a + bi)(c + di). Set x1 = (a + b)(c + d), x2 = ac, x3 = bd. Then the product is given by x + yi where x = x2 - x3, y = x1 - x2 - x3. 17. Rational numbers. Create a data type Rational.java and BigRational.java for positive rational numbers. 18. Rational numbers. Modify Rational.java to provide support for negative rationals and zero. 19. Quaternions. In 1843, Sir William Hamilton discovered an extension to complex numbers called quaternions. Quaternions extend the concept of rotation in three dimensions to four dimensions. They are used in computer graphics, control theory, signal processing, and orbital mechanics, e.g., command for spacecraft attitude control systems. are related to Pauli spin matrices in physics. Create a date type Quaternion.java to represent quaternions. Include operations for adding, multiplying, inverting, conjugating, and taking the norm of quaternions. A quaternion can be represented by a 4-tuple of real numbers (a0, a1, a2, a3), which represents a0 + a1 i + a2 j + a3 k. The funadmental identity is i^2 = j^2 = k^2 = ijk = -1. The quaternion conjugate is (a0, -a1, -a2, -a3). The quaternion norm is sqrt(a02 + a12 + a22 + a32). The inverse of a quaternion is (a0/d, -a1/d, -a2/d, -a3/d) where d is the square of the quaternion norm. The sum of two quaternions (a0, a1, a2, a3) and (b0, b1, b2, b3) is (a0+b0, a1+b1, a2+b2, a3+b3), the product is (a0b0 - a1b1 - a2b2 - a3b3, a0b1 + a1b0 + a2b3 - a3b2, a0b2 - a1b3 + a2b0 + a3b1, a0b3 + a1b2 - a2b1 + a3b0), and the quotient a/b is the product of (a0, a1, a2, a3) and the inverse of (b0, b1, b2, b3). Note that ab doesn't equal ba in general. 20. Equipotential surfaces. An equipotential surface is the set of all points that have the same electric potential V. Given a group of N point charges, it is useful to visualize the electric potential by plotting equipotential surfaces (aka countour plots). Program Equipotential.java draws a line every 5V by computing the potential at each gridpoint and checking whether the potential is within 1 pixel of a multiple of 5V. Since the electric field E measures how much the potential changes, E * eps is the range that the potential changes in a distance of 1 pixel. Electric equipotential Electric equipotential It is also interesting to plot the field lines and the equipotential lines simultaneously. The field lines are always perpendicular the the equipotential lines. 21. Tensors. Create a data type for tensors. 22. UN Countries. Create a data type Countryfor UN countries. Include fields for 3 digit UN Code, 3 letter ISO abbreviation, country name, and capital. Write a program Country.java that reads in a list of countries and stores them in an array of type Country. Use the method String.split to help parse the input file. 23. Area codes. Create a data type for telephone area codes in North America. Include fields for the area code, the city, and state, and the two letter state abbreviation. Or for international phone codes. Include a field for zone, code, and country. 24. Congressional districts. Create a data type for places, counties, and congressional districts. Include fields for place name, county name, county code, zip code, congressional district, etc. Use the data sets from the 1998 FIPS55-DC3 Index: Pennsylvania (2MB) or all 50 states plus DC and 9 outlying areas (30MB). 25. Latitudes and longitudes. For USA latitudes and longitudes, use the TIGER database or www.bcca.org or gazetteer. For the rest of the world, use earth-info. 26. Astronomy. Data for asteroids, meteors, and comets. 27. Fortune 1000 companies. Create a data type the for Fortune 1000. Include fields for company name and sales revenue in millions of dollars. Data taken from April 15, 2002 issue of Fortune. Note: currently need to parse data. 28. Elements. Create a data type Element.java for the Periodic Table of Elements. Include fields for element, atomic number, symbol, and atomic weight. (Ignore fields for boiling point, melting point, density (kg/m3), Heat vapour (kJ/mol), heat fusion (kJ/mol), thermal conductivity (W/m/K), and specific heat capacity (J/kg/K) since it's not know for all elements). The file is in CSV format (fields separated by commas). 29. Molecular weight. Write a program so that the user enters a molecule H2 O and the program calculates its molecular weight. 30. Some potentially useful datafiles: aroma therapies, nutritional information, meteorological glossary, psychiatric disorders, words translated in 15 languages, dictionary of emoticons, meanings of common names, World Almanac facts about countries. 31. Student records. Create a data type Student.java to represent students in an introductory computer science course. Each student record object should represent a first name, last name, email address, and section number. Include a toString() method that returns a string representation of a student and a less() method that compares two students by section number. To do so, implement the following API: public class Student public Student(String first, String last, String email, int section) public boolean less(Student s2) // true if this student's section is smaller than that of s2 String toString() // string representation of student (section, first name, last name, and email) 32. Impedance. Impedance is the generalization of resistance from DC circuits to AC circuits. In an AC circuit, the impedance of a component measures its opposition to the flow of electrons at a given frequency ω. The impedance has two components: the resistance and the reactance. The resistance R of a circuit component measures its opposition to the movement of electrons (friction against motion of electrons) when a given voltage is applied. The reactance X of a circuit component measures its ability to store and release energy as the current and voltage fluctuate (inertia against motion of electrons). In circuits with resistors only, the current is directly proportional to the voltage. However, with capacitors and inductors, there is a +- 90 degree "phase shift" between the current and voltage. This means that when the voltage wave is at its maximum, the current is 0, and when the current is at its maximum the voltage is 0. To unify the treatment of resistors (R), inductors (L), and capacitors (C) it is convenient to treat the impedance as the complex quantity Z = R + iX. the impedance of an inductor is iwL and the impedance of a capacitor is 1/iwC. To determine the impedance of a sequence of circuit elements in series, we simply add up their individual impedances. Two important quantities in electrical engineering are themagnitude of the impedance and the phase angle. The magnitude is the ratio of the RMS voltage to the RMS current - it equals the magnitude of the complex impedance. The phase angle is the amount by which the voltage leads or lags the current - it is the phase of the complex impedance. Program CircuitRLC.java does a computation involving complex numbers and impedance of circuits with resistors, inductors, and capacitors in series. Exercise: RLC circuit in parallel. 1/Z = 1/Z1 + 1/Z2 + ... 1/Zn. Exercise (for objects): repeat series-parallel network for RLC circuits with impedances instead of resistance 33. Diffusion of particles in a fluid. Simulate diffusion of particles in a fluid. See BrownianParticle.java in Section 9.8. 34. Electric field lines. Michael Faraday introduced an abstraction called electric field lines to visualize the electric field. By Coulombs law, the electric field at a point induced by a point charge qi is given by Ei = k qi / r2, and the direction points to qi if qi is negative and away from qi it is positive. If there are a group of n point charges, the electric field at a point is the vector sum of the electric fields induced by the n individual point charges. We can compute it by summing up the components in the x- and y- directions. The figure below illustrates the field lines for two equal positive point charges (left) and two point charges of opposite signs (right). The second configuration is called an electric dipole: the charges cancel each other out, and the electric field weakens very quickly as you move away from the charges. Examples of dipoles can be found in molecules where charge is not evenly distributed. Oscillating dipoles can be used to produce electromagnetic waves to transmit radio and television signals. Electric potential Electric potential Program FieldLines.java draws 10 electric field lines coming out of each charge. (We take some liberties since traditionally the number of field lines per unit area should be proportional to the magnitude of the field strength.) Each line starts on a 1-pixel circle around the charge, at twelve equally spaced angles. The electric field at a point (x, y) from a point charge qi is given by Ei = k qi / r2, where qi is the magnitude of the charge i and r is the radial distance from it. The field due to several charges is the vector sum of the field due to each, and can be found by adding the x- and y-components. After calculating the electric field strength, we move in the direction of the vector field and draws a spot. We repeat this process until we reach the boundary of the region or another point charge. The figures below illustrate the electric potential and field lines for several random charges of equal magnitude. Electric potential and field lines Electric potential and field lines 35. Koch snowflake with rainbow of colors. The Koch snowflake of order n consists of three copies of the Koch curve of over n. We draw the three Koch curves one after the other, but rotate 120° clockwise in between. Below are the Koch snowflakes of order 0, 1, 2, and 3. Write a program KochRainbow.java that plotsthe Koch snowflake in a continuous spectrum of colors from red, to orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo, and violet. Koch Snowflake Koch Snowflake Koch Snowflake Koch Snowflake Koch Snowflake 36. Anti-Koch snowflakes. The anti-Koch snowflake is generated exactly like the Koch snowflake, except that clockwise and counterclockwise are interchanged. Write a program AntiKoch.java that takes a command line parameter N and plots the anti-Koch snowflake of order N using Turtle graphics. 37. Randomized Koch snowflakes. A randomized Koch snowflake is generated exactly like the Koch snowflake, except that we flip a coin to generate the clockwise and counterclockwise direction at each step. 38. Turtle graphics. 1. Minkowski sausage. (Sausage.java) 2. Gosper island. 3. Cesaro broken square. 39. More turtle graphics. Write a program to produce each of the following recursive patterns. 1. Levy tapestry. (Levy.java) 2. Fudgeflake. 40. Turtle graphics (hard). Write a program to produce each of the following recursive patterns without lifting the pen or tracing over the same line segment more than once. 1. Hilbert space-filling curve. (Hilbert.java or SingleHilbert.java) Informally, a space-filling curve is a continuous curve in the unit square that passes through every point. In 1890, Giuseppe Peano discovered the first such space-filling curve. In 1891, David Hilbert discovered a simpler version, which came to be known as the Hilbert curve. Hilbert curve of order 1 Hilbert curve of order 2 Hilbert curve of order 3 Hilbert curve of order 4 Hilbert curve of order 5 2. Sierpinski arrowhead. 3. Sierpinski curve. 41. Dragon curve. Write a program Dragon.java that reads in a command-line parameter N and plots the order N dragon curve using turtle graphics. The dragon curve was first discovered by three NASA physicists (John E. Heighway, Bruce A. Banks, and William G. Harter) and later popularized by Martin Gardner in Scientific American (March and April 1967) and Michael Crichton in Jurassic Park. This is a sophisticated program that uses two mutually recursive functions. Program SequentialDragon.java is an iterative version of the dragon curve. It is a hacker's paradise. 42. Mandelbrot trajectory. Write an interactive program Trajectory.java that plots the sequence of points in the Mandelbrot iteration in the complex plane. If the user clicks on (x, y), plot the sequence of iterates for z = x + iy. 43. Faster Mandelbrot. Speed up Mandelbrot by performing the computation directly instead of using Complex. Compare. Incorporate periodicity checking or boundary tracing for further improvements. Use divide-and-conquer: choose 4 corners of a rectangle and a few random points inside; if they're all the same color, color the whole rectangle that color; otherwise divide into 4 rectangles and recur. 44. More Complex methods. Add methods to Complex.java to support trigonometric and exponential functions on complex numbers. • exp(a + ib) = e^a cos(b) + i e^a sin(b) • sin(a + ib) = sin(a) cosh(b) + i cos(a) sinh(b) • cos(a + ib) = cos(a) cosh(b) - i sin(a) sinh(b) • tan(a + ib) = sin(a + ib) / cos(a + ib) 45. Add a method power to Complex so that a.power(b) returns the result of taking the complex number a and taking it to the complex power b. 46. What is the principle value of ii? Answer: e-Π/2 = 0.207879576.... 47. Random walker. Write a data type RandomWalker that simulates the motion of a random walker in the plane that starts at the origin and makes a random step (left, right, up, or down) at each step. Include a method step() that moves the random walker one step and a method distance() that returns the distance the random walker is from the origin. Use this data type to formulate a hypothesis as to how far (as a function of N) the random walker is from the origin after N steps. (See also Exercise 1.x.) 48. Turtle graphics. Extend Turtle in various ways. Make DeluxeTurtle that adds color, etc. Add a version that supports error checking. For example, throw a TurtleOutOfBounds exception if turtle goes outside designated boundary. 49. Write a program FourChargeClient.java that takes a double command-line argument r, creates four Charge objects that are each distance r from the center of the screen (.5, .5), and prints the potential at location (.25, .5) due to the combined four charges. All four charges should have the same unit charge. 50. Electric potential visualization. Image processing is also helpful in scientific visualization. Program Potential.java visualizes the potential values created by a set of charges. It relies on the data file charges.txt. Electric potential Electric potential
Join them; it only takes a minute: Sign up Join the Stack Overflow community to: 1. Ask programming questions 2. Answer and help your peers 3. Get recognized for your expertise even = number % 2 == 0; This is a valid java assignment which was given in a website as example. So does equality operator return a boolean value after evaluation ? Like in this case, number % 2 == 0 , if true, it assigns even = true? share\|improve this question Ask yourself: Would anything else make any sense? – delnan Sep 19 '11 at 15:51 @delnan: Perhaps not, but there are plenty of languages (C, C++) in which the equality operator yields an integer. – Keith Thompson Sep 19 '11 at 16:10 @Keith: That's because those languages don't have dedicated booleans (and use the integers 0 and 1 in their place, or more generally zero and non-zero numbers). And for that matter, at least some of those languages guaranteed that comparisions yield a 0 or 1. And then there's the issue that Java isn't one of those languages... – delnan Sep 19 '11 at 16:51 @delnan: More or less. Both C (the 1999 standard) and C++ have dedicated boolean types, but they're derived from languages that didn't. The point is you can't determine whehter "==" yields a boolean by thinking about whether it makes sense; you need to see what the language standard actually says. – Keith Thompson Sep 19 '11 at 17:27 Thank you all... :) I had not come across this kind of a statement where equality operator is tested and the boolean value assigned - all one line. So got little confused. All answers were useful and have got clarity. Thanks so much once again. – samhitha arr Sep 19 '11 at 17:42 Yes. Comparison operators evaluate to boolean values. share\|improve this answer Yes. From the Java Language Specification, section 15.21: The equality operators are syntactically left-associative (they group left-to-right), but this fact is essentially never useful; for example, a==b==c parses as (a==b)==c. The result type of a==b is always boolean, and c must therefore be of type boolean or a compile-time error occurs. Thus, a==b==c does not test to see whether a, b, and c are all equal. (Emphasis mine - the rest of the paragraph is somewhat irrelevant, but it's the context in which the important phrase appears.) share\|improve this answer Yes, comparisons made with boolean operators evaluate to a boolean value share\|improve this answer Your Answer
Definitions for ebullitionˌɛb əˈlɪʃ ən This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word ebullition Princeton's WordNet 1. effusion, gush, outburst, blowup, ebullition(noun) an unrestrained expression of emotion 1. ebullition(Noun) the act of boiling 2. ebullition(Noun) a sudden emotional outburst Webster Dictionary 1. Ebullition(noun) 2. Ebullition(noun) effervescence occasioned by fermentation or by any other process which causes the liberation of a gas or an aeriform fluid, as in the mixture of an acid with a carbonated alkali 3. Ebullition(noun) a sudden burst or violent display; an outburst; as, an ebullition of anger or ill temper 4. Origin: [F. bullition, L. ebullitio, fr. ebullire. See Ebullient.] 1. Chaldean Numerology The numerical value of ebullition in Chaldean Numerology is: 1 2. Pythagorean Numerology The numerical value of ebullition in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2 Images & Illustrations of ebullition Find a translation for the ebullition definition in other languages: Select another language: Discuss these ebullition definitions with the community: Word of the Day Please enter your email address: Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography: "ebullition." STANDS4 LLC, 2016. Web. 29 Jun 2016. <>. Are we missing a good definition for ebullition? Don't keep it to yourself... Nearby & related entries: Alternative searches for ebullition: Thanks for your vote! We truly appreciate your support.
You are here 'All good makerspaces put kids first in all that they do.' Laura Fleming has quite a bit of knowledge about makerspaces. She’s created them at the elementary, middle and high school levels. EDTECH: How did you first become interested in makerspaces? FLEMING: This is my 19th year in education. I started out as a classroom teacher. My school was renovating its library, and they wanted someone with a technology background to come in. I have a master’s degree in educational technology, so they asked me if I wanted to move into the library. It was the best thing I ever did. I’ve been a school librarian now for probably 13 years or so. My involvement in makerspaces goes back to when I was an elementary school librarian. A lot of times, people think about STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] when they think about makerspaces, but my point of entry was actually through literacy. I integrated those “making” concepts into the lessons that I taught on a daily basis and I gave my students as many opportunities as possible to “play with story.” EDTECH: What are some common elements in successful makerspaces? FLEMING: A lot of people think it’s the technology that pushes kids outside of their comfort zone, but for me it’s not about the technology at all. It’s about having the opportunities for that open-ended exploration and to take control of their own learning. All good makerspaces put kids first in all that they do. The voice of the learner is an essential part in creating a makerspace. Without the voice of the learner, you have a bunch of stuff in the corner. EDTECH: Is there a big difference between makerspaces in elementary, middle school and high school settings, or is there a common theme? FLEMING: I really feel lucky at this point to have taught and been a librarian in grades kindergarten through 12 because I think it has given me a lot of perspective. This is just my opinion, but I don’t see much of a difference at all in what a kindergarten makerspace looks like and what a high school makerspace looks like. Makerspaces are just a metaphor for allowing students to have the opportunity to engage in open-ended exploration. It’s about creating a unique learning environment and doing what’s best for kids. EDTECH: How have you made the most of what you have? What does your space look like? FLEMING: To create our space, we repurposed some existing library furniture. This is furniture that has been here probably for 20 or 30 years. They’re traditional library tables with traditional seating. My students glued Lego plates onto one of those old library tables and created their own Lego table. Our bookshelves are built into the heating system in our library and can’t be removed, so we had our custodians install right on top of the bookshelves what we call our LittleBits bar, which is made out of an old work table that one of our IT guys had sitting in his garage at home. I think repurposing what we have really lends itself to that whole maker mindset. We also have made the most of what we have in terms of the materials and supplies that we have in our space. To start a makerspace, I recommend that people use some kind of planning process. EDTECH: What does your planning process look like? FLEMING: My planning process starts with the kids and taking the time to understand the learners, finding out what kinds of things they’re interested in, what they like to do in school, what they like to do out of school — basically, uncovering their passions. From there, I move onto assessing existing curricular programs and offerings within the school community. What kinds of things are happening in school that we can pull out and put in the makerspace as an opportunity to democratize learning, make those concepts available for the entire student body as opposed to just one club or class? Also, assess what’s happening at your school. You might find holes in your school that your makerspace can fill. I believe in a thematic approach to planning a makerspace as opposed to a resource-driven approach. Based on your themes, you can then move on to ordering equipment, materials and supplies. EDTECH: What does the IT department do to help you set up or maintain your makerspaces? FLEMING: Our IT guys donated computers to our space. They never give us anything that’s broken; they just give us the things that are running slowly or are a little outdated. The kids take them apart and learn about the different components that make up the system and then, in a lot of cases, they rebuild the computers. The IT department has been integral; not only have they donated things like their work benches from home and the computers, they have also served as mentors for kids in our space. Having my IT department here to support me has been essential in providing the kids the makerspace that they want. Giles Ashford Mar 28 2016 Spice IT
Global megatrends at the side of the road Designing the future Urban systems Context Today, 72% of the total population of the European Union (EU) live in cities, towns and suburbs.[1] The environmental dimension of urban living is crucial for the health and well-being of their residents as well as the quality of the surrounding territories.[2] The 'Urban Audit'[3] data base and the 'Urban Atlas'[4] provide detailed information on major urban areas. Figure 1: The urban system urban system Various concepts have been coined to describe how complex interactions can impact on urban living (Figure 1). • The 'urban metabolism' refers to the flows necessary to satisfy the needs of those living in cities. • 'Grey infrastructure', such as roads, metros, railways, buildings and utilities, determines a city's layout. Yet without integrated urban planning, this urban 'engineering' generates soil sealing, fragments natural systems, increases mobility and associated pollution, energy and material consumption.[5][6] • 'Green infrastructure' is a way to work with nature to provide social, ecological and economic benefits to the urban population such as air filtration, temperature regulation, noise reduction, flood protection and recreational areas.[7][8][9][10] The high concentration of people and economic activities in cities cause environmental pressures. Yet cities can be planned, designed, managed and governed in an increasingly efficient way. The EU has had a substantial impact on the development of cities over recent decades through its cohesion policy and sectoral policies (e.g. water, waste, noise, air). The Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment[11] and the recent 7th Environment Action Programme (7th EAP)[12] promote integrated urban policy. This could also apply for the principles of urban development in the EU as expressed in its 'Territorial Agenda of the European Union 2020'.[13] An intergovernmental process, coupled with the practical experiences gained through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), has led to clear principles of urban development. This is known as the acquis urbain.[14] Key trends Figure 2: Urban sprawl by country and within countries (2009)[15] Cities depend on their neighbouring areas for supply and disposal services. The densification of urban areas is viewed as a way to reduce their spatial growth and the associated environmental impacts. Urban sprawl versus urban density: Between 2000 and 2006 about 1 000 km2 of land[16] was covered every year by artificial surfaces.[17] Re-using land (e.g. rehabilitating industrial sites or contaminated land), which had previously been developed but is currently not in active use, is a way to further reduce land take. Around 2.5% of the increase in artificial surfaces[18] created between 1990 and 2000 came about through the recycling of already developed land.[19] Typically, European cities are dense but they are becoming less dense at their boundaries. Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) are higher in commuter towns not only because of car dependency but also due to the characteristics of the buildings. This is because high energy housing, such as detached and semi-detached dwellings, is dominant.[20] Nevertheless some European urban areas continue to expand. There are large differences in the level of sprawl both between and within European countries (Figure 2).[21The more areas are built up and the lower their intensity of use, the higher the degree of urban sprawl. The challenges of health and well-being: Up to one third of Europeans living in cities are exposed to levels of air pollutants[22] exceeding EU air quality standards, in particular for particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O3),[23][24] road transport being a significant source. Half of the EU's urban population is exposed to traffic noise levels above 55dB.[25In the dense urban environment green spaces, correctly planned and managed, can contribute to improve the air quality and to reduce excessive heat.[7][10][26] Resource-efficient cities: Total municipal solid waste has decreased by 2% between 2004 and 2012. Significant progress has been made in recycling glass, paper, cardboard, metals and plastic.[27] Thanks to better municipal waste management, life-cycle GHG emissions from municipal waste were cut by 57 million tonnes CO2-equivalent during the period 1990-2012. Urbanisation leads to an increase in land take and soil sealing. This permanent covering by impermeable artificial material, such as asphalt and concrete, affects, inter alia, food production, water absorption and filtration.[5] Cities need adequate amounts of water. They compete with agriculture, industry and tourism and this situation will be exacerbated with climate change. The largest cities are already transporting water over distances ranging from 100-200 km. Cities emit 69% of Europe's CO2.[28] It is critical for cities to reduce GHG emissions and to enhance resilience to potential impacts from climate change. Box 1: A city with no clear limit Cities are characterised by the concentration of people, buildings and activities. However, at the outskirts of cities built-up areas become diluted and mixed in with rural areas. This area can be referred to as transitional. Cities become less dense (i.e. fewer people, buildings and infrastructure) the further away one is from the city centre. An EEA analysis of this dilution involving taking individual bands of 1 km width measured from the city centre to its edge. Some interesting results: in London 75% of the 1 km band 15 km from the city centre is built-up. For Paris this was 65% and Brussels 35%. The mean for the EU is 12%. The transitional area, neither city nor countryside, is home to a range of functions including agricultural, residential, recreational, and energy production (e.g. windmills). The governance of these less dense areas is complicated by the fact that a number of administrative areas are involved in the decision-making process. With the development of mobility, the urban structure has increased in complexity. Increasingly development is happening at the outskirts of cities. These areas are becoming minor urban hubs in their own right. Therefore, most of the biggest cities are embedded into a larger interconnected metropolitan area. The role of cities is critical in a transition towards a low carbon, resource-efficient and ecosystem-resilient society.[29] The cities of tomorrow have the potential to be healthier, denser, greener and smarter through better urban planning and governance. Adapt to climate change now and at lower cost: Climate change will expose cities to more frequent and prolonged heatwaves, flooding, water scarcity and forest fires.[26] Cities need to build climate change resilience through strong local and regional planning and investments to maintain the functioning of urban infrastructure and services (such as buildings, roads, railways, energy grids and sewage systems) and develop green infrastructure. The European Climate Adaptation Platform, Climate ADAPT[32], launched by the European Commission's Directorate General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA), aims to support countries in adapting to climate change. Modernising 'grey' infrastructure: Without renovation and restructuring, infrastructure that sustains everyday life — related to energy and water supply, waste management, housing and transport systems — can lead to overuse of resources and energy.[33] Smart urban design influences transport demand. Local authorities can encourage the use of sustainable forms of transport by providing efficient, reliable and affordable collective transport and convenient walking and cycling infrastructure.[34] Developing multifunctional green infrastructure: Cities are dependent on ecosystems inside as well as outside the city's limits. In built-up cities green spaces, from trees to large parks, improve the health and well-being of residents. Green infrastructure is seen as a cost-effective and efficient tool to combat the impacts of the climate change, to build disaster resilience and to deliver health-related benefits.[8][9][10] Smarter cities: Smart technologies and services, that often rely on information and communication technology, offer huge opportunities to make urban environments cleaner and healthier to live in. Eco-innovations[35] can be used in many domains such as recycling, monitoring, renewable energy, transport, etc.[36][37] Engaging society: The transition to urban sustainability requires behavioural changes that need to be accepted by society. Municipalities can raise citizens' awareness, generate fruitful participation and support citizen initiatives such as car-sharing, urban gardening and collaborative consumption initiatives. It is now possible to empower citizens and generate communities through ICT-enabled solutions. No publisher urban planning green city systemic perspectives urban design population density well-being urban growth 2015/02/18 01:00:00 GMT+2 Briefing • Why resource-efficient cities matter? • What are the main challenges and what can be done? • What are the main drivers making urban transformation possible? Selected highlights from the reports No publisher urban planning cities resource efficiency urban areas resource efficient cities 2015/12/10 15:00:00 GMT+2 News Landscape fragmentation in Europe Joint EEA-FOEN report No publisher landscape fragmentation biodiversity nature conservation land use planning land use sustainable development land conservation landscape planning land development urban planning urban environment landscape management traffic landscape protection area landscape 2011/09/05 13:39:39 GMT+2 Publication Improving the environment in Europe's cities Four out of five of all Europeans live in towns and cities and the European Commission wants to help make urban areas a better place to live. No publisher quality of life car ownership public transport rail regeneration Stavros Dimas urban planning urban traffic urban environment tourism parking space urban areas cities 2008/02/12 15:42:14 GMT+2 File How vulnerable could your city be to climate impacts? Climate change will affect Europe's cities in different ways. To give an overall impression of the challenge for European cities to adapt to climate change, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has published a series of detailed interactive maps, allowing users to explore data from more than 500 cities across Europe. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of river floods and extreme temperature events in many parts of Europe. If heavy rain caused rivers to rise by one metre, which European cities could be most at risk from flooding? Which cities could provide relief during heat waves with large green areas and which city designs could most exacerbate the effect of heat waves? What are the capacities of different European cities to cope with climate change impacts and to adapt to future changes? Explore the map with more functions in Eye on Earth Cities are centres of economic and social activity. They can grow; they can decline. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution to make a city sustainable. Different aspects of urban life need to be addressed. It is not just about building green spaces, attracting innovative and green businesses and building strong public transport. It is about looking at a city as whole, including the well-being of its residents. Malmö is an industrial city of roughly 300 000 people with diverse backgrounds. The city has high-rise buildings constructed in the 1960s as well as single-family houses with gardens. It also has new neighbourhoods, where we tried to build the city of the future: carbon neutral, compact, green. After the closure of its large shipyard in the beginning of 1980s, its population started shrinking, mainly due high unemployment rates. It took time to replace this negative image of the city with a positive one — a pleasant living environment, a front-runner in environmental policies and awareness, a fair-trade city that is green and clean, and so on. How can a city be made sustainable? The City of Malmö has outlined its general environmental objectives in a long-term programme agreed across the political spectrum. The environmental programme stipulates that the city administration of Malmö will be climate-neutral by 2020, and the whole municipality will run on 100 % renewable energy by 2030. There are also targets to reduce energy consumption per capita, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental programme also foresees more sustainable use of resources, including water, land and biodiversity in the city, as well as in the wider surrounding area. We also aim to create a more pleasant living environment for everyone, in other words, to help build the city of the future. How are these objectives translated into concrete projects? On the basis of the environmental programme, the City of Malmö adopts action plans with more specific targets. For example, one of the concrete targets in our action plan states that by 2015, 40 % of organic waste should go to biogas production. A concrete target like this requires action at different levels and stages. Households need to sort an increasing share of their waste. Waste management authorities need to prepare for collection of increased amounts of organic waste. And finally, to convert the increasing amount of organic waste into biogas, we need new plants, or additional capacity for existing plants. Some targets, like higher sorting rates in households, can be achieved through information campaigns. Others might require investing in infrastructure, including in waste collection fleets and energy plants. As with this example, one concrete target requires the involvement of many different actors. To bring these projects to life, we are and need to be in constant dialogue with civil society, public institutions and the private sector. Many of our projects receive funds from the EU. How do the residents get involved or contribute? A key component of our environmental programme is what we call ‘making it easy to do the right thing’. We need to offer them the possibility to opt for the more sustainable alternatives, including facilitating the use of public transport and improved waste management. When it comes to behaviour change, knowledge is vital. Our approach rests on enabling our residents to make informed decisions. What does their decision to take their car mean for the city’s air quality and traffic, compared to using public transport? One of our objectives is to make the city socially sustainable, with more interaction between people living in different parts of the city. This involves creating spaces and opportunities for Malmö’s residents to come together, like green spaces or festivals. This also contributes to fostering a positive image of the city, as well as improving the living environment. Recycling boxes (c) Daniel Skog How long does it take to transform a city like Malmö into a fully sustainable city? Each city starts from a different point. It depends on the existing infrastructure, political priorities and objectives. Malmö has an advantage compared to most European cities. This forward-looking vision has been in action since the 1990s. As a result, we have parts of the city already built and developed with this vision in mind. We are talking about very concrete projects and concrete problems, and we have a better understanding of the tasks at hand. So in this sense, we are among the front-runners in Europe. In the neighbourhoods where we have been active for 15 years, we can see that the programme has gained its own momentum. Some projects, such as waste sorting and recycling, might take 5 to 10 years to implement, but public perception might take up to a generation to change. Other cases, including transforming the existing buildings, might take even longer. The transition certainly happens in small steps. Public authorities play a certain role in facilitating this transition, not only by providing a framework but also by leading by example. What are the main challenges? In my opinion, the biggest challenge is to plan for the long-term; in other words, to move away from short- to medium-term planning. Politicians are elected for four- or five-year terms and their policy priorities can change after elections or during their term in office. The same is true for businesses. An investment decision depends on how much they can earn in return, and when. When it comes to building sustainable cities, we are actually looking at many different elements, as I mentioned earlier. We need to plan and prepare for a horizon well beyond our 5- to 10-year action plans. For example, the buildings we are constructing now might actually still be in use in 2100. Are we factoring in future energy needs or the use of buildings when we design them? We need to be visionary and flexible at the same time. There might not be clear answers to these questions yet, but they are certainly worth considering. Roland Zinkernagel Roland Zinkernagel Environment department of the City of Malmö No publisher green city urban planning sustainable living signals2014 sustainability 2014/06/02 10:39:37 GMT+2 Article A complex challenge Changing political perspectives Conceptual approaches Ecological Complexity in EHWB Indicator frameworks Figure 2: Key resource systems and human well-being Key resource systems and human well-being Addressing the effects and actions of climate change through DPSEEA models Looking Forward Eurostat, Quality of life indicators, Eurostat. Available at: OECD. OECD Better Life Index. Available at: Contact for more information RIVM - Centrum Duurzaamheid, Milieu en Gezondheid (DMG) European Environment Agency (EEA) No publisher urban planning housing health effects 2015/04/21 13:58:31 GMT+2 File Different solutions for different places The European Soundscape Award 2014 - open for applications Noise app Coming up No publisher noise national parks european soundscape award urban planning traffic soundscape 2014/04/29 17:25:16 GMT+2 News Examples of adaptation For policy makers, the report includes: Better targeted measures needed to tackle urban sprawl in Europe There is growing evidence that urban sprawl is having an increasingly negative effect on the environment and on the quality of life across Europe. Existing actions to prevent, contain or control such development have had limited results. Better targeted measures are necessary. That is the main conclusion of a joint European Environment Agency (EEA) and Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) report published today. The report, Urban sprawl in Europe, reviews the low-density and scattered expansion of many cities that often comes as a result of uncontrolled growth, which has continued in Europe over recent decades. Urban sprawl involves the expansion of large urban areas into surrounding undeveloped areas including the countryside and agricultural land. According to the report, the level of sprawl increased in all European countries in the 2000s and it continues to grow. The report underlines the need for better policy measures and knowledge tools to address urban sprawl’s negative impacts. The report aims to support more sustainable political decision making and better urban planning across Europe. Impacts of urban sprawl While scattered housing and commercial developments have been associated with a number of positive economic and social effects, it also has negative ones, including ‘detrimental and long-lasting effects’ on the environment. The study says that urban sprawl contributes significantly to the loss of fertile farmland, soil sealing and the loss of essential ecological functions. The increase in built up areas has led to higher greenhouse gas emissions, higher infrastructure costs for transport, water and electricity, and the loss of open landscapes. It has also reduced the size of wildlife habitats as urban development and roads break up the landscape into ever-smaller pieces, with potentially devastating consequences for biodiversity and ecosystems. Urban sprawl also has socio-economic impacts. It increases the demand for infrastructure such as roads, and it makes people more dependent on cars which poses a burden on household budgets. Urban sprawl also has a cascading effect on daily life in areas with low level of services and health in terms of air pollution, stress and accidents. The study stresses that there is a need to encourage positive development methods like improving the density of existing residential areas within cities to better contain or reduce sprawl, rather than encouraging dispersed urban development that promotes outlying building zones, which lead to new traffic and transport bottlenecks. Dispersed urban development can lead to a negative circular pattern, where the constant expansion of road networks is used to offset the traffic urban sprawl can cause, and where new roads lead to more sprawl, creating a locked-in development loop. Four essential measures should be reinforced to support policy interventions: 1. Better monitoring of urban sprawl, 2. Applying a ‘sprawl analysis’ as a tool in urban, regional and transport planning to assess consequences of projects and zoning, 3. Setting up targets, limits and benchmarks to control sprawl, 4. Strengthening regional planning to encourage sustainable land use. Key findings • The two largest clusters of high urban sprawl in Europe are located in north-eastern France, Belgium, the Netherlands and part of western German and in the United Kingdom between London and the Midlands. • Urban sprawl is most pronounced in wide rings around city centres, along large transport corridors and along many coastlines, particularly in Mediterranean countries. Lowest levels of sprawl are mainly found in mountain ranges or remote areas. • Best practices to keep urban sprawl in check or compensate by re-use of already developed land can help reduce land uptake and prevent urban sprawl. Countryside can be preserved through functional zones and spatial plans that determine housing limits and offer for stakeholder consultation, as well as the creation of public green areas with building restrictions. • More in-depth research is needed on urban sprawl, notably on how it developed over time, the history and the political and economic conditions that led to its development, and a deeper statistical analysis of the drivers of urban sprawl. • A variety of factors such as a higher income, possession and use of cars, the preference for detached housing, and a change in lifestyle or demography, drives the proliferation of urban sprawl. Political drivers play a key role. Policies have the power to prevent or moderate urban sprawl. • The report analyses in detail a significant and illustrative period, 2006-2009, which saw urban sprawl increased by 5% in the three years or by 1.7% per year, according to a calculation using the weighted urban proliferation method. The report investigated the degree of urban sprawl in 32 countries in Europe in 2006 and in 2009, and assessed the problem based on data taken at three levels: national, regional and at the 1-km2 cell level. The analysis used the so-called ‘weighted urban proliferation’ method which quantifies the degree of urban sprawl for any given landscape taking into account the size and dispersion of built-up areas, and the uptake of built-up area per inhabitant or job. By offering new analytical approaches, the report presents advanced contribution to the methods of land monitoring. Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) No publisher city pollution urban planning land grabbing land fragmentation urban sprawl suburbs land development land conservation urban development 2016/06/08 10:00:00 GMT+2 News
IT all began with a very simple question. Why, some researchers asked, doesn't the immune system simply replace the white blood cells that are killed by the virus that causes AIDS? With that as a starting point, two groups of investigators have independently formulated a provocative new hypothesis that could explain how and why the immune system collapses in AIDS. So far, the hypothesis has only circumstantial evidence to support it. But there is compelling evidence that the scientists are on the right track, wrote Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the Division of AIDS at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in an editorial accompanying the publication of the new studies. And, he added, the new theory provides "a potential approach" to restoring the immune systems of people infected with H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS. Dr. Fauci cautioned, however, that more research must be done to establish in animal experiments that the approach works, and to be sure it does no harm. The papers appear in the current issue of The Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Dr. Sandra Bridges, a senior scientist at the Division of AIDS, said she found the hypothesis "a very interesting idea, not only as it relates to AIDS but as it relates to the immune system in general." She added that she would like to see it pursued further. But others were very wary. Dr. Norman Letvin, an AIDS researcher at the New England Regional Primate Center in Southborough, Mass., said that it was "an intriguing idea," but that so far, there is at best circumstantial evidence for it. The new theory involves observations of changing ratios of two kinds of immune cells. When people are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, they slowly and relentlessly lose one class of white blood cells, the CD4 T cells, while a second class of cells, called CD8 cells, remains unaffected. The two groups appear to play different roles, with the CD8 cells presumably suppressing immune responses while CD4 cells augment them. Normally, CD4 cells outnumber CD8's by a ratio of about 1.5 to 1. In H.I.V. infections that ratio is gradually shifted toward the opposite direction. Within 10 years, on average, people infected with H.I.V. go from a normal number of 800 to 1,000 CD4 cells per cubic milliliter of blood to almost none. When the CD4 level drops below 200, the immmune system is so hobbled that patients are likely to develop life-threatening infections from organisms that would normally pose no threat. So, said Dr. Leonard Adleman of the University of Southern California, an author of the current report, "the basic scientific question is, 'Why does the CD4 cell count decline?' " He continued, "Everyone knows the answer: the AIDS virus kills CD4 cells." But he added: "You could also say that losing T cells is not like losing an arm. Everyone knows that T cells are replaced. When you bleed, you lose CD4 cells and you grow new ones to replace them. So the real question is, 'Why does an H.I.V.-infected individual fail to replace the CD4 cells he is losing to H.I.V.?' " Dr. Adleman, a mathematician who became fascinated by the patterns of T cell loss, and Dr. Joseph B. Margolick, an immunologist and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, independently noticed that people infected with H.I.V. maintained a normal number of T cells, but that as the H.I.V. infection progresses, the share of CD4 cells in the mix plummets. Until the very end stages of AIDS, when the entire immune system collapses and all forms of white blood cells fall drastically in number, patients have fewer and fewer CD4 cells and more and more CD8's. A Single Molecule's Difference CD4 cells differ from CD8 cells by just a single molecule on the surface. But the CD4 cells, named for the CD4 surface protein that identifies them, can be infected by H.I.V. and the CD8 cells, also named for their surface protein, cannot. One way to block the spread of an H.I.V. infection might be to stop the virus from entering CD4 cells. But when researchers tried this, they reported that the drugs they developed were clinically disappointing. The observation that the body retains a constant total number of T cells led Dr. Adleman, working with Dr. David Wofsy of the University of California in San Francisco and Dr. Margolick and his colleagues, to suggest their hypothesis. The immune system, they theorized, cannot tell the difference between a loss of CD4 cells in particular and a loss of T cells in general. It simply senses that T cells are missing and it produces new ones in the normal proportions. That would mean that eventually, as CD4 cells were selectively lost, there would be more and more CD8's and fewer and fewer CD4's. It would be analogous to a bag with quarters and dimes in it and a tiny hole at the bottom that lets dimes slip through but not quarters. As dimes fall out, both dimes and quarters are put back, but eventually, the bag will have almost nothing but quarters in it. Blindly Maintaining Balance "We are saying that there is something that maintains a certain T cell level," Dr. Margolick said. "However that regulation is operating, it does not care whether you are losing CD4 or CD8 cells." If the idea is correct, Dr. Adleman and Dr. Margolick said, it might be possible to restore the immune system by removing some of the CD8 cells. Dr. Adleman and Dr. Wofsy have calculated that it should be necessary to kill about 10 to 15 percent of the CD8 cells of a person infected with H.I.V. every six months to keep the ratio of CD4 and CD8 close to normal. "It's like paddling a canoe," Dr. Adleman said. "H.I.V. is pushing you toward the left bank for six months, and then we'd come along and push you back toward the right bank." In support of the hypothesis, Dr. Margolick and his colleagues cite data from a long-term study of 321gay men infected with H.I.V. They report that as the infections progressed, CD4 cell counts dropped and CD8 cell counts rose, with the net effect of maintaining the total T cell count. Additional evidence comes from an experiment with mice. Dr. Adleman and Dr. Wofsy used a monoclonal antibody to take CD4 cells out of the animals' bloodstreams. The mice maintained their total numbers of T cells during the experiment, but their CD4 cells fell by 40 percent while the CD8 cells increased to 160 percent of normal. Clues From Unrelated Studies Dr. Adleman also cites several other studies, done for different reasons by other investigators, that further support the hypothesis. One involves "knockout mice," which lack genes for CD4 or CD8 cells. The CD4 knockout has no CD4 cells, but makes a normal total number of T cells. The CD8 knockout makes no CD8's, but it too has a normal total number of T cells. If the immune system could tell the difference between CD4 and CD8 cell loss, Dr. Adleman said, then the CD4 knockout mice should make the normal number of CD8's and then stop, giving them a lower than normal number of T cells, and the CD8 knockout mice should make just the normal number of CD4 cells and then stop. Another snippet of evidence comes from studies of people who have had bone marrow transplants. These patients, for reasons that are not understood, end up with aberrant ratios of CD4 cells to CD8 cells. If the body could tell the difference between CD4 and CD8 cells, it would gradually correct the ratios, Dr. Adleman said. But patients studied as long as seven years after their transplants still had abnormal ratios. The investigators say they would very much like to pursue the idea further, studying it in primates infected with the simian immunodeciency virus to see if removing CD8 cells can restore the immune system. Dr. Letvin said he would be happy to do that experiment, but, he said, researchers must first make a monoclonal antibody that will remove CD8 cells from primate blood. "I've told a number of people that if they find that monoclonal, let me know," Dr. Letvin said. Photo: Dr. Leonard Adleman, mathematician at University of Southern California, became fascinated with the pattern of CD4 cell loss, noting that people infected with H.I.V. had more and more CD8 cells. (Liliana Nieto Del Rio for The New York Times) Diagram: "A Question of Maintaining Immune Cell Balance" A new theory ties the progress of AIDS to failure to maintain a balance of two kinds of immune cells. The healthy body normally has 1.5 CD4 cells for every CD8 cell. H.I.V. infects and kills CD4 cells, thus tipping the balance toward the CD8 cells. CD8 cells are thought to suppress immune system activity. As H.I.V. advances, CD4 cells continue to be killed and are not replenished by the body in the necessary numbers. Scientists reason that if they could readjust the balance by killing just CD8 cells, the body might replenish the CD4 cells in sufficient numbers to halt the spread of the disease.
Water Tank Depth Sensor Water is a precious resource in many parts of the world, and many people rely on water tanks to supplement their water supply by storing collected rainwater or water pumped from a well or bore. But how do you measure how full a tank is? Tanks are constructed of opaque material to prevent algae growth and often kept closed up to prevent mosquito infestation or access by small rodents so it's inconvenient to physically look inside. And besides, having a way to measure tank depth electronically opens up a world of possibilities such as automatic control of pumps to top up tanks when they get low or to disable irrigation systems when not enough water is available. The obvious way to measure tank depth is by placing a series of conductive pickups at various heights inside the tank and measure the resistance between them. For example, placing ten exposed terminals at equal intervals attached to a length of material such as PVC tubing and inserting it into the tank will allow you to measure the depth in 10% increments by reading the resistance between the bottom terminal and each of the terminals above it. The downside to this approach though is that you'll need to do a lot of wiring and you'll also need to read an analogue input for every individual terminal - while most Arduino designs have no more than 6 analogue inputs. The Arduino then reads the output of the transducer and reports the depth of the tank. In this project we will use an Ethernet shield to have the Arduino connect to an online datalogging service called Pachube to generate graphs of water depth over time, but you could also have it make decisions on the basis of the reading to control items such as a water pump or irrigation system solenoid. Water Tank Depth Sensor Schematic Download as JPG: water-tank-depth-sensor-schematic.jpg Download as PDF: water-tank-depth-sensor-schematic.pdf Download as SCH: water-tank-depth-sensor-schematic.sch Source Code MPX2010DP pressure transducer datasheet: pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/86195/MOTOROLA/MPX2010DP.html MPX2053DP pressure transducer datasheet: pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/93834/MOTOROLA/MPX2053DP.html LM324 op-amp datasheet: www.national.com/mpf/LM/LM324.html#Documents If you find a mistake in this project please let us know. A couple of people have kindly taken the time to write concerned about water coming into contact with the pressure sensor. They raise an important issue as the sensor is only rated for "dry" use. In hindsight we could have spelled it out better and/or added a diagram, but the intention is that there is always a column of air, even if just a short one, between the water and the sensor itself. Thus the sensor doesn't come directly into contact with water. 100nF capacitor missing from schematic. The explanatory text, the parts list, and the construction photos all show a 100nF capacitor next to the 10K trimpot, but it's not shown anywhere on the schematic. The capacitor connects directly between GND and 5V, and helps smooth out the power supply for the op-amp to reduce "noise" in the readings.
Lab 7: More on Classes CS 141: Introduction to Programming , Fall 2015 This lab is due Monday, Oct 26, by the end of the lab, Chapter 6 contains a number of important concepts about classes and objects which can be confusing such as method overloading, static variables and methods, methods for comparing objects, deep copying, etc. In this lab, you will have the opportunity to practice some of these concepts. You will also have more practice building Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) in Netbeans. Part 1: Month Class Part 2: Building a GUI Creating a GUI: The purpose of this part of the lab is to introduce you to several more GUI components: TextAreas, ScrollPanes, and ComboBoxes. If you want to do something a little different than what is below, please do. The main requirement is that you have a GUI which makes use of a separate class which you wrote (below, we use the Month class) and that the GUI includes a ComboBox and a ScollPane/TextArea. If you do decide to do something different, please run it by the instructor first to make sure it is feasible. To receive full credit, you need to: 1. Make sure that your Java code: 2. Demonstrate your Month program (Part 1), for example, by running the main method above, to the instructor or lab assistant during the lab on the due date. . Also demo your gui (Part 2). 3. Submit the following to Wise as attachments to Lab 7
Sign up Here's how it works: 1. Anybody can ask a question 2. Anybody can answer In the American version of Scrabble version there are how many possible starting racks. A rack contains exactly 7 letters (blanks count as a letter for this problem). Most of the letters in scrabble are constrained meaning that a rack can contain: At most 2 of B, C, M, P, F, H, V, W, Y, or blanks At most 1 of K, J, X, Q, Z, AT most 3 G, 4 D, 4 U, 4 S, 4 L 6 T, 6 R, 6 N, 7 A, 7 I, 7 E, 7 O, 7 U I guess this would be the number of positive integer solutions for the equation .................................. a +b +c +d + ... +x +y +z +blanks = 7. Where a is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 7, b is greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to 3 .... share\|cite\|improve this question You mention the letter U twice. There are 4 Us (and not 7). – Peter Phipps Nov 24 '12 at 14:35 Edited to use the correct letter distributions, as pointed out by Peter. There are: • 4 letters with 7 tiles; • 3 letters with 6 tiles; • 4 letters with 4 tiles; • 1 letter with three tiles; • 10 letters with 2 tiles; and • 5 letters with 1 tile. So the answer is the coefficient of $x^7$ in: $(x^7+x^6+x^5+x^4+x^3+x^2+x+1)^4 \times (x^6+x^5+x^4+x^3+x^2+x+1)^3 \times$ $(x^4+x^3+x^2+x+1)^4 \times (x^3+x^2+x+1) \times (x^2+x+1)^{10} \times (x+1)^5$ According to Wolfram Alpha, this is 3199724. share\|cite\|improve this answer See my comment above. – Peter Phipps Nov 24 '12 at 14:36 @Peter: Thanks! Corrected now. – TonyK Nov 24 '12 at 15:05 Let $T(n)$ be the number of occurrences of the $n$th tile type and $C(n,m)$ be the number of racks that contain exactly $m$ tiles chosen among the first $n$ tile types in the alphabet. $C(26,7)$ is the number of 7-tile scrabble racks. We can compute $C(n,m)$ using dynamic programming: $C(1,i) = 1$ for $i=0\dots T(1)$, otherwise $0$ For $i\geq 2$: $C(i,j) = \sum_{k=0}^{\min(T(i),j)} C(i-1,j-k)$ share\|cite\|improve this answer Your Answer
Wednesday, June 6, 2012 The Honey Locust Thorn Tree Common Thorn Tree Species: Gleditsia triacanthos Risk: Approach with Caution, Partially Edible The Honey Locust is a common sight in Missouri. This tree should be passed carefully as its entire body, from the trunk to the tips of its branches, is covered in thorns. These thorns can grow anywhere from three to eight inches long and often grow in clusters. Neither the tree nor its thorns carry any harmful poison or toxin. The leaves of the Honey Locust are doubly compound, meaning they sprout off of a single stem in parallel leaflets. The branches on which they sprout are also covered in thorns. The leaves are safe to touch, although you risk a few pokes should you feel the need to do so. The only edible part of this tree is the pulp inside the seed pods. The pods fully mature in early Fall. When ripe, the long seed pods become dark brown and begin falling from the tree. Although the seed pods contain edible pulp, these should only be gathered when absolutely necessary. Careful identification and avoidance of this tree could save you a few nasty pokes. Old and dead branches have a tendency to fall off or be ripped from the tree by the wind. These fallen branches can present a hazard to hikers unaware of their proximity to the Honey Locust. These thorns can puncture shoes and possibly deliver a deep wound. Avoidance is the best policy. Although the edible seed pods are only available during Autumn, the tree itself remains useful year round. The wood itself is quite sturdy and resistant to rot. The dense canopy under the tree can be used as protection from the sun, provided having dealt with the issue of the thorns. The thorns themselves are possibly the most useful part of the Honey Locust. The thorns have been used as fish hooks, spear heads, nails, sewing needles and small game traps. Gather with caution. 1. Quite a few internet commentators say the thorns are poisonous. I agree. This is day 2 for me after getting very lightly poked in the wrist by one. Pain is comparable to a broken bone. Moderate swelling but immense pain. It wasn't even noticeable till approx 6-7 hours later. 2. Puncture wounds are notoriously painful regardless of the medium that creates the wound. These thorns are NOT poisonous that is a medical/scientific fact, however often the honey locust thorns are covered with a layer of particulates including dirt, dust, pollen and other matter and getting all that in the wound increases the inflammation, the risk of infection and obviously the level of pain goes up with foreign bodies in the would in your tissue. My property is covered with these damned trees, I have been stuck, stabbed and poked more times than I care to remember. For the minor pokes I experience a lot of itching and the deeper the puncture is the more painful it is. Apply peroxide, clean out as best you can, use antibiotic ointment and if it doesn't resolve, if it swells or you see red warm skin around it seek medical attention as soon as possible. 1. If that is true, then why do blackberry stickers not cause the same pain, redness and swelling. I think that debunks your theory! Also, the immense pain can come as soon as an hour and a half. 3. A Honey Locust thorn went through my tennis shoe and punctured the ball of my foot in the spring of 2013. Thought it would work its way out. Boy was I wrong. By July, it felt like I was walking on a marble. I waited till October to get it checked out by a Dr. The tip of that thorn worked all the way to the bone of my toe and formed a cyst around it. After waiting till after hunting season, I had surgery mid December to remove the cyst that formed around the microscopic tip of that dang Honey Locust thorn. The cyst looked like it was sprinkled with pepper. Two months recovery and now 6 weeks of upcoming physical therapy to reduce the scar. Bottom line... Watch out for Honey Locust thorns and remove them immediately if you get stuck by one. Even thorns many years dead are dangerous. 4. I have been punctured or scratched many of times from this tree. I have them on my land, they are not poisonous just painful. Unless you have an allergy of some sort to it. 1. There may be an irratant - I'm guessing it works like poison ivy and me be dust or pollen from the tree. some scouts i was with, clearing a trail, took pokes and scatches. a couple were obviously more that the wound itself should have been (swelling/iching). 6. I was poked and scratched a lot with no issues. But, when a branch fell I had a thorn at least an inch in my wrist. It swelled a lot and I pushed on it and a dark milky puss came out. I kept it as clean as possible with Peroxide etc. As I squeezed on it the next days it turned white then clear and swelling went down. I think it takes a long time to heal because of bacteria, fungal spores and foreign particulates. Our immune systems can handle it, its not like venom. I think the puss was white blood cells merged to the area engulfing the junk.
SimAvioTool - airport data information Flight simulator resource, metar, notam tutorial and more... D NOTAM tutorial learing the Notices to airman - D NOTAM • 1. An exclamation point (!) • 2. Identifier for the accountable location (e.g., IAD) • 3. Identifier for the affected location or nearest public-use airport (e.g., IAD) • 4. Keyword (one of the 12 described) • 5. Surface identification (if appropriate to the subject of the D NOTAM) • 6. Condition being reported • 7. Effective time(s) of the condition (reported as WEF or “when in effect”) The “surface identification” element is used only if needed. Now let’s look at a specific example, which would appear as follows: !MIV MIV RWY 10/28 CLSD WEF 0802011200-0802121600 Condition Effective The (WEF) time includes both a “start” set and an “ending” set. The digits in each pair always appear in the following order: Year (2 digits) – month (2 digits) – day (2 digits) – Zulu (UTC) time (4 digits). Using the example above: Taking a closer look: Condition Effective This D NOTAM is an example of a "pointer" NOTAM. As shown in the example above, a pointer NOTAM is a D NOTAM that "points" to a published D or FDC (Flight Data Center) NOTAM. and that it is in effect from 1400Z on February 14, 2008, until 1830Z on February 14, 2008. and "point" to the location of more detailed information. Pilots, who will be operating in this airspace during the "WEF" time,
Join them; it only takes a minute: Sign up Join the Stack Overflow community to: 1. Ask programming questions 2. Answer and help your peers 3. Get recognized for your expertise This article implies that all types beside numbers, bools and nil are garbage collected. Would this mean under certain circumstances that overusing these non-gc types might result in memory leaks? share\|improve this question Vanilla Lua is safe, memory leaks are impossible regardless of what data types are used in Lua code. Only bad code at C side can lead to memory leaks. – Egor Skriptunoff Mar 7 '13 at 13:06 In Lua, you have actually 2 kinds of types: Ones which are always passed by value, and ones passed by reference ( as per chapter 2.1 in the Lua Manual ). The ones you cite are all of the "passed-by-value" type, hence they are directly stored in a variable. If you delete the variable, the value will be gone instantly. So it will not start leaking memory, unless, of course, you keep generating new variables containing new values. But in that case it's your own fault ;). share\|improve this answer In the article you linked to they write down the C code that shows how values are represented: /You can also find this in lobject.h in the Lua source/ /I paraphrased a bit to remove some macro magic/ /unions in C store one of the values at a time/ union Value { GCObject gc; / collectable objects / void p; /* light userdata / int b; / booleans / lua_CFunction f; / light C functions / numfield / numbers / typedef union Value Value; /the _tt tagtells what kind of value is actually stored in the union*/ struct lua_TObject { int _tt; Value value_; As you can see in here, booleans and numbers are stored directly in the TObject struct. Since they are not "heap-allocated" it means that they can never "leak" and therefore garbage collecting them would have made no sense. One interesting to note, however, is that the garbage collector does not collect references created to things on the C side of things (userdata and C C functions). These need to be manually managed from the C-side of things but that is sort of to be expected since in that case you are writing C instead of Lua. share\|improve this answer Full userdata (quoted as "heavy userdata" in the question) objects actually are garbage-collected. Light userdata isn't. – Kevin Ballard Mar 7 '13 at 23:16 Your Answer
Join them; it only takes a minute: Sign up Join the Stack Overflow community to: 1. Ask programming questions 2. Answer and help your peers 3. Get recognized for your expertise How to draw on a 3D model in java 3D. Like draw Line or a point. I have been able to import models. But stuck on how to draw on models. Please Help share\|improve this question In java3d you don't really "draw" on a model. In java3d you create a scene graph with the model to be displayed. Then you compile the scene and display it in a view. If you want to draw something else in the display you have to create geometry that represents what you are drawing in the model. You can place text and words on the geometry using texture mapping. You can place words in the scene using Text3D. If you haven't done much 3D stuff before it takes a while to learn. There are a lot of good examples and tutorials on the java3d site share\|improve this answer For simple primitive models like cube,follow this rule for static scenes 1)Decide the face on which you want to draw. 2)Note down the x,y,z co-ordinates .(if u are going to draw on the POLYGON,then you will get four points in space-coords each having x,y,z. 3.)now use drawLine() of Graphics class.Something like this public void drawsomething(Graphics g) 4.)make sure that the points originx,originy,x,y are within the bounds of the co-ords mentioned in point "2". For dynamic scenes,try different transformations ,so they all move along. share\|improve this answer Page 18 of this guide explains how you can "draw" on a model (by editing the texture in response to picker ray collisions), if that's what you actually mean. share\|improve this answer Your Answer
The Sound of a Voice Test \| Mid-Book Test - Hard Buy The Sound of a Voice Lesson Plans Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________ Short Answer Questions 1. What does the Woman convince the Man to do at the conclusion of the second scene? 2. What country is the play's setting? 3. What name does the Woman say is too common? 4. What does the Man do when he hears the noise that disturbs him? 5. What does the Woman say happens when she takes care of her flowers? Short Essay Questions 1. What does the Woman say about her dreams, and what does she say she dreamed of? 2. Why does the Man say he can do so much on this particular day in Scene 3? 3. What is the final image of the Woman in the play, and how does this visually illustrate her name? 4. What does the Woman accuse the Man of believing, and what does she tell the Man to do? 5. What has changed about the Man's reaction at night in Scene 4 from the previous scene of him at night? 6. What disturbs the Man as he is getting ready to go to sleep in the first scene, and how does he react? 7. What does the Woman say she wanted to do for both herself and the Man in the final scene? 8. What is the Woman staring at that makes the Man joke about, and what is the Woman's response? 9. Why is the Woman afraid that the Man does not like her anymore in the seventh scene? 10. What does the Man say happened to his friend? Essay Topics Write an essay for ONE of the following topics: Essay Topic 1 The literary technique of foreshadowing is used heavily throughout "The Sound of a Voice." Use examples to support your response to the following: 1) What examples of foreshadowing does the author use that are fulfilled by the end of the play? 2) How does the use of foreshadowing create a feeling of impending tragedy in the play? 3) What is the Woman's warning to the Man in the final scene about his fate? What does this imply for the Man's future after the end of the play? Essay Topic 2 The play can be interpreted to be a story of the relationship in general between men and a women. Write a response to the following, and support your answer with examples from the play: 1) What traits from the play support the theory that this story is an allegory about the relationship between men and women? 2) How is the Woman represented to reflect what men feel about women? How is the Man represented to reflect what women feel about men? 3) What message is the author is trying to portray about the difficulties in establishing a relationship? What is the author saying about how the differences between men and women should be treated to have a successful relationship? Essay Topic 3 "The Sound of a Voice" has a very simple presentation, from they play's appearance on stage to the way the dialogue is written. Support your essay with examples from the play and respond to the following: 1) How is the simplicity of the play reflected in the physical appearance of the set? 2) How is the dialogue of the play a reflection of simplicity? 3) How does the limit of two characters in the play add to the effect of a simple presentation and understanding of the plot? (see the answer keys) This section contains 874 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) Buy The Sound of a Voice Lesson Plans The Sound of a Voice from BookRags. (c)2016 BookRags, Inc. All rights reserved. Follow Us on Facebook
Definitions for includeɪnˈklud This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word include Princeton's WordNet 1. include(verb) have as a part, be made up out of "The list includes the names of many famous writers" 2. include(verb) consider as part of something "I include you in the list of culprits" 3. include(verb) "We must include this chemical element in the group" 4. admit, let in, include(verb) 1. include(Noun) A piece of source code or other content that is dynamically retrieved for inclusion in another item. 2. include(Verb) To bring into a group, class, set, or total as a (new) part or member. I will purchase the vacation package if you will include car rental. 3. include(Verb) To contain, as parts of a whole. The vacation package includes car rental. 4. include(Verb) To enclose, confine. 5. Origin: (1420) From includere, from in- + claudere. Webster Dictionary 1. Include(verb) 2. Include(verb) 3. Include(verb) to conclude; to end; to terminate Chambers 20th Century Dictionary 1. Include in-klōōd′, v.t. to close or shut in: to embrace within limits: to contain: to comprise: (Shak.) to conclude.—adj. Includ′ible.—n. Inclū′sion, act of including: that which is included: restriction, limitation.—adj. Inclu′sive, shutting in: enclosing: (with of) comprehending the stated limit or extremes.—adv. Inclu′sively. [L. includĕre, inclusumin, in, claudĕre, to shut.] The New Hacker's Dictionary 1. include [Usenet] 1. To duplicate a portion (or whole) of another's message (typically with attribution to the source) in a reply or followup, for clarifying the context of one's response. See the discussion of inclusion styles under Hacker Writing Style. 2. [from C] #include <disclaimer.h> has appeared in sig blocks to refer to a notional standard disclaimer file. British National Corpus 1. Spoken Corpus Frequency Rank popularity for the word 'include' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #607 2. Written Corpus Frequency Rank popularity for the word 'include' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1844 3. Verbs Frequency Rank popularity for the word 'include' in Verbs Frequency: #57 1. Chaldean Numerology The numerical value of include in Chaldean Numerology is: 9 2. Pythagorean Numerology The numerical value of include in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5 Sample Sentences & Example Usage 1. Chief Executive George Scangos: We will expand that to include more. 2. Chief Executive Officer Mike Anderson: Our strategy does not include selling today. 3. Southeast Asian: Now, we are going further to include all entry points. 4. Rana Sanaullah: This operation will include all law enforcement agencies. 5. John Kerry: We do not think an AUMF should include a geographic limitation. Images & Illustrations of include Translations for include From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary Get even more translations for include » Find a translation for the include definition in other languages: Select another language: Discuss these include definitions with the community: Word of the Day Please enter your email address: Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography: "include." STANDS4 LLC, 2016. Web. 29 Jun 2016. <>. Are we missing a good definition for include? Don't keep it to yourself... Nearby & related entries: Alternative searches for include: Thanks for your vote! We truly appreciate your support.
• You might wonder who helps you when you're sick. Who takes good care of you if you are confined in the hospital or clinic? They are often seen in every hospital, clinic or healthcare setting, and they are called nurse practitioners. Medical professionals are people who devote their amount of time in providing proper care to individuals who're sick or to people who need attention in terms of medical related matters. These are built with the ability and skills that are required as a way to help those people who are short of funds. For instance, to be able to treat certain illnesses or diseases, a person will use a degree in medicine and can turned into a doctor. Doctors are the types who assess you when you find yourself sick and diagnose your illness. These are ones who prescribe you your medication/s as a way to aid you in dealing with illness. The doctors cannot perform all of the tasks when controlling patients alone, they desire the help of other medical professionals. One could be the nurse. The nurse assists the physician in providing take care of the patients. They are the ones who monitor the condition of the patient if they are confined inside the hospital. They help the activities of patients who cannot perform independently. The nurses are the type who spend most of the time with patients within the hospital. Another medical practioner will be the medical technologist. They are the ones who're responsible in obtaining liquid blood samples of patients to aid properly diagnose the health of the person. The medical technologist work hand in hand with the pathologist in checking out the blood with the patient, in order to evaluate if the root cause from the illness come in the blood. Every one of the Healthcare carry out a specific task to be able to help the patients recover and also get back to a healthy body. The nurse practitioners do not rely only on the knowledge and skills when providing top quality desire to patients. In addition they require the using medical equipment as a way to endow their patients with quality service that's needed to facilitate their fast recovery. For example, the nurse uses the nebulizer for the patient who has asthma. The nebulizer helps with administering the medication necessary for patient to help remedy his or her condition. Another example would be once the doctor coordinates with all the physical therapist to help you the individual in conducting physiotherapy. The physical therapist will also use medical equipments such as an overhead trapeze, which is attached to a person's bed, as a way to conserve the patient use their muscles when turning laterally so that you can facilitate range of flexibility exercises. All of the medical equipment getting used has its own purpose to help with the advancement in the condition of an patient and the health care professional. The doctor in turn has to be knowledgeable enough on the way to use the medical equipment so that you can provide you with the most excellent care that will aid the sufferer in gaining a sound body. For more information about Healthcare visit our website. Γεια σας!
Cash Concentration And Disbursement (CCD) DEFINITION of 'Cash Concentration And Disbursement (CCD)' A type of electronic payment used to transfer funds between remote locations and so-called concentration (i.e., collection) accounts. CCD is also used between businesses. Cash Concentration and Disbursement accounts are tools used for cash management that seperate funds collection and disbursement. Transfers are cleared overnight through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. BREAKING DOWN 'Cash Concentration And Disbursement (CCD)' Cash concentration and disbursement represent cash management techniques that improve the flow of cash, reduce excess balances and increase interest earned. Cash concentration collects all available funds in a single account, while disbursement is controlled so that cash can be fully invested during the day and helps assess funding requirements for checks brought for payment. 1. Disbursement The act of paying out or disbursing money. Disbursements can ... 2. Remote Disbursement A cash-management technique that some businesses use to increase ... 3. Cash Disbursement Journal A record kept by accountants to record all financial expenditures ... 4. Delayed Disbursement 5. Concentration Bank 6. Concentration Ratio In economics, a ratio that indicates the relative size of firms ... Related Articles 1. Investing Concentrated Funds: Here's What to Know 2. Investing 3. Investing Operating Cash Flow: Better Than Net Income? 4. Managing Wealth Cash Flow Is King: How to Keep it Running 5. Investing Analyze Cash Flow The Easy Way 6. Investing Evaluating A Statement Of Cash Flows 7. Investing Cash Flow Statement: Reviewing The Cash Flow From Operations 8. Investing Cash Flow On Steroids: Why Companies Cheat 9. Investing Portfolio Concentration: Why You Should Watch It Overconcentration in a specific position or sector can lead to disaster. 10. Markets What is the Cash Ratio? 1. What is the difference between drawdown and disbursement? 2. What is the best way to disburse funds from a trust and how should we handle the ... My daughter is a trust beneficiary. The trustees attorney keeps asking her how she wants her money disbursed - cash or account ... Read Answer >> 3. How does bank reconciliation affect a cash control policy? Understand how the bank reconciliation process augments a company's cash controls and is an essential part of proper cash ... Read Answer >> 4. How does Sallie Mae disburse funds? Understand what a share premium account is, what funds go into the account and the specific purposes for which the funds ... Read Answer >> 6. Do Sallie Mae loans go directly to your school? Understand the types of financial aid and student loans that Sallie Mae offers college students. Learn when funds are disbursed ... Read Answer >> Hot Definitions 1. AAA 2. GBP 3. Diversification 4. European Union - EU 5. Sell-Off 6. Brazil, Russia, India And China - BRIC Trading Center
Press Release The First Detection of Abundant Carbon in the Early Universe October 5, 2011 A research team of astronomers, mainly from Ehime University and Kyoto University in Japan, has successfully detected a carbon emission line (CIVλ1549) in the most distant radio galaxy known so far in the early universe. Using the Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph (FOCAS) on the Subaru Telescope, the team observed the radio galaxy TN J0924-2201, which is 12.5 billion light years away, and was able to measure its chemical composition for the first time. Their investigation of the detected carbon line showed that a significant amount of carbon existed as early as 12.5 billion years ago, less than a billion years after the Big Bang. This important finding contributes to our understanding of the chemical evolution of the universe and may provide clues about the chemical nature of humans, who are composed of various elements such as carbon and oxygen. Using FOCAS on the Subaru Telescope, they obtained a deep optical spectrum of the galaxy and successfully detected, for the first time, a carbon emission line (CIVλ1549) from its ionized nebula (Figure 2). It appeared that TN J0924-2201 had already experienced significant chemical evolution at z > 5. The detection of this emission line in this early galaxy confirmed their conjecture that an abundance of metals was already present in the ancient universe as far back as 12.5 billion years ago--at z > 5. The research opens the door for future investigations of the metallicity of galaxies in the early universe with redshift values of more than five. Kenta Matsuoka, Tohru Nagao, Roberto Maiolino, Alessandro Marconi, Yoshiaki Taniguchi, A&A, 532, L10, "Chemical properties in the most distant radio galaxy" Team members: • Kenta Matsuoka (Ehime University/Kyoto University) • Tohru Nagao (Kyoto University) • Roberto Maiolino (Rome Observatory) • Alessandro Marconi (University of Florence) • Yoshiaki Taniguchi (Ehime University) Figure 1: The optical image of TN J0924-2201, a very distant radio galaxy at z = 5.19, obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. (c) NASA/STScI/NAOJ. Guidelines for use document navigation local navigation Press Release
Definición de swift en inglés: Compartir esta entrada Pronunciación: /swift/ 1Happening quickly or promptly: a remarkably swift recovery Más ejemplos en oraciones prompt, rapid, sudden, immediate, instant, instantaneous; abrupt, hasty, hurried, precipitate, headlong Más ejemplos en oraciones fast, rapid, quick, speedy, high-speed, fast-paced, brisk, lively; express, breakneck; informal nippy, supersonic literary except in combination Swiftly: streams that ran swift and clear a swift-acting poison 1A swift-flying insectivorous bird with long slender wings and a superficial resemblance to a swallow, spending most of its life on the wing. • Family Apodidae: several genera and numerous species, including the common Eurasian swift (Apus apus). Oraciones de ejemplo 2 (also swift moth) A moth, typically yellow-brown in color, with fast darting flight. The eggs are scattered in flight and the larvae live underground feeding on roots, where they can be a serious pest. • Family Hepialidae: Hepialus and other genera. Oraciones de ejemplo Old English (as an adjective), from the Germanic base of Old English swīfan 'move in a course, sweep.' The bird name dates from the mid 17th century. Palabras que riman con swift For editors and proofreaders División en sílabas: swift Compartir esta entrada ¿Qué te llama la atención de esta palabra o frase?
What would you like to know? Share this Story When education becomes violent How can we keep our kids safe at school? There was a time was school was all about learning. With the recent barrage of school shootings and violence, our kids are facing more significant challenges than trigonometry and AP history when they walk through the doors each day. How can we keep our kids safe at school? When education becomes violent, how can we keep our kids safe? Communities around the country are reeling right now because of unnecessary violence unleashed on their local schools. Most recently, the community of Chardon, Ohio mourns the loss of several high school students after a 17-year-old opened fire while kids ate breakfast in the cafeteria. How can we keep our kids safe at school? Prior to this tragedy, a 9-year-old in Washington brought a loaded gun to school on Feb. 22 because he wanted to run away from home. The gun accidentally discharged in the boy's backpack and critically wounded an 8-year-old girl. On Feb. 20, two teenagers, apparently heated over a disagreement with another group of kids, brought guns on school property in Tennessee and shot a 14-year-old twice in the leg. In New Hampshire, a 14-year-old in New Hampshire shot himself in the face at school because he was upset over a relationship. He survived, but not before traumatizing classmates. Firearms aren't always involved in school violence. Just last week, an 11-year-old California girl died after an alley fight with a classmate. The two apparently planned the fight to hash out a disagreement over a boy. What's going on in our schools? The outbreak of violence on school campuses has made many parents hypersensitive to the issue. Now, in addition to talking to our kids about studying, completing homework, making friends and dealing with bullies, we need have serious discussions about how to stay safe. "The violence in schools seems to be mirroring the violence in society," says Julie, a mom of two from Colorado. "I reached a point where I just didn't feel right about having to talk to my kids about how to recognize potentially deadly threats and how to stay safe if something horrible should happen in school. This is just one of the many reasons we decided to homeschool. It's just out of hand." Read about helping kids cope with tragedy >> Talk to your kids While homeschooling is one way to avoid campus violence, that's not an option for many. For those of us who send our kids off to school each day, the reality is that open communication regarding possible threats is a necessity. "When you talk to your children, be honest!" says Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services. "Violence and related trauma issues are serious, but more damage can be done by minimizing or exaggerating points than by simply providing children with facts and telling the truth." Read about communicating with your teen >> Don't assume Kids need to be aware of their surroundings and feel comfortable talking to you, the parent, about possibly dangerous situations. "Do not assume that your child knows even the 'basic' facts about safety and other risks," says Trump. "Kids absorb a lot of information and, unfortunately, much of it is inaccurate or from questionable sources. Let your child get all of the information -- the correct information -- from you as the parent." If you open the lines of communication before a problem arises, your child will be more likely to come to you with their concerns before they become reality. Read more about communicating with your kids How to help your child talk to you Understanding your teen's slang 5 Ways to become an involved parents Tagged in New in Parenting SheKnows is making some changes!
Oliver twist Published on This is a ppt on Oliver Twist with review and conclusions. Published in: Education • Be the first to comment No Downloads Total views On SlideShare From Embeds Number of Embeds Embeds 0 No embeds No notes for slide Oliver twist 1. 1. Charles JohnHuffam Dickens 1 2. 2. • Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic who is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period and the creator of some of the worlds most memorable fictional characters. During his lifetime Dickenss works enjoyed unprecedented popularity and fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was fully recognized by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to enjoy an enduring popularity among the general reading public.• Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens left school to work in a factory after his father was thrown into debtors prison. Though he had little formal education, his early impoverishment drove him to succeed. He edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for childrens rights, education, and other social reforms. 2 3. 3. Charles Dickens 3 4. 4. Charles Dickens• Dickens rocketed to fame with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers. Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, celebrated for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly instalments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audiences reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback. For example, when his wifes chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities, Dickens went on to improve the character with positive lineaments. Fagin in Oliver Twist apparently mirrors the famous fence, Ikey Solomon; His caricature of Leigh Hunt in the figure of Mr Skimpole in Bleak House was likewise toned down on advice from some of his friends, as they read episodes. In the same novel, both Lawrence Boythorne and Mooney the beadle are drawn from real life – Boythorne from Walter Savage Landor and Mooney from Looney, a beadle at Salisbury Square. His plots were carefully constructed, and Dickens often wove in elements from topical events into his narratives. Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in hapennies to have each new monthly episode read to them, opening up and inspiring a new class of readers. 4 5. 5. Charles Dickens 5 6. 6. Charles Dickens• Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, is one of the most influential works ever written, and it remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. His creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to G. K. Chesterton and George Orwell—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand Oscar Wilde, Henry James and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. 6 7. 7. Autobiographical elements• An original illustration by Phiz from the novel "David Copperfield", widely regarded as Dickenss most autobiographical work.• Authors frequently draw their portraits of characters from people they have known in real life. David Copperfield is regarded as strongly autobiographical. The scenes in Bleak House of interminable court cases and legal arguments reflect Dickenss experiences as law clerk and court reporter, and in particular his direct experience of the laws procedural delay during 1844 when he sued publishers in Chancery for breach of copyright. Dickenss father was sent to prison for debt, and this became a common theme in many of his books, with the detailed depiction of life in the Marshalsea prison in Little Dorrit resulting from Dickenss own experiences of the institution. Lucy Stroughill, a childhood sweetheart may have affected several of Dickenss portraits of girls such as Little Emly in David Copperfield and Lucie Manette in A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens may have drawn on his childhood experiences, but he was also ashamed of them and would not reveal that this was where he gathered his realistic accounts of squalor. Very few knew the details of his early life until six years after his death when John Forster published a biography on which Dickens had collaborated. Even figures based on real people can, at the same time, represent at the same time elements of the writers own personality. Though Skimpole brutally sends up Leigh Hunt, some critics have detected in his portrait features of Dickenss own character, which he sought to exorcise by self-parody. 7 8. 8. OLIVER TWIST 8 9. 9. Context• Oliver Twist opens with a bitter invective directed at the nineteenth-century English Poor Laws. These laws were a distorted manifestation of the Victorian middle class’s emphasis on the virtues of hard work. England in the 1830s was rapidly undergoing a transformation from an agricultural, rural economy to an urban, industrial nation. The growing middle class had achieved an economic influence equal to, if not greater than, that of the British aristocracy.• In the 1830s, the middle class clamored for a share of political power with the landed gentry, bringing about a restructuring of the voting system. Parliament passed the Reform Act, which granted the right to vote to previously disenfranchised middle-class citizens. The middle class was eager to gain social legitimacy. This desire gave rise to the Evangelical religious movement and inspired sweeping economic and political change. 9 10. 10. Context• In the extremely stratified English class structure, the highest social class belonged to the “gentleman,” an aristocrat who did not have to work for his living. The middle class was stigmatized for having to work, and so, to alleviate the stigma attached to middle-class wealth, the middle class promoted work as a moral virtue. But the resulting moral value attached to work, along with the middle class’s insecurity about its own social legitimacy, led English society to subject the poor to hatred and cruelty. 10 11. 11. Context• Many members of the middle class were anxious to be differentiated from the lower classes, and one way to do so was to stigmatizethe lower classes as lazy good-for- nothings. The middle class’s value system transformed earned wealth into a sign of moral virtue. Victorian society interpreted economic success as a sign that God favored the honest, moral virtue of the successful individual’s efforts, and, thus, interpreted the condition of poverty as a sign of the weakness of the poor individual. 11 12. 12. Motifs• Disguised or Mistaken IdentitiesThe plot of Oliver Twist revolves around the various false identities that other characters imposeupon Oliver, often for the sake of advancing their own interests. Mr. Bumble and the otherworkhouse officials insist on portraying Oliver as something he is not—an ungrateful, immoralpauper. Monks does his best to conceal Oliver’s real identity so that Monks himself can claimOliver’s rightful inheritance. Characters also disguise their own identities when it serves themwell to do so. Nancy pretends to be Oliver’s middle-class sister in order to get him back toFagin, while Monks changes his name and poses as a common criminal rather than the heir hereally is. Scenes depicting the manipulation of clothing indicate how it plays an important partin the construction of various characters’ identities. Nancy dons new clothing to pass as amiddle-class girl, and Fagin strips Oliver of all his upper-class credibility when he takes fromhim the suit of clothes purchased by Brownlow. The novel’s resolution revolves around therevelation of the real identities of Oliver, Rose, and Monks. Only when every character’s identityis known with certainty does the story achieve real closure 12 13. 13. Motifs• Hidden Family RelationshipsThe revelation of Oliver’s familial ties is among the novel’s most unlikely plot turns:Oliver is related to Brownlow, who was married to his father’s sister; to Rose, whois his aunt; and to Monks, who is his half-brother. The coincidences involved inthese facts are quite unbelievable and represent the novel’s rejection of realism infavor of fantasy. Oliver is at first believed to be an orphan without parents orrelatives, a position that would, in that time and place, almost certainly seal hisdoom. Yet, by the end of the novel, it is revealed that he has more relatives thanjust about anyone else in the novel. This reversal of his fortunes stronglyresembles the fulfillment of a naïve child’s wish. It also suggests the mysticalbinding power of family relationships. Brownlow and Rose take to Oliverimmediately, even though he is implicated in an attempted robbery of Rose’shouse, while Monks recognizes Oliver the instant he sees him on the street. Theinfluence of blood ties, it seems, can be felt even before anyone knows those tiesexist 13 14. 14. Motifs• Oliver’s faceOliver’s face is singled out for special attention at multiplepoints in the novel. Mr. Sowerberry, Charley Bates, and TobyCrackit all comment on its particular appeal, and itsresemblance to the portrait of Agnes Fleming provides the firstclue to Oliver’s identity. The power of Oliver’s physiognomy,combined with the facts that Fagin is hideous and Rose isbeautiful, suggests that in the world of the novel, externalappearance usually gives a fair impression of a person’s innercharacter 14 15. 15. Review andconclusion 15 16. 16. Review• Oliver Twist is born into a life of poverty and misfortune in a workhouse in an unnamed town. Orphaned almost from his first breath by his mother’s death in childbirth and his father’s unexplained absence, Oliver is meagerly provided for under the terms of the Poor Law, and spends the first nine years of his life at a baby farm in the care of a woman named Mrs. Mann. Oliver is brought up with little food and few comforts.• Around the time of Olivers ninth birthday, Mr. Bumble, a parish beadle, removes Oliver from the baby farm and puts him to work picking oakum at the main workhouse. Oliver, who toils with very little food, remains in the workhouse for six months. One day, the desperately hungry boys decide to draw lots; the loser must ask for another portion of gruel. The task falls to Oliver, who at the next meal tremblingly comes forward, bowl in hand, and makes his famous request: "Please, sir, I want some more." 16 17. 17. Review• A great uproar ensues. The board of well-fed gentlemen who administer the workhouse hypocritically offer five pounds to any person wishing to take on the boy as an apprentice. A brutal chimney sweep almost claims Oliver, however, when he begs despairingly not to be sent away with "that dreadful man", a kindly old magistrate refuses to sign the indentures. Later, Mr. Sowerberry, an undertaker employed by the parish, took Oliver into his service.• He treats Oliver better, and because of the boys sorrowful countenance, uses him as a mourner at children’s funerals. However, Mr. Sowerberry is in an unhappy marriage, and his wife takes an immediate dislike to Oliver — primarily because her husband seems to like him — and loses few opportunities to underfeed and mistreat him. He also suffers torment at the hands of Noah Claypole, an oafish but bullying fellow apprentice and "charity boy" who is jealous of Oliver’s promotion to mute, and Charlotte, the Sowerberrys maidservant, who is in love with Noah. 17 18. 18. ReviewOne day, in an attempt to bait Oliver, Noah insults Oliversbiological mother, calling her "a regular right-down bad ‘un".Oliver flies into a rage, attacking and even beating the muchbigger boy. Mrs. Sowerberry takes Noah’s side, helps him tosubdue, punching, and beating Oliver, and later compels herhusband and Mr. Bumble, who has been sent for in the aftermathof the fight, into beating Oliver again. Once Oliver is sent to hisroom for the night, he does something that he hadnt done sincebabyhood — he breaks down and weeps. Alone that night, Oliverfinally decides to run away, and, "He remembered to have seenthe waggons, as they went out, toiling up the hill. He took thesame route," until a well-placed milestone sets his wanderingfeet towards London. 18 19. 19. Psychology• Oliver Twist is probably not the most brilliantly delving psychological novel, but then its not supposed to be. Rather, Oliver Twist gives us an impression of the social situation at the time it was written, and is does so with a Hogarthian gusto. Mr. Bumble, the beadle, is an excellent example of Dickens broad characterization at work. Bumble is a overlarge, terrifying figure: a tin-pot Hitler, who is both frightening to the boys under his control, and also slightly pathetic in his need to maintain his power over them.• Fagin, too, is a wonderful example of Dickens ability to draw a caricature and place it in a story that moves quickly and always keeps our attention. Less the pantomime villain that is portrayed in a number of its adaptations, there is a streak of cruelty in Dickens Fagin, with a sly charisma that has makes him such a lasting archetype. 19 20. 20. Importance of Oliver Twist• Equally, the importance of Oliver Twist as a crusading work of art (hoping to show the difficult circumstances with which the poor in Dickens’s time had to live) should not be underestimated. It is certainly an excellent work of art, but it is also a testament to the hopes for a better, more enlightened age.• A delightful story--peopled with larger than life, very human characters--Dickens Oliver Twist is a considerable achievement. Funny and incredibly sad, the novel is complete in all its aspects. Oliver Twist is a powerful indictment of the times in which the novel was written. 20 21. 21. ConclusionThroughout the novel, Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens uses many of his strengths of description to make his point on the condition of the poor in London. Dickens is able to touch on topics such as the conditions of workhouses, prostitution, and burglary. On top of all these things he also delves into each individual character and is able to find clever ways of making their inner-workings clear by using dialogue and relating them to their surroundings. All while doing these things, he scolds the bad treatment of the often forgotten lower class. Yet he also tries to use certain characters to set examples of good morals and values like those found in Rose Maylie and Mr. Brownlow. Oliver was very fortunate to find these people, considering how awful his life could have turned out. 21 22. 22. ConclusionThe charity and compassion that existed in these people‘s hearts allowed Oliver to be saved from a certain and lonely death. Dickens related very much to the sufferings of the poor and thus in this novel was determined to show how wretched it could make people like Bill Sikes and even Fagin. All these reasons combined make Oliver Twist very crucial in showing the modern world how much things have changed yet, have also stayed the same. For example, although pick-pocketing has become a thing of the past, burglary and prostitution still exist as detestable happenings in society. Charles Dickens expertly portrays life in the 1830‘s full of the good, bad, and ugly as they all strived to make it in a world that was unforgiving and cruel. 22 23. 23. 23 24. 24. Characters of the Plot1. Oliver Twist2. Fagin3. Nancy4. The Artful Dodger5. Charley Bates6. Bill Sikes7. Mr. Brownlow8. Mrs. Maylie9. Rose Maylie10. Harry Maylie11. Mr. Grimwig12. Mr. Losberne13. Mr. Bumble14. Mrs. Corney15. Edward Monks16. Agnes Fleming17. Mr. Leeford18. Monks’s Mother19. Noah Claypole20. Charlotte21. Mr. Fang 24 25. 25. Oliver Twist The novel‘s protagonist. Oliver is an orphan born in aworkhouse, and Dickens uses his situation to criticize publicpolicy toward the poor in 1830s England. Oliver is between nineand twelve years old when the main action of the novel occurs.Though treated with cruelty and surrounded by coarseness formost of his life, he is a pious, innocent child, and his charmsdraw the attention of several wealthy benefactors. His trueidentity is the central mystery of the novel. 25 26. 26. Fagin Fagin is pretty clearly a bad guy. For a long time, people thought that Fagin was based on a real guy who sold stolengoods (a.k.a. a "fence") named Ikey Solomon. Ikey Solomon happened to be Jewish, but the stereotype was there beforeSolomon or Fagin came along – the limited number of careers open to people of Jewish descent did indeed drive some Jewishpeople to illegal activity. The final chapter about Fagin shows how alienated Fagin was from the rest of society. And not just from society,but from the entire human race. He‘s in a crowded courtroom, and is surrounded "by a firmament all bright with beamingeyes". The crowd of people is reduced to this one feature: their "eyes‖. So Fagin is made into a spectacle, and his own senseof individual identity is totally squelched by their "inquisitive and eager eyes." In this scene, Fagin seems totally numb towhat is happening to him, and he ends up watching what goes on in the courtroom "as any idle spectator might have done― .And later, when he looks into the crowd, "in no one face could he read the faintest sympathy with him". So Fagin is out ofsympathy with the entire mob here – no one can identify with him. And that‘s not at all surprising, given how frequently he‘s cast as sub-human, or rat-like, or demon-like. Forexample, right after he finds out about Nancy‘s conversation with Rose and Mr. Brownlow, he "looked less like a man thansome hideous phantom‖, or when he‘s in prison, when his face looks "more like that of a snared beast than the face of aman". 26 27. 27. Nancy A major concern of Oliver Twist is the question of whether a bad environment can irrevocably poison someone‘scharacter and soul. As the novel progresses, the character who best illustrates the contradictory issues brought up by thatquestion is Nancy. As a child of the streets, Nancy has been a thief and drinks to excess. The narrator‘s reference to her ―freeand agreeable . . . manners‖ indicates that she is a prostitute. She is immersed in the vices condemned by her society, but shealso commits perhaps the most noble act in the novel when she sacrifices her own life in order to protect Oliver. Nancy‘s moralcomplexity is unique among the major characters in Oliver Twist. The novel is full of characters who are all good and can barelycomprehend evil, such as Oliver, Rose, and Brownlow; and characters who are all evil and can barely comprehend good, suchas Fagin, Sikes, and Monks. Only Nancy comprehends and is capable of both good and evil. Her ultimate choice to do good at agreat personal cost is a strong argument in favor of the incorruptibility of basic goodness, no matter how many environmentalobstacles it may face. Nancy‘s love for Sikes exemplifies the moral ambiguity of her character. As she herself points out to Rose, devotionto a man can be ―a comfort and a pride‖ under the right circumstances. But for Nancy, such devotion is ―a new means ofviolence and suffering‖—indeed, her relationship with Sikes leads her to criminal acts for his sake and eventually to her owndemise. The same behavior, in different circumstances, can have very different consequences and moral significance. In muchof Oliver Twist, morality and nobility are black-and-white issues, but Nancy‘s character suggests that the boundary betweenvirtue and vice is not always clearly drawn. 27 28. 28. The Artful Dodger The Artful Dodger is one of the most famous and memorable characters in the novel. TheDodger‘s real name is Jack Dawkins. He provides comic relief in part because of his anti-establishment,devil-may-care attitude, but also because of the odd juxtapositions of opposites that he provides. He can‘tbe more than twelve, but he acts like a full-grown man, and even wears men‘s clothes (with the sleevesrolled way up). He talks and walks like a man, and the contrast between his attitude and his size is prettyfunny. He also is one of the main "canters" of the novel – he speaks almost entirely in thieves‘ cant, whichgives Dickens a chance to show off what he knows, and gives the reader the titillating impression that he orshe is glimpsing some authentic view of the criminal underworld. Some critics think that the Artful Dodger is based on the historical robber and prison-breaker, JackSheppard. It‘s possible, especially given that Dickens‘s friend William Harrison Ainsworth was writing anovel about Jack Sheppard at the same time that Dickens was working on Oliver Twist. 28 29. 29. Charley Bates Charley Bates serves the same role as the Dodger – comic relief – butin a slightly different way. The Dodger is funny because he‘s so knowing,and knows too much for his age, so that the contrast creates the comedy.Charley is just his dumb sidekick. He thinks everything is hilarious, andthat crime is just one long joke against the system. That is, until Sikesmurders Nancy. You could say that Charley is the one character in thenovel that undergoes a major change: after the murder, Charley decides thatcrime isn‘t actually so funny after all, and goes straight. In the finalchapter, Dickens tells us that Charley became a farm hand and was prettyhappy with a country life. 29 30. 30. Bill Sikes Sikes is brave and strong, for sure, and he‘s a straight shooter. He doesn‘t like it when Fagintalks around the point or tries to cover things up. He‘s no liar, whatever else he might be. So,reluctantly, we have to admit that Sikes has a few admirable qualities. But he‘s also stubborn,distrustful, and has what one might call some anger management issues. He is also a brutal professional burglar brought up in Fagin‘s gang. Sikes is Nancys pimpand lover, and he treats both her and his dog Bull‘s-eye with an odd combination of cruelty andgrudging affection. His murder of Nancy is the most heinous of the many crimes that occur in thenovel. Dickens got the idea for such a character from a historical criminal named James Sikes (a.k.a."Hell and Fury") who lived (and was hanged) in the 1720s – a period of criminal history thatDickens was particularly interested in. 30 31. 31. Mr. Brownlow Mr. Brownlow is Oliver‘s first friend and mentor. He‘s had a rough life – he wasgoing to marry his best friend‘s sister, but she died on the morning of their wedding day.And then his best friend died far from home, too. So one would think that Mr. Brownlowwould be a bitter, cynical old man, but he‘s not. He still has faith in people. He‘s kind of abook worm – the first time we see him, he‘s so absorbed in reading a book at abookseller‘s stand in the street that he doesn‘t notice the Dodger and Charley trying to pickhis pocket. But he‘s no wimp, either. When Mr. Fang, the magistrate, insults him, hestands up for himself immediately. He‘s also a loyal friend, and dedicated to doing what‘sright. Generally, he‘s a stand-up guy. 31 32. 32. Mrs. Maylie Mrs. Maylie is a very kind and wealthy woman. She apparently makes a habit of taking in questionable orphans, even though shealready had a son of her own. Once, when she was on a holiday in Wales, she saw a cute little girl who was being brought up by the villagersand, despite the stories that had been circulating about how this girl was bad news, Mrs. Maylie decided to take the girl in. Of course shenever regretted it, because Rose Maylie grows up to be the sweetest young lady in the world. Later, a little boy appears on her doorstep,wounded after having attempted to rob her house, and of course she takes him in, too – she even lies to the detectives who come to investigatethe break-in to protect the kid. If she had a taste for adopting orphans, that she‘d at least go for the ones who didn‘t seem to have criminal propensities, but no –Mrs. Maylie seems to like saving children who might otherwise be prone to crime. It‘s also weird that Mrs. Maylie keeps adopting childrenwho turn out to be from the same family – Rose, as it turns out, was the younger sister of Oliver‘s dead mother. Although an old lady, she‘s very firm and vigorous – she goes on long walks, and her posture is pretty amazing. And even whenRose is dying of the fever, Mrs. Maylie only loses her cool once – and once she dries her eyes, she‘s all business. She cares deeply for Roseand Oliver, but she‘s also very rational, and does what needs to be done. 32 33. 33. Rose Maylie Rose is the sweetest, loveliest, most virtuous young lady ever. She‘s pretty much a stock Victorianheroine. She‘s self-sacrificing, loving, kind to animals and small children, and blond. She is occasionallyprone to fevers, but doesn‘t die of them. But Rose differs from those other heroines in some interesting ways: first of all, she‘s not aristocraticby birth. In fact, her birth is somewhat questionable. They think, at first, that she is illegitimate, and then laterthey realize that even though she isn‘t illegitimate, she still has a stain on her family honor (her sister gotpregnant without being married). Perhaps because of her own questionable background, Rose is able tosympathize with folks who are down-and-out in ways that other, more aristocratic, heroines might not. She‘sthe one who begs Mrs. Maylie to take Oliver in and protect him, and she‘s able to pity Nancy, rather thancondemn her. In response to Rose‘s sympathy, Nancy says, "if there were more like you, there would be fewerlike me!―. 33 34. 34. Harry Maylie Harry doesn‘t actually appear all that much in the novel, but from what is able to gather, he‘s thetypical Victorian hero: young, attractive, active, devoted to his mother and lover, nice to children, goodwith horses, and blond. He shows up for the first time just as Rose is over the worst of her illness, and it islearnt that he‘s been in love with her for pretty much his entire adult life. His devoted adoration of RoseMaylie is pretty much his defining characteristic. The reason he isn‘t living with his mother and Rose at the beginning of the novel is because hewas staying with a rich uncle, who was planning out some kind of fancy political career for him, as anecessary preface to inheriting his fortune. But when Harry realizes that Rose can‘t or won‘t marrysomeone whose public life might expose her (and her questionable birth) to ridicule, Harry changes hisentire career path. He ends up becoming a minister in a little country church, marrying Rose and livinghappily ever after. The only other time we see Harry is when he‘s on horseback, egging on the crowd outside thehouse where Sikes is trying to escape. Harry takes an active interest in capturing Sikes and bringing him tojustice – partly out of a sense of what is due to Nancy, and partly, out of affection for Oliver. He‘s not acomplicated guy. 34 35. 35. Mr. Grimwig Mr. Grimwig is a typical Dickens character: he is eccentric, and hiseccentricity takes the form of a frequently repeated verbal or physical tick.His favorite expression is, "I‘ll eat my head!" – and he repeats that phrase sooften, and so oddly, that that‘s pretty much all there is to his character. He‘sreducible to his own eccentric expression. He has other characteristics – he‘sstubborn, contrary, abrupt, hard on the outside, but marshmallow-y soft on theinside, and very fond of Rose. But he‘s memorable primarily as the "I‘ll eatmy head!" guy, and that‘s one of the striking things about how Dickens writesminor characters – they‘ll often be reducible to some odd or eccentricexpression or gesture. 35 36. 36. Mr. Losberne Mr. Losberne is a country doctor and old family friend ofthe Maylies. He‘s unmarried and he‘s very attached to thatfamily, and actually moves to the country when they leaveChertsey because the neighborhood is too boring with themgone. He‘s friendly and gregarious, always ready to pity theunfortunate, but he‘s also abrupt and reckless, andoccasionally stubborn. No wonder he gets along so well withMr. Grimwig. 36 37. 37. Mr. Bumble Mr. Bumble is the beadle in the town where Oliver is born. As beadle, he‘s responsible for running all of the "charitable" institutions inthe parish – including the baby farms and the workhouse. He also gets to wear a special cocked hat, of which he is very proud. If Mr. Grimwig isthe kind of one-sided character who can be reduced to an expression, Mr. Bumble can be reduced to his beadle hat. Mr. Bumble likes power, and he likes to use it. Frankly, he‘s kind of a sadist, but he‘s not without a few redeeming qualities. WhenOliver pours his heart out to him on the way to Mr. Sowerberry‘s, and says, "‗I feel as if I had been cut here, sir, and it was all bleeding away;‘and the child beat his hand upon his heart, and looked into his companion‘s face with tears of real agony", Mr. Bumble is actually moved. He doeshave a heart! But the trouble is, that he doesn‘t act on his pity – he seems to feel like it‘s a weakness, and he doesn‘t want to lose face. He seemsto think that he won‘t be respected if he shows pity to anyone. This is one of just a few instances in which Dickens seems to want us to see Mr.Bumble as a real character, and not just a one-sided meanie. Mr. Bumble‘s soft spot is what allows us, later on, to feel sorry for him (but only slightly). He marries Mrs. Corney for her money, andloses his post as the beadle to become the master of the workhouse. Little does he know that the workhouse can‘t have two masters, and Mrs.Corney (now Mrs. Bumble) is already it. She beats him and humiliates him, and we almost pity him – but then we‘re reminded how much he usedto enjoy beating and humiliating the paupers and orphans. At the end of the novel, Mr. and Mrs. Bumble are so reduced that they end up living atthe workhouse where they used to lord it over others. 37 38. 38. Mrs. Corney Mrs. Corney is cautious, distrustful, cruel, and power-hungry. We first meet her whenshe‘s fixing herself tea in her snug little room on a blustery winter‘s day. The snugness of herlittle room is in sharp contrast to the bitterness of the rest of the workhouse, where the paupershave to live. She feels sorry for herself, though, despite the snugness, because she‘s a widow,and kind of lonely. When Mr. Bumble arrives to flirt with her and then to propose, Dickens keeps us fromfeeling at all sympathetic by satirizing her – he repeatedly refers to her as a "discreet matron,"meaning that she won‘t allow anything improper to happen with Mr. Bumble. But "discreet"also means that she won‘t commit to anything without knowing what she‘s getting into. She‘scertainly "discreet" in that sense. Dickens uses her to satirize the workhouse system that wasrun by people more interested in taking care of themselves than of the poor. 38 39. 39. Edward Monks Edward Monks is the primary villain of the novel, in that he‘s the one who‘s really out to getOliver, but because he appears in so few scenes, he‘s listed lower than some of the arguably more "minor"characters. George Gissing, another Victorian novelist, argued that one "blemish" of Oliver Twist was"Monks, with his insufferable (often ludicrous) rant, and his absurd machinations". Monks "machinations"do certainly play a big role in the plot of Oliver Twist. Monks goes after Oliver for no reason other than pure malice. After all, Oliver‘s got no way ofknowing who his parents were, and even if he figured it out, he would have no way of knowing that therewas a will that would have left him some money. Monks mother had already burnt the will, and hadattempted to ruin Oliver‘s mother‘s little sister (Rose) for no reason other than spite. Sure, Monks father‘sattempt to cut him out of the will might have hurt Monks feelings. But after the will was burnt, he‘dcollected all the money. 39 40. 40. Edward Monks Gissing‘s other criticism is that Monks rants too much. Maybe he‘s right – Monks doestend to go on a bit, and when he does, he works himself up into a frenzy. An interesting thing to note about Monks frenzies is that he‘s not just wild with hatred –when he has "fits," it‘s not because he‘s completely lost his self-control. Although Dickens nevernames the disease or disorder that causes those fits, most critics believe that Dickens intended todescribe symptoms of epilepsy. His frequent "fits" have, over time, left an imprint on his face,and not just from biting his lips. Mr. Brownlow says that Monks "evil passions, vice, andprofligacy festered till they found a vent in a hideous disease which has made your face an indexeven to your mind" (49.57). So Monks physical disease has made his face as distorted and uglyas his vice and crimes have made his mind. 40 41. 41. Agnes Fleming Agnes gets the first and the last words of the novel, so even though she‘s only alive for about fiveminutes at the beginning, we figure she‘s actually pretty important. Agnes is Oliver‘s mother. A retired naval officer‘s daughter, she was a beautiful, loving woman. Oliver‘s face closely resembleshers. Agnes, as later learnt, is nineteen years old when her father‘s new friend (who is about thirty or so) falls inlove with her. She is young and has never been in love before, and she falls for him. He keeps saying that hecan‘t get married, but is mysterious as to the reason why. Her lover is called away to Italy, and dies there, andshe runs away from home to avoid shaming her father by having a child out of wedlock. After falling in lovewith and becoming pregnant by Mr. Edwin Leeford, she chooses to die anonymously in a workhouse ratherthan stain her family‘s reputation. And that‘s where the story picks up in the first chapter: she arrives at a workhouse, has her baby, anddies. 41 42. 42. Mr. Leeford Monks’s mother Oliver and Monks‘s father, who An heiress who lived adies long before the events of the novel. decadent life and alienated herHe was an intelligent, high-minded man husband, Mr. Leeford. Monks‘swhose family forced him into anunhappy marriage with a wealthy mother destroyed Mr. Leeford‘swoman. He eventually separated from will, which left part of hishis wife and had an illicit love affair property to Oliver. Much ofwith Agnes Fleming. He intended to Monks‘s nastiness is presumablyflee the country with Agnes but died inherited from her.before he could do so. 42 43. 43. Noah Claypole Noah‘s another typical minor Dickens character, in that he‘s grotesque, absurd, and exaggerated. He‘sskinny, lean, and eel-like, and has a taste for oysters and sneaking. Noah‘s a pretty fun character. He starts out the novel as an apprentice in Mr. Sowerberry‘s shop. He was acharity boy, and the other kids made fun of him. So as soon as Oliver arrives, Noah is pretty jazzed about havingsomeone even lower on the social ladder than he is. Finally, someone he can dump on! Dickens takes thiscircumstance to moralize about how everyone likes to stomp on the people below them: “This affords charming food for contemplation. It shows us what a beautiful thing human nature is, and howimpartially the same amiable qualities are developed in the finest lord and the dirtiest charity-boy.” Noah‘s obviously a source of comic relief and, like the Artful Dodger, the comedy comes partly fromcontrast: Noah‘s absurdly scrawny, and Charlotte is burly and tough; but Noah bosses her around, and she submitslike a lamb. Noah‘s awfully fond of power, but too cowardly to do anything but sneak around, spy on people, and ratthem out if he thinks it‘ll be good for him. 43 44. 44. Charlotte Mr. FangThe Sowerberry‘s maid. The harsh, irrational, power-Charlotte becomes hungry magistrate whoromantically involved with presides over Oliver‘s trialNoah Claypole and follows for pick-pocketing.him about slavishly. 44 45. 45. 45 46. 46. Our own personal reaction to this Dickensian classic is that we really liked it. We must admit to being abit of a Dickens fan, and we love the way that he produces vast novels populated by such memorable characters.The story of the archetypal Dickensian orphan who manages to survive the evil plots of others to enjoy the placein society that he deserves is one that everybody can relate to, and it is certainly a gripping narrative as we fearOliver will be hung or captured or killed at various stages in the narrative. Having said that we like it, at the same time however it is not the best Dickens novel by a long stretch.When we think more closely about the story, there are a number of problems with it, in our opinion, or aspectsthat make it less challenging than a work like Great Expectations. Firstly, we would argue that the verygoodness of Oliver is problematic, as he remains innocent and angel-like in his goodness throughout the entirenovel, no matter what is done to him. The best example of this is of course when he pleads with Fagan to repentbefore his death at the end of the novel. This seems to me to be rather unrealistic. Secondly, based on this firstpoint, all of the characters with the exception of Nancy are either good or bad. Nancy is the only character that ispresented as occupying a space in the middle of these two extremes. Again, this points to a rather simplistic viewof characters, as in reality we all have good and bad elements. Apart from this quibbles, however, this novel isan excellent story that has become a classic. 46 47. 47. Done ByAmruta M Hegde Class XI A KV No:-1, Mangalore 47
« Good news about soot? \| Main \| Temperatures are rising all around us: looking at 5-year trends around the world » Steve Bloom A big difference between the Death Valley of the present and the Dallas of the future is humidity; while Dallas will probably be drier, it'll still be more humid than Death Valley is now. That makes for a big difference in public health terms. There is, unsurprisingly, a vast literature pertaining to this issue. RCP8.5 is an unreasonable view of emissions, if one is concerned with things like economics. The growth of emissions in RCP8.5 does not match known resources of fossil fuels and the very real (and demonstrated) depletion of current resources and the relationship to price and production. [RESPONSE: No, actually RCP 8.5 is a very reasonable view of climate forcings, which is what matters if one is concerned with real-life results. Emissions and forcings are not one and the same (see end note 1). If a half-filled tanker truck (emissions) drives at high speed into a fuel depot (positive feedbacks), there will be an explosion (RCP 8.5 or worse). [RESPONSE PART 2: "While it is still too early to say whether any particular scenario is being tracked by current emissions, A1FI is considered to be as plausible as other non-mitigation scenarios and cannot be ruled out." - quote from Betts et al., Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 13 January 2011 vol. 369 no. 1934 67-84. The A1FI scenario is nearly the same as the RCP8.5. The comments to this entry are closed. Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions Highlighted Research Convert carbon dioxide (CO2) weight to carbon (C) weight CO2/3.67 = C ex: 40 GtCO2 ≈ 10.9 GtC 1 Gt (Gigatonne) = 1 billion tonnes 1 tonne = 1,000 kg Also: 1 Pg = 1 Gt 1 Pg (Petagram) = 1 quadrillion grams Soil specialists tend to use Pg, as they are used to working with gram units per square meter of soil area. Atmospheric specialists tend to use Gt. Convert carbon emissions to ppm atmospheric CO2 GtC/2.12 = ppm To convert emissions of carbon to atmospheric ppm CO2, carbon sinks must be taken into account. So far, terrestrial and oceanic sinks have taken up about 50% of CO2. ex: 40 GtCO2 emissions ≈ 10.9 GtC 10.9 GtC/2.12 ≈ 5.14 ppm CO2 before accounting for sinks 5.14 ppm CO2 x 0.5 ≈ 2.57 ppm CO2 after accounting for sinks
Sign up Here's how it works: 1. Anybody can ask a question 2. Anybody can answer In Grove's book Algebra, Proposition 3.7 at page 94 is the following If $G$ is a finite subgroup of the multiplicative group $F^*$ of a field $F$, then $G$ is cyclic. He starts the proof by saying "Since $G$ is the direct product of its Sylow subgroups ...". But this is only true if the Sylow subgroups of $G$ are all normal. How do we know this? share\|cite\|improve this question Multiplication is commutative. So $G$ is abelian and every subgroup is normal. – jspecter Aug 26 '11 at 14:03 For a finite group, $G$ is nilpotent if and only if it is the direct product of its Sylow subgroups. – user1729 Aug 26 '11 at 14:31 A slight generalization of the lemma/theorem you are wondering about is topic of this question (in the moment there is no answer, but a good comment by Geoff). – Someone Aug 26 '11 at 14:59 There's a simple proof which doesn't use Sylow's theory. Lemma. Let $G$ a finite group with $n$ elements. If for every $d \vert n$ we have $\# \{x \in G \mid x^d = 1 \} \leq d$, then $G$ is cyclic. If $G$ is a finite subgroup of the multiplicative group of a field, then $G$ satisfy the hypothesis because the polynomial $x^d - 1$ has $d$ roots at most. Proof. Fix $d \vert n$ and consider the set $G_d$ made up of elements of $G$ with order $d$. Suppose that $G_d \neq \emptyset$, so there exists $y \in G_d$; it is clear that $\langle y \rangle \subseteq \{ x \in G \mid x^d = 1 \}$. But the subgroup $\langle y \rangle$ has cardinality $d$, so from the hypothesis we have that $\langle y \rangle = \{ x \in G \mid x^d = 1 \}$. Therefore $G_d$ is the set of generators of the cyclic group $\langle y \rangle$ of order $d$, so $\# G_d = \phi(d)$. We have proved that $G_d$ is empty or has cardinality $\phi(d)$, for every $d \vert n$. So we have: $$ n = \# G = \sum_{d \vert n} \# G_d \leq \sum_{d \vert n} \phi(d) = n, $$ Therefore $\# G_d = \phi(d)$ for every $d \vert n$. In particular $G_n \neq \emptyset$. This proves that $G$ is cyclic. QED share\|cite\|improve this answer Very nice proof. It may be noted that the last equality $\sum_{d\|n}\phi(d)=n$ is derived from the very same argument applied when $G$ is the cyclic group of order$~n$, using the additional knowledge that in this case elements of every order $d\|n$ do exist. In other words no knowledge at all about the values $\phi(d)$, apart from the fact that the are well defined, is used. – Marc van Leeuwen Apr 28 '13 at 5:24 @MarcvanLeeuwen, what are the $\phi(n)$? – Juan Pablo Jul 12 '13 at 21:27 @JuanPablo: That's Euler's totient function, the number of non-negative integers${}<n$ that are relatively prime to$~n$. – Marc van Leeuwen Jul 12 '13 at 22:06 Note that this result is not true if $F$ is a skew field (division ring), as is illustrated by the quaternion group $Q_8$ inside the quaternions. So one must use commutativity somewhere, and this usually happens implictly by using that the polynomial $X^d-1$ can have at most $d$ roots in $F$; this is for instance the case in the answer by Andrea, where the proof of the lemma does not use commutativity. Here is a somewhat different approach that exploits commutativity a second time. Lemma. The set of orders of elements in a finite Abelian group is closed under taking least common multiples. (Edit: This happens to be the subject of another math.SE question. It may seem quite hard, unless one realises that in Abelian torsion groups, different prime factors can be considered independently due to a canonical direct sum decomposition, after which the question becomes trivial. Here I'll leave my original proof below, which follows another answer to that question.) Proof. The set of orders (in any group) is certainly closed under taking divisors: if $x$ has order $n$ and $d\mid n$ then $x^{n/d}$ has order $d$. Now if $a,b$ are orders of elements in an Abelian group and $\def\lcm{\operatorname{lcm}}m=\lcm(a,b)$, then there are relatively prime $a',b'$ with $a'\mid a$, $b'\mid b$, and $a'b'=m$: it suffices to retain in $a'$ those and only those prime factors of $a$ whose multiplicity in $a$ is at least as great as in $b$, and to retain in $b'$ all other prime factors of $b$ (those whose multiplicity exceeds those in $a$). Now if $x$ has order $a'$ and $y$ has order $b'$, then these orders are relatively prime, whence $\langle x\rangle\cap\langle y\rangle=\{e\}$, and their product is$~m$ so that $$ x^iy^i =e\iff x^i=e=y^i\iff \lcm(a',b')=a'b'=m\mid i, $$ and therefore $xy$ has order $m$. QED Now to prove the proposition, let $n=\#G$, and let $m$ be the least common multiple of all the orders of elements of $G$. By Lagrange's theorem one has $m\mid n$, and, and since all $x\in G$ are roots of $X^m-1$ one has $n\leq m$. Therefore $n=m$, and by the lemma (using that $G$ is commutative since $F$ is so) $G$ has an element $g$ of order $m=\#G$, so that $G=\langle g\rangle$ is cyclic. share\|cite\|improve this answer We know that if $G$ is a finite abelian group, $G$ is isomorphic to a direct product $\mathbb{Z}_{(p_1)^{n_1}} \times \mathbb{Z}_{(p_2)^{n_2}} \times \cdots \times \mathbb{Z}_{(p_r)^{n_r}}$ where $p_i$'s are prime not necessarily distinct. Consider each of the $\mathbb{Z}_{(p_i)^{n_i}}$ as a cyclic group of oreder $p_i^{n_i}$ in multiplicative notation. Let $m$ be the $lcm$ of all the $p_i^{n_i}$ for $i=1,2,\ldots,r.$ Clearly $m\leq {p_1}^{n_1}{p_2}^{n_2}\cdots{p_r}^{n_r}.$ If $a_i \in \mathbb{Z}_{(p_i)^{n_i}}$ then $(a_i)^{({p_i}^{n_i})}=1$ and hence $a_i^m=1.$ Therefore for all $\alpha \in G,$ whe have $\alpha^m=1$ that is every element of $G$ is a root of $x^m=1.$ However $G$ has ${p_1}^{n_1}{p_2}^{n_2}\cdots{p_r}^{n_r}$ elements, while the polynomial $x^m-1$ can have at most $m$ roots in $F.$ So, we deduce that $m={p_1}^{n_1}{p_2}^{n_2}\cdots{p_r}^{n_r}.$ Therefore $p_i$'s are distinct primes, and the group $G$ is isomorphic to the cyclic group $\mathbb{Z}_m.$ share\|cite\|improve this answer Your Answer
Join them; it only takes a minute: Sign up Join the Stack Overflow community to: 1. Ask programming questions 2. Answer and help your peers 3. Get recognized for your expertise How would I remove the first three letters of a string with C? share\|improve this question "plz send teh codez!!1" - "No." – delnan Jan 21 '11 at 17:21 str = str + 3; since str+=3; is too short for a comment! – David Heffernan Jan 21 '11 at 17:23 thanks man! that works :) – user179169 Jan 21 '11 at 18:09 up vote 7 down vote accepted void chopN(char str, size_t n) assert(n != 0 && str != 0); size_t len = strlen(str); if (n > len) return; // Or: n = len; memmove(str, str+n, len - n + 1); An alternative design: size_t chopN(char str, size_t n) size_t len = strlen(str); if (n > len) n = len; return(len - n); share\|improve this answer +1, but wouldn't it be better as int, which prints the # of chars actually remaining (or -1 instead of the assertion) ? – Tim Post Jan 21 '11 at 18:35 @Tim: there are all sorts of possible designs; this is a roughly minimal implementation - on the whole, I think the assignment is better than the early return. As to the return value - I'd be fine with returning the reduced length - that would be size_t like the input, most likely. – Jonathan Leffler Jan 21 '11 at 19:09 Add 3 to the pointer: char foo = "abcdef"; foo += 3; printf("%s", foo); will print "def" share\|improve this answer Need to check to make sure it's at least three characters long first! – kindall Jan 21 '11 at 17:26 @kindall: of course.. ;) – BlackBear Jan 21 '11 at 17:27 For example, if you have char a[] = "123456"; the simplest way to remove the first 3 characters will be: char b = a + 3; // the same as to write `char *b = &a[3]` b will contain "456" But in general case you should also make sure that string length not exceeded share\|improve this answer Not only is sizeof(char) useless, it's also wrong for other types. Pointer arithmetic takes place in units of elements, not bytes. – R.. Jan 21 '11 at 18:25 Yes, you are right. Have edited the answer – Martin Babacaev Jan 22 '11 at 0:05 +1 for this super sharp solution. – Salvador Apr 19 '14 at 21:45 Well, learn about string copy (, indexing into a string ( and try again. In pseudocode: find the pointer into the string where you want to start copying from copy from that point to end of string into a new string. share\|improve this answer -1. Code without explanation is better than links to references and completely obvious "pseudocode". – pelesl Jan 30 '14 at 18:21 In C, string is an array of characters in continuous locations. We can't either increase or decrease the size of the array. But make a new char array of size of original size minus 3 and copy characters into new array. share\|improve this answer That'll copy the first three characters of the string. The question asks how to remove the first three characters. – mipadi Jan 21 '11 at 17:30 Yeah Just noticed.Changed it. Thanks. – Mahesh Jan 21 '11 at 17:34 Your Answer
First Train Fastest Train The French-made V150 was faster than a speeding Bullet (train, that is) as it reached a speed of 574.8 kilometers (357 miles) per hour breaking the world speed record on rails. Alstom Transport, Reseau Ferre de France and the French railway system SNCF partnered in developing the record-breaking train. The fastest train ever clocked was the Maglev from Japan, which hit a speed of 361 mph in 2003. However, the Maglev uses electromagnetic technology so the train never touches the rails. Train The train carrying iron from Zouerate to the coast at Nouadhibou, is probably the world's longest train. Normally its length is as much as 2.5 kilometres.with more than 200 wagons mainly transporting iron ore, and some carriages for passengers; alternatively, people sit on top of the iron piles The whole journey takes around 12 hours, where almost 700 kilometres are covered. If you want to come to, or leave, Nouadhibou, there are no good alternatives to this train. But it should not be avoided anyway. Longest Toy Train WHO:Miniature Wunderland ; WHERE:Miniatur Wunderland, Hamburg, Germany ; WHEN:November 27, 2005 An HO (1:87.1) scale model train measuring 110.3 m ( 361 ft 10 in) made up of 3 locomotives of type "lore" and 887 carriages was constructed by Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, on November 27, 2005. If the model had been a full-scale train it would have measured 9.607 km (5.969 miles) long. Largest Train Station Nagoya Station is a train station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is the world's largest train station by floor area (446,000 m², 4,800,000 ft²)[1]and houses the headquarters of the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Much of this space is located in the "JR Central Towers" atop the station, as well as in underground concourses. The current station complex was completed on December 20, 1999. An average of 1,140,000 people used it per day in 2005, making it the 6th busiest station in Japan. Largest Underground Train Station Châtelet – Les Halles is a major commuter train hub in Paris. Taken together with the Paris Métro stations Châtelet and Les Halles, to which it is directly connected, it is the world's largest underground station and subway station.[citation needed] The station hosts 750,000 travellers per week day (including interchanges), counting 493,000 for the RER only Longest railway Longest Tunnel Railway As long ago as 1994, the Swiss voted in a nationwide referendum to put all freight crossing their country onto the railways. Naturally, such an ambitious plan was not going to happen overnight, but now the project dubbed the engineering feat of the 21st Century is slowly taking shape. World's Most Expensive Train MOSCOW (Reuters) - Once considered the preserve of scruffy backpackers, hardy adventurers, and vodka swigging businessmen, a new train on Russia's Trans-Siberian route aims to lure wealthy tourists with luxury A single ticket on the Golden Eagle will cost up to 9,595 pounds ($20000) for the 13- to 15-day journey Thomas the Tank Engine Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic steam locomotive created by the Rev. W. V. Awdry in his Railway Series books, made into the British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (later simplified to Thomas and Friends) and its American spin-off Shining Time Station. Thomas is a tank engine: a steam locomotive with large rectangular tanks to carry water, on each side of his boiler. He is based on the E2 Class 0-6-0T locomotives built for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway between 1913 and 1916. Refferences Train คลังบทความ wowboom เพื่อนๆ wowboom
Photo Details This is a picture of Howse River, which was named in honour of Joseph Howse, the fur trader, by David Thompson. Joseph was one of the first employee's of the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada. He came from Cirencester, England and became the patriarch of a very large family of Howse's. Howse River empties into the North Saskatchewan River just north of Banff, Alberta. in Alberta Canada Write a comment
fukushima firemen Nuclear power was supposed to change the world. The dream is dead. AP THE enormous power tucked away in the atomic nucleus, the chemist Frederick Soddy rhapsodised in 1908, could "transform a desert continent, thaw the frozen poles, and make the whole world one smiling Garden of Eden." Militarily, that power has threatened the opposite, with its ability to make deserts out of gardens on an unparalleled scale. Idealists hoped that, in civil garb, it might redress the balance, providing a cheap, plentiful, reliable and safe source of electricity for centuries to come. But it has not. Nor does it soon seem likely to. Looking at nuclear power 26 years ago, The Economist observed that the way forward for a somewhat moribund nuclear industry was "to get plenty of nuclear plants built, and then to accumulate, year after year, a record of no deaths, no serious accidents--and no dispute that the result is cheaper energy." It was a fair assessment; but our conclusion that the industry was "safe as a chocolate factory" proved something of a hostage to fortune. Less than a month later one of the reactors at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine ran out of control and exploded, killing the workers there at the time and some of those sent in to clean up afterwards, spreading contamination far and wide, leaving a swathe of countryside uninhabitable and tens of thousands banished from their homes. The harm done by radiation remains unknown to this day; the stress and anguish of the displaced has been plain to see. Et tu, Japan Then, 25 years later, when enough time had passed for some to be talking of a "nuclear renaissance", it happened again (see "Japan after the 3/11 disaster: The death of trust"). The bureaucrats, politicians and industrialists of what has been called Japan’s "nuclear village" were not unaccountable apparatchiks in a decaying authoritarian state like those that bore the guilt of Chernobyl; they had responsibilities to voters, to shareholders, to society. And still they allowed their enthusiasm for nuclear power to shelter weak regulation, safety systems that failed to work and a culpable ignorance of the tectonic risks the reactors faced, all the while blithely promulgating a myth of nuclear safety. Tsunami House Click for pictures of the tsunami. A technology for a more expensive world For nuclear to play a greater role, either it must get cheaper or other ways of generating electricity must get more expensive. In theory, the second option looks promising: the damage done to the environment by fossil fuels is currently not paid for. Putting a price on carbon emissions that recognises the risk to the climate would drive up fossil-fuel costs. We have long argued for introducing a carbon tax (and getting rid of energy subsidies). But in practice carbon prices are unlikely to justify nuclear. Britain’s proposed carbon floor price--the equivalent in 2020 of €30 ($42) a tonne in 2009 prices, roughly four times the current price in Europe’s carbon market--is designed to make nuclear investment enticing enough for a couple of new plants to be built. Even so, it appears that other inducements will be needed. There is little sign, as yet, that a price high enough to matter can be set and sustained anywhere. chernobyl 1 Click to see what the disaster did to Chernobyl AP Nuclear innovation is still possible, but it will not happen apace: whales evolve slower than fruit flies. This does not mean nuclear power will suddenly go away. Reactors bought today may end up operating into the 22nd century, and decommissioning well-regulated reactors that have been paid for when they have years to run--as Germany did--makes little sense. Some countries with worries about the security of other energy supplies will keep building them, as may countries with an eye on either building, or having the wherewithal to build, nuclear weapons. And if the prices of fossil fuels rise and stay high, through scarcity or tax, nuclear may charm again. But the promise of a global transformation is gone. SEE ALSO: Incredible Pictures And Video From The Japan Tsunami
Definitions for u.s. federal communications commission This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word u.s. federal communications commission 1. U.S. Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created by Congressional statute, and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the media, public safety and homeland security. The Commission is also in the process of modernizing itself. The FCC was formed by the Communications Act of 1934 to replace the radio regulation functions of the Federal Radio Commission. The FCC took over wire communication regulation from the Interstate Commerce Commission. The FCC's mandated jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions. The FCC also provides varied degrees of cooperation, oversight, and leadership for similar communications bodies in other countries of North America. The FCC is funded entirely by regulatory fees. It has an estimated fiscal-2011 budget of US$335.8 million and a proposed fiscal-2012 budget of $354.2 million. It has 1,898 federal employees. 1. Chaldean Numerology The numerical value of u.s. federal communications commission in Chaldean Numerology is: 3 2. Pythagorean Numerology The numerical value of u.s. federal communications commission in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2 Sample Sentences & Example Usage 1. Gene Kimmelman: The Charter/Time Warner Cable deal ’s more of an Federal Communications Commission focus and there they have still a heavy lift. Will cable prices go up ? Will broadband prices go up ? Images & Illustrations of u.s. federal communications commission Find a translation for the u.s. federal communications commission definition in other languages: Select another language: Discuss these u.s. federal communications commission definitions with the community: Word of the Day Please enter your email address: Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography: "u.s. federal communications commission." STANDS4 LLC, 2016. Web. 29 Jun 2016. < federal communications commission>. Are we missing a good definition for u.s. federal communications commission? Don't keep it to yourself... Nearby & related entries: Alternative searches for u.s. federal communications commission: Thanks for your vote! We truly appreciate your support.
In "Siren Song", who is the speaker of the poem? To whom is she speaking? 1 Answer \| Add Yours sullymonster's profile pic Posted on The speaker of the poem is one of the mythical sirens, immortalized by Homer in The Odyssey. The sirens are bird/women who sing a beautiful song that lures men to their death. In Homer's version, the sirens lure sailors to jump overboard, which is why Odysseus has his men put beeswax in their ears and tie him to a post. It appears in the beginning that this siren is speaking directly to the reader. We know this because of the use of the pronoun "you" - Shall I tell you the secret and if I do, will you get me out of this bird suit?... I will tell the secret to you, to you, only to you. She suggests to the reader that she will reveal the nature of the song to him. She will reveal the true secret. The "secret" is that the siren doesn't like her job, and that the song is actually a cry for help. What is revealed in the last stanza is that her audience has been male readers - the siren only lures men to their death in the tradition. In this, the siren's "call for help" has been a lure, as she reveals: it is a boring song but it works every time. In other words, in pretending to reveal the secret, she has lured another man to his death. We’ve answered 328,011 questions. We can answer yours, too. Ask a question
Curb Trading DEFINITION of 'Curb Trading' Also known as "kerb trading". BREAKING DOWN 'Curb Trading' 1. Curbs Out 2. Curbs In 3. American Stock Exchange - AMEX 4. Trading Curb A temporary restriction on program trading in a particular security ... 5. Equity Market 6. Exchange Related Articles 1. Investing What's an Exchange? 2. Markets Trading Over the Counter 3. Markets The Birth Of Stock Exchanges 4. Investing What Is The Difference Between The Bond Market And The Stock Market? The differences between the two markets involve how each product is traded and the risks they present. 5. Markets Explaining Economic Trade Economic trade refers to the concept of parties voluntarily negotiating and exchanging goods or services. 6. Investing Learning About the Shanghai Stock Exchange The Shanghai Stock Exchange is mainland China’s largest stock exchange. 7. Markets Get To Know These Crucial US Options Market Regulations 8. Investing What is the Stock Market? 9. Markets An Introduction To The Indian Stock Market 10. Investing 5 Live Bitcoin Exchanges 1. Does all common stock trade on exchanges? Find out about types of common stock that trade on stock exchanges and types that trade in varied over-the-counter (OTC) ... Read Answer >> 2. How do I build a profitable strategy when using Outside Days? Learn a potentially highly profitable trading strategy that traders employ when an outside day occurs in trading near a major ... Read Answer >> 4. How effective is creating trade entries when using Outside Days? Learn how outside days provide traders with an opportunity to enter a market with a limited risk level and the opportunity ... Read Answer >> 5. Why are traders on the floor of the exchange? Hot Definitions 1. AAA 2. GBP 3. Diversification 4. European Union - EU 5. Sell-Off 6. Brazil, Russia, India And China - BRIC Trading Center
To the point & Out of the box make-doc-pro documentation make-doc-pro (MDP) uses an easy to learn markup language to specify different styles of a text. This is quick and easy to use and it can be handled by scripts as well making text processing a lot faster and simpler. The following sections explain the MDP markup language and show some special tips & tricks how to get the desired results. General Information Δ MDP uses one or more plain text files as input file and generates an output file. The format of the output file can be selected. Each output format uses a different method to specify the style for the MDP markup. For example, the HTML emitter uses a cascading-style-sheet (CSS) to specify the graphical appearance of the generated HTML file. The default CSS can be overwritten by an external CSS, so that you can change the look of the generated HTML files without big problems. Source Document structure Δ A MDP documdnt consists of the following parts: • A title line and a boilerplate text part • An optional table-of-contents (TOC) done with =toc • One or more headings / subheadings • One or more paragraph of text • Special formating characters like ~, _ etc. • Special MDP commands all starting with a = character like, =include etc. • Special MDP directives for controlling the MDP engine like, =debug etc. The main rule that you will need to follow is to separate all paragraphs with an empty line. Write a single paragraph either 1. using soft line wrapping thru your editor (without pressing your RETURN key) as one long line of text or 2. press RETURN to include hard line breaks, if you want to keep a fixed source text layout. If you fail to do this, your paragraphs will be merged together. Most text editors have a feature to word-wrap a text so that you can still see the complete paragraph if you go for option 1. The Title Line Δ The first line in a text file is always used as a title line. This text is used for the document title as well as the HTML title tag for the generated document. Boilerplate Δ If you follow the title line with a few indented lines, these lines are used as your boilerplate. The boilerplate uses a special style. Table of Contents Δ The table of contents (TOC) is automatically generated by the different section headings. It contains links to each section. No other effort is required. The TOC will indent and number the different sections and subsections. The level of indention is the same as later in the document text. The TOC isn't included into your document by default. If you want to include a TOC use the following code where you want the TOC to appear. The TOC is generated for the contents following the tag: Section Headings Δ make-doc-pro supports four different sorts of headings. These headings are indented to give the document a structure. This structure is shown in the TOC too. Major Sections Headings Δ Major section headings are created with a line that begins with === that is followed by the text of the heading. Here is an example: ===This is a Major Section Subsection Headings Δ Minor section headings are created with a line that begins with --- and is followed by the text of the heading. Here is an example: ---This is a Subsection A simple memory method for remembering that === is for sections and --- is for subsections is to note that === has more to it than ---. There are two more subsection headings you can use. The first is +++ and the second one is ... followed by the text of the heading. The subsections use different text sizes and indention levels to indicate the level of the heading. Here is a summary of the available heading styles: • === - Major Section heading • --- - Subsection • +++ - Subsubsection • ... - Subsubsubsection Inline Formatting Δ You can change text decoration inline. You can use bold text, ~italic~ text or _underline_ text. As you can see, the formatting is quite easy for this: • bold • ~italic~ • _underline_ The word you are going to decorate must have spaces in front of and after the inline decoration character: This is an _underlined source_ text. Comments Δ Comments begin with a semicolon (;) and continue through the end of the paragraph. It is OK to have whitespaces between the semicolon and the first character of the text. Here is an example comment: ;This is a comment. It continues until a blank line is encountered. It is handy for commenting out paragraphs. End of Text Δ If you follow your text with ### it will be used to mark the end of text formatting. Everything following it will be ignored. This is handy if you want to include some comments or notes to yourself at the end of the file, but you don't want them formatted into the document. You can also embed a REBOL script to automatically format your text (as described above). To do so, follow the ### with a REBOL header. Here is an example: ... your text... [REBOL [] do/args %make-doc-pro.r %make-doc-pro.txt] The ### marks the end of the formatting so the script portion will not be shown. The brackets around the script allow you to follow the line with notes or comments that are not evaluated. The brackets are not required. Structuring Markup Δ MDP supports structuring a document either by using bullet points or numbered lists. Bullet Points Δ A handy way of creating a simple list of bullet points is done by beginning paragraphs with a * character. Remember to keep the text start left in the first column, otherwise it will become a code example. The example: This is the first of a few bullet points. This is a second bullet point. This is another bullet point. It contains a lot more text, so it will show how bullets are wrapped on in the output. will produce: • This is the first of a few bullet points. • This is a second bullet point. • This is another bullet point. It contains a lot more text, so it will show how bullets are wrapped on in the output. Bullet Points Level Δ make-doc-pro supports three different levels of bullet points. To use them just use several bullet characters. Here is an example: First level Second level Third level Second level *Third level Will produce: • First level • Second level • Third level • Second level • Third level Numbered Points Δ Similar to bullet points, you can create numbered points. Start each numbered line with a # that is followed by the text of the line. For example: #This is the first numbered line. #This is the second numbered line. #This is another bullet point. It contains a lot more text, so it will show how lines are wrapped on in the output. 1. This is the first numbered line. 2. This is the second numbered line. Special Markup Δ This section describes some special markup rules you can use. Code Examples Δ To create a code example, all you have to do is indent the text. Code examples are printed in a fixed-space bold font. Notice that the example maintains its proper indentation. Definitions Δ A list of word definitions is created with a leading : for the word, followed by a - for the definition. The word of the definition can contain - characters too as long as there are no spaces. make-doc-pro recognizes the definition from the place starting after a "-" sequence is found. For example, definitions look like this: :word - This is the first definition. :example-with- - This is the second definition. :next word - This is the second word. Note that it can include more than one word. Stand-alone URL Links Δ Simple types of URL links can be created with the =url command. This command provides a file or site reference, followed by the hyperlink text. For example, to provide a relative link: =url work.html Where we work To provide an absolute link: =url The Main REBOL Site This will appear as follows: The Main REBOL Site. You can also provide email links with: =url Send me an email. Sometimes it's necessary to use URL with spaces, especially if you want to link to a file on a intranet server. Than use the following form: =url "//mycomputer/mydirectory with spaces/myfile.txt" URL with spaces Indented Sections Δ To increase indention level of a section of text, you will need to use a \in and a /in to indicate decreasing the indention level. This means you can use several \in and /in for indention controlling. Indention level is increased/decreased by 1cm a time. For example: This is a section of text. I can contain most of the other special formats. For example, here are a few bullet points: bullet 1 *bullet 2 Note Boxes Δ Special notes can be shown in a callout box. A note begins with \note and ends with /note. The \note line can be followed by a box heading that will be shown at the top of the box. The example: \note Example Note Box This is a special note. It can contain most of the other special formats. For example, here are a few numbered points: #number one #number two Tables Δ make-doc-pro adds support for tables. You create tables like this: cell1 \| cell2 \|\| cell1 \| cell2 The last line doesn't have a \|\| at the end, because there is no further line following. Images Δ Images are placed in a document with the image tag. The line: =image mdp-logo.png Would include the image, with the filename mdp-logo.png from the same directory as the source text file, centered in the document: =image center /images/mdp-logo.png To left justify the image: =image left mdp-logo.png You can use right and float as well. =image right mdp-logo.png =image float mdp-logo.png This is a text with an embedded image =image float /images/mdp-logo.png to include text styling graphics. MDP controlling markup Δ This section describes the commands you can use to control MDP's translation process. Language Support Δ I added support for different languages to make-doc-pro. At the moment only the specifier for the contents and copyright section can be customized. By default make-doc-pro uses the english language option. Language support isn't hardcoded into make-doc-pro instead you specify a filename, which is than loaded and processed. From this point on the new definitions are used. So a good place to use this option is after the title/author block and before the TOC tag. In this case the TOC will have the correct description. To specify an other language use the following code: =language DE This will read the file DE.r and execute the definitions inside. Here you see a sample content of such a file: contents: "Inhalt" copyright: [ "Documentenformatierer Copyright Robert M. Münch. All Rights Reserved." "Formatiert mit Make-Doc-Pro Version:" " am " " um " Include Files Δ While processing a file you can insert the contents of another file with the =include command. For example: =include preface.txt would include the file preface.txt at exactly the place where the include command was used. The inserted file can use all of the same commands and body text as accepted by make-doc-pro. Any number of =include commands can be used, and included files can also contain =include commands. Include files should be placed into the same directory as the source text file. But you can use path specification as well. Alternate Output Files Δ A single input file can create multiple output files. The new output file is specified with the =file command. For example: =file directory.html would cause all text and commands that follow it to be stored in the directory.html file. When using several output files, the TOC is kept in sync. This makes it possible to klick in the TOC and branch to an other file. More than one =file command can be used. For example: =file first.html This is the text of the first file =file second.html This is the text of the second file. =file third.html This is the text of the third file.
• 4 Steps to a ‘Greener’ School Lunch by Dorothy Reinhold on September 6, 2011 Print This Post Print This Post Lunch bags With school back in session, many campuses are making an attempt to go “greener” for lunch. Do we need to have hundreds of little disposable plastic snack bags, sandwich bags and other trash filling our school trash cans each noon? Many communities, mine included, have passed bans on plastic grocery bags, and we shoppers have retrained ourselves to bring our own bags wherever we go. Honestly, it wasn’t hard. You just think ahead and grab your reusable grocery bags before you walk into the store. Done. Can we make the same sorts of simple changes with our lunches? Is using a snack-size zipper-top plastic bag really the best way to employ our non-renewable fossil fuels? Is it the highest use to which our society can put dinosaurs? Here is a flier I made for our elementary school, to encourage parents and students to eliminate all the disposables that we use in most lunches. The idea came from several parents at our school who formed a “Green Team” to institute a recycling program and look for ways we could become a greener school. Perhaps you want to do something like that? Will some of these ideas work for your house, school or workplace? Waste-Free Lunch! Keep School ‘Green’ Here’s how: 1. Reusable drink canteen (Example: instead of juice boxes or single-serving plastic bottles, get a large bottle of juice and fill your reusable drink container) 2. Reusable lunch box (no paper bags) 3. Instead of plastic sandwich or snack bags, use small plastic or metal reusable containers 4. Instead of buying individually prepackaged goods, get the big pack and portion it into reusable containers (Example: instead of pre-packaged chip bags or carrot bags, buy a big bag and put a handful in a reusable container). The only waste we should have after lunch is fruit cores and peels! Need more ideas for keeping lunchboxes green? Heather at Celtic Mommy has a few! apple core Previous post: Next post:
From Git SCM Wiki Jump to: navigation, search For those too impatient to read, here's what you need to use someone else's Git project: git clone url git pull git commit -a && git push svn checkout url svn update svn commit And here's what you need to use an SVN project: git svn clone --stdlayout url git svn rebase git commit -a && git svn dcommit svn checkout url svn update svn commit Before You Start How to Read Me This page shows Git commands in a bold, fixed-width font: git help. Non-git commands are just fixed width: svn help. Within a command, text you need to add yourself is in italics: git help command. In tables, Git commands are shown on the left with a blue background, SVN commands on the right with grey. If you are in a hurry, just skimming over the tables should give you a good idea about the basics. Before running any command the first time, it's recommended that you skim through its manual page. Many of the commands have very useful and interesting features (that we won't list here) and sometimes there are some extra notes you might want to know. You can also get help on any Git command by doing git command -h or git help command. Configuring Git SVN includes your username in your commits, whereas Git includes your real name and your e-mail address. You should add these before you start using Git: git config --global "Your Name" git config --global git config is the command to set configuration options. While you're configuring, here are some other things you might like to do: git config --global color.ui auto # colorised `git diff`, etc. git config -l # list all configuration options You might also want to look at some other SVN-like aliases. Things You Should Know Here are some concepts that will help you understand Git. If you are in a hurry, you can skip this section and come back when you get confused - you should be able to pick up a lot about Git with just your intuition. Checkouts and Repositories. Each Subversion project has one central repository which stores all the history. Everyone has a checkout of the repository, which they update from and commit to. Each Git project gives everyone a personal repository, and lets them pull from and push to each other. Many Git projects use an "official" repository that they agree to treat like an SVN repository. URLs and paths. In Subversion, a URL identifies the location of the repository, and the path inside the repository identifies the branch or tag. So svn:// might be the URL for the trunk branch of your repository. In Git, the URL is still the location of a repository, but branches and tags are labels you access with Git commands. So git:// might be the URL for a whole Git repository. Visualize. Git version history can get complicated, especially in big projects. You may like to look at your repository with the gitk viewer to understand what's going on. Revisions. Subversion identifies revisions with numbers starting at 1 and going up in each revision. That's fine when one central repository keeps track of all the numbers, but who decides the next revision number if everyone has their own repository? Git uses unique 40-character identifiers instead - SHA-1 hashes that you can think of as random strings. These numbers look kinda scary, but you don't actually use them that often. Git has nicknames for the commits you use most often, has relative names for other interesting commits, and lets you refer to the rest by the first half-dozen characters in their identifier. For example, your current commit is always called HEAD, the parent of the current commit is HEAD^ and the grandparent is HEAD^^ (you can go on adding carets). The commit abc123def456abc789def012abc345def678abc9 can be referred to as abc123 (and you can use abc123^, abc123^^ etc.). See the git-rev-parse manpage if you want to know which commit trunk@{tea-time.last.Wednesday}~2 refers to. Creating a New Repository Let's step through how you create and update a new project in Git and SVN. If you are creating a new project, you would: mkdir myproject; cd myproject git init svnadmin create myproject_repo svn checkout file://myproject_repo myproject If you are putting an existing project under version control, you would cd to your project directory, then: git init git add . git commit svnadmin create myproject_repo svn import . myproject_repo git init initializes the repository, git add . adds all the files under the current directory and git commit creates the initial import. Remember - Git does not have separate places for a repository and your working copy - the working copy always already contains the repository as well, in the .git subdirectory. (Of course you can have special repositories that do not have a working copy attached - bare repositories. These are useful for having a repo over at some server where you don't do any actual work but which serves just for pushing and pulling.) If you are downloading someone else's Git project, you would do this instead: git clone url myproject svn checkout url Or to download an SVN project into Git: git svn clone --stdlayout url myproject svn checkout url git clone and git svn clone download the complete contents of a remote repository and create a local copy of it. --stdlayout tells Git that it should look in the standard trunk/tags/branches directories for branches (see the git-svn manual if your project uses a different layout). Now your tree is officially tracked by Git. One nice thing to note - no matter how many subdirectories your project has, there's only one .git directory that contains all the version control information. Do some random changes to your tree now - poke around in a few files or something. Making Changes When you've edited some files, next you add them to version control. First you check what you've done: git diff svn diff \| less That's it. This is one of the more powerful commands. To get a diff with a specific revision and path do: git diff rev path svn diff -rrev path There is a more concise representation of changes available: git status svn status The status command also shows the "untracked files" that Git doesn't know what to do with. You can handle these by: git clean git add files $EDITOR .gitignore rm -rf files svn add files svn propedit svn:ignore . In fact you need to tell Git when you add, move or remove any files, just like SVN: git add file git rm file git mv file svn add file svn rm file svn mv file If you made changes to a file that you want to undo, you can get back the last version you committed: git checkout path svn revert path So, it's about time for us to commit our changes: git commit -a svn commit This looks the same, but there are two important differences: First, you have to specify -a if you want to commit all your files, instead of just those files you've recently done a git add or git rm on. This can be frustrating at first, but several important techniques are based on it (for example, git add -p lets you add part of a file - see the git-add manual page for details). Second, Git commits are private by default - they aren't pushed to any central server. We'll talk about pushing changes later, but private commits have some important benefits. For example, when you realise you left some debugging in your last commit, or made a typo in the commit message, you can do git commit --amend to fix it, or even do git reset HEAD^ to toss the commit away completely without affecting your files. A few words about the commit message: it is customary to have a short commit summary as the first line of the message, because many tools just show the first line of the message. You can specify the commit message using the -m parameter (extra -m arguments will create extra paragraphs in the commit message). git log git blame file svn log \| less svn blame file The log command is more powerful than in SVN. For example, git log --oneline only shows the first few characters of each commit ID and the first line of each commit message. See the git-log manual page for more stuff git log can do. The blame command is also more powerful than SVN, as it can track changes even across file copies and renames. But you probably want to do something different! When you used svn blame, you were probably only interested in the history of a few lines of code. git log -p will show the changes to the file in each revision (so you can search for the code you're interested in), and git log -Sstring will show just the commits which add or remove text matching string. git show rev:path/to/file git show rev:path/to/directory git show -s rev git show rev svn cat url svn list url svn log -rrev url svn diff -crev url Branching and Tagging Subversion marks certain checkpoints in history by copying directories. The copy is usually placed in a directory called tags (if it's a tag) or branches (if it's a branch). Git marks checkpoints in history by applying a label to a commit. For example, the file .git/HEAD is the label for the current commit, and .git/refs/heads/master is the label for the main development branch. Git branches and tags take some getting used to, but are more powerful when you do. In Subversion, you create a branch by copying your project to a subdirectory. In Git, you tell it, well, to create a branch: git branch new_branch old_branch git checkout new_branch svn copy svn:// \ svn:// svn switch \ svn:// Running git branch without arguments lists your branches. The * in the output marks the current branch. git branch svn list svn:// To move your tree to some older revision, use: git checkout rev git checkout branch svn update -r rev svn update Git's behaviour when you check an older revision out can be a bit confusing, but also kinda cool. SVN would say you are now on an older revision of the same branch, because you have checked out older files in the same directory. But because a Git branch is just a label for a commit, Git would say you are not on any branch at all. SVN would also say that you can't commit until you update your branch to its rightful place. Git will let you commit as much as you like, although you can get in trouble if you don't know what you're doing. When you are not on a branch, you are known as having a detached HEAD (i.e. your HEAD commit is not attached to any branch). This is one of the few things in Git that has earnt its scary name - if you make commits on a detached HEAD, then you do git checkout some_branch, what git checkout command would you use to get your commits back? You should almost always do git checkout -b new_branch before you make any commits, so you can get back easily later on. In other words, be careful and don't lose your HEAD. Git tags are fairly similar to Git branches, but with some extra tricks. Git tags can have a date, committer, and message that act just like the equivalents for Git commits. They can also be signed with a PGP key if you really want to stamp them with your seal of approval. This is great if you want to release a public version of your work, because you can have one place to store your release announcement and your guarantee that the code hasn't been tampered with. So, let's do it: git tag -a name svn copy svn:// \ svn:// To list tags and to show a tag message: git tag -l git show tag svn list svn:// svn log --limit 1 \ svn:// Git supports merging much better than Subversion - both branches have their history preserved over the merges, and you don't have to keep track of which revision you were at last time when you merge again. Unfortunately, you lose much of this power if you use git-svn to share your work with an SVN server. If you are not using git-svn, make sure you are on one of the to-be-merged branches and merge the other one now: git merge branch (assuming you want to merge everything since revision 20) svn merge -r 20:HEAD \ svn:// If changes were made on only one of the branches since the last merge, they are simply replayed on your other branch (a so-called fast-forward merge). If changes were made on both branches, they are merged intelligently (a so-called three-way merge). If the three-way merge doesn't have any merge conflicts, it makes a commit with a convenient log message (the --no-commit option disables this). If there are merge conflicts, git merge will report them and let you resolve them. When you have merge conflicts, you usually want to see a diff of just the conflicting changes. git diff doesn't normally show changes that have been marked with git add, so Git automatically adds all the files that didn't conflict, giving you a nice small diff. You can do git diff --cached if you just want to see the non-conflicting changes, or git diff HEAD if you want to see everything. Like with SVN, you need to tell Git when you have resolved your conflicts: git add file svn resolved file This has the nice side-effect that files disappear from git diff as you resolve them. Aside from merging, sometimes you want to just pluck one commit out of a different branch. To apply the changes in revision rev and commit them to the current branch use: git cherry-pick rev svn merge -c rev url Going Remote So far, we haven't talked much about how Git is a distributed version control system. It is time for us to set the record straight. If you created your repository with one of the clone commands, Git will have already set up a remote repository for you called origin. If you created your repository from scratch, you might want to skip this section and come back to it later. When you cloned your repository, Git downloaded all the branches and tags in that repository, and created your master branch based on the master branch in that repository (or the trunk branch if you used git svn clone). Even though it only used the master branch, it kept copies of all the others in case you needed them. Copies of branches from a remote repository are called remote branches, and don't behave quite like the local branches you've used before. For starters, remote branches don't show up in a normal git branch. Instead, you list remote branches with git branch -r. You can log these branches, diff them and merge them, but you can't commit to them, or they would stop being copies of the branch on the remote repository. If you want to work with a remote branch, you need to create a local branch that "tracks" it: git checkout -t origin/branch svn switch url Now, how do you download new changes from a remote repository? You fetch them with git fetch (or git svn fetch). But usually you don't just want to fetch, you also want to merge any changes into your local branch: git pull svn update Again, git-svn does this a bit differently: git svn rebase svn update A pull is technically a bit different to a rebase. As always, see the relevant manual pages for details. An illustrated example on branching and merging may help you as well. Sharing your Work We saw in the previous section that you can pull other people's work into your repository, but how do your changes get back out? Well, your Git repository is as good as any other repository, so you could just ask people to git pull from you the same way you git pulled from them. This is fine as far as Git's concerned, but what if you have a slow Internet connection, or you are behind a firewall, or you like to amend your commits before letting people see them? Most people get around this by having two repositories: a private repository they work on, and a public repository for people to pull from. Some people prefer to share one public repository between the whole team, which is basically the same as having one central SVN repository. So how do you get your work onto your public repository? Well, it's the opposite of git pull, so you git push! Of course, git-svn is different as usual: git svn dcommit. Public repositories are generally accessible over SSH or HTTP. SSH is more secure, and it's highly recommended to put your SSH key into an SSH agent (such as ssh-agent or PuTTY's pageant) so you don't have to type it in all the time. If you need to create your own public repository, you should read the section on public repositories in the Git User's Manual. It's worth emphasising that the manual will get you to make a bare repository - this is effectively just a .git directory with no files checked out. Bare repositories save space and remove the temptation to work directly on repositories that get pushed to (what would you expect to happen if someone pushed changes into a branch while you're working on it?). Finally, some projects hardly bother with public repositories at all - they just e-mail their commits to each other! In fact development for Git itself is done largely by people sending commits to the mailing list. You can create patches with git format-patch and apply them with git am. To maintain a set of patches, you can use StGIT (see the StGIT Crash Course for details). What Has Git Ever Done For Us? We've covered the details of how to work with Git, and how to share your work with others, but is it really worth the hassle? Let's end with an analogy for why a lot of people are happier when they use Git: Think of your program like a complicated machine sitting on your desk, with cogs and gears you rearrange as you improve it. As you make changes to your machine, you make a note of each of the steps you take, with each discrete change in a different letter. With SVN, you dictate each letter to a secretary, who puts it in an envelope and sends it out to everyone. This is very simple, but also quite limiting. You can't just share your letters with one person to proof-read, you have to wait on your secretary for even the most trivial changes, and any mistakes you make are permanently recorded for your shame. With Git, you write each letter and put it in an envelope on your desk (the index). When you're happy with what you've written, you seal the envelope and put it in your outbox (commit it). Then finally you send your letters off (you push your commits) or invite people to come and pick them up (they pull your commits). This is more complicated, but it's also liberating. Now you can tear open an envelope in your outbox before anyone sees it, or write letters on the train and queue them up to be sent, or pass letters around a small team before making them widely available. As you get used to Git, and learn how to manage your issues and correct your mistakes, you stop thinking of yourself as "a stupid developer that needs a secretary to look after me", and start thinking of yourself as "a smart developer that demands a personalised workflow". And who wouldn't be happier like that? See Also Please contact us at the Git mailing list if you have any questions We hope you enjoy using Git! Personal tools
Join them; it only takes a minute: Sign up Join the Stack Overflow community to: 1. Ask programming questions 2. Answer and help your peers 3. Get recognized for your expertise How do GUIs get built inside operating systems. Lets use two examples, say GTK+ in Ubuntu verses a Java JFrame. I thought that operating systems using some kind of graphical user interface would have to provide some system calls to be able to display windows. So for example, if I installed a version of Ubuntu on a machine, with out downloading any software I should be able to make a system call to display a window. It appears though that isn't the case. I have to install and download the SDK for GTK+ which allows me to create windows with buttons, etc. So then my question is with Java, how does Java then build it's JFrames? I understand that there is a Java Virtual Machine running ontop of the Linux system, but how does the Java virtual machine make calls to actually display the window? Along with GUIs comes the events that the user interacts with them. At the Java level, the JVM handles all the lower level calls, and you get OnClick() events etc. How does the JVM actually call and work with those calls? Same with GDK+? I understand this is a broad question with many different answers, but any help would be greatly appreciated. share\|improve this question Uhh.. Your understanding of this seems a little bit skewed. First off, graphical user interfaces have 0 to do with the kernel (aside from KMS maybe), they live in userspace, and so does X with which GTK communicates. Remember that the JVM is just a userspace program as well, which I assume has X11 bindings for its GUI stack. – Ancurio Sep 4 '12 at 21:56 up vote 2 down vote accepted Let's take Linux as an example. There are several layers: • Kernel (Linux) and operating system (GNU) - Knows how to work the hardware, including graphics. • Windowing system (X) - Uses graphics functions to draw windows. • Desktop (eg Gnome) - Applies global styles such as window borders. • (Usually) A toolkit such as GTK - Knows about widgets, how to draw them and how to style them. • Your application. On Windows, the Kernel, OS, windowing system, desktop and widgets are all bundled together. In this case the toolkit probably doesn't draw its own widgets, but uses them directly from Windows. In any case, the toolkit insulates your application from the platform-specific details and automatically does the right thing. share\|improve this answer Your Answer
Sign up Here's how it works: 1. Anybody can ask a question 2. Anybody can answer I have a file with three columns of data, x, y, r. # x y r 1 1 0.1 2 2 0.5 3 3 1.2 and so on. I'd like to loop over the rows, and draw a circle at x,y with radius r for each row. I first thought I'd use pgfplots with customized marks, but I couldn't figure out how to pass the radius parameter into the pgfplot mark handler. Then I thought I'd use tikz and pgf directly, but I couldn't figure out how to reference the values for r inside a draw command sequence. Any thoughts ? I'd be very grateful for some help. share\|improve this question up vote 15 down vote accepted Another option is to use the datatool package. \DTLforeach{coordinates}{\x=x, \y=y, \r=r}{\draw (\x,\y) circle (\r);} where coord.dat is a comma separated file with header row, e.g. share\|improve this answer this worked very well for me. Thanks ! – Suresh Jun 14 '11 at 9:37 I suggest this solution \foreach \row in {0,...,\M}{ \foreach \col in {0,...,\N}{ \definecolor{mycolor}{RGB}{\pdfuniformdeviate 256,% \pdfuniformdeviate 256,% \pdfuniformdeviate 256} \fill[mycolor,opacity=.5] (\x,\y)circle(\radius cm); where circles.dat is a file like this 0.75465 2.31086 0.54389 1.43749 1.05065 0.72105 0.18223 1.98603 0.52250 2.30484 1.66463 0.99370 1.36673 1.68386 0.21868 2.18637 3.33167 0.10580 1.70292 0.76932 0.10970 0.64444 0.61346 0.06359 1.29524 0.58225 0.40458 1.35803 2.16296 0.44837 2.54315 2.60982 0.36582 4.72587 0.26478 0.76350 0.41787 0.63615 0.62790 2.83713 0.47686 0.77198 0.94492 0.93983 0.93285 0.11940 2.58221 0.97274 2.42922 0.95893 0.19203 0.90028 3.19658 0.13887 2.29363 1.08943 0.69627 0.66194 2.58925 0.09382 where the first column is x, the second y and the third is the radius. The result is the following enter image description here I hope it helped! share\|improve this answer Nice answer ! thanks ! – Suresh Jun 12 '11 at 0:51 @Azoun wow, NICE solution! – cmo Feb 25 '14 at 17:17 Just for completeness, here's a way to control the radius of the plot marks in PGFplots. In general, scatter allows control over the individual plot marks, and scatter src is used to determine where the data for parametrising the marks comes from. scatter src=explicit means that the data is provided in an additional column. The @pre marker code is code that is executed just before each marker, and can be used to set the radius of the markers. In order to specify the radius in the same units as the rest of the plot, you have to convert "meta data" to scaled axis units using \pgfplotstransformcoordinatex and multiply the result by the length of the unit vector, \pgfplotsunitxlength. \usepackage{pgfplots, filecontents} # x y r 1 1 1 3 2 0.5 6 3 2 scatter src=explicit, axis equal, only marks, xmin=0, xmax=8, scatter/@pre marker code/.code={% \scope[mark size=\pgfplotsunitxlength\pgfmathresult] \addplot file {data.dat}; pgfplots circles with specified radius share\|improve this answer thanks ! this is very helpful for variations on the above question. I was originally trying to use src=explicit, but wasn't sure how – Suresh Jun 14 '11 at 9:39 Your Answer

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