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Guardian Ad Litem (Glossary)
Guardian Ad Litem (GAL): A Guardian Ad Litem is a court appointed volunteer advocate that works for the best interest of the child during all court proceedings. Guardian Ad Litem's generally make recommendations to the court which are in the best interest of the child.
The volunteer Guardian Ad Litem, commonly referred to as a GAL, are people who respects a child's right to grow up in a safe environment which meets that child's individual needs. Through each stage of the process, the GAL should present the facts as they understand them, regarding the best interest of the child.
Typically, GAL's are assigned to most court cases which involve children, such as custody disputes, foster care, visitation agreements and adoption.
It is the Guardian Ad Litem's job to ensure that the best interest of the child is represented when a child can't speak for themselves.
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Hobbes on liberty and punishment Notes for October 15
Main points
Hobbes held that the right of self-defense is inalienable. For Hobbes, “right” means “liberty,” and “liberty” means “the absence of obligation.” So the inalienability of the right of self-defense means that it is impossible to become obliged to do something that impairs your ability to defend your life. In particular, no one can agree to a valid covenant that has this effect.
It follows that the subjects retain the liberty to do a variety of things; they can’t give up the right to do them in the social contract. So even if the sovereign gives them direct orders, they are at liberty to disobey.
This raises awkward questions about military obligations, as Nathan pointed out last week. It also seems to open a back door to a right to rebellion.
One of the liberties subjects have involves punishment: the subjects can’t be obliged to take their punishment, even if they deserve it. They are always at liberty to resist or run away.
But the sovereign has to have the right to punish or else the state wouldn’t work. So how does the sovereign get that right?
Problems with Hobbes’s explanation
There are two problems with Hobbes’s explanation of the right of punishment.
First, there’s a problem with the way he posed the question. As he put it, the question is “by what door the right or authority of punishing … came in.”** Leviathan, ch. 21, ¶2. The most natural way to understand that is: “given that violence is generally not allowed, why is the sovereign permitted to use violence for punishment?”
But it’s hard to see why that would be a question for Hobbes. That’s because in his system there is no general prohibition on violence that the sovereign needs permission to ignore. For Locke, by contrast, people have rights not to be hurt. For Locke, rights impose obligations on others. As Callum noted, Locke held that in order to punish someone, those rights have to be relaxed; specifically, Locke held criminals forfeit their rights.†† A potentially cruel doctrine if you think about it. But Hobbes’s system doesn’t have rights like these. For Hobbes, rights are liberties: the party with a right lacks obligations but that doesn’t mean that any other party has an obligation with respect to the right holder. Given that system, why would the sovereign need special permission to use violence?
The second problem has to do with Hobbes’s answer. He says that the sovereign’s right to punish is the sovereign’s right of nature. But the right of nature is a right to defend one’s own life. On the face of it, it’s implausible to think that the sovereign’s life is threatened by every criminal in the commonwealth.
On a more theoretical level, Hobbes is mixing up the natural person who occupies a political office with the artificial role of the sovereign of the state. Punishment isn’t for the defense of a single individual’s life. It’s concerned with the laws of the commonwealth. His answer is just a poor fit for what is to be explained.
Alternatives from class
Several members of the class proposed alternatives to Hobbes’s account. I think they’re all superior to what he said. Here’s a list.
Callum defended the plausibility of Hobbes’s answer in a more sophisticated way than Hobbes himself did. Callum noted that the sovereign’s (natural) life would be endangered if the state never punished anyone. That would mean returning to the state of nature where the sovereign’s natural life would be endangered. So while punishment of any particular criminal may not be necessary for defending the sovereign’s life, the general practice of punishment is. Very clever.
Sarah proposed that punishment defends the artificial life of the “artificial person” of the commonwealth rather than anyone’s natural life. It’s the commonwealth that has the right to punish. The natural person who occupies the role of sovereign within the commonwealth has this right only by virtue of holding an office within the commonwealth.
Rachel said two things. First, she denied an assumption that Hobbes made. Rachel thought it would make perfect sense to give the sovereign the right to punish her. After all, the sovereign won’t exist without the right of punishment. So the alternative to giving the sovereign this right is the state of nature; no one lives long there. But the sovereign’s having the right doesn’t itself put her life in danger. If she complies with the law, she (probably) won’t be hurt, even if the sovereign does have the right to punish her. So the balance seems pretty clear.
The second thing Rachel said was that the subjects might give the sovereign the right to punish others.
Both of Rachel’s answers grant an assumption I questioned earlier. They grant that the sovereign might need to be given the liberty to punish by the subjects in order to have the right of punishment. Even if the sovereigns do need the subjects to give them the right to punish, she essentially said, it could have happened in either of these ways.
My contributions
I said that I thought the subjects give the sovereign two things that could reasonably be called the right of punishment.
First, they make punishment logically possible. Hobbes defined punishment as an “evil inflicted by a public authority” and contrasted it with the “injuries of private men.”‡Leviathan ch. 28, ¶1 and 3. By contrast, Locke thought that individuals have the right to punish. He believed that they transfer this right to the state to use on their behalf.§§ See Second Treatise of Government, §8.
The sovereign is a public authority only by virtue of being authorized to act as the representative of commonwealth. Without being given this status, no one can punish, given Hobbes’s definition.
The second thing that subjects give to the sovereign is the lack of accountability. Hobbes made it very clear that sovereign’s are not allowed to punish the innocent (ch. 28, ¶22). Yet this is something that often happens (ch. 21, ¶7). Oops. On the face of it, that would mean that subjects can prosecute sovereigns for punishing the innocent. But Hobbes denied this. He insisted that the subjects authorized all of the sovereign’s actions and so could not hold the sovereign accountable.
If that seems appalling, bear in mind that innocents who are punished in our own system have fairly limited rights against the state too. Generally speaking, proving your innocence means the punishment stops. You can’t demand compensation for the injustice of having been wrongly punishment. You can only sue the state for specific kinds of wrongdoing by public officials: the mere fact of having been wrongly punished isn’t itself grounds for any kind of suit against the state. In fact, proving what the lawyers call “actual innocence” is not always enough to get you out of prison. For instance, consider the case of George Souliotes.
A federal judge has ruled that a Modesto man convicted of setting a fire that killed his tenant and advertisement her two children has shown "actual innocence" and may now challenge his conviction on other grounds.
Chief U.S. District Judge Anthony W. Ishii upheld the findings of a magistrate who examined the evidence against George Souliotes, 72, and concluded that no reasonable juror would have convicted him given the state of the evidence today.
But the court's finding will not necessarily free Souliotes, convicted of setting a 1997 fire in a rental home he owned. His lawyers missed a legal filing deadline, and under the law, Souliotes had to prove his innocence before he could appeal his conviction on other grounds, including inadequate legal representation at trial.¶Los Angeles Times, July 7, 2012.
The fact that we do this doesn’t mean it’s justified, of course. But it does mean that we’re a lot closer to Hobbes than many of us realize.
This page was written by Michael Green for Social & Political Philosophy, Philosophy 33, Fall 2012. It was posted October 15, 2012.
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Thursday, August 17, 2017
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America's Barbaric Death Penalty
Death PenaltyNumerous organizations oppose capital punishment, including the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP), an alliance of about 60 NGOs, bar associations, local bodies and unions, founded in May 2002. In 2003, it established October 10 as the World Day Against the Death Penalty.
On October 10, 2011, the 9th World Day seeks to raise awareness of the inhumanity of capital punishment from sentencing to execution. In fact, death row inmates endure horrific emotional and physical suffering under appalling conditions with little regard for their well-being.
Last year, the 8th World Day was "dedicated to the USA which executed 52 people and handed down 106 death sentences in 2009." America is one of the few federalists countries empowering states with this right. Presently, 34 use it. The others opt out, Illinois the latest one abolishing it, although 10 retentionist states haven't executed anyone for 10 or more years.
Amnesty International (AI) calls capital punishment "the ultimate denial of human rights. It is premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state. This cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is done in the name of justice."
In fact, there's nothing just about state-sponsored murder, especially against wrongfully accused victims. In America, they're mostly poor Black and Latinos, denied due process and judicial fairness. The system, in fact, is rigged to convict even known innocent defendants, the most famous being Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Falsely convicted in July 1982, he's been on death row for nearly 29 years. The Supreme Court repeatedly denied him a new trial despite clear prosecutorial and judicial misconduct, racial discrimination, perjured testimonies, and political intent to hold him culpable for a crime he didn't commit.
Kevin Cooper is less well known, also languishing on death row despite his innocence, another victim of American injustice because he's poor, Black, and easy prey.
More about his case below and US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge William A. Fletcher's belief in his innocence.
The Chicago-based Campaign to End the Death Penalty (CEDP) aims to abolish it in America, hoping to grassroots activism will achieve it. The US is the only Western country still using it. In addition, since 1990, 30 countries abolished it, and among the 74 still executing, four are the main abusers - America, China, Vietnam and Iran.
Currently, about 3,200 US prisoners are on death row. In 1972, the Supreme Court (in Furman v. Georgia) said:
"the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments, (and so) harsh, freakish, and arbitrary" to be constitutionally "unacceptable." The decision voided 40 death penalty statutes, thereby commuting the sentences of over 600 death row inmates nationally.
In 1976 (in Gregg v. Georgia, Jurek v. Texas, and Proffitt v. Florida - collectively called the Gregg decision), the High Court reinstated the death penalty and let states impose it. The Court held that new death penalty statutes in these states were constitutional under the Eighth Amendment, even with cruel and unusual punishment clauses that should have banned them.
In Gregg v. Georgia, the Supreme Court called the death penalty not inherently cruel, only "an extreme sanction, suitable to the most extreme of crimes."
In fact, it's extremely cruel and barbaric, flouting due process, judicial fairness and humanity, violating equal constitutional protection. It disproportionately affects people of color, the poor, and disadvantaged. It legitimizes state-sponsored murder, innocent as well as guilty prisoners affected. Moreover, it's ineffective in deterring crime, and unconscionable in civilized societies.
In 2000, former Illinois Gov. George Ryan declared a moratorium on capital punishment after 13 prisoners were found innocent and released.
On January 11, 2003, two days before leaving office, he then cleared death row, commuting sentences for 163 men and four women to life imprisonment. He also declared a moratorium on future executions, saying:
"The facts that I have seen in reviewing each and every one of these cases raised questions not only about (their innocence), but about the fairness of the death penalty system as a whole. Our capital system is haunted by the demon of error: error in determining guilt and error in determining who among the guilty deserves to die."
Calling Illinois' death penalty system "arbitrary, capricious, and therefore immoral," he ended his gubernatorial tenure by pardoning four men and issuing a blanket commutation for all state prisoners on death row, adding "The Legislature couldn't reform it, lawmakers won't repeal it, and I won't stand for it - I must act."
In January 2011, both Houses of Illinois' legislature voted to end capital punishment, Gov. Pat Quinn officially abolishing it in March, saying it's impossible "to create a perfect, mistake-free death penalty system."
As a result, Illinois joined 15 other states and the District of Columbia (including New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Massachusetts) without capital punishment, what should have been abolished federally long ago.
Since 1976, after the death penalty's reinstatement, over 1,250 US inmates have been executed, mostly in southern states, and more than 35% in Texas alone. During his six-year gubernatorial tenure, George Bush was a modern-day Pontius Pilate, a Texecutioner, a serial killer responsible for 155 "homicides," showing his callous disregard for human life, evident globally as president.
Reasons to Oppose the Death Penalty
Its barbarism alone warrants banning it unconditionally. Other factors make it more convincing, including:
(1) Its application is racially biased with regard to defendants and victims, CEDP saying minority lives are less valued than whites. Blacks are about 12% of the population, but comprise 42% of death row prisoners. In Ohio, it's over 50%, and in southern states like Virginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, North and South Carolina it's more than 60%. Since 1776, America executed over 18,000 prisoners. Only 42 involved a white person for killing a Black, and according to AI, more than 20% of executed Black defendants were convicted by all-white juries.
(2) Poor people are unfairly affected, former Supreme Court Justice William O. Black quoted saying, "One searches our chronicles in vain for the execution of any member of the affluent strata in this society." In other words, those able to afford good legal representation avoid death row. Over 90% charged with murder are poor, unable to pay for a proper defense, instead relying on inexperienced counsel or public defenders with little interest in their case.
(3) Death sentences condemn innocent victims to die. Since 1973, 123 people in 25 states were discovered innocent and released. And they may be the tip of the iceberg, many others less lucky because authorities won't admit mistakes and often bogusly convict maliciously or for other unjustifiable reasons. Criminologist Michael Radlet explained that from 1900 - 1992, 416 documented cases of innocent people were convicted of murder or capital rape, one-third given the death sentence.
(4) Death penalty convictions don't deter crime. For example, southern states have a higher murder rate than northern ones even though 80% of executions occur there.
(5) As the Supreme Court said in 1972, "the death penalty constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments." Even with no hitches, it's barbaric, but when botched it inflicts severe, sustained pain. As a result, in 2007, executions were on hold in over a dozen states, and botched ones put lethal injections under more scrutiny.
In 2005, The Lancet published a medical researcher team report, finding "that in 43 of the 49 executed prisoners studied, the anesthetic administered during lethal injection was lower than required for surgery. In 43 percent of cases, drug levels were consistent with awareness." As a result, executions involved extreme pain, amounting to torture and still do willfully to inflict extra suffering.
Opposition to Capital Punishment
Last November 12 - 14, the Campaign to End the Death Penalty's annual convention was held in Chicago, featuring anti-death penalty/anti-criminal injustice workshops, strategizing and discussions on abortion rights, and more, including opposition to life without parole (LWOP), other harsh sentences, police brutality, wrongful convictions, and other unjust acts.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights laws recognize the dignity of life and right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
On November 15, 2007 and again on December 18, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 62/149, proclaiming a global death penalty moratorium. Proposed and sponsored by Italy, its Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said, "Now we must start working on the abolition of the death penalty."
Resolutions, however, aren't enough, especially given America's attitude with the world's largest prison population, a giveaway to its disdain for people of color, the poor and disadvantaged, many on death row unjustly.
Wrongfully Convicted Kevin Cooper
One of many, Judge William A. Fletcher addressed his case on April 12, 2010 in the inaugural Gonzaga University School of Law Justin L. Quackenbush lecture. Focusing on capital punishment, he asked: "Where have we been? Where are we now? And where do we go from here?"
Reviewing America's modern history, he cited Furman v. Georgia (1972, cited above). Also, the 1976 Gregg decision (explained above). He then called America "unusual among industrialized nations," only Japan and China among them retaining the death penalty. All European Convention of Human Rights signatories renounced it, including Western, many Eastern European states, and Central Asian ones.
In America, he discussed state differences and High Court decisions since Furman and Gregg. In Atkins v. Virginia (2000), it ruled executing a mentally retarded person unconstitutional. In Roper v. Simmons (2005), it prohibited executing anyone under 18 at the time the crime was committed. In Kennedy v. Louisiana (2008), it extended its 1977 Coker v. Georgia ruling that held capital punishment for adult rape to include children.
Nonetheless, America's death penalty system changed little since Gregg, empowering states to use it. Citing pro and con arguments, he "return(ed) to the theme of Furman" that struck down capital punishment nationally, the Court concerned that sentences were handed down capriciously, arbitrarily and unfairly.
Yale Law School Professor Charles Black, in his book "Capital Punishment, The Inevitability of Caprice and Mistake" called capital punishment fatally flawed, saying:
There are some "hanging prosecutors, hanging juries, hanging judges, and hanging governors. But, overwhelmingly, the trouble is not in the people but in the system - or nonsystem."
From his own bench experience, Fletcher expressed similar concerns, citing Kevin Cooper's case as one example. On May 11, 2009, he was among eight dissenters on a 27 US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel voicing opposition to his guilt, saying in a joint statement:
"There is no way to say this politely. The district court failed to provide Cooper a fair hearing and flouted our direction to perform" the proper tests. It "also impeded and obstructed Cooper's attorneys at every turn as they sought to develop the record." Unreasonable testing conditions were imposed, as well as "refused discovery that should have been available as a matter of course, limited testimony that should not have been limited, and found fact unreasonably, based on truncated and distorted record."
"The most egregious, but by no means the only, example is the testing of Cooper's blood on the t-shirt for the presence of EDTA. (The district court) so interfered with the design of the testing protocol that one of Cooper's experts refused to participate in the testing. (It let) the state-designated representatives (choose) samples to be tested." Cooper's experts were refused the right to participate in choosing samples or "even to see the t-shirt."
Yet the test result showed "an extremely high level of EDTA in the sample that was supposed to contain Cooper's blood. If that test result was valid, it showed that Cooper's blood had been planted on the t-shirt, just as Cooper maintained."
Fletcher knows that Cooper, a Black man, was bogusly convicted and imprisoned for a multiple homicide he didn't commit. Yet since June 1983, he's been incarcerated and is now on death row at San Quentin State Prison, CA, a victim of American injustice.
In his lecture, Fletcher called the police investigation "horrible in many ways, saying "in my view" he's innocent "because the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department framed him." In America's criminal injustice system, it happens repeatedly, mostly affecting poor Blacks and Latinos.
University of Denver Professor Sam Kamin studied California Supreme Court decisions from 1976 - 1986 (a liberal period under Chief Justice Rose Bird). He learned that the Court found constitutional errors in 60% of capital cases it reviewed, 70% of which were "non-harmless," resulting in an overall 42% reversal rate.
He then studied the 1986 - 1996 period (under Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas), when the constitutional error percentage was 55%. The Court, however, ruled most of them harmless, reversing only 4% of cases overall. As a result, nearly all innocent victims were denied justice, Fletcher believing the 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) was a key reason why, saying:
"If you have been wondering why Kevin Cooper is still on death row, a significant part of the answer is AEDPA," adding, "Fifty years ago, a clemency plea to a governor in a capital case meant something. Governors took seriously their responsibility to decide whether a death sentence should be carried out."
In recent decades, notably post-9/11, "clemency pleas have been a useless exercise. Governors, sensing political vulnerability....almost never grant" it. Further, "we know that poverty and race make a difference." As a result, "racial minorities make up a disproportionate percentage of death row inmates."
"To state the most alarming problem, there is not only a chance that we have executed, and will execute, (innocent) people....There is a virtual certainty that we have done so, and if the system remains as it is, that we will do so in the future."
Under America's capital punishment system, consistency and evenhandedness aren't possible, or as Professor Black explained: The possibility of judicial fairness for accused minorities is as likely his "learn(ing) to speak decent Japanese by the end of the month."
In his separate Furman v. Georgia opinion (1972), Justice Thurgood Marshall said if ordinary people knew all the facts in capital cases, they'd find it "shocking to (their) conscience and sense of justice," and thus flatly unconstitutional.
Fletcher shares that view, adding:
"I think that sooner or later, probably not in my lifetime, but perhaps in some of yours, we will abolish the death penalty in this country. Perhaps, we, as a country, will eventually have seen enough" injustice, mostly affecting society's poor, disadvantaged, and unwanted, Kevin Cooper a notable example.
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Gollum and the music business
Part 2: Radio Versus Records
Thanks to our friend Thomas Edison, you can still listen to the first (1878) recording of music here. It took another ten years for Emile Berliner to invent the record, the first mass produced music disk.
Music was the first media to move to the cloud in 1906 with Reginald’s Fessenden’s rendition of “O Holy Night” to ships at sea off the coast of Massachusetts. It took another 16 years for the first radio commercial to air, on WEAF in New York City.
Initially the record industry fought radio, but a symbiotic relationship between radio and recorded music was worked out within a few years. Record labels use airplay to generate sales; radio stations use music to sell advertising.
If music is free on the radio, why do we buy it? Radio only gives us a free taste of a song. If we want to own that song we have to buy it. While music under our complete control costs $.99 a song on iTunes, music under radio station control costs us a mere one cent (of advertising). (see previous post)
Just as Free-to-Play games stimulate demand by offering tantalizing, but limited access to a variety of virtual goods and powers, radio stimulates demand by offering tantalizing, but limited access to a variety of music. The behavioral economics is the same. Temporarily possessing a song (or magic ring) then losing it triggers loss aversion, a powerful motivator, as Gollum learned to his regret.
The power of radio to stimulate demand for music purchases (through loss aversion) wasn’t obvious to the music industry when radio first blared onto the music scene. Indeed the bliss of radio’s unlimited free music (and the Great Depression) blasted record sales for fifteen years.
Impact Of Radio On The Record Industry
For 67 years, from 1933 until 2000, radio and recorded music grew up together. By 2000, music’s high water mark, the USA recorded music was a $16B business and radio $20B. Over the next ten years, painless CD ripping and burning, low-cost Internet connectivity, easy legal and illegal file sharing services, and open MP3 players, cut recorded music revenues in half.
Meanwhile radio held steady (until recently – see next post)
Radio, a primarily free (or more precisely ad-based) medium, is immune to piracy (but not other threats). Recorded music is not. If recorded music sales kept pace with overall growth of the economy (as it had the previous 67 years) then they would have reached $24B in 2013*. However they shrunk to $6B. This is a $18B per year loss to piracy (just in the USA).
* The US economy has doubled since 1997, and recorded music sales in 1997 were $12B (see graph above).
The Volume of Music Acquired Without Payment
Some bloggers defend pirates with surveys showing that pirates buy more music than non-pirates. That defense suffers from the standard correlation versus causation problem. Those who most wish to acquire music do so, legally and illegally. That correlation does not prove that more piracy sells more music. Where radio songs trigger loss aversion, pirated songs do not. In fact pirated songs are essentially indistinguishable from purchased songs, which makes policing (or even remembering they are pirated) difficult.
Perhaps the most elegant defender of piracy is The American Assembly from Columbia University. They rely on absurd data. They claim (on the following graph) that the average American:
• From age ~11 to ~25 buys ~70 songs/$70 worth of music a year, reaching 1000 songs/$1000 music collections by age ~25. (That’s triple what our expected purchases are).
• Then at age 30, the average American reverses his behavior and starts throwing away 39 songs/$39 worth of music a year. [Since we actually buy 20 songs/$20* worth of recorded music a year, the only way to lose 19** songs a year while buying 20 is to throw out 39 songs each year!]
* Americans (300 million music consumers) buy $6.22B worth of songs each year. That’s $20 of music purchases a year, or 20 songs a year @ $1/song.
** 1044 legal songs at age ~25 down to 376 legal songs by age ~70. That’s a loss of 668 songs in 35 years, or 19 songs thrown out every year for 35 years straight.
This is absurd. Americans buy music at a fairly steady rate throughout their first fifty years, those over forty-five becoming more prominent each year while those under thirty slowly disappear.
Music Sales by Customer Age
Data from https://www.riaa.com/keystatistics.php?content_selector=%20Music-Consumer-Profile 2011 Profile
Music’s sales disaster is no mystery. It’s caused by easy, safe and ad-supported piracy.
Radio drives hunger for music, but it may have doomed the recorded music industry. Why? We expect free music in the air. If you are reading this you probably think … what’s wrong with some more free music? If music is free on my radio, why not on my iPhone?
While the US Government could, as it does with digital audio recorders, simply tax any device capable of playing music a few dollars to compensate for piracy, this is not on the table. Taxes sound scary and we don’t care. What happens to the recorded music industry is someone else’s problem, not ours. [A classic example of Tragedy of the commons.] Our magical thinking about music economics coupled with our endless hunger for free music is pushing the recorded music industry into the crack of doom.
[Next post. Of course music won’t disappear like Gollum or his ring. What will happen?]
Unlike recorded music’s fall in 2000, radio has kept up the economy (until recently…)
Media Share of US Advertising
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Saturday, September 26, 2009
Francis of Assisi Misquote
Speak the Gospel: Use deeds when necessary.
Mark Galli | posted 5/21/2009
Contrary to his current meek and mild image, Francis's preaching was known for both his kindness and severity. One moment, he was friendly and cheerful—prancing about as if he were playing a fiddle on a stick, or breaking out in song in praise to God and his creation. Another moment, he would turn fierce: "He denounced evil whenever he found it," wrote one early biographer, "and made no effort to palliate it; from him a life of sin met with outspoken rebuke, not support. He spoke with equal candor to great and small."
Another early biography talked about how his preaching was received: "His words were neither hollow nor ridiculous, but filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, penetrating the marrow of the heart, so that listeners were turned to great amazement."
As a result, he quickly gained followers, and it wasn't long before he told his most devoted adherents to preach as well. In the fall of 1208, he sent the brothers out two by two to distant reaches. What did he tell them to say? In an early guide written during this period, Francis instructed his brothers to tell their listeners to "do penance, performing worthy fruits of penance, because we shall soon die … . Blessed are those who die in penance for they shall be in the kingdom of heaven. Woe to those who do not die in penance, for they shall be children of the devil whose works they do and they shall go into everlasting fire."
This last quote raises questions about the content of Francis' preaching. He was clearly a product of his age and his church. It's hard to tell sometimes if "penance" for Francis meant something more akin to biblical repentance, or to the medieval version of "works righteousness" that the Reformers eventually and rightly condemned.
The point is this: Francis was a preacher. And the type of preacher who would alarm us today. "Hell, fire, brimstone" would not be an inaccurate description of his style.
Why is it, then, that we "remember" Francis as a wimp of a man who petted bunnies and never said a cross word, let alone much about the Cross?
I suspect we sentimentalize Francis—like we do many saints of ages past—because we live in a sentimental age. We want it to be true that we can be nice and sweet and all will be well. We hope against hope that we won't have take the trouble to figure out how exactly to talk about the gospel—our unbelieving friends will "catch" the gospel once our lifestyle is infected with it.
Many have noted how Francis modeled his life on Jesus. But it wasn't just about the life of poverty, but also the life of preaching. We have no instance of Jesus performing a miracle and not speaking a word of comfort or challenge afterwards.
Paul articulated succinctly what Francis and Jesus felt in their souls: "How are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Rom. 10:14).
To be sure, words used cheaply, thoughtlessly are worse than no words at all. As Westmont College professor Marilyn McEntyre says in an essay in the upcoming August issue of Christianity Today, "In an environment permeated with large-scale, well-funded deceptions, the business of telling the truth, and caring for the words we need for that purpose, is more challenging than ever before."
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Kety et al powerpoint schizophrenia
Kety et al
Copenhagen High Risk Study
Kety conducted a longitudinal study in Denmark 1962.
Kety and colleagues identified 207 offspring mothers
diagnosed with schizophrenia high risk group), along with
this matched a control of 104 children with “healthy
mothers” All children were aged between 10-18 years at
the start of the study (in 1962– hence a matched pairs
Children (schizophrenic mother children vs healthy
mother children) were matched on age, genders, parental
socio-economic status, ruban/rural residence
Due to the longitudinal nature of the study- children were
followed up in 1974, and further in 1989
• Schizophrenic was diagnosed 16.2% in the high risk group,
compared to 1.9% in the low risk group
• Identified a Schizotypal personality disorder- which is a
disorder characterised by ecentric behaviour and anomalies
of thinking resembling symptoms of schizophrenia. Kety
infact diagnosed a schizotypal personality disorder in 18.8%
of the high risk group, compared to only 5% of the low risk
• Combining figures for the two disorders i.e. Schizophrenia
itself and the Schizotypal personality disorder- found that
the high risk group had 35% of participants with either/or,
in comparison to the low risk group with only 6.9% of
• The high risk group (children with
schizophrenic mothers) are more likely to
develop schizophrenia compared to the low
risk group (control group of healthy mothers).
Therefore, this shows that genetics play a role
in the development of schizophrenia.
However Kety only concluded with a
correlation, not infact a causal relationship.
A strength of Ketys study is that she matched the children (schizophrenic
mother children vs control group) on relevant variables including parental
socio-economic status, and urban/rural residence. Matched upon these
variables because low socio-economic status and urban environments are
known to be risk factors in developing schizophrenia. Therefore, by controlling
these factors, it shows that the relationship observed of children having
schizophrenia/schizotypal disorder was primarily due to the genetic
component (of mothers having schizophrenia)
Nature vs Nurture debate- despite Kety’s study being a large well controlled
study, and longitudinal, we still encounter problems. The main difficulty with
family studies is that we cannot differentiate the genetic and environmental
influences, because children share the same environment as their mother
Reliability of diagnosis- the diagnosis of schizophrenia is not always reliable.
The mothers of schizophrenia had all been diagnosed with schizophrenia
before modern diagnostic systems were available, so it is possible that they
varied widely in their symptoms. It might even be the case that they would not
have been given this diagnosis at all if later criteria had been used.
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sulabh swatchh bharat
Friday, 18-August-2017
Recent study shows the benefits of Mind-Body interventions
New Study has examined the positive effects of yoga and meditation on DNA and gene expression. The study revealed that meditation and yoga reversed the harmful stress and anxiety related molecular reactions within the DNA.
The study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology reviewed decades of research into how Mind-Body Interventions like meditation and yoga affect gene expression. The researchers noticed patterns in the molecular changes caused by yoga and meditation in over 18 different scientific studies that included over 846 participants over a span of 11 years. Researchers studied how gene expression is affected by these activities. Gene expression is how specific genes activate to make proteins that affect the body. The review studied a molecule called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) that is produced when a person is exposed to a stressful event. The body triggers the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) which activates the “Fight or Flight” mode in response to stressful events. This in turn ramps up the production of NF-kb in the body. The molecule NF-kb processes stress by activating genes to produce cytokines, a type of protein. Cytokines cause inflammation in the body at a cellular level. This mechanism is believed to have been useful as an evolutionary response to stressful events. Ideally, this mechanism doesn’t last long but persistent stress causes this mechanism to go into overdrive. This increases harmful inflammation in the body leading to a higher risk of ailments like cancer and psychological disorders like depression.
The study noted that people that practiced Mind-Body Interventions like yoga and meditation had reduced levels of NF-kB and cytokines. This reversal of inflammatory mechanisms of the body in turn reduced the risk of cancer and other ailments in people that engaged in these MBI’s. The authors of the study speculate that this stress response and cellular inflammation must have been vital in human evolution during the Paleolithic era. However, in today’s modern society, psychological stress is extremely prevalent and persistent. Indeed, some experts feel this has attained epidemic proportions. This persistent stress leads to increase in cellular inflammation in the body which in turn increases the risk of physical and mental ailments.
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пятница, 22 января 2016 г.
How to make a Barometer
How to make a Barometer
How to make a Barometer
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
I’m so excited to be writing today for the lovely Tammy of Housing a Forest. My name is Joanna I’m originally from Wales, U.K but now live on the East Coast of the United States with my hubby, four children and way too many animals to remain sane. I’m chief creator at Blue Barn Living and you can normally find me and all our messy fun projects over on Instagram @thebluebarn.
Here in Connecticut we are heading into Spring and despite a few late snow storms we are expecting milder rainy weather because everyone knows that ‘April rain brings May flowers’. This makes it the perfect time of year to get the kids thinking a little about the weather and how we can predict some of these seasonal showers. Welcome the Barometer.
A Barometer as described by Google, (noun) is an instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used especially in forecasting the weather and determining altitude.
The first Barometer is credited to an Italian called Evangelista Torricelli who is said to have invented it in 1643. However, there were thought to be a number of Italian scientists and astrologers working in the area of vacuums and air pressure at this time in the 17th century.
A barometer measures air pressure: A “rising” barometer indicates increasing air pressure; a “falling” barometer indicates decreasing air pressure.
Many barometers use Mercury tubes to help measure the air pressure but today we are going to make one that will work using a few items you have around your house.
You will need
• Glass jar
• Balloon
• Pair of scissors
• Thick elastic band
• Drinking straw
• Pens
• Paper
• Tape
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
Step 1
Take your balloon and cut the neck of the balloon off.
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
Step 2
Taking the bottom part of the balloon stretch it over the neck of the jar. A younger child might need help with this as you should pull it as tight as possible so the balloon fits flat with no dimple in the middle.
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
Secure the balloon in place with a thick elastic band. This now creates a sealed vacuum in the jar.
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
Step 3
Cut a straw at an angle to create a pointer.
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
Tape the straw to the center of the balloon. Make sure the end of the straw ends in the center.
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
Step 4
On a piece of card draw a sunshine towards the top and a rain cloud towards the bottom. Mark the paper in the middle where the straw currently rests.
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
Now the children can step back and observe the barometer over time. What do they observe? Does their Barometer change? Does it move a lot or a little? Could they tell when it was raining v sunny? Ask them why they think this is happening?
You can explain to them that air is made up of tiny particles called molecules. The air inside the jar has been trapped by the balloon so no molecules can escape but they press against the balloon and the sides of the jar.
There is also air outside the jar, this air also contains molecules that push against the balloon from the other side.
If the pressure inside the jar is greater it pushes the balloon to dome outwards. If the pressure inside the jar is less the outside air molecules push the balloon inwards. The balloon causes the straw to point up or down depending on which way the pressure is greatest.
The weather causes changes in air pressure and thus changes in the arrow direction allowing you to see the weather prediction.
What other information can we gather from the weather? Think of other tools used in weather reporting. Could they come up with something to measure rainfall? What about wind direction or strength?
How to make a barometer ~ science for kids
I can’t wait to try making our own Joanna, thanks so much for sharing! Off to go find some balloons so we can make one. Love it! Fingers crossed that our barometer reads sunshine for tomorrow!
We all love comments, so why not pop over and visit The Blue Barn her and tell her how much you enjoyed her post on Housing A Forest.
Original article and pictures take http://www.housingaforest.com/how-to-make-a-barometer/?utm_content=buffer24c82&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=buffer site
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Tuesday, December 27, 2005
The Rig Veda
The Rig Veda is a perfect example of a hologram. The Rig Veda is divided into 10 Mandalas, each of which has 192 suktas. Each sukta is further divided into 24 sandhis, each sandhi into 24 padas, and each pada into 24 richas or verses. This circular structure is an indication of the intricately interlocked structure of the Veda.
The first letter of the Rig Veda is A. A is considered to the the primordial sound from which all other sounds (and frequencies) are generated. A therefore indicates everything that is present in the universe. The first syllable Ak is a combination of A - everything, and k - nothing. The k sound is a constrictive sound and it ends the presence of all sounds, and is considered nothing. Thus Ak is everything and nothing, which is the entire universe. The first word is Agnim. Agni is the God of Fire in Hinduism, and is supposed to be the representative of everything in the universe. Agni is also the messenger between man and God.
Thus, the first letter, the first syllable, and the first word all contain the same information. This concept is further expanded over the first sukta of the first Mandala, and so on; making the Rig Veda a perfect example of a hologram. It is said that no human brain can think of such an intricate structure of verses, and is supposed to be devine knowledge that can only be realised.
Monday, December 19, 2005
More links
All links in this section have been obtained from here.
Addition on Dec 19, 7:00 pm
As usual, comments welcome.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
What religion are you?
Check out this link. It tells you which religion your views are closely matched to. My score as a Hindu was 96% and as a Buddhist, 88%. I cannot verify the accuracy of the results, but it will be interesting to see how everyone scores. Why don't you take the test and leave a comment? And if people are really in the mood for it, we can discuss the results too! Just kidding. Not.
Chelsea on the cheap here.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
A light (sic) post
Going the exact opposite way, here is a not-so-recent conversation I had with my roommate, Mridul Balaraman.
(Note: I here is me, and M is Mridul)
I: How many springs does a basketball have?
M: A basketball doesnt have springs in it.
I: Sure it does, how else does the ball bounce?
M: That's because it has air in it.
I: This room has air, how come it ain't bouncin' around?
M: That's because it's stuck to the ground!
I: I can pin this ball to the ground, and my hands bounce off it!
M: The room has doors and windows that the ball doesn't.
I: If I make a tear in this ball, my hand still bounces off it!
Mridul then went off about elasticity and rigidity to prove that I was wrong. I countered by claiming that a spring is a form of elasticity as well.
Without going off into scientific principles, and by simply making some dumb (but seemingly logical) arguments, how far can you take this debate? Anyone brave enough to further an argument?
Lines 1 to 5 in the conversation were obtained from something that came on the TV (dont remember what), and the rest was made up by me and Mridul.
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Showing posts with label Proverbs Teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Proverbs Teaching. Show all posts
O simple ones... repent and listen to the warnings
[Proverbs 1:22-23]
Way of the Sin is Darkness
Darkness... a thought of this will make us run for finding some source of light. Have you ever walked on a path pr road which is totally dark. I assume the answer would be YES.. for many of us. Darkness symbolizes or can be related to human emotions like fear, agony, suffering and pain. One common aspect among all these is that none of this is a good act or emotion to be experienced in life. We will never want any of these to me attached to our lives. Darkness is not liked by any, and this is one thing that we always try to take off.
[Proverbs 4:19]
Darkness comes when the source of light goes.. this is not a new information for anyone, but yet a strong and powerful thought to be understood, and compared to similar instance in our life, when our lives go through dark or darkness phase. How or why does light go from a place, which make darkness cover the area... ? One reason is manually knowingly taking off light, and other scenario is when light goes without us knowing possibly through some external involvement. Whatever is the case, one thing is sure that with light gone, darkness will certainly come in our life, both physically and spiritually.
Way of the Righteous
[Proverbs 4:18]
Light signifies purity, freshness, energy, blessings etc... When talking about dawn, we can think about sun and the brightness and freshness it brings to nature. New day comes through light and with this light the darkness from the previous night is taken off. Sun enlightens nature and all its system and all in it. It renews earth and helps life to sustain. Seeds and seasons to pass. All these can happen only if the sun comes with its light and energy. Sun has no value if it looses its light. Can we imagine a sun with no light, as with no sun there will be total darkness and then how can we expect darkness to remove darkness. With sun with its light and energy how can the life on this earth be sustained and nature be blessed. Now this said, if we try to understand the verse in context it is trying to say that the path or way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, i.e. its like the shining light of the rising sun.
Highway of the upright wil avoids evil
The highway of the upright avoids evil...
[Proverbs 16:17]
What is a highway? To us highway is a road that help us travel from cities or states. Basically the highway help us reach from one place to other and that is the main road with much security and facilities than the short side roads. Condition of the roads will be well maintained on a highway. Unless we miss to follow the rules of the highway, there is no chance that we miss the road.
When we go on a highway we tend to have a destination in plan, and in the same way an upright (honest) person when takes a highway with a specific destination to be reached, there are less chance that he will handover to any evil. When we move on a highway, problem may come around us, but what we do is to clear it as soon as possible and be back on our highway to the destination.
Prescription for Healthy Spiritual Life..
[Proverbs 4:20-22]
Prescription for Healthy Spiritual Life..
If we have read this verse clearly, we can say very easily what is it talking about, and what is the prescription for life given by God.. its the "Word of God" itself. If we are well then this will help us maintain that good. If we are not keeping well or sick, then this will help us find the solution to have the life and health in its full. The prescription from God... Word of God.. is the answer to every need of ours.
Love for God is the Beginning of Knowledge
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..
[Proverbs 1:7]
What is Fear?
Book of Proverbs ... Introduction
In this current world of ours, there is a great need for wisdom and equally important is that to be made available in the proper and convenient way
Lack of wisdom has already been destroying the lives of many young people around us. There seems to be no respect in approaching various stages and phases of life. Marriages, friendship, finance, spiritual life... almost everything is being destroyed, with just one basic reason which is the lack of wisdom.
The book of proverbs is being written by Solomon, son of David, king of Israel. King Solomon was the one Who was granted wisdom by God. there are many famous incidents taken from the life of Solomon which highlights his wisdom and how God was with him all the time.
There are many today in our time who are wasting both their time and their lives by failing to exercise wisdom in their daily lives.
This effort of mine has been made to make this wisdom interpreted in a simple way and made available to everyone, and with an aim to change the lives of the people who will be accessing these posts.
I pray my effort will be beneficial for many through these posts...
Praise the Lord...
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Sula Quiz | Eight Week Quiz E
Buy the Sula Lesson Plans
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through 1937.
Multiple Choice Questions
(a) Eva's
(b) Sula's
(c) Nel's
(d) Helene's
2. What is the background of the boys who threaten Nel?
(a) Irish immigrants
(b) Italian immigrants
(c) German immigrants
(d) Same as Nel
3. What did the slaves do when they heard about the fertile land?
(a) They begged for it
(b) They didn't believe it
(c) They ignored the farmer
(d) They talked with others before accepting the deal
4. Who always overlooks the groom for work?
(a) The white physician
(b) The schools
(c) The vet offices
(d) The gang boss
5. What does Eva accidentally sip?
(a) Blood tainted water
(b) Medicine water
(c) Bourbon
(d) A drug tincture
Short Answer Questions
1. Who does Sula have an affair with?
2. What kind of work would it take to make the land productive?
3. What does Shadrack remember the river being full of?
4. How long does it take to find the body of Chicken Little?
(see the answer key)
This section contains 179 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page)
Buy the Sula Lesson Plans
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Speed the Plough
• A sentimental comedy by the British playwright Thomas Morton(c. 1764 - 1838), first performed in 1800. The play ismainly remembered for the unseen character Mrs Grundy, whobecame a popular symbol of rigid middle-class respectability. Themain plot centres on Sir Philip Blandford, who mistakenly thinks hehas killed his own brother.
The US dramatist David Mamet also wrote a play withthe title Speed-the-Plow (1988).
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Need help supplying more amps than my arduino can.
I am working on my first project that applies arduino to the real world and needed to know how to supply more current than the arduino can output to several components. There will be 4-6 of these components, each one needing 5V at 0.6 Amps. I need to know whether or not I should use a step up regulator or a transistor or other component to power the device. I will have an external power supply, most likely 1 or 2 lipo batteries to power the whole thing too.
A transistor is exactly what you need. There are a multitude of different types available (check Digikey or Mouser) and are typically rated by power handling capability (watts) or current/voltage. It is better to use a transistor that is rated higher than what you expect to switch to prevent overheating and possibly damaging it
Garebear350 (author) SpaceShipOne3 years ago
Thanks, that is what I was thinking would be best, just felt as though a second opinion wouldn't be a bad idea.
tronixstuff3 years ago
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Finding solutions
A workplace shooting, multiple drug overdoses and absent middle school students. We’ve recently encountered all these issues locally, and dealing with them is a challenge. How can we find solutions that really work?
Any time there is a workplace or school shooting, the first topic that is brought up is gun control to prevent these shooters from gaining access to guns. We have arguments about what, if any, control measures are needed and if we should allow more people to carry guns to stop these shootings.
However, these solutions aren’t making the problem go away, so how can we solve this problem?
In the past few weeks, there have been many cases of drug overdoses in Bartholomew County. Some of those who overdosed died while others were revived. Police regularly look for and arrest drug dealers and those who use drugs, but the problem isn’t going away.
Maybe we can learn from Central Middle School’s approach to absent students. As reported in the April 12 edition of The Republic, administrators at Central began calling parents to find out why students were missing. Some were just cases where a parent forgot to call in the child’s absence. Others required more investigation. Some students have situations at home “from a parent losing a job to substance abuse by parents or students” that the school district may be able to help with.
Punishing students for missing school did not solve the problem. When Central changed its focus from punishment to trying to understand why students missed school and then addressing those issues, the number of unexcused absences decreased. Students can learn what is being taught better if they are actually at school, and Central’s new approach meets that goal by dealing with the underlying issues of students’ absences.
In the case of shootings, what are the underlying issues? Why are people going to schools or workplaces and shooting others? In some cases, the shooters have a mental illness. For those cases, we need to be more open about mental illness and get rid of the stigma attached to it. More treatment options could also be made available. In other cases, anger or feeling misused may be the motive.
What drives a person to resort to murder? Someone may make us upset, but is it necessary to kill them because of that? Does the prevalence of guns in our society make shootings more likely when a conflict arises? This problem has many underlying issues, so we need to keep working to find the right set of solutions.
Now what about drug abuse and addiction? How can we fix that problem? To stop addiction, we need to figure out why people start using drugs in the first place.
I recently listened to a TED (technology, entertainment and design) talk where Johann Hari explained one possible reason that drug addiction occurs. He discussed a study conducted on rats in the 1960s in which a rat was put in a cage with two water bottles. One was regular water and the other was laced with either heroin or cocaine. The rat almost always preferred the drug-laced water and would overdose rather quickly.
In the 1970s, psychology professor Bruce Alexander noticed that in this study the rat was alone in the cage with nothing to do except use drugs. He wondered what would happen if the rats’ environment was different. He designed cages with plenty of food, toys, tunnels and other rat friends. These rats also had the two different water bottles, but in this case the rats almost never used the drug water and none of them used it compulsively or overdosed as the rats in the first study did.
So, what was different? The rats in the second study were happy and were connected to friends. Hari then discussed the work of professor Peter Cohen, who believes addiction should be called bonding.
Drugs are one such thing.
Hari’s solution is to help addicts feel connected. Punishing them, shaming them and giving them criminal records prevents them from doing that. He also suggests deepening the connection you may have with addicts in your life by letting them know you love them no matter what they are doing and to let them know they are not alone.
In all of these cases, investigating the underlying issues helps to prevent the problem. We should do more to explore those issues instead of just reacting to the problem itself.
Yes, we still need to respond to the problem, but figuring out and solving the issues that cause these problems are the only ways to truly eliminate them.
Susan Cox is one of The Republic’s community columnists, and all opinions expressed are those of the writer. She is a mother, an adjunct instructor of English at Ivy Tech Community College-Columbus and a substitute teacher for Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. She can be reached at
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Yellow Fever Infected Areas - Health Advice
This map shows in red the approximate distribution of the 'infected zones'.
World map - Yellow Fever Infected Areas
In Africa
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
In America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Surinam, Venezuela.
Some countries do not exactly follow these World Health Organisation guidelines
• Belize is considered endemic by Bangladesh, Egypt and Guyana
• Costa Rica is considered infected by Bangladesh.
• Djibouti is considered endemic by Guinea-Bissau.
• Honduras, Nicaragua and Equatorial Guinea are considered endemic by Bangladesh,
• Equatorial Guinea is considered endemic by Egypt, Guinea-Bissau and India.
• Malawi is considered endemic by Bangladesh
• Mauritania is considered endemic by Bangladesh and Guinea Bissau.
source: Scottish NHS
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see also: images, health, UNESCO sites, flags, airports, airlines, time zones, currencies, packing list, dialling codes
Yellow Fever Infected Areas - Health Advice
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Effective teamwork is dependent on effective communication
Lesson 1: Because human beings enter all relationships with expectations and intentions which sooner or later will not be met, disappointments and upsets are inevitable. But because the only model we have been given to communicate with is one which leads to confrontations, people mostly resist communicating about such upsets. People resist taking responsibility for their feelings and invariably feel like the source of their upset is the other. So when they begin to communicate, the most frequently used first word is “you,” causing the other to immediately get defensive and a confrontation ensues.
The most frequent tactic employed to avoid this is simply to say nothing. Unfortunately, when one does this, they end up “filing” the undelivered communication away, where it becomes a magnet for future upsets. As the file gets bigger and bigger, whatever openness, intimacy and trust that existed in the relationship in the first place gets less and less, often leading to the demise of the relationship. Refer back to Lesson 1 for the solution.
Lesson 2: Instead of not communicating, communicate from a place of responsibility. Own the source of your upset, your unfulfilled expectations and intentions and communicate from a place of what’s going on with you, not what’s wrong with the other person. Say, for example, “I had expected that we would meet every week to align on a course of action so I knew exactly what was expected of me but we don’t seem to make time for that to happen and I’m disappointed because I often find myself not knowing what the goal of the week is.”
Lesson 3: Generally speaking, people don’t listen. They are mostly interested in what they have to say and when another starts to communicate a disappointment or the like, they immediately feel what’s required of them is to justify or explain their behavior. Nothing could be further from the truth. When people are upset, what they want is just to be heard. So the listener needs to say nothing, just listen to the other with compassion, perhaps say you’re sorry if you’re moved to say that, encourage the other to speak, and allow them to empty their files. Once files are emptied, anything is now possible.
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Water Debate
Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate November 2001
download word file, 4 pages 3.0
Downloaded 15 times
"The Great Water Debate" Water is an essential resource that individuals cannot live without. Canada should sell its reservoir of 20% of the worlds freshwater, due to the fact that it would have a great economical impact on the country. The main reasons that the water should be sold are it would be an economical adrenaline rush, create jobs for the unemployed, and it's morally the right thing to do.
There have been many occurrences leading up to the questioning behind selling Canada's water, mostly on the bulk exporting issue. As of 1971(Macleans, May 1999), Lake Gisborne(located in Newfoundland) was named a battleground by an admirer, Jerry White and the Federal Government of Canada. Jerry White had been flying over the lake, and immediately had great hopes for it. Bottling it was one, and he also wanted to export it in large tankers to the Middle East. He wanted a license to export the water, but since that would trigger NAFTA, the government was concerned.
This would lead back to British Columbia and the fiasco with the freshwater there. After a license was granted, water was exported in tankers. There was uproar from the U.S., which ended when the government in turn revoked the license. Snowcap (the company from B.C.) was gravely disappointed and moved their business to Alaska, where it is presently prospering. The United States however, does not have that much water to circulate. The question still lingers, "Will Americans have to soon depend on Canada for their water supply?" At the rate that the Americans are going, their water will be soon used up. California is one of the main areas of consumption, mainly because eight to eighty-five percent of its water goes to irrigation. (Equinox, October/November '99) Regardless how the question arose, the only solution is...
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The Importance of Course Correction
In 1979, a DC-10 Passenger Jet flew from New Zealand to Antarctica on a sightseeing excursion on Air New Zealand flight 901. This 8 hour flight would provide passengers an experience of a lifetime: a chance to see the bottom of the world. 257 passengers and crew members took off at 8:20 that morning for routine 8 hour round-trip sightseeing trip with great anticipation to experience a part of the world very few people had ever seen.
Unbeknownst to the flight crew, someone mistakenly changed the flight plan...typing a "6" into the flight computer instead of a "4" when entering the final number of the latitude and longitude coordinates. This simple mistake changed the flight plan by a mere two degrees...a very small mistake...but one that changed the course of the flight East by 28 miles on the flight to Antarctica. While the pilots were both very experienced, neither had flown the Antarctic route. There was no way for them to know their new course put them on a collision course with Mt. Erebus, an active volcano rising above the frozen Antarctic landscape by 12,000 feet. The picture in the article header shows the change to the route of this ill-fated flight.
As the plane approached their destination, they encountered bad weather that made visibility difficult. Because they thought they were 28 miles to the West, the pilots descended to below 6000 feet so the passengers could see the terrain and the penguins of Antarctica. As the pilots flew on, the snow and ice on the volcano blended with the white clouds of the weather system and the pilots thought they were flying over flat ground. By the time the plane's instruments detected the ground was rising towards them, the pilots had no chance to pull out. At 12:49pm, the plane crashed into the side of Mt. Erebus at 400 MPH, a tragic accident where each of the 257 passengers and crew members died. Air New Zealand Flight 901 is still the single-largest tragedy in New Zealand history, and the fourth-largest flight disaster of all time. All from a seemingly small, 2 degree mistake, only 28 miles in a flight of over 2,500 miles. Complete details of this flight disaster can be found here.
As we approach the midpoint of the 2017 calendar year, salespeople often pause to course-correct. Some may be ahead of goal, others may be right on track. More than half will not be on target. New research from my friend and company advisor Jim Dickie shows that quota attainment is falling right now at a concerning rate across most industries. As a result, course correction is more important now than ever before.
Don't Fly Blind!
As I've worked with hundreds of sales organizations and thousands of sales reps, I've learned that success and failure for Sales Executives, Sales Managers, and Sales Representatives often comes down to mistakes of only a few degrees. Too often, sales reps push the throttle to full speed and put their head down in the pursuit of quota attainment. With this approach, many salespeople get to the end of the month, quarter, or year and are disappointed with where they land. What most fail to understand is quite often, a course correction of only 1-2% can be the difference maker between success and failure in our sales pursuits.
This is why coaching continues to be the primary catalyst in nearly every sales metric. Most of the time, it is small adjustments done over time that lead to massive results. Unfortunately, many reps see coaching as something reserved for underperformers or something that is a waste of their time. Recently, I was training a sales team for a large financial institution. I asked what their perception of coaching was. The top performer in the region raised his hand quickly and said "For me, when I need help on a deal, I go to my manager and he helps me put together a winning plan...and that's great. That's effective coaching. But when he wants to pull me in to just talk about generic stuff, that's a complete waste of my time." A lot of heads in the conference room were nodding as he shared his perception of coaching. Unfortunately, I think more salespeople agree with this perspective than we know. While leaders absolutely need to work on their coaching skills, there is more to effective coaching than just an effective leader.
Two Sides to the Coaching Coin
Too often, salespeople think coaching depends on the skill of the leader. While the leader has the responsibility for creating a culture of intentional improvement and to use tools to help create consistency, predictability, a level-up mentality and a collaborative environment, the role of the salesperson is equally important. The salesperson must also adopt an attitude of intentional improvement and commit to ongoing course correction. This means that sales reps need to learn to self-correct.
The longer the journey, the more important course correction becomes. If a pilot were to take off from Singapore, a city located on the equator and fly around the world off by only 1 degree, this small adjustment would result in missing Singapore by over 500 miles...or an extra hour's flight.
If the plane were to fly around the equator from Singapore and were off by 2 degrees, the impact grows to over 1000 miles. The impact of this mistake makes landing in the desired place nearly impossible.
Which Rep Are You?
I have found there are two types of sales teams, sales leaders, and sales people: Those that take what they want, and those that take what they can get. Take what you want sales organizations/leaders/people value coaching. They use predetermined moments to use formal coaching to look at key metrics and indicators that are predictive of future outcomes. Leaders and salespeople set interim coaching goals to modify behaviors or develop new skills that will help them stay on course or get on course to a destination they are excited about. These formal coaching sessions will stimulate unlimited numbers of informal coaching conversations where the leader and the salesperson evaluate how their "flight plan" is working.
Create a Clear Pathway to Success
Creating a coaching cadence isn't hard. As a salesperson, if you come to a coaching session prepared with 2-3 things you believe will help you stay on course, you will find your leader will be more helpful in collaborating and creating action plans you believe in. Coaching done right should be like visiting the eye doctor. As the patient looks through the lenses, the doctor drops different lens adjustment into the machine. The patient looks and gives feedback to the doctor who keeps making adjustments until the patient sees with clarity they never had on their own. If both the patient and the doctor do not work well together, the visit is an exercise in futility.
Self Correct...Don't Self-Destruct
No sales rep wants to miss their number. No sales leader wants their team to view the coaching moments as a "waste of time." As sales representatives, work with your leaders to create a system of self-correction. My experience has been when salespeople begin to look through the lens of self-correction, they use sales tools like Salesforce with a different purpose, they are more assertive in finding ways to stay on course, and the combined leader/salesperson combination leads to things like higher performance (18% increase), stronger engagement and retention (22% better), and the customer experience is noticeably improved (23% NPS lift).
Regardless of your economic philosophies, these are trickle-down economics we can all get excited about. Don't let 1-2 degrees take you to a place you don't want to be. Don't save the course-correction conversations for end of quarters or end of year. Adopt an approach of continuous self-correction. Remember: the shortest distance to your goal is a straight line. Don't let the small adjustments add up over time to big problems. Self-correct, work with your coach, and let your competitors self-destruct all around you while you complete your journey and land exactly where you had planned.
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Importance of knowing how to read documentation
Example of some of Bootstraps CSS styles.
In about a week, I made a basic home page using Bootstrap. This was my first time ever using the Bootstrap framework. A CSS framework is basically a CSS template.
After making an HTML page you can link the Bootstrap CSS style sheet like any other style sheet and you will have instant access to hundreds of styles.
To apply a Bootstrap style, you just include the class attribute on a tag and insert the correct class name. The CSS is created for you. Bootstrap was created by the same developers who created Twitter.
What’s the learning curve of Bootstrap? Bootstrap only works if you use the correct class name, on the correct HTML tag. Sounds easy to just choose the correct class name, the problem is that the CSS file has more than 6000 lines of code and you can spend all day looking for a specific class name. Fortunately, Bootstrap provided the documentation of the framework.
Documentation is like the rules and instructions for a project. With documentation, you can know who did what, when, where, and how. Documentation is usually a long document and it keeps everything regarding a project organized and maintains consistency throughout the process of a project.
The Bootstrap documentation is mostly there to help you learn how to use the CSS framework and apply the correct class names. You can either read the documentation or you can read through each line of code and maybe figure out how to use it.
Many developers do not know how to read the documentation. If you know how to read the documentation it will save time and understanding during development. Reading the documentation is not hard once you figure out how it’s organized.
Navigation bar of getbootstrap.com.
The Bootstrap documentation is one of the best looking and organized documentations. The main framework has three tabs, getting started, CSS, and components. The getting started tab is about downloading and installing Bootstrap. The CSS and components are basically the same thing the difference is that components are CSS plus the needed JavaScript code.
The side bar of the CSS tab.
The CSS and components tabs have a section for each element like buttons, headings, panels, forms, navigation, etc. The documentation is easy to follow. For example, if you need to style a button go to the CSS tab because styling a button doesn’t need JavaScript than click on buttons. That is much faster than reading through 6000 lines of code and not knowing how it works.
On my Bootstrap page this process became easier to the point where I didn’t need to look up the documentation. I figured out what classes work on what HTML tags. In the beginning every time I wanted to add something I would look for it on the documentation. I would go back and forth between the code and the documentation.
When beginning to use a framework this is okay but eventually you will want to get to the point where looking at the documentation is not necessary. The best way to learn a documentation is to go back and forth or you can memorize the whole thing.
Why does going back and forth work? For one you are applying what you learn. You read something in the documentation than you write the code and if it doesn’t work you go back and read it again until you understand it. By going back and forth, there is more exposure to the documentation. This is the process I went through. I started by adding an image carousal. I didn’t know how to create it with Bootstrap but after going back and forth, I figured out how to add it and made it work. This was one of the hardest part of the page but now it works flawlessly.
Image carousel on the Bootstrap Web page.
When learning a new framework, it’s a good idea to try new things and different elements because you will make errors but you will learn from them.
With Bootstrap, there are two ways to make a sticky navigation bar, either with CSS or JavaScript. I wanted to make one with JavaScript. The JavaScript version is much harder and I made multiple errors but in the end, it worked the way I wanted it to work. Errors and mistakes are okay, they are an opportunity to learn.
After reading everything in the sticky navigation section I found out it needed JavaScript to work.
Learning to read the documentation is important but also reading everything is important. Using the same sticky navigation bar example, at first I didn’t know that it needed JavaScript because all I did was look at their example and copied the class name. After going back and reading the whole section I learned that it needed JavaScript.
I also learned what each additional attributes did. Just because something seems simple, it might not be that simple and you will need to go back and read the section again.
Example of sticky navigation. When the user scrolls down the navigation stays “stuck” on top of the screen.
If you want to be a front-end developer you will probably be required to read documentation and learn new frameworks, or you will be required to write your own documentation for a client or organization. Frameworks are not a replacement for CSS but serves as a quick way to make a website or an HTML prototype. Once you learn how the documentation is organized, the process for learning the framework is easier. This is the same process used for learning other frameworks and not just Bootstrap.
Bootstrap Web Page
Erick Perez is a student in the Digital Media program at Utah Valley University, Orem Utah, studying Web Design and Development. The following article relates to Bootstrap Website in the DGM 2780 Course and representative of the skills learned.
Note: All Bootstrap images and screenshots are from getbootstrap.com and were used for educational purposes.
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CultureInfo.IsNeutralCulture Property
Gets a value indicating whether the current CultureInfo represents a neutral culture.
Namespace: System.Globalization
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
public virtual bool IsNeutralCulture { get; }
Property Value
Type: System.Boolean
true if the current CultureInfo represents a neutral culture; otherwise, false.
A neutral culture is a culture that is associated with a language but not with a country or region. It differs from a specific culture, which is a culture that is associated with both a language and a country or region. For example, fr is the name for the neutral French culture, while fr-FR is the name for the French culture in France.
If this property returns false, the culture is either a specific culture or the invariant culture.
The following code example determines which cultures using the Chinese language are neutral cultures.
using System;
using System.Globalization;
public class SamplesCultureInfo
public static void Main()
// Lists the cultures that use the Chinese language and determines if each is a neutral culture.
foreach (CultureInfo ci in CultureInfo.GetCultures(CultureTypes.AllCultures))
if (ci.TwoLetterISOLanguageName == "zh")
Console.Write("{0,-7} {1,-40}", ci.Name, ci.EnglishName);
if (ci.IsNeutralCulture)
Console.WriteLine(": neutral");
Console.WriteLine(": specific");
This code produces the following output.
zh-Hans Chinese (Simplified) : neutral
zh-TW Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan) : specific
zh-CN Chinese (Simplified, PRC) : specific
zh-HK Chinese (Traditional, Hong Kong S.A.R.) : specific
zh-SG Chinese (Simplified, Singapore) : specific
zh-MO Chinese (Traditional, Macao S.A.R.) : specific
zh Chinese : neutral
zh-Hant Chinese (Traditional) : neutral
zh-CHS Chinese (Simplified) Legacy : neutral
zh-CHT Chinese (Traditional) Legacy : neutral
Universal Windows Platform
Available since 8
.NET Framework
Available since 1.1
Portable Class Library
Supported in: portable .NET platforms
Available since 2.0
Windows Phone Silverlight
Available since 7.0
Windows Phone
Available since 8.1
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More about Dimension
I thought today I could point out some facts about dimension.
1. If W is a subspace of a vector space V over a field k, then
\dim_k W\leq\dim_kV.
1. You now know what it means when someone says we live in “3-dimensional” space. You can find three basis vectors for the entire universe. (Strictly speaking, this is probably false, but it at least looks true in what little piece of the universe I can see. More on that when we talk about manifolds.)
2. Sometimes you may hear people ask “what is the fourth dimension?” To you, the informed reader, this now appears to be an uninformed question. What they are trying to ask is “what does the 4-dimensional vector space \mathbb R^4 look like, and what is its fourth basis vector?” The first part of the question makes sense, but is hard to answer. The second part doesn’t make sense. Bases are just sets and therefore aren’t ordered. I could make “the fourth basis vector” whichever I want. If you ever get this question, just point somewhere and say “that way.” You can’t be wrong.
Now I’d like to point out that we know enough about vector spaces to deal with Galois theory. That being said, there is a lot more to think about in linear algebra, and I want to do some of that first, so as to let this information sink in.
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Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is a rehabilitative health care profession focused on improving the development of the small muscles of the body, such as the hands, feet, face, fingers and toes. These muscles are used to accomplish everyday tasks such as mobility, washing, dressing, eating, cooking and grooming and other activities such as handwriting, driving, housekeeping, or job tasks. An occupational therapist (OT) is also the professional who can best advise how to modify a household to accommodate special needs.
To develop a plan, therapists assess an individual’s level of managing daily living activities and then make specific recommendations. Recommendations may include:
• Methods or equipment to improve one’s abilities to carry out specific activities, such as dressing aids, special grips for pens and pencils, etc.
• Mobility aids such as canes, walkers and wheelchairs (see Assistive devices)
• Correct wheelchair positioning and postural management techniques
• Housing adaptations such as modifications in doorways and countertops, grab rails, ramps, stair lifts, etc.
• Orthotics such as shoe inserts, splints or braces (see Orthotics)
• Specialized equipment for seating, bath aids, etc.
• Exercise for fingers, hands or arms, the use of strengthening devices, activities designed to improve coordination
There are a many sites dedicated to products, resources and information to enhance daily living that individuals can also pursue on their own. Please go to Patient Forum Recommended Linksto see many sites that members of our community have recommended.
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4-H Definition
People always ask what 4-H is and think it's boy/girls scouts or a boring organization. Well to me 4-H is broad.
Being a 4-Her is not just a title like most people think it is
It's a place to find out what you actually enjoy doing! There are so many different categories that you can do for example like welding, leather craft, baking, showing, etc.
It helps encourage you to work hard and make something that you never knew you could by handing you the 1st place slick, new car door smooth purple ribbon in your hand. It gives you pride in yourself.
4-H is an experience to make friends and help others!
4-H has taught people how to respect others, no matter who they are.
4-H helps people decide what they want to do in their future.
It teaches you so many life lessons it's crazy.
A true 4-Her is one who goes out of their way just to help someone, one who explores new hobbies to find the ones they enjoy, and ones learning speaking skills to use in life!
It's an honor!
It's a privilege to be in with great people and being able to take away so many life lessons.
According to Merriam-Webster 4-H is: of or relating to a program set up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture originally in rural areas to help young people become productive citizens by instructing them in useful skills, community service, and personal development.
Etymology: English, Stands for: head, heart, hands, and health
Source: "4-H" Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster
Created with images by Alachua County - "4-H logo"
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jaguars by noah mendez
1. The Jaguar is a mammal found in the rainforest. The jaguar is yellow, brown and has black spots. Jaguars are 25 to 30 inches tall and weigh 79 to 211 pounds. Jaguars have sharp teeth.
The jaguar’s family members are tigers, lions, leopards, mountain lions and cheetahs.
Jaguars are carnivores, which means they only eat meat .Jaguars eat deer, wild pigs, turtles, crocodiles, snakes, monkey, sloths, turtle eggs and fish. Jaguars hunt at night. They climb on a tree, when the animal passes the jaguar, the jaguar pounces on it.
Jaguars live in Central America and South America. Jaguars need spots so they can hunt without being noticed. Jaguars live in caves and trees. They live by themselves, except when they are ready to have cubs.
Jaguars have dark fur to hunt at night. They have powerful muscles to catch their prey. The jaguar’s enemies are some snakes, gorillas, tigers, and crocodiles. Jaguars have sharp teeth and claws to protect themselves from enemies. Jaguars have very strong jaws to bite through a turtles shell and an animal’s skull. Jaguars will roar loudly to keep other jaguars away from their patch of the rainforest. Jaguars have special eyes that can see in the dark, so they are able to hunt in the dark.
Jaguars are the third largest cat in the cat family. They are an important part of their ecosystem and an important part of the world.
Created with images by RobBixbyPhotography - "JaxZoo_11-17-13-1649" • scottfeldstein - "DSC_3383" • skeeze - "jaguar big cat carnivore" • ellesmere FNC - "Jaguar" • MacJewell - "Little Baby Anuy" • Subharnab - "Ahh ... so cute ... this one looks grown up already" • MacJewell - "Bath Time" • Leogirly4life - "Baby Jaguars"
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Saturday, May 10, 2008
1. People who are taking warfarin (Coumadin), should go easy on the avocados. Though scientists aren’t sure why, the natural oil in avocado seems to prevent the drug from working, at least in some people.
2. Even though it’s generally a good idea to cut back on fats, there is one type that you should consider including in an antiarthritis diet. The omega 3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish, reduce the body’s production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, both substances that contribute to inflammation.
3. Bioavailability refers to how well our bodies absorb the nutrients we eat. There are two forms of iron with vastly different levels of bioavailability. The iron found in meat, fish and shellfish, called heme iron is readily absorbable. The iron found in plant foods, called nonheme iron, is less so.
4. Long before there was Peptobismol, the ancient Greeks sipped wine as a digestive aid. Scientists today are finding that just might work for traveler’s diarrhea as well.
5. Licorice root and peppermint are natural anti-inflammatory that can relieve irritation in the bowel in people with IBS.
6. Once herpes sore shows up, it can seem like an eternity before it goes away. You can hurry it along applying a milk compress to a cold sore to help it heal more quickly.
7. Even though herbs are often gentler than modern medicines, they can cause side effects, such as upset stomach. It’s a good idea to take healing herbs with meals rather than on an empty stomach.
8. Central to the headache-food equation is a feel-good brain chemical called serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are often associated with headaches so raising its levels can ease headaches or even prevent them entirely. One way to boost serotonin in the brain is to increase the amount of complex carbohydrates in your diet.
9. Vit B6 has been shown to keep the nervous system healthy, relieve premenstrual discomfort and bolster the immune system, and if that weren’t enough, studies also suggest that it may help relieve migraines.
10. Melons are a great source of folate and B vitamin both necessary to low the risk of birth defects and heart disease.
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From Documentation
Jump to: navigation, search
What is Randomization ?
Randomization is a special feature that allows to change the contents of a text message randomly, while retaining its meaning. For example, consider the following phrase:
Hello, I want to be your friend!
We could re-write this phrase in hundreds of different ways, while keeping the original meaning, for example:
• Hi, would like to make friends with you!
• How are you, need a friend?
• Wanna make some friends? Me too!
• etc...
The Randomization feature is designed to help you as much as possible with re-writing different messages, like in the example above.
When and why use Randomization ?
The reasons to use Randomization are very close to those discussed in the article on Impersonation. In short, some websites may be using special filtering techniques that disallow identical or similar messages. While being an important and necessary part of the spam-protection techniques, such filters have a number of disadvantages and in some cases may exhibit undesirable behavior.
Consider the following example. You have over 20 friends in your contact list (be it a social network, E-mail client or some other messaging system). You are planning a party and would like to invite all your friends. You don't like wasting time to write unique messages to each of your friends, instead you create a single template and send it to all 20. Once you click the "Send" button, the message starts its journey towards the 20 different E-mails through a number of servers and relays, each having some sort of spam-protection. Once a spam protection algorithm sees that you send the same exact message to 20 recipients, it starts wondering - could this be a spam? And it marks your message as "suspicious" or "potentially a spam". The next relay in the chain also has some sort of spam protection. It sees the "suspicious" mark and adds to it, using its own understanding of what is a spam. By the time the message gets to your recipients, it may have the "spam score" high enough for the recipient's software to reject it or put in the Spam box. We see this all the time - lots and lots of harmless and useful messages get sent to spam, and sometimes even get lost on the way, just because some spam protection algorithm decides so.
One way to work around the problem and make sure that your messages are not treated as a repeated spam, is to use Randomization. Randomization ensures that each message you send is unique and there are no two identical messages. Sounds good, but imagine how much time it would take to compose unique message for each of your friends! Fortunately, our software allows to automate this completely. You need to write the message only once, and the Randomization feature will generate as many unique instances of the message as you need.
How does it work ?
To be precise, Randomization is not a separate feature. It is rather a combination of different techniques, such as tokens and text functions.
Token is a keyword that expands to a random phrase from the given set of phrases
In other words, a token represents a number of synonyms (phrases with the same meaning but different spelling). Each time you use a token - it is replaced by a random phrase from the list you defined.
For example, let's take a simple sentence - Hello, my friend!. Let's send it to 3 people, but make it different each time. One way to do that is to replace the word "hello" by something like "Hi", "Good day", "Nice to see you" etc. For this purpose, we create a new token. Let's give it a name "greeting". The name of the token isn't really important, because it will not affect the resulting messages. It's just for you to remember what the token is about. Next, we add 3 phrases to this token: "Hi", "Good day" and "Nice to see you". We also call these phrases token variations. Once that is done, we can reference our token in the sentence, like this:
{greeting}, my friend!
Notice how we use the token - the name is embedded into the curly braces, there are no spaces or other characters between the name of the token and the braces, and the token name is spelled exactly as we defined it, in the same exact case.
Now, each time this sentence is sent, it will be expanded to one of the following:
Hi, my friend!
Good day, my friend!
Nice to see you, my friend!
This is a very simple example and allows you to generate only 3 unique sentences. If you try to send this message to your 4th friend - the randomizer will have to repeat one of the variants, because it ran out of options. Fortunately, we can dramatically increase the number of unique sentences by adding 2nd, 3rd etc token. Each new token in the phrase greatly increases the number of unique variations. For example, if you use 3 tokens in the phrase, and each token has 5 variations, then the total number of unique phrases you can generate will be 5*5*5=125 phrases!
There are no limits on a number of variations you can define per token, or number of tokens you can use in a phrase. There are also no limits on the length of the token variation. You can tokenize few words or few pages - the choice is yours. You can also use tokens in hypertext (HTML), and use HTML inside token variations.
Another great extension of the tokens functionality is nested tokens. Nested tokens allow you to further randomize text inside token variations. There isn't any limit on the depth of such nesting.
For example, consider the following tokenized HTML message:
where the token {preamble} is defined as follows:
{welcome} to our online web shop!
and the tokens {greeting} and {welcome} have their own definitions, that may also contain tokens, etc.
Inline tokens (spintax)
This feature is sometimes also referred to as "text spinning" or "spintax". It's useful if you just need to quickly define a couple of variations in the text and intend to use them only once, like this:
{Hi|Hello}, how are you?
The output will be one of:
Hi, how are you?
Hello, how are you?
There is also no limit to the number of variations you can use in the inline tokens. You can use inline tokens inside regular tokens, and you can use regular tokens inside inline tokens. You can even use inline tokens inside inline tokens, without any nesting limit. So something like this will work, too:
My {{dad|mom|{sibling}}{pet}} was looking for you!
where token {sibling} has its own variations, like "sister", "brother" etc.
This feature is useful if you want to quickly add synonyms to any word, using online thesaurus.
To use the feature, you need to highlight any word in the software's editor, right-click and select "Mutate" from the drop-down menu. New window will open and the software will start looking for the synonyms. Once complete, you can select all or some synonyms from the list and add them to the "Variations" box. When you click "OK" in this box, a new token will be created for the selected word, with the selected synonyms as its variations.
Text functions
Text functions allow to generate some random text or to process text in certain way. Text function call starts with the dollar sign ($), immediately followed by the name of the function and the list of parameters in curly braces. No spaces or other symbols are allowed between the $, the name of the function and the curly braces. The names are case-sensitive. If the function does not take any parameters, then the opening curly brace is immediately followed by the closing curly brace, like this: {}. Example:
Below are the most common errors when using text functions. These are the examples of how you should NOT be using text functions:
• $ randomchars{5} - space between $ and function name is not allowed
• $randomchars - text function must be followed by {} if it has no parameters
• $randomchars {7} - space between function name and { is not allowed
• $randomchars{ 7 } - spaces inside list of parameters are not allowed
The following text functions are currently supported (click on the function to see examples):
expands to a number of random letters/digits.
expands to a number of random words
expands to a random integer number
Variables allow you to insert context-specific information into your messages. For example, if you are posting a message from account Bob Marley to account Jenifer Jason, then there will be 4 variables that you can use in your message:
• $from_firstname (will expand to Bob in this example)
• $from_lastname (will expand to Marley in this example)
• $to_firstname (will expand to Jenifer in this example)
• $to_lastname (will expand to Jason in this example)
So the following message template
$from_firstname $from_lastname here, greetings to $to_firstname $to_lastname !
will be sent as
Bob Marley here, greetings to Jenifer Jason !
As you noticed, every variable starts with the dollar sign ($), immediately followed by the name of the variable. If the variable has to do with the sending account, it starts with $from_. Variables that describe receiving accounts start with $to_. The list of available variables depends on the context (i.e. what accounts you post from and where you post to). In this article you can find (almost) complete list of variables available in the software.
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Saturday, 12 August 2017
Rosebay Willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium)
Rosebay willowherb flowers
Rosebay Willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium syn. Chamerion angustifolium and Epilobium angustifolium) is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Onagraceae family. Widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a pioneer species and colonises disturbed ground such as newly cleared woodland or land that has been subjected to fire. It colonised bomb sites in Britain during the war and was nicknamed bombweed because of this.
A stand of rosebay willowherb
Rosebay willowherb is known by many common names including fireweed, great willow herb, bombweed, flowering willow, French willow, Persian willow, London pride, London's ruin, singerweed, thunder flower, rose bay willow, blood vine, purple rocket, wickup, wicopy, tame withy and blooming sally. Sally is corruption of the term salix, the 'willow' genus. Rosebay willowherb has willow-like leaves.
Growing methods
The Royal Horticultural Society call it a native perennial weed which we think belies the fact that it is a native wild flower and a very useful one at that. However, do think carefully about introducing it because it has, what the experts call, a strong growth habit. It will almost certainly grow well in your garden but also in your neighbours' gardens, and their neighbours' gardens, too! It spreads by wind borne seed and vigorous shallow-rooted white branching rhizomes which can grow up to one metre a year.
Rosebay willowherb can be grown by propagating the rhizome or by sowing seed direct outside in the autumn. If sowing seed indoors, stratify before use. The plant will grow to a height of around 1.2 metres. It enjoys mildly acidic soil and tolerates a range of growing conditions including shade. It flowers from June until September with a tall spike of pale purple flowers which open gradually from the base of the racemes. Long thin seed capsules are produced which split lengthwise to expose up to 20,000 small seeds covered with white silky hairs. These fine hairs carry the seed far and wide on the wind.
Whilst it can become invasive it is not supposed to survive repeatedly being pulled up or cut down. However, we wouldn't rely on these methods to stop it spreading! Some patches we have are repeatedly scythed when the plant is around 20-30cms high and it has always grown back, usually within weeks during the summer months. These patches have also extended their growing range at the same time. In other words, the plant has continued to spread unabated. You would really have to wage quite a war on it to stop it growing simply by pulling it up and cutting it down!
Edible parts
The shoots and young leaves can be used raw in a salad. The older leaves become tough and a little bitter. Cut the young plant down (at about 20-30cms) and it will sprout up again with plenty of side shoots, usually once or twice within the same season
Young rosebay willowherb plants
The pith of the red stems can be scraped out and eaten raw. You can remove it with a finger nail on the younger plants. You'll need a sharp knife for the older stems which are very tough. It is similar to cucumber and astringent in nature but there is not much of it. The leaves can be used as a tea substitute. Green tea made from rosebay willowherb leaves taste very similar to nettle tea. The leaves can also be made into a black tea by fermenting and drying.
The older leaves and root are cooked (steaming or boiling) before eaten. The root is fairly shallow rooted so easy to dig out of the soil but will also break easily.
Other uses
Downy seed hairs can be used as a fire lighter. It can also be used to stuff mattresses and mix with other fibres to produce warm winter clothing. You would need a lot of plants to get enough hair and you would need to re-visit the plants since the seed hairs are produced at different times on the same plant. The fibre from the outer stem can be used to make cordage. However, it is difficult to remove without breaking. Nettle fibres are longer and stronger. The pith when dried and powdered can be applied to hands and face for protection against cold. Rosebay willowherb is used in herbal medicine.
It can be mistaken for purple loosestrife at a distance. However, rosebay willowherb has a unique pattern on the backs of the leaves which makes identification easy. Loops of interconnected veins which don't touch the edges of the leaf, leaving a margin.
The reverse of a rosebay willowherb leaf
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It’s best to build your diet around whole, nutritious foods—whether you have diabetes or not.
Still, life happens and all of us eat processed foods from time-to-time. People with diabetes need to watch their sugar intake—and possibly count carbs—so most know to steer clear of processed sweets like cakes, donuts, and cookies. But other foods that are high in fat, calories, sodium and preservatives can also wreak havoc on blood sugar levels.
Next time you go grocery shopping, leave these items off your list:
1. Deep fried chicken and fish. Fried chicken and fish—either from restaurants or the frozen variety—is made with breading that’s high in fat, salt, and preservatives. Opt for grilled, skinless chicken or fresh fish instead.
2. Pizza. Take-out and frozen pizza tends to be high in calories and sodium. In addition, many people with diabetes say their blood sugar skyrockets after eating pizza. If you can't resist this American diet staple, order thin crust, ask for light cheese and sauce, and top your pizza with veggies only.
3. French fries. Greasy fries are high in calories and salt, which can make managing your weight and blood pressure tricky. Not all fries are nutritional zeroes though. Bake your own “fries” by chopping up a sweet potato and coating it with olive oil and spices.
4. Processed meats. Lunch meats, bacon, hot dogs, and sausage may seem like safe choices since they don't contain sugar, but they're loaded with salt and preservatives. Plus, studies show that eating these meats is linked with type 2 diabetes. Make a sandwich using leftover fresh meat instead.
5. Chips. Potato, tortilla, and corn chips all pack a lot of calories, salt, and fat without any nutrients. One serving of the baked type usually isn't a diet-breaker, but most of us can’t stop at just one serving. When you crave something crunchy, reach for raw vegetables—like carrots, celery, and pepper strips—and pair with a low-fat, low-sugar dip.
6. Canned fruits. Just because it’s fruit doesn't mean it’s a good choice. Canned fruits are often swimming in sugary syrup. Read nutrition labels closely and choose fruits canned in their own juice or buy fresh fruit.
7. Juice. Juice may seem like a healthier alternative to soda, but it’s not. Many juices contain just as much, if not more, sugar than soda. If you can't resist the beverage, select 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice, pour a half serving, and dilute it with water.
8. Condiments and sauces. Ketchup, barbeque sauce, teriyaki sauce, jam, and other dressings and sauces are usually laden with high fructose corn syrup. Some research says that high fructose corn syrup is worse for your waistline and blood sugar levels than table sugar. Read ingredient lists and avoid any condiments or sauces made with this offender.
To learn more on this topic:
Processed Foods with a 'Healthy' Labels Are Still Processed
How to Limit Processed Foods in Your Diet
Why Is Junk Food So Addicting?
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deverbal noun
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These Turkic forms are all deverbal nouns formed with the suffix -k/q.
That is, given hyscan and husc the verb is derived from the noun, in such a way that i-mutation mediates between base and derivative exactly as in deverbal nouns based on strong verbs.
When looking at the vocabulary range and degree of nominalisation, we noticed the great importance of word-formation in natural speech: in general, rare words contain many compounds and derivations and deverbal nominalisation plays an especially important role in the written text.
k) nat exe nadaexi In this deverbal noun, the 'Schnee' (n) 'snow' lit.
23) 'Full' in Uyghur is toluq (UTIL 2: 278-279) with another deverbal noun suffix.
with a verb expressing the act of speaking and the productive template characteristic of derivation, the emergence of the adessive indirectal can be explained by deverbal derivation from speaking verbs.
Two of the four languages--Saliba and Lavukaleve--have real static posture verbs, like English sit, stand, lie, hang, while the other two--Tiriyo and Chukchi--have change-of-state verbs for assuming a given posture or placing something in a given posture from which posture-describing adverbials can be derived, a situation reminiscent of Spanish, with (mostly) deverbal adjectives like sentado 'sitting', acostado 'lying down', parado or de pie 'standing', colgado 'hanging'.
The system of Mordvin derivational suffixes is similar to those of the other Finno-Ugric languages: deverbal and denominal verb and noun suffixes are the traditional categories within it.
or deverbal adjectival formations (Leumann 1942: 22 n.
There are also deverbal norms that might be said to be "valency-respecting", but in an even more indirect way.
Deverbal nominalizations are the focus of several with deadjectival nominalizations in French also considered.
The secondary predicate can be an underived predicative adjective, an adverb such as quer 'diagonally' (see [28]), or a past participle form of a verb functioning as a deverbal adjective, such as umgekehrt 'upside down' (see [27]) or verstreut 'scattered' (see [33]).
a *taksan inherited from Indo-European *TKSoN became contaminated through contact with a Hittite deverbal neologism *taks'an- '*a joining' or--simply by a folk reanalysis taking *laksccn to be derived via the stem-suffix -an- from taks-.
Kastovsky (1986: 243) insists on the same idea: "[-ing was-EGT] originally a denominai suffix, it was extended to deverbal derivation via nouns like leasing, flyming, where there was a verb (leasian, flieman), which was in turn derived from a noun (leas, fleam), thus allowing a dual connection".
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The Odyssey
Book 16: What central conflict is beggining to find resolution in this scene?
When Telemachus cannot believe his own eyes, and he says that Odysseues is "like one of the immortals!"
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When father and son reunite in Eumaios' hut, the audience is in a privileged position, in that we know who Odysseus is while neither Eumaios nor Telemakhos does. This privileged position continues once Odysseus reveals himself to Telemakhos, since they will continue to obscure his identity as they try to overtake the suitors. Only three "characters," then, know who Odysseus truly is: Odysseus himself, Telemakhos, and the audience. If his nobility of character and the suitors' despicability were not enough already, we are now irrevocably on Odysseus' side, in on his plot.
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Nov 152015
Recently I read a book called SCRUM, which is a strategy used in rugby games. Originally designed for software development, SCRUM can also be used for learning, managing other projects, including research projects. The basic idea for SCRUM is that when you have a team working towards a common goal, they keep good communication and reprioritize tasks as needed. The team first figure out the tasks involved and prioritize the importance and the time needed for each task. Then the team picks the most important few tasks and allocate resources and people to finish them first. During the project, there is usually a project backlog board, an ongoing task board, as well as a finished task board. Sometimes a bigger task is divided into smaller chunks and a person or a team will work to finish individual chunks. Very often a small miscommunication, waiting for other people, as well as getting stuck on a small task waste a lot of time. Therefore, team members spend 10 to 15 minutes going over the progress of tasks daily, moved the finished tasks over to the finished board, then pick the most important task from the backlog board to the ongoing board to be worked on next. Everyone knows what everyone else in the team is working on and they know the overall objectives of the whole team. In a particular team member gets stuck on one task, other members in the team try to help in order to reach the objective for the whole team. The backlog board is actively updated to reflect the priorities of the team. As the project progresses, sometime an initial task is no longer needed or important, so can be moved off from the backlog board.
Our research team tried to use the SCRUM strategy to manage our research projects over the last six months, and were surprised by its effectiveness. There is a free website called Trello which enables teams to use the SCRUM strategy to manage projects. We manage each project with one separate board, and within each board there are often multiple lists: a “Backlog” list, a “Doing” list, and one “Done” list for each week before. Within each list, each “doing” task is assigned to a team member, with deadlines and checklists. Say a project team has a postdoc, a graduate student, a programmer and me (in fact even two-member teams work too). The project owner decides how to prioritize tasks and makes the ultimate call on the direction and finished milestone (e.g. paper), which is me or a senior and independent postdoc. The scrum master is often the postdoc (or potential first author of the paper) who coordinates the daily meetings and updates, maintains the Trello board, helps removing troubles or roadblocks. During daily updates, each team member goes over his card, reports progress or challenges, moves the done card to the Done list, and gets assigned new tasks from the Backlog. The progress could be written as comments in the card, uploaded attachment files, or links to files in directories where the team shares. We found that 15-minute updates everyday works much better than two-hour meetings once a week or two weeks, and the team can move forward very quickly. If someone gets stuck on a challenge which takes longer to trouble shoot, the team members might just use the daily update time to schedule a separate longer meeting to discuss afterwards. Periodically the whole team meets to visit all the milestones, reprioritize the tasks, and discuss ideas on how to make the process more efficient.
Ever since we started using the SCRUM methodology, the productivity of our team has drastically increased and we were able to finish four papers lately. I have also introduced SCRUM to other colleagues and at least some of them told me it is working very well for them too. So I would highly recommend the SCRUM techniques to my other colleagues. What we are using is probably SCRUM in its simplest form, and every time I read the book and wiki page again, I pick up more ideas which SCRUM recommends implementing.
3 Responses to “SCRUM”
1. 提前祝您新年快乐。
2. very constructive and helpful strategy!
3. […] nuts, and water, blend it into a fine mix. It looks disgusting but tastes great! 10. Go over my 3 daily SCRUM project meetings: 8am on immunology, 8:30am on CRISPR screens, and 9am on epigenetics. 11. Get more writing done […]
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curated by Jennifer Teets
There was one object in that classroom that frequently caught my attention. It would stand there and blatantly stare at me for literally hours. Like an oozing, discharging creature who was sluggish-like. Its parts didn’t exactly tick you could say. And it kept its matters at heart somewhere close to four o’clock. But from what I could tell, it waged the war of time at all times. And its hour, minute, and second hands began to share lives with every hour, minute, and second. I’d gaze at it imagining how Dali would have re-conceived his “Persistence of Memory” had he seen it. Certainly, he’d get his rocks off seeing this freshly birthed piece of Camembert cheese melting in the sun. If we were to name this creature, it’d be classified somewhere between a clock and a sundial – a futurist apparatus made by the offspring of 12th century Mesopotamian scientist al-Jazari. Yet, its engineering reminded me of how gardened-manicured clocks behave more as sculptures than as clocks. While on paper “grass clocks” as they call them, should tick and follow time coherently, but in reality there is a nature-time dualism that doesn’t seem resolved in the making of oscillatory engineered devices underneath the earth’s soil. Clocks fueled by lemons or flies, on the other hand, always carried a clearer logic for me.
My question is what were to occur if the world could host massive bowl-shaped cavities where silt and gunk would produce energy for time? How would these apparatuses work? How would time change? Would the world be dopey and torpid? Rapid? Or on the contrary, would time and energy undergo an unearthly metamorphosis that could grant us another world close to an eighth climate? How could one interpret imagination in this state?
The following exhibition “A clock that runs on mud” is an attempt to unravel such a quandary in the form of theories, propositions, works and writings on the concept of ‘muddy time’. Your presence on July 15th is certainly welcome.
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Thanks to André Pahl for his animation skills
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Amphibian Rescue
Every year countless numbers of Frogs, Toads, Newts and Salamanders are killed on the roads on their way to their spawning grounds.
In each location, hundreds and even thousands of animals can die. An effective and simple way of preventing this is to set-up our Rescue Fence.
This guides them safely towards containers which are buried in the ground and into which they safely fall. The animals are then regularly collected, brought over to the opposite side of the road and released near the ponds where they spawn.
The SCHWEGLER Rescue Fence was successfully used in thousands of projects all over Europe and is approved (and used) by leading Nature Conservation Organizations.
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The Changing Meaning of Concepts Throughout History - Nietzsche and Foucault
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In this essay I will summarize how the philosophers Friedrich Nietzsche and Michel Foucault have recorded how the meanings of certain concepts have changed through history, paying close attention to the texts of Nietzsche's "Good and Evil, Good and Bad" and Foucault's "The Insane". I will also suggest what I believe are the philosophical lessons that they think we can draw from recognizing these changes. In the chapter from his book Madness & Civilization,"The Insane", Michel Foucault charts the changing conceptions of madness from the Renaissance through to the Neo-Classical Age. He notes how during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, though madness was sometimes treated as a personification of evil, it was something that was openly dealt with, the public outrage giving the perceived evil "the powers of example and redemption." (Foucault, P. 66) The mad were neither a source of shame or taboo, " madness was present everywhere and mingled with every experience by its images or its dangers." (Foucault, P. 66) However, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Enlightenment, and the emergence of the 'man of reason' drastically changed people's attitudes towards the insane: '...madness was shown, but on the other side of bars; if present, it was at a distance, under the eyes of a reason that no longer felt any relation to it and that would not compromise itself by too close a resemblance.' (Foucault, P.70) After the Enlightenment a new set of values became prevalent, where reason was now considered the defining characteristic of being human, and therefore it followed that to be unreasonable was to be essentially inhuman. Foucault notes that to the 'enlightened' men of the time: '... (the) animality that rages in madness disposesses man of what is specifically human in him; not in order to deliver him over to other powers, but simply to establish him at the zero degree of his own nature.' (Foucault, P.74) With their new perspective on the world, the...
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What the world thinks spacecraft scientists/engineers do…
18 11 2014
Feel free to use/forward freely, and Semper Exploro!
The plural of “anecdote” is not “data”
18 04 2012
Clarence Darrow during the 1925 Scopes Trial. (Credit: US Library of Congress)
The title of this post is tongue-in-cheek, but it makes an important point. Just because many people believe, assert, or convey something does not immediately graduate whatever they report to become scientifically-reliable or even scientifically-useful.
This is actually symptomatic of a larger cultural issue here in the US. Frankly, the dichotomy of what people choose to believe when it comes to personal testimony versus hard, scientific data in our society amazes me. -And not in a good way.
There are numerous instances where hard-and-fast data hasn’t convinced a jury (or social group) of the reality the data demonstrates, and conversely, there are numerous examples of personal testimony that would easily have a jury condemn a suspect to death that would never stand up under scientific peer-review.
The simple reality is that people at-large simply seem to trust one-another more than (or in spite of the lack of) the presence of verifiable, hard data. With, in many instances, grave consequences.
So, how have we arrived here?
Science as the most successful “reality tool” ever invented
How can this be? How, in a world so clearly affected, governed, and reliant on the fact that scientific inquiry is the most reliable means to establish what is real and what is not, is there so much skepticism toward data, science, and scientists?
• Don’t believe me about the success of science? Look at everything, from the performance of the thousands of controlled explosions under the hood of your car to the molecular processing running the electronics of the iPhone in your pocket. From landing probes on other worlds to controlling nuclear reactions with finesse to generate power. From predicting the behavior of atoms in a lab to predicting the astronomical curvature of light halfway across the universe – the simple fact is that science is the best tool to understand reality – discriminate what is real from what is not – ever conceived by humankind. If scientific data or the scientific process were inherently unreliable, then these achievements would be plainly impossible. We would simply not be able to master reality in the way that we have using the scientific method if it didn’t always work. (Left to ourselves and our naturally-unscientific methods of investigating the world, we can come to believe that dances influence the weather. That earthquakes are a result of hedonism. That illness is a result of possession by evil spirits. You see the point.)
To many, it seems that “data” is a mysterious, possibly corruptible thing; that magician-scientists are able to distort it to “prove” anything. That’s not the worst of it. It also seems that scientists themselves are often placed in a different camp from the rest: Unconvinced by tearful assertions or compelling testimony, they are seen as aloof, cold… inhuman, even.
This conception of the scientist is something I’d like to explore, and I think it all begins with a single statement: None of us likes to believe that we, as humans, are as fallible as we are. So, what makes a scientist different?
Scientists recognize that we, humans, are terrible scientific instruments.
We are. We’re awful. Primarily, our data-recording mechanism (memory) is inherently flawed, governed by perception, emotion, expectation, bias, and it changes over time. Further, there’s no way to do a direct download from memory to verify what a person is saying is an accurate description of their memories… or worse, if what they say is even true at all. We also make connections that simply aren’t there, unable to discriminate coincidence from cause-and-effect.
This is why scientists rely on instruments that are not corrupted by feelings, fear, or excitement. The colder and more calculating the instrument, the better the data it collects and records. Even with these technically “unbiased” instruments, scientists subject to these flaws are still in the loop, which is why all ultimately-respectable data and analysis is brought before a group of other scientists to review (peer-review) to help ensure that the scientist has not unwittingly corrupted his own data.
All this because humans are terrible scientific instruments.
Meanwhile, despite these rather damning flaws, non-scientists seem to believe that they (and other people) are, in effect, excellent scientific instruments. Human testimony is amongst the most effective tools to convince a jury of peers. With all respect, putting a hand on a holy book and conveying a sense of sincerity (even if manufactured) has a way of graduating the “data” a human being reports to a plateau above actual data that can be scientifically verified, ignoring the fact that memories can be wrong(!).
Further, the validity of scientific data is often secondary to whether or not the scientist delivering the data “seems” credible, ignoring the fact that the data and data collection process can be assessed on its own merits.
Quite a disconnect.
What can we do to rectify the disconnect?
I’ve been thinking about this quite a while, and aside from training everyone in society to be a scientist, (which not everyone wants to become,) the only solution I see is to improve public relations. Science is essentially failing a PR war, one waged both intentionally and unintentionally by those unsettled by a purely clinical view of the universe.
We need help to convince people that scientists are specialists in understanding how to collect good data and how to effectively wield data to construct a reliable, useful view of the universe.
• NOTE: We can choose to believe any view of the universe we please, but choosing for instance to believe that offering a sacrifice to Zeus every spring will keep floods at bay is not a reliable view of the universe. It will still flood no matter if I make an offering or not. I may, in turn, assert that Zeus is fickle as an explanation, but then my view becomes neither a reliable nor particularly useful one.
We need more scientist heroes in our social dialogue. Instead of having scientists always be the “dangerous ones who have gone too far” in our films and television shows, they should be portrayed as they are – venturing into the unknown that terrifies many of us in order to help us all better understand and (ultimately) prosper in our universe.
Having “mad” scientists all-too-frequently portrayed as antagonists – heedless, obsessive, or impious – breeds a deep-seated distrust of science that is propagating through the entire social mind.
The truth is, I believe the sooner people understand that the plural of “anecdote” is not “data” – that even if millions of people believe in or even attest to something, (whether it be a flat Earth, astrology, UFOs-as-aliens, miracles, or that vaccines cause autism,) their cumulative belief doesn’t make their claims scientifically true or even scientifically useful – the sooner scientists will find the support they need for doing all the things we want to do: Cure cancer, create clean, powerful sources of energy, travel between stars, etc.
Food for thought!
Optical illusions to keep Astronauts sane?
20 07 2010
DUS Architects' Unlimited Urban Woods exterior. Credit: Pieter Kers
DUS Architects, a public architecture firm out of Amsterdam, have recently premiered a public art piece called, “Unlimited Urban Woods.” It’s essentially a forest-in-a-box. With strategically-placed mirrors, the effect of “true” space – of standing in a vast, ordered orchard of trees – is apparently uncanny.
While intended to provide residents of dense urban areas an easy way to (at least psychologically) feel like they can escape the “urban jungle,” another practical use immediately came to my mind. There are environments far more cramped and limiting than even the densest centers of glass, steel, and concrete.
For long-term space exploration missions, might something like this be far more effective than “virtual reality,” which forces you to look at some kind of electronic screen and shatters your brain’s acceptance of the illusion? The trade-off is, of course, space. One can’t fit a room like this inside a hard drive. But perhaps it would be worth it?
Something to think about.
DUS Architects' Unlimited Urban Woods interior. Credit: Pieter Kers
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The earth and moon are locked in a gravitational embrace. The moon, strictly speaking, does not orbit the earth. Rather, the earth and the moon each orbit around a common point. That point is called the barycenter (‘bary’ is Greek for ‘heavy’) because it is the center of mass of the two-body system. The moon’s mass is about 1/80 of the earth’s and it is about 30 earth-diameters away. The barycenter of the earth-moon system, it turns out, is located about 1000 miles beneath the earth’s surface.
Here’s a .gif I found on Wikipedia that illustrates the dance:
That’s how it goes for us and our lunar partner. Round and round and round. Our moon is quite large for a planetary satellite. It is in fact bigger than the dwarf planet Pluto! The Sun is much more massive than the Earth, about 333,000 times bigger, so the barycenter of the earth-sun system is much closer to the center of the sun itself even though the sun is almost 12,000 earth-diameters away. The sun accounts for about 99% of all the mass in our solar system. Jupiter, interestingly, is massive enough and far enough away that its barycenter is about half a million miles above the sun’s surface. That’s not much when you figure Jupiter is nearly half a billion miles away.
This odd dance we do only shows us one side of the moon. We know the earth rotates on its axis once a day. The moon rotates on its axis once a month. The earth revolves around the sun in one year. The moon revolves around the earth in one month. That synchronicity of the moon’s rotation with its revolution means we see the same face all the time. The moon is said to be tidally locked to the earth. The so-called dark side of the moon is not really dark at all, we just don’t get to see it illuminated like we do the near side. So it’s best to call it the far side of the moon as it is always further from us than the side we see.
The moon disappears from our view once a month as it travels between us and the sun and the near side is no longer sunlit. That means the far side would be in a full moon phase if we could see it. No humans saw the far side of the moon until a Soviet spacecraft sent back pictures in 1959. We actually do see a little more than half of the moon’s surface from earth because the moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle. Its slightly elliptical shape causes a little more of one side and then the other to appear in our view now and again. The moon appears to wobble east-west. This is called libration and is something you can observe yourself. Get a moon map and a pair of binoculars and watch the Mare Crisium and note how far from the edge it appears. Watch carefully for several days and you will be able to see it ‘wobble.’ A full moon, I should note, is very bright, so if you look at it with binoculars wear your sunglasses. Waxing crescent and first quarter phases are good times to find the Sea of Crises, just west (from our perspective) of the famous Apollo 11 landing site at Tranquility Base in the Mare Tranquillitatis.
The moon also has a nodding north-south libration but that is due to its inclined orbit. The moon does not lie in the same plane as the sun and the earth but is tilted about five degrees. This is the reason we don’t have eclipses every month. But that’s the subject of my next post.
Our trip covered almost 1000 miles or one kilomile. At roughly 0.75 kmi the VW turned on the dreaded check-engine light and then the motor coughed and quit. It restarted, but lurched its way around and was obviously in distress. Fortunately we had made it to our lodging and were merely driving downtown to get some food and drink. I found a local mechanic the next morning and they hooked up their computer-code gizmo and told me I needed a new mass-air-flow (MAF) sensor. Naturally they had to order the part and we had to wait another day for it to arrive. It took all of 15 minutes to fix after that. Being a Volkswagen engine the part was twice as expensive as most: $235! It’s about the size of a stick of deodorant but if it fails you can’t do much driving.
Starting for home the next day the check-engine light came on again. I went straight back to the shop and they ran the diagnostic again and it found no issue with the MAF and no other problems. We then drove to the VW dealer in Bend and tried to get them to check it out but they insisted they were too busy and could not see us on a drop-in basis until the next day. Well, fuck those assholes. All I wanted was five minutes to check the code output! The guy told as that as long as the engine was running fine not to worry about the light unless it was flashing. Thanks pal, that’s reassuring. Why have the damn light if it is meaningless? Suffice to say we made it home just fine, but it was not without its white-knuckle moments, worrying that some problem would manifest itself in the middle of US-97.
We covered a lot of ground in the state of Oregon but had no rain until we returned to California. There were thundershowers in Butte Valley and believe it or not snow on the summit of Mt. Hebron. By Grass Lake the rain was coming down so fast it was pooling on the highway. Once we made it to A12 the normal summer weather was back in full force—lots of scary-looking clouds but no precipitation.
Today and tomorrow we are cleaning and organizing. We both need a break from all the driving, and as much as we love camping it’s nice to be in a real bed and take hot showers! The eclipse is on the 21st of August, so we have some time before we take off again. Now if I can only get that goddamn check-engine light to turn off!
They told us we got the last room at the inn (and only because of a cancellation). It’s that busy time of year—summer vacation—here in recreation-happy central Oregon. After some excellent camping and some arduous driving we found an oasis in Prineville, namely the Ochoco Brewing Company. They make a fine pilsener, I must say. The bad news is the VW crapped out and we have to stay an extra night while we wait for a part. The good news is we get to keep our motel room. Road trips have their own crazy logic, it seems.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover beautiful mountains and forests emerging from the vast arid volcanic wastelands that characterize much of the eastern part of the state. I suppose that’s a bit harsh, the river valleys are filled with irrigated fields and pastures and quite a number of prosperous-looking farms and ranches. And I don’t think I’ve been anywhere with a higher percentage of four-door, four-wheel drive F-250s. Those aren’t cheap, man.
As far as the eclipse goes, I think we’ve got a couple of good spots pegged. I feel like a fisherman who has a secret fishing hole and is loath to tell anyone about it. So I won’t—yet. My notion of a good spot is someplace isolated, in the woods, with water nearby. Key word: isolated. I can see the appeal of the wide-open spaces along highway 26, the moon’s shadow racing across the tablelands and prairies would be quite dramatic. Some of the landscape, especially around John Day, is freakishly bizarre. The flat-topped buttes are ringed with dark basalt columns that look like a monk’s tonsure. Goofy formations of blocky lava chunks like a kindergartner’s art project are pasted capriciously on the cliff sides. Throw in the sweeping vistas, a hundred or more miles in every direction, and I can see the appeal. A forested site would lack those broad views but I’m in the mood for isolation, like I said.
A staff person in the USFS station in Prairie City which is very close to the centerline said they were expecting “50,000 people” for the event. There can’t be more than a thousand residents! There are a lot of ranches and farms in the surrounding area and several are renting out their fields to campers. We spoke to a clerk in a grocery store in town and she said her husband was planning to “stay inside and close his eyes!” That was my favorite reaction to all this eclipse hype. I’m wondering if the numbers are exaggerated. On the one hand, an eclipse is pretty cool, and gas is cheap, and if the filled motels are any indication people are on the road in big numbers this summer. On the other hand, it’s a bit of a nerd-fest, don’t you think? Are there really that many nerds and nerd-wannabes in this great land of ours?
It’s bloody hot here today. We took the vehicle this morning to a shop in town a little less than a mile from the motel and we were soaked in sweat on the walk back. This was before ten o’clock! I think I’ll enjoy the air-conditioning in the room for a while and then go for a swim in the pool. Yes, they have a pool. Thank goodness for the little things. I want to go back to the Ochoco Brewing Company and try that unusual pale ale again, they seem to have a creative brewer. But it will be REALLY hot by this afternoon. Fresh brew, though. Sacrifices may have to be made.
Actually we are in Hines, Oregon which is just a stone’s throw from Burns. In fact it is hard to tell where Hines ends and Burns begins. No matter, we had a good steak and some local brew at The Pine Room Restaurant and now we are kicking back in our motel room. On the way here (via US-97 and Klamath Falls) we had lunch in the mini-burg of Dairy on 140 on the way to Lakeview. The place was called O’Connor’s Bar & Grill! From Lakeview it is US-395 to Burns. Talk about wide-open country. Lots of sagebrush and juniper and some imposing volcanic buttes. Lake Abert is huge but singularly uninviting as it’s alkaline. Figures. You are out in the high desert and you get to a 60-square mile body of water and it is undrinkable and can’t be used for irrigation.
I kept thinking about the pioneers who came this way. “Well Jethro, I think this looks like a good place to graze us some cattle!” Seriously? Of all the places to pick, these characters decided the prime real estate was bone-dry and hot as hell. I suppose if you are the first people to settle a place it might look good. But my goodness it’s some seriously bleak country. And it’s huge. The distances are staggering. It’s one thing in the age of the automobile and the interstate system, it’s another in the age of the covered wagon. Those folks were either nuts or totally hard-core. Most likely both.
Tomorrow we head out to the forested regions to look for camping spots. We are scouting potential locations for our eclipse trip. It’s a month from the event and we need to get some boots on the ground so we’ll have a workable plan of attack for then. I have a feeling that this part of Oregon will not experience the crush of travelers that are expected for the more accessible areas like the coast and the I-5 corridor. Madras, just north of Bend, is sort of eclipse central, and we are far from there. I’m hoping the famously clear and dry summer weather that bakes the arid wastelands to a crispy golden brown will mean good viewing for those of us prepared to swelter for science.
So what’s the allure? Why drive hundreds of miles out to the middle of some godforsaken scab-land for a two-minute event? I don’t know. Maybe I’m the one that’s nuts. I have air-conditioning and hot showers. I’m choosing to forgo them. I suppose it’s the scale of the thing. After all we are talking about the sun and the moon. They are really big things and really far away. The moon is about ten earth-circumferences away from us. To travel a quarter of a million miles you’d have to circumnavigate the globe ten times. That’s a long way. It’s miniscule compared to the sun’s distance—over 90 million miles away. Forty trips around the equator will get you a million miles. To get to 90 million that’s 3600 trips!
Astronomical distances are of course on a much larger scale. The nearest star other than the sun is over four light-years away, that’s about two dozen trillion miles. So this solar system stuff is pretty damn small by comparison. But on a human scale it is pretty damn big. The deep space stuff is so massive (there are stars so large that if placed where our sun is they would fill the space all the way to Jupiter) and so distant that our feeble mammalian brains can barely grasp the numbers. So a solar eclipse is a local phenomenon. It’s happening in our own celestial neighborhood.
That makes it more dramatic. The moon will actually cast it’s shadow upon the earth and I intend to stand in the middle of it. I’ve looked through ‘scopes at deep-sky objects like galaxies and whatnot and it’s pretty cool shit. Now that we have the Hubble up there peeking into the void we get great pictures of amazing and bizarre structures, and with X-ray imaging and other magical technologies we can “see” things that we never knew existed. All of that is pretty damn groovy.
Maybe that’s it. Eclipses have been experienced by humans since they could look up. For many they were of great cosmic and cultural significance. Predicting—not just observing—eclipses goes back to antiquity. In fact eclipse data are still predictions. The measurements of the actual events are necessary to check and fine-tune the models used to describe these heavenly motions. It only seems like the NASA geniuses have this stuff all figured out. More like they are always figuring. Things are complicated out there and they are always tweaking the formulae. Eclipses, particularly total solar eclipses, are something humans have looked on with awe and reverence for a long time. In our fast-moving special-effects 24/7 info-tainment world an eclipse may no longer have that cachet. I know I’ll be missing a few baseball games and Law & Order re-runs. Guess I’ll just have to suck it up!
I’ll report back in a few days when we are on the return leg.
Us and Them
Here’s one:
Umbral dreams
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17 terms
mental status exam
quick and dirty, i.e., use appearance to judge mental state, or talk to someone to see if they have organized thinking; sensorium- orientation to time and place; vocab- use context
diagnostic interview
looks at history of symptoms
physical assessment
blood work- check to see if person is on substance,
neurological exam
check for brain involvement
personality testing-projective testing
TAT (Thematic Aptitude Test) show pictures and have them tell a story subjective
objective testing
unambiguous stimuli- constrained response- direct question truefalse answer
warshaw testing
lots of questions
neurological testing
reaction testing, memory, can indicate dementia
higher order testing
IQ test
brain structure
physical structure of the brain- tomograhy & CAT scan
CAT scan
imaging tool- uses a lot of radiation
can construct an image of the brain
brain function
whats going on in the brain-
positive emissions tomography/mri
radioactive isotope (tracer substance- goes pass theblood brain barrier as glucose and highlights the targeted part of the brain
PET scan
fMRI functional
has you do tasks while getting the scan shows whats happening in the brain while you do a task
adoptee method
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posted by .
A sample of ammonium salt (NH4X) having a mass of 1.618g was heated with NaOH and the liberated ammonia was reacted with 50.00 of .6230 mol/L HCl. The excess acid required 1.50 mL of .6115 mol/L NaOH in titration. What is the formula of the salt?
• Chemistry -
mols HCl used = 0.05000 x 0.6230 = ?
back titrated with NaOH = 0.0015 x 0.6115 = ?
mols NH3 present = total mols HCl-mols NaOH in back titration.
Then mol = grams/molar mass.
You know mols and grams, solve for molar mass. Subtract total molar mass - N - 4*H to find atomic mass of X then compare wth periodic table to identify X. I think it's Cl.
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posted by .
1. 2xsquared-7x=-6
2. xsquared + 12x + 1= 0
3. xsquared + 6x + 20 = 0
• math (?) -
Online "^" is used to indicate and exponent, e.g., x^2 = x squared.
What is your question(s)?
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1. Math
Using the quadratic formula solve xsquared=2/3x Using the quadratic formula solve xsquared=2/3x x^2 - 2x/3 = 0 x = [+2/3+/-sqrt(2/3^2 - 4(1)0)]/2
2. Algebra
Solve for y in terms of x . Determine if y is a function of x . If it is, rewrite using notation and determine the domain. xsquared+12x-3y+9=0 is it xsquared + 12x +9=3y f(x)=xsquared + 12x + 6=y ?
3. algebra (parabolas)
tell whether the graph opens upward or downward. then find the axis of symmetry and vertex of the graph of the function 1. y=xsquared-5 2. y=-2*xsquared+6x+7
4. algebra (parabolas)
find the axis of symmetry and vertex of the function. tell whether it goes upward or downward. 1. y=-xsquared+9 2. y=-2xsquared=7x-21
5. Math
The question is simply and answer in standard form 3x2(that is x squared)-2x+1+x2(xsquared)+2x-9 so I made it 3xsquared+xsquared=4xsaqured -2x+2x=0 the answer is: 4xsquared-(-8)=4xsquared+8 Then it asks the type of polynomial?
6. math(check my answers)
SOLVE THE FOLLOWING EQAUTION BY COMPLETING THE SQUARE: 3. xsquared - 8x - 10 = 0 xsqaured -8x=10 xsquared-8x+(8/2)sqaured=10+(8/2)sqaured xsquared-8x+16=26 Answer: xsqaured-8x+16=26 WHAT DID I DO WRONG?
7. Algebra
Solve for "x" in each equation. 1)xsquared+12x+25= 0 2)xsquared+4x-12= 0 3)xsquared-5x= 50 4)(x+1)squared= 169 5)2xsquared+5x= 12 6)(2x-5)squared= 225 7)x-4/x-3 = x+2/x+1 8)9/2x+1/3= 1/2 9)6/x-1= 3/x 10)2x/2x+2x= 4
8. maths
simplify xsquared-4x÷xsquared-2x-8
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2a) Simplify the expressions for A and B, where A=x+4/xsquared+9x+20 and B= 3xsquared-9x/xsquared+3x-18 b) Are the two expressions equivalent?
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2D Bending Plate
1. Jun 8, 2014 #1
This is sort of statics, but this came up in my physics class before.
You have a plate, supported only in the middle by a simple support. So, this beam is balanced on the support, and is bending under it's own weight. What shape does the beam take? I was thinking either a inverted parabola or catenary shape? But I don't know how to prove this.
How can you show mathematically that this is the shape it has?
2. jcsd
3. Jun 8, 2014 #2
Simon Bridge
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Welcome to PF;
Is it a beam or a plate? What is it's geometry? What are it's material properties?
Continuing for a beam (metal? rectangular?):
Just on intuition?
A catenary would follow for a flexible beam supported at each end.
A parabola would imply that the vertical deflection is proportional to the square of the distance from the support.
Have you tried an application of the principle of least action?
For a beam where width W and height H are: W,H<<L, then try treating it as a half-length beam bolted to a wall at one end. What shape does that make?
Bottom line - the problem is under-specified.
Have you tried looking it up?
4. Jun 8, 2014 #3
A plate with length L, and yes it is assumed that L>>H. It could be metal. Just has thickness, H and density, rho. That is just on intuition. Could you say something about the half-length beam attached to a wall because I see how you can treat that the same. The difference being the full beam doesn't have moment at the support.
Thank you!
5. Jun 9, 2014 #4
Simon Bridge
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In the full beam, the extra moment at the support is provided by the other half of the beam.
There is no net moment at the support in either case.
The two cases are physically identical provided the horizontal width is too small to have significant distortion.
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Changing temperature of falling bodies
1. Jul 18, 2009 #1
A block of material of mass m and specific heat c falls from height h and reaches speed v just before striking the ground. Its temperature is measured immediately after it strikes the ground. If we ignore any change in temperature owing to interaction with the air, the change in temperature of the block of material is
a. v2/2c
b. gh/c
c. vgh/c
d. All of the answers above are correct.
e. Only (a) and (b) above are correct
2. Relevant equations
mgh = deltaQ + .5mv2
Q = mcT
3. The attempt at a solution
I'm confused because by my understanding, the answer should be (gh-(v2/2))/c which is a combination of both A and B. However, this does not mean that both A and B are correct as answer choice E states. I obtained this answer by simply isolating T in the aforementioned relative equation. Am I missing something?
2. jcsd
3. Jul 18, 2009 #2
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When the block is at height h it has potential energy mgh and kinetic energy 0. Just as it hits the ground it has kinetic energy (1/2)*mv^2 and potential energy 0. Conservation of energy says KE+PE is constant. That means (1/2)*mv^2=mgh. Your answer would give 0. Do you see why both a) and b) are correct now?
4. Jul 18, 2009 #3
Ah, i must have read the question too quickly. Earlier in the homework assignment there was a question that involved an object reaching terminal velocity and then continued falling, allowing for further temperature change. I assumed it had the same conditions as the earlier problem. Thanks!
5. Jul 18, 2009 #4
I am slightly confused on one thing though... Since KE = PE, then wouldn't deltaQ be zero, so there wouldn't be any temperature change at all?
6. Jul 18, 2009 #5
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What actually happens here is PE (mgh) at the top of the fall get changed into an equal amount of KE (mv^2/2) at the impact which then gets changed into an equal amount of heat energy (Q) conserving energy all the way. They are all EQUAL. How would that translate into 'no temperature change'??
7. Jul 18, 2009 #6
Alright I understand it now. Thank you.
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Particle Wavefunctions
1. May 14, 2009 #1
A particle is described by the normalised wavefunction;
$ \psi (x,y,z) = Ae^{- \alpha ( x^{2} + y^{2} + z^{2} ) }$
Find the probability that a particle is in a dr shell of space.
For what value of r is the probability of finding this particle greatest, and is this the same r value as;
$ | \psi (x,y,z) |^{2} $
Right well. Having looked at the question baulked, then scratched my head to wonder how I could go about this question I have made the assumption that if wavefunction psi is converted into spherical polar co-ordinate co-ords and intergrated as a volume integral with limits: r+dr and r therefore r+dr - r gives the dr shell of probability.
Taking that line, the integral of the function becomes;
$ \int_{r}^{r+dr} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} \int_{0}^{\pi} Ae^{- \alpha r^{2} } \cdot r^{2} sin( \theta) d \theta d \phi dr$
$ \int_{r}^{r+dr} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} 2r^{2} Ae^{- \alpha r^{2} } d \phi dr$
$ \int_{r}^{r+dr} 4r^{2} \pi Ae^{- \alpha r^{2} } dr$
Using intergration by parts at this stage...
\frac{ \pi Ae^{ - \alpha r^{2} }} { - \alpha} - \frac{2 \pi Ae^{ - \alpha r^{2} }}{ \alpha^{2} r} |^{r+dr}_{r}
However try as I might I can't see a way to simplify this eqution down to evaluate it for dr, hence perhaps I am barking up the wrong tree.
Secondly the second part of the question kind of confused me, because I thought that;
Having been called 'normalised' would mean that this is the square of the wavefunction already. Hence allowing for the intergration because it was in the form of;
$ \int_{b}^{a}| \psi(x,y,z) |^{2} dxdydz = p$
where p here would be the probability for the particle to be in the shell bound by the two limits a and b.
This would lead me to conclude that there is no difference in the r value, mindyou the question to me appears to be wanting some difference because it asks to 'explain any differences', thus presupposing that there are some.
I would guess intuitively that when r is zero the probability is highest to find the particle, but my solution above doesn't show that explicitly. Hence I can't say that with confidence, even though it feels right as the wavefuntion is an exponentially decreasing spherical ripple in space. Perhaps my reading of the question is wrong. Eitherway I don't feel like I've completed this question sufficiently.
2. jcsd
3. May 14, 2009 #2
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First, because dr is an infinitesimal quantity, you don't need to integrate from r to r+dr - you just multiply the integrand by dr. So, for example, the volume of the shell at r is just
[tex]4\pi r^2 \mathrm{d}r[/tex]
Also, it looks like you integrated the wavefunction itself, whereas to find a probability you're supposed to integrate the square of the wavefunction:
[tex]\mathrm{d}P(r) = \int_{0}^{\pi} \int_{0}^{2\pi} \left|\psi\right|^2 r^2 \sin\theta \mathrm{d}r\mathrm{d}\phi\mathrm{d}\theta = 4\pi \left|\psi\right|^2 r^2 \mathrm{d}r[/tex]
(the integral is over the angular variables)
A "normalized" wavefunction does not represent the "square of the wavefunction already" - it only means that the total probability sums up to 1, as it should:
[tex]\iiint \left|\psi\right|^2 r^2 \sin\theta\mathrm{d}r\mathrm{d}\theta\mathrm{d}\phi = 1[/tex]
You can do this integral to find the value that the constant A needs to take to make this relation true.
4. May 15, 2009 #3
Cheers that statement has cleared up my doubts. Also yes a simple dr integral would acheive the same result which would save a lot of the complicated answer.
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Our Water Threats
1. Point Source Pollution: toxic waste that comes from factories, industrial plants, sewage treatment plants, and stormwater sewers
2. Nonpoint Source Pollution: toxins originating from many different sources that all acuminate together, such as litter, urban runoff, agricultural runoff, acid mine drainage, hydraulic fractured drilling, and gas well drilling
3. Water Scarcity Crisis: scientists estimate that if conditions remain the same we will experience a worldwide water shortage in fifty years
4. Growing Garbage Crisis: trash especially plastic is consuming our planet 5. Global Warming: the increase of carbon in our atmosphere creates an overall temperature rise on of planet, which contributes to the increase of evaporation to our fresh water supplies and the melting of our ice caps.
Allegheny Aquatic Alliance © 2016 Powered by: WastedSanity Studios
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Proverbs 1:20-33 Exploring the Passage
1. How is the wisdom of God described in Proverbs 1:20-21 (printed below?) What is the significance of this?
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public square; (21) at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech. (Proverbs 1:20-21)
In verses 20-21 the wisdom of God is described as coming to the busiest intersection of the city and crying out for people to listen. God has a great desire for us to receive and possess His wisdom, and He offers His divine wisdom to us. Historically, these verses may poetically be describing the incident recorded in 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 where king Jehoshaphat sent out the Levites to teach the Word of God. Personally, we have access to the Word of God, and the Lord is urging us to make use of it: consult it, accept it, trust it, obey it, live by it.
2. What three types of people does wisdom identify in verse 22 (printed below?) How would you characterize each of them?
You who are naïve, how long will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in scoffing and how long will fools hate knowledge? (Proverbs 1:22)
In verse 22 we find the wisdom of God identifying three types of people. The “naïve” (or, the “simple”) comes from a Hebrew root word that has the meaning, “to open wide;” hence, as applied here, the word has the sense, to be susceptible or vulnerable to any and every influence; to be wide open to anything that may come along. Next there is the “scoffer.” Scripture defines the “scoffer” as one who refuses to receive rebuke or correction (Proverbs 13:1) and who seats himself in the judgment seat (Psalm 1:1). The “scoffer” assumes the position of God (making himself the judge and standard for judgment) and from that position he cynically and mockingly rejects all that comes from God, falsely assuming that he himself is immune to the judgment of God (note Isaiah 28:14-15a). Finally, there is the “fool.” The “fool” is the one who refuses to receive knowledge (or wisdom and instruction, note Proverbs 1:7b), because he thinks he knows it all (Proverbs 12:15a).
3. What promise does the wisdom of God make in verse 23 (printed below?) Upon what is this promise contingent?
If you would respond to my rebuke, I would pour out my Spirit upon you and cause you to understand my teaching. (Proverbs 1:23)
In verse 23 the wisdom of God makes the promise, “I will pour out my Spirit upon you and cause you to understand my teaching.” But this promise is contingent upon our responsiveness to divine wisdom, we must respond to wisdom’s “rebuke.” If you turn to the wisdom of God and heed its command to turn to the ways of God, the Holy Spirit will give you understanding and will help you to walk in the way of God’s truth.
4. According to verses 24-26 (printed below,) what will happen to those who reject God’s counsel?
Because you refused to listen when I called—I stretched out my hand, but no one paid attention; (25) you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke. (26) Therefore, I will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when what you dread overtakes you (Proverbs 1:24-26)
Verses 24-26 declare that if we reject God’s counsel, God will laugh at our calamity. These verses are speaking about a persistent rejection of God’s counsel. The inevitable result of rejecting God’s counsel is calamity (disaster): “I will laugh at your calamity” (verse 26a). The reference here is to the day of judgment (cp. Romans 6:23a; “the wages of sin is death”). On the day of judgment the response of God towards the sinner who has spurned and rejected God”s counsel is scornful rejection.
5. What warning does the wisdom of God give concerning “the naïve” and “the fool?” How are they described? See Proverbs 1:32 (printed below)
The aimlessness of the naïve will kill them and the “security” of fools will destroy them. (Proverbs 1:32)
The wisdom of God warns, “The aimlessness of the naïve will kill them.” That spiritual instability, that spiritual and moral aimlessness and drifting, (being like a weather vane atop a roof in a strong and ever shifting wind), the refusal to submit to Christ’s yoke and become His disciple, will eventually prove to be deadly to the soul and result in eternal condemnation. The Lord further warns, “the ‘security’ of fools will destroy them.” The Hebrew word has both the meaning of “quietness” and “carelessness,” or “negligence.” Thus, what is being referring to is that false confidence that the fool entertains—namely, that all will be well with his soul, even though he ignores and rejects the commandments of God and refuses to surrender his life to Christ the Savior—that false confidence will eventually destroy him, consigning him to the righteous judgment of God (cp. Matthew 7:21-23).
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Monday, August 11, 2008
Disk Wipe: Erase Completely a Hard Disk Drive
One of the most indispensable tasks of a computer is storing or processing information. Information can be as commonplace as email messages or simple lists, but can also be as highly important and confidential as internal communications or client information. With computers being used for handling top-secret information, security measures have become an increasing concern.
To make it more secure we use some security option and one of them is physical security. Putting computers that handle important information in a location that is inaccessible or physically guarded greatly reduces the possibility of unauthorized viewers to access your data. However, this security measure may not always be practical and may not also even be possible at times.
In this case, you can resort to software-based security measures. Among these include data encryption and password protection. These can protect your information from being accessed by unauthorized viewers. However, security measures, both physical and software-based can only do so much. And there is still a possibility for a hacker to access information that is only protected by a combination of these kinds of security. Simply put, these are not always foolproof means.
Moreover, these security options are usually no longer applicable in the case of data erase from a hard disk when you were selling your pc or giving to someone else. You might think that a reformatted hard disk no longer contains useful information. But a hard disk may still contain file data especially if it is not securely wiped.
This is due to the fact that deleting ordinary files or reformatting does not automatically get rid of the data stored in files from the hard disk. A marker or tag is only placed on the deleted files that gets rids of them from directory listing and provides available space for later use. Physically, the data is still on the disk unless it is overwritten, and it may not be possible unless the data has been compromised already.
Even more secure than reformatting is a process called disk wiping. The term disk wiping is not only used in reference to hard drives but any type of storage devices such as CDs, RAID and others. Drive wiping is a secure method of ensuring that data by the use of drive wipe softwares because previously stored data can be brought back with the right software and applications, the drive wipe process will actually overwrite your entire hard drive with data, several times. Once you format you'll find it all but impossible to retrieve the data which was on the drive before overwriting.
There is lots of disk wipe software on internet. Stellar a leading data recovery company introduces Stellar Hard Drive Wipe software which is more secure and a complete data wiping solution that erases hard drive data permanently. This is powerful software that erases the selected hard drive. Data erased with this utility can't be recovered by any data recovery solutions. The software uses extremely powerful and advanced wiping algorithms to ensure the permanent and complete data deletion. It is the complete and best solutions to keep your private information secure from any external user.
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Thursday, September 07, 2006
The second part of setting up a successful RDI activity is Scaffolding. Scaffolding is what we do to help the child feel competent in the role that he is taking in the activity. The idea is to scaffold (modify his participation in the activity) just enough so that he successfully participates, but not so much that there's no challenge for him. And as the child becomes more competent in that role, you reduce the scaffolding until he's actually performing his role completely on his own.
Going back to my cat feeding example, here's how I would scaffold it: initially I would set it up so that the bin was open and full of cat food, the scoop was in it, and the bowls were lined up nearby. I would hand Jacob the scoop, and put my hand over his to help him scoop the cat food out, then I would hold a bowl out towards him and help him pour the food into it. When he started getting competent at scooping and pouring, I let him do that on his own, handing him a bowl to pour into. Eventually, I stopped handing him the bowl and he had to reach for it on his own. Then I stopped removing the lid of the bin, so that he had to get it off himself. Then I started not including the scoop, so he had to run to the place that I stored it to get it before he could start scooping. Then I stopped bringing the bowls in and he had to go gather them from the hallway where they were left the last time the cats were fed. then I started letting the cat food run low so that occassionally he had to solve the dilemna of not having enough food. This reducation in scaffolding didn't happen overnight, it was over the course of months. But as his competence with the activity grew, I kept withdrawing more of the scaffolding.
Now, that might sound all well and fine, but it's tough figuring out exactly where to draw that scaffolding line. I'm a pretty infamous over-scaffolder -- I tend to not push him as hard as I could, and I actually think we'd be further along in our RDI program if I pushed him more. So I probably remove scaffolding at a much slower rate than I need to -- I like to see him be successful. But I think there's a greater danger in withdrawing the scaffolding too quickly (or not scaffolding enough intially, which I'm guilty of myself), in that if the child feels incompetent with the activity, they may refuse to participate, or may become so dysregulated that they have a big unproductive meltdown, which isn't pleasant for anyone. And it erodes their trust with you. So my feeling is, better to over-scaffold and make slower progress than to under-scaffold and meet failure at every turn for the poor kid. But too much of a good thing is not beneficial, so you've got to constantly be monitoring whether or not your child feels challenged, as without challenge there is no learning/progress. Posted by Picasa
At 3:37 AM, Blogger Cecily said...
I am finding this blog really really helpful and interesting. We take our son to get assessed by the paediatrician this week, and we're booked into see an RDI lady in October, so all your experience is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Lesson 232 – Parts of the Sentence – Verbals – Adverb Infinitives
An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be used as an adverb. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.
Adverb infinitives are used to modify verbs. They usually tell why.
An infinitive phrase is made up of an infinitive and any complements (direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives, or modifiers.) An infinitive phrase that comes at the beginning of the sentence is always followed by a comma and modifies the subject of the sentence.
Instructions: Find the infinitive phrases in these sentences and tell what word they modify.
1. She came to explain the answer.
2. The kids went to see the circus.
3. On the rough road I drove carefully to prevent any damage.
4. I returned a different way to avoid further damage.
5. We stopped at a cafe to eat lunch.
–For answers scroll down.
1. to explain the answer modifies the verb came
2. to see the circus modifies the verb went
3. to prevent any damage modifies the verb drove
4. to avoid further damage modifies the verb returned
5. to eat lunch modifies the verb stopped
from Daily Grammar Lessons Blog http://ift.tt/1IJ7XNQ
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Swai Fish
The Swai fish, more commonly known as an iridescent shark, is a type of catfish shark that originated in the deep rivers of Asia, specifically the southeastern part. Although it’s called a shark, the Swai fish is more of a catfish. They are commonly found in the Chao Phraya River and the Mekong basin where they are cultivated and grown for food. These fish feed on smaller fishes, plant matter and crustaceans.
Young Swai fishes have a long, black stripe that goes down the lateral side of their bodies. Below this is another black strip that highlights the first. These fishes have a strange, iridescent, shiny color to them, giving them their name. Adult Swai fish commonly turn a shiny black and grow to about 4 feet long, weighing at 97 lbs.
As mentioned earlier, these fishes are often grown for food. They are widely sold in the United States and have more or less the same delicate texture and flavor as the native U.S. Channel catfish. They have a slightly sweeter, moist and mild flavor to their flesh. Their meat is a creamy beige in color and turns completely white when cooked.
Aside from food, younger Swai fishes are commonly kept as aquarium pets. These fishes are actually a bit challenging to keep as pets. One of the main reason is that they prefer to live in schools, so you will have to keep at least five of them in the same tank. You are also going to need a fairly large tank if you are planning to keep Swai fishes as pets. They also have very bad eyesight, so small movements outside their tanks could distract them and make them think that these are threats, placing them under a lot of stress. When stressed or threatened, they have a tendency to lie on their sides until they recover.
Swai Fish Video
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David encased in styrolite
Styrolite was a hard, transparent substance occasionally used in medicine to secure highly contagious or infectious specimens for transport when quarantine fields alone are insufficient. The specimen was placed in suspended animation and encased in a skin-tight contoured layer of styrolite. Once encased, the specimen was effectively isolated from the surrounding environment. Styrolite was often used in conjunction with quarantine force fields as an added measure of redundancy.
There were different types of styrolite. Number 6 is one example.
During her time aboard the USS Enterprise-D, Doctor Katherine Pulaski used styrolite to transport a genetically-engineered Human male aboard the ship for examination. With the assistance of Chief Miles O'Brien, a site-to-site transport protocol was implemented wherein the styrolite materialized slightly ahead of the patient, thus ensuring consistent quarantine. In addition to this precaution, a level 10 quarantine field was employed until integrity of the styrolite was confirmed. (TNG: "Unnatural Selection")
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Wi-Fi works by sending information via radio waves, but systems that rely on light – be it infrared or visible – have the potential to achieve much faster speeds. A system proposed by a team at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) uses infrared rays beamed down from antennas in the ceiling and is claimed to be capable of data transfer rates of over 40 Gbps, regardless of how many devices are hooking into the network.
Beaming radio waves of either 2.5 GHz or 5 GHz, regular Wi-Fi can reach transfer speeds of about 300 Mbps at most, but the average is far lower than that. Even so, that's more than fast enough to serve a few devices on a local network, but frustrating slow-downs are increasingly common, as more family members connect their phones tablets and computers to the home network, and houses continue to fill up with connected TVs, fridges, lights, robots, heating systems and home assistants.
On the other hand, a system sometimes called "Li-Fi" uses light waves to transmit information, either through the visible light or infrared spectra. Light-based transmission systems can either help take the load off traditional Wi-Fi or potentially replace it, since it won't slow down as more devices jump in. Speeds can reach as high as 10 Gbps, and are reportedly more secure than Wi-Fi since line-of-sight is needed between the device and the transmitter.
The system developed at TU/e is built around light antennas, which the team says could be mounted on the ceiling to beam an internet connection throughout a room. The signal would be sent to the antennas by way of an optical fiber, and from there it passes through a pair of "passive diffraction gratings," whose job is to transmit different wavelengths of light at different angles.
Using an array of these antennas means that even if line of sight is lost between a user's device and one antenna, another will be there to pick up the slack without the user noticing the jump. The system would know when to make these switches by tracking the radio signals transmitted by the device to the antenna, which are also used to upload data back to the internet. According to the team, the system requires no power and very little maintenance.
With frequencies as high as 200 THz, the system has apparently been clocked transmitting data at speeds of up to 42.8 Gbps as far as 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and remaining completely safe for human health. Even better, since each antenna will designate each device its own wavelength, nobody else's Netflix binges will drag down your speeds.
Another point to note is that infrared beams won't penetrate walls or objects, so in this kind of network, each room will need its own antenna array. That might make it less practical for households – although the team does say that the setup should be fairly inexpensive – but could be perfect for businesses, where regular Wi-Fi is vulnerable to remote hacking. Interference from neighboring networks should be reduced, too.
While the system is mostly theoretical for now, the team says it could start to show up to connect video monitors, laptops and tablets in about five years' time. Researcher Joanne Oh received her PhD for the study last week.
Source: Eindhoven University of Technology
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William Stevens
born 1600s
William Stevens was a highly regarded shipbuilder (ship-carpenter). In England he made a Royal Merchant ship of 600 tons. He was preparing to go to Spain where the wages were better but he was persuaded to go to New England.
William Stevens probably came to New England before 1632 and probably resided in Boston.
He was in Salem in 1636 where his children Isaac and Mary were baptized. His daughter Ruth was born in 1641.
He was admitted freeman in 1640.
In 1642 he was one of the commissioners in Gloucester appointed by the General Court for ordering town-affairs. He received five hundred acres of land lying between Chebacco and Annisquam Rivers. Also, he received six acres on the Meeting-house Neck. He lived on eight acres of land at the Cut, near the Beach.
The King of England wanted to interfere with legislation of the Colony that infringed on Colonial rights and privileges. William Stevens declared "that he would bear no office within this jurisdiction, nor anywhere else, where Charles Stewart than any other man, as king; and that he abhorred the name of Charles Stewart as king." For stating his hatred for the king he was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, pay a fine of 20 pounds and costs, and be deprived of his privileges as a freeman.
His wife petitioned the General Court for relief. She represents him as deranged and herself as aged and having a family.
There is no record of William Stevens death or a settlement of his estate. The five hundred acres and his estate at the Cut were mortgaged to Francis Willoughby in 1667. It was never returned to him. His other land was put in trust for his wife Philippa and was managed by his sons James and Isaac.
William Stevens son James (my ancestor) may have followed the trade of his father since ship-carpenter's tools and an oak plank are mentioned in his inventory. James was a deacon in the church, a military officer, selectman (1667, 1674 - 1691), and representative ten years.
William Stevens was highly regarded as a great shipbuilder.
Babson, John J, History of the Town of Glucester Cape Ann, 1972
Perley, Sidney, A History of Salem Massachusetts, Volume I 1626 - 1637, Salem, Mass., Sidney Perley, 1924.
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CC Table of Contents Alphabetical Index Monthly Index About This Project
Last Indexed Date
George Imirie's PINK PAGES
January 2001
Start the New Year RIGHT
IT IS NOW JANUARY OF THE YEAR 2001! Are your bees ALIVE? Depleted in population? Hungry? Is there still 40-50 pounds of food still present? Diseased? Is there any brood? Is the queen alive? Is is she more than a year old? Is the bottom brood chamber EMPTY of brood and honey? Have you removed all Apistan strips or Check Mite strips? Has the hive tilted so rainwater can lay on the bottom board? Did you get new bee books for Christmas? Have you read the parts about disease, reversing, requeening, outside water supply yet, or just that part about "how to make more honey?
There are 13 questions above. Most beeKEEPERS could honestly answer at least 10-11; but most beeHAVERS probably could not honestly answer more than 2-3. This is early January, so it is not too late for every reader to be able to honestly answer every question before February 1st. I will help you in my writing with descriptions.
First, and MOST IMPORTANT, you cannot determine the health of a hive by looking at the outside. Even your doctor checks your temperature, looks at your tongue, listens to your heart and lungs rather than just looking at your face and shaking your hand. LOOK INSIDE your hive! Take off 2-3 hours from work on a nice SUNNY day with NO wind when the temperature is over 50°, preferably 60°. Look for BROOD - you don't have to see the queen. Examine the BROOD frames for disease: Foul Brood, Chalk Brood, Chilled brood, laying workers, and a solid pattern of brood or scattered like pepper. A tremendous number of beeHAVERS think their hive is alive because they see bees flying in and out of the entrance on every warm day, but the truth is: their bees are dead and the flying bees are bees robbing the honey and taking it back to their home. If you just can't find the time to open a hive on a warm day, go to the hive at night or a cold day, put your ear up against the hive wall and bang on the hive with your fist or a stick. If the hive is alive with lots of bees, you will hear a ROAR of noisy bees; if the noise is not much or quite soft, you better MAKE a warm day to go inside the hive and inspect for the problem that has caused lost population; If you hear no noise, the bees are dead and probably died of tracheal mite infection which usually kills in December or January. Look inside, and if you find just a cup full of bees with a queen and plenty of honey still there, 9 times out of 10, your bees died of tracheal mite infection because YOU did not install MENTHOL in August, but waited until September or didn't use menthol at all. It is YOUR fault, not the bees fault, or the weather, or the queen, and not even bad luck. It is YOUR LACK OF CARE!
More bees starve to death in the month of March than any other month of the year! Why? That is simple to answer. The queen should have started laying in January regardless of how cold it was or how much snow is on top of the hive. The adult bees had to eat a heck of a lot of honey to raise that brood comb temperature to 91°-96° so the queen could lay eggs and to keep the resulting larvae and pupae alive. Further, bee larva eat "tons" of food, actually increasing their size over 1200% in just 5 days. A hive enters the winter period on October 1st with 70 pounds of stores. 3 months later, on January 1st, the hive has only consumed about 15-20 pounds of honey in those 3 months, but they might use 10-15 pounds of store in January, more in February, and even more in March. If your bees die of STARVATION, don't blame anything or anybody but YOURSELF. YOU just didn't care enough to inspect, or take 2-3 hours off from work to inspect during a warm day in January and February. I have listened to people who just couldn't take time off from work, but they took several days off to go deer hunting or travel south to see a Bowl Game. One just has to decide whether they are going to KEEP bees or just HAVE bees.
I have written over and over that it is the NATURAL NATURE OF BEES to store food over brood, in other words store food in the highest bodies and raise brood in the bottommost body and the bees "eat their way uphill" as the winter progresses into spring. This is not hard to understand, nor hard to inspect. On a cold day in January or February, you remove the top and find a great big bunch of bees in the hole of the inner cover should surely tell you something: the bees are high up in the top body and that means that they are short on' stores and need feed NOW, not next week.
When you examine the winners of the Olympic events, the armed service personnel, or the rapid learners of computer use, they are all YOUNG people; and all Kentucky Derby horses are 3 year olds. In April, if your queen is more than 12 months old, she is an OLD LADY. Most commercial beekeepers, whose annual income depends on the performance of their bees requeen every 12 months or sometimes twice each year. The writings of most bee researchers or bee scientists during the past decade clearly endorse annual requeening. Further, I can't name any prominent bee authority that endorse the self requeening of a colony by the bees themselves which fosters inbreeding which results in bringing forward the worst traits of bees and suppressing the sought after good points. Keeping a queen only one year is much more important dependent not only on the race of bees, but the date of your major nectar flow. WHY? The younger the queen, the less likely the bees will swarm. Hence, if your nectar flow is early, like April and May, and hence you need a lot of forager aged bees in early spring to gather that crop, you might use the Carniolan race who has the explosive early spring build-up, and Carniolans are known for their high propensity for swarming. Let's suppose your nectar flow is not early in the spring or that you are not wild about making a large honey crop and you like Italian bees "golden" color or a dozen other reasons for not requeening, but you DON'T like all that treatment with chemicals that is necessary today to keep your bees alive. Bees that are bred for their Hygienic Behavior have shown that they can survive and prosper without the help of so much treatment with chemicals. More and more Queen Breeders and Package Bee Suppliers are now making hygienic behavior a vital part of the traits that they select for BREEDER QUEENS. That in itself, should be a good reason to requeen your colonies. The only "trick" will be to determine which breeders are truly developing bees that demonstrate hygienic behavior as opposed to those who just advertise hygienic behavior, but their bees are just the same as they used to be. It is possible, that some commercial beekeepers will greatly pursue bees of hygienic behavior to avoid the time consuming and expensive treatment of using chemicals, and the word will "get out" just which breeder's bees they are using.
The fact is that most of you readers have colonies that badly need requeening. You just have to decide to do it, when, which race, and with which procedure, and you are only talking about spending perhaps $12, the cost of just 4 jars of honey @ $3/jar. I will write more about requeening methods next month, but right now, why don't you contact the breeder of your choice and select a time to receive your new queens. For golly sake, get MARKED queens so you see an unmarked queen in your colony one day, you know that your bees have swarmed or your marked queen was superseded. The proper color of marking for 2001 is WHITE.
Why don't you REALLY TRY to make a lot of honey this coming season? You simply can't get a good crop unless you have a large number of foraging age bees ready to collect nectar during the nectar flow; and that takes some planning by the beekeeper, particularly in the central Maryland area where our major nectar flow starts as early as April 15th and ends about May 31st. Forager age bees are bees over 19 days old. Hence, this means if you want a bee to start foraging on May 1st, the queen has to lay the egg that produces this bee on March 21st (40 days before May 1st). It is also going to require a lot of young nurse bees to feed all this new bee larvae and keep the brood and queen warm (91°-96°). Hence, I want to get my queens laying quite well during the entire month of February, so I start feeding 1:1 sugar syrup as an egg laying stimulant about February 1st. Further, since bees and queens move UPWARD with time, you must start REVERSING brood chambers just before you start feeding the syrup, and the reversing might have to done 3, 4, or even 5 times between February 1 and May 1st.
REVERSING is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT not only for promoting egg laying by the queen, but also reversing is a very positive swarm control technique. Let me give you just a bit of explanation. In the absence of any nectar flow, the entire cluster of bees which also includes brood and the queen moves UPWARD as they consume the honey stored about them, thereby leaving the bottom hive body empty, because they need to keep feed near the larva that they are feeding. As the queen's egg laying get blocked by the honey above her, the bees stop her from laying until space becomes available, EVEN THOUGH the whole bottom hive body is empty! Hence, about February 1st, simply reverse the positions of the two hive bodies. Immediately after reversing, the queen, brood, nurse bees, and honey stores are now in the bottom hive body, while the old EMPTY bottom hive body is now on top, 1:1 sugar syrup can be fed through the inner cover hole and there is lots of storage space in this empty body for the bees to store the syrup. Reversing again might have to be done in 30 days or 7 days, dependent upon the weather, the bee population, the egg laying ability of the queen, the frame size, and the amount of 1:1 syrup given daily. Beekeeper experience or knowledge is required here so "the brood is NOT split". When the queen is laying in the top hive body, most of the brood is OPEN brood and some light colored capped brood, and there is just a small amount of darker CAPPED BROOD left in the bottom hive body, it is time to reverse again. Two factors make a tremendous difference in how often you have to reverse: Cluster size and frame size. Using 3 hive bodies of 6 5/8" frames, my first reversal is February 1st, my second reversal is about 3 weeks later and my 4th or 5th reversal near May 1st might just 7-8 days after the previous. Don't stop the feeding or reversing before April 15th; and if a strong nectar flow starts
The bees will stop taking 1:1 syrup during flying weather. All this stimulative feeding and reversing is going to cause a tremendous explosion in population which is a major cause of swarming, so make sure that the bees have plenty of colony space by installing an empty super on top of the brood chamber boxes WITHOUT a queen excluder about April 1st. Examine this super at least once each week, and when 3-4 center frames are partially filled with nectar or brood, put a queen excluder under the super and make sure that the queen is down below it. Put on 4 more supers of drawn comb (not foundation) ALL AT ONCE about April 15th but before May 1st. Make sure your extractor is in good shape, you have lots of honey jars and labels, and practice your "selling" technique!
If you do NOT have drawn comb and have to use foundation, that is a whole "new ball game". See my previous PINK PAGES. Foundation can only be used one super at a time, and you dare not mix frames of foundation with drawn comb frames in the same super, or you will have a king size MESS.
Many of you are going to either say or unfortunately experience that the use of 1:1 sugar syrup and reversing of brood bodies is going to encourage SWARMING with this population "explosion", and you are absolutely CORRECT! Good beekeeping is utilizing proper bee management methods so that you have a very large number of forager age bees ready to collect nectar when the nectar flow is strong, but you also MUST UNDERSTAND that bees have one tract minds; i. e., they are either in a swarming program or in a nectar collecting program, but never the two programs at the same time.
Let me remind you of my previous lengthy writings about swarming. There is a swarm SEASON, and that is generally early spring about dandelion bloom time, but before the major nectar flow. Swarming at that time is caused by congestion in the brood chamber and/or an older queen, and has nothing to do with space in the SUPERS. Beekeepers can diminish the possibility of swarming by having only a young queen and reversing brood chambers, but sometimes additional techniques have to be employed. In this SWARM SEASON, bees are not thinking very much about nectar collecting, but are absorbed in preparing to swarm which is their NORMAL means of REPRODUCTION. Once the nectar flow starts in earnest, the bees switch their "program" from swarming to nectar collection which provides them with stores to get future generations through the winter coming in about 6 months. Swarming during a major nectar flow is usually caused by a single reason - LACK OF SUPER SPACE, which is 100% beekeeper FAULT.
Honey bees PLAN AHEAD by getting the queen to start laying eggs in January. YOU should plan ahead also on all bee matters to become successful. I will write more about honey production next month, but now I wish you and yours HAPPY NEW YEAR!
George Imirie
Certified EAS Master Beekeeper
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The fundamental challenge:
Create a development environment that permits the developer to do whatever they conceive.
Plange may not accomplish a developers goals for them, but it strives to stay out of the way while maintaining its usefulness. In other words: do not obstruct any use case, and anticipate many of them. As the developer explores the languages capabilities, they discover new potential domains rather than boundaries. A small number of specific goals stem from this notion, and provide an outline for the project.
Strongly-Connected Model of Computation
A key concept for maximizing power and flexibility, and proof that plange does not obstruct any use case. See the main page.
An approach to meta programming (see metaobject on Wikipedia). See the main page.
Support semantics from each generation of programming language.
Solver and C.A.S.
The interface to the solver and computer algebra system is through syntax and semantics built into the language. Constraints on systems, in the form of expressions in predicate logic, differentials, and other problem domains are solved symbolically, or numeric methods are used at runtime.
Scripting friendly
Ensure that simple solutions exist for simple problems. The "Hello World" program must be one line of source code, one statement. As such, functions for printing, manipulating files, and other basic operations are automatically in scope of each translation unit. See the standard library. Further, the bar to entry must be low for provisioning and for typical use. Accessibility is critical to good adoption.
Bare Metal
The highest level languages create an abstraction of the physical hardware that's dramatically different from the reality. This approach is very powerful. But as with all things, it is not the optimal solution for all problems. For high level abstractions, developers often (and sometimes unwittingly) exchange the ability to reach the "bare metal." Instead, a well rounded language maintains the accessibility of the system hardware as a semantic feature of the language. The most obvious approach is to provide first-class inline assembler support. See: asm
Comprehensive Libraries, Documentation, Support
A standard library that is broad, compared to python, or .Net. This website ( catalogs the requirements of the project, and provides a moderated platform for open-source user contributions.
Communicate Well
Documentation is exhaustive, generated wherever possible, and available whenever possible. This website serves as the primary source for structured and unstructured information used in the building of the tool chain. For example, the Syntax pages (under Documentation) of this website are used by a web scraper to generate grammar files plange. Formalism in documentation and source code is highly valued.
Error message, diagnostics, etc. should be helpful. e.g. Think of clang's template error messages versus gcc's.
copyright © Brent Lewis 2017
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The country has always been known to its own people as Iran (land of Aryans) although for centuries it was referred to as Parsia (Pars or Fars, aprovince in southern Iran) by the Europeans, mainly due to the writings of Greek historians .In 1935 the government specified that it should be called Iran, however, in 1949 they allowed both name to be used.
Most people today, know Persia or Iran through its carpets, its costly war with its neighbor Iraq, or through its importance as one of the worlds major oil producing nation .Yet Persia has one of the richest and oldest caltures in the world.
For more than three thousand years Persia was a melting pot of civilization and demographics movements between Asia and Europe. Under Cyrus the great, it became the center of the worlds first Empire. Successive invasions by the Greeks, Arabs (7th centuries) Mongols and Turks (10 Th centuries) developed the nation culture through rich and diverse, philosophical, artist scientific and religious influences.
The Iranian minorities include the Azaris who from the largest minority at 25%, the Kurds at 9%, the Arabs at 4%, the Lors at 2% the Turkmen at 2% and the nomads (the Bakhtiais, the Blochies, the Qashgies), together with a few groups along the Caspian sea, such as Gilani, the Mazandarani and the Taleshi.
The national language of Iran is Parsian (Farsi). Other Iranian in Azarbayjan, Turkish Turkmen in the north -east, Arabic in Khozestan, Kordish, Baloch, Bakhtiari, and Lor.
More than half the population live in urban areas such as Tehran (almost 15%) Mashhad, Tabriz and the Shiraz with the remaining distributed through out its 66,000 villages, farms.
Some 98% of all Iranians are Muslims and over 90% of these belong the (shi ite) branch of Islam, other religious minorities include Sunnite, Christian, Bahie, Jewish and Zoroastrians
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Though grapes taste so sugary-sweet, they are classified as a low glycemic index food, and studies link grapes to improved blood sugar balance, insulin regulation, and insulin sensitivity. Grapes are packed with health-supportive nutrients including manganese, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B and potassium, as well as countless antioxidant phytonutrients. The growing area of grape research includes their benefits on the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, blood sugar regulating system, nervous system, etc.
What you need?
28 grapes (about 1 scant cup)
What to do?
1. Rinse the grapes thoroughly
2. Shake to be somewhat dry, it doesn’t need to be perfectly dry.
3. Put into a sealed plastic bag
4. Put into freezer for no less than 2 hours or until it freezes.
5. Open the bag and enjoy.
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— Sedimentary Rock —
USDA Mineral Sandstone 93c3955
Prepared sample of sandstone
Typically quartz and/or feldspar (on earth); lithic fragments are also common. Other minerals may be found in particularly immature sandstone.
Alcove in the Navajo Sandstone
Origins Edit
Millet-Seed Sandstone Macro
Millet-Seed sandstone macro (size: ~4 cm or ~1.6 in).
Sandstones are clastic in origin (as opposed to either organic, like chalk and coal, or chemical, like gypsum and jasper).[2] They are formed from cemented grains that may either be fragments of a pre-existing rock or be mono-minerallic crystals. The cements binding these grains together are typically calcite, clays and silica. Grain sizes in sands are defined (in geology) within the range of 0.0625 mm to 2 mm (0.002-0.079 inches). Clays and sediments with smaller grain sizes not visible with the naked eye, including siltstones and shales, are typically called argillaceous sediments; rocks with larger grain sizes, including breccias and conglomerates are termed rudaceous sediments.
Lower antelope 2 md
Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth by erosion from flash flooding over millions of years.
The formation of sandstone involves two principal stages. First, a layer or layers of sand accumulates as the result of sedimentation, either from water (as in a river, lake, or sea) or from air (as in a desert). Typically, sedimentation occurs by the sand settling out from suspension; i.e., ceasing to be rolled or bounced along the bottom of a body of water (e.g., seas or rivers) or ground surface (e.g., in a desert or erg). Finally, once it has accumulated, the sand becomes sandstone when it is compacted by pressure of overlying deposits and cemented by the precipitation of minerals within the pore spaces between sand grains.
The environment where it is deposited is crucial in determining the characteristics of the resulting sandstone, which, in finer detail, include its grain size, sorting and composition and, in more general detail, include the rock geometry and sedimentary structures. Principal environments of deposition may be split between terrestrial and marine, as illustrated by the following broad groupings:
• Terrestrial environments
Stadtroda Sandstein
Sandstone near Stadtroda, Germany.
1. Rivers (levees, point bars, channel sands)
2. Alluvial fans
3. Glacial outwash
4. Lakes
5. Deserts (sand dunes and ergs)
• Marine environments
1. Deltas
2. Beach and shoreface sands
3. Tidal flats
4. Offshore bars and sand waves
5. Storm deposits (tempestites)
6. Turbidites (submarine channels and fans)
Types Edit
Sandstone composed mainly of quartz grains
Sandstones fall into several major groups based on their mineralogy and texture. Below is a partial list of common sandstone types.
• quartz arenites are made up almost entirely of quartz grains, usually well sorted and rounded. These pure quartz sands result from extensive weathering that occurred before and during transport and removed everything but quartz, the most stable mineral. They are common in beach environments.
• arkoses are more than 25 percent feldspar.[2] The grains tend to be poorly rounded and less well sorted than those of pure quartz sandstones. These feldspar-rich sandstones come from rapidly eroding granitic and metamorphic terrains where chemical weathering is subordinate to physical weathering.
• lithic sandstones contain many lithic fragments derived from fine-grained rocks, mostly shales, volcanic rocks, and fine-grained metamorphic rocks.
• Eolianite is a term used for a rock which is composed of sand grains that show signs of significant transportation by wind. These have usually been deposited in desert environments. They are commonly extremely well sorted and rich in quartz.
Sandstone composition is (generally) based on the make up of the framework, or sand-sized grains in the sandstone. This is typically done by point-counting a thin section of the sandstone using a method like the Gazzi-Dickinson Method. The composition of a sandstone can have important information regarding the genesis of the sediment when used with QFL diagrams.
See also Edit
Notes Edit
1. Edensor, T. & Drew, I. Building stone in the City of Manchester: St Ann's Church
2. 2.0 2.1 "A Basic Sedimentary Rock Classification", L.S. Fichter, Department of Geology/Environmental Science, James Madison University (JMU), Harrisonburg, Virginia, October 2000, webpage: JMU-sed-classif (accessed: March 2009): separates clastic, chemical & biochemical (organic).
References Edit
• Folk, R.L., 1965, Petrology of sedimentary rocks PDF version. Austin: Hemphill’s Bookstore. 2nd ed. 1981, ISBN 0-914696-14-9.
• Pettijohn, F.J., P.E. Potter and R. Siever, 1987, Sand and sandstone, 2nd ed. Springer-Verlag. ISBN 0-387-96350-2.
• Scholle, P.A., 1978, A Color illustrated guide to constituents, textures, cements, and porosities of sandstones and associated rocks, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir no. 28. ISBN 0-89181-304-7.
• Scholle, P.A., and D. Spearing, 1982, Sandstone depositional environments: clastic terrigenous sediments , American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir no. 31. ISBN 0-89181-307-1.
• USGS Minerals Yearbook: Stone, Dimension, Thomas P. Dolley, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 2005 (format: PDF).
ar:حجر رملي
bg:Пясъчник ca:Gres (geologia) cs:Pískovec cy:Tywodfaen da:Sandsten de:Sandstein et:Liivakivi es:Arenisca eo:Grejso eu:Hareharri fr:Grès (géologie) gl:Arenita ko:사암 io:Greso id:Batu pasir is:Sandsteinn it:Arenaria (roccia) he:אבן חול lb:Sandsteen lt:Smiltainis hu:Homokkő ms:Batu pasir nl:Zandsteen ja:砂岩 no:Sandstein oc:Gres pl:Piaskowiec pt:Arenito ro:Gresie ru:Песчаник simple:Sandstone sk:Pieskovec sl:Peščenjak sr:Пешчар sh:Peščar fi:Hiekkakivi sv:Sandsten ta:மணற்கல் th:หินทราย tr:Kumtaşı uk:Пісковик vi:Cát kết fiu-vro:Liivakivi zh:砂岩
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King, Socrates, and Civil Disobedience | Life Examinations
Thoreau and Socrates start Civil Disobedience and Crito with basically the same premise. They both believe that humans are essentially moral beings. Thoreau says that people if left to their own ends will act justly, and should be treated accordingly by the law. says essentially the same thing, he says that "no one wants to commit injustice" for its own sake, many people end up doing so anyway. Socrates says that the citizens of a government have entered into an agreement to abide by its laws in exchange for protection. He also says that if one believes these laws to be unjust, one can always leave, but if one agrees to abide by the laws they have a duty to be subjected to punishment if they break these laws. on the other hand says that it is the duty of the people not to abide by a law if they perceive it to be unjust, and if they claim to be opposed to it and nevertheless abide by it, they are a hypocrite.
In the
In the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr. says that ‘academic freedom is a reality today because Socrates practiced civil disobedience’. So, when and how did Socrates practice civil disobedience?
I feel King was completely justified in referring to Socrates
Comparing Thoreau and Socrates Thoreau and Socrates start Civil Disobedience and Crito with basically the same premise Let me start by saying why I found this odd. Socrates asserts multiple times in “Crito” that he is a man who follows the Law. His entire motif behind not escaping from the prison when he could is that he is obliged to not disrespect the law. Coming from such a person, why would he practice civil disobedience the basis of which is to knowingly go against a law? Then – Socrates and Civil Disobedience: How did that happen?
Socrates Was Held In Deep Respect By His Students ..
In conclusion, Socrates is civilly disobedient. To quote Socrates yet again, “That government with all its power did not terrify me into doing anything wrong.” (The Apology, 32 e)
political doctrines of civil disobedience
My conception of civil disobedience is when an individual or group willfully violates what he or she perceives as an unjust statute. With this conception, I believe the conclusion that Socrates practiced civil disobedience is incorrect because I do not agree with the assumptions needed to reach the conclusion; such as the assumption that Socrates actually violated the laws he was charged with, and the assumption that his violation was done willfully. Thus, I concur with the first opinion presented in comment #1 that Socrates follows the law to the best of his ability, but disagree by saying that it is very inconclusive that he violates the laws. Socrates was “charged” with breaking the two laws of corrupting the youth, and not believing in the Gods. The former charge I believe Socrates would agree is a just law based on his notion that corrupting the youth causes harm, and causing harm in unjust. The latter charge I believe can be discredited by Meletus inconsistency as Socrates paraphrases Meletus by saying that “Socrates is guilty not of believing in gods but believing in gods (27a).” My conclusion is that Socrates is in jail not because he broke the laws, but rather because the majority acted on the perception that he broke the laws. Furthermore, my other conclusion is that if such evidence can presented that Socrates did violate the laws, he did not willfully do so. Such evidence comes in his defense in the Apology, and the dialogue in Crito. Socrates professes he would not commit an unjust action, and one such action that Socrates acknowledges as unjust is the corruption of the youth.
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Do the arts, such as music and literature, really play a significant part in Singaporean society?
YES: The arts play a highly significant role in nurturing and enriching Singaporean society.
1. The arts are vital in educating Singaporean youths holistically and an increasing number of educational institutions and programs have allocated significant resources towards promoting the arts in students.
2. Commercialization of the arts has contributed significantly to the employment of Singaporeans and the growth of many local businesses in related industries such as events management, exhibition curators and advertising agencies.
3. In recent years, greater government funding and involvement in nurturing the arts has seen the growth and development of many talented local practitioners, who have contributed significantly to developing an arts culture informed by authentic Singaporean values, themes and voices.
NO: The arts are peripheral to Singaporean society and may be underappreciated despite their potential value.
1. The arts may be increasingly recognized by educators and their institutions as integral to holistic development but many Singaporean youths themselves are less enthusiastic and prefer to specialize in traditional science or business-related courses that are perceived as more commercially viable.
2. Many local businesses have grown due to the commercialization of the arts in Singapore but these businesses focus mainly on the presentation and promotion of art events rather than creation of art, thereby furthering only the economic rather than aesthetic profile of the arts.
3. Despite positive support by the authorities, the mass media has been too successful in enthralling the masses with foreign artists and their work, significantly undermining attempts to develop an authentic Singaporean artistic identity.
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Lyophilisation (Freeze drying) is used by RINGANA for nutrients that have been extracted from plants. It’s a method of drying perishable material without destroying their physical structure, keeping the nutritional value and active ingredients. It is one of the most reliable methods for preparing bacterial cultures for long term storage and retains the vast majority of the vitamins and minerals found in the original material. Plants are placed in the dryer where they are frozen to -40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Once they’re frozen, the dryer creates a powerful vacuum and the temperature is slowly raised. The ice evaporates and the material is packed. Freeze dried material doesn’t require refrigeration or preservatives and are also very light and easy to transport as all the moisture is removed.
Freeze drying is not a modern thing. Freeze dried potatoes, Chuño, were first mentioned in 1553 by Spanish conquistador and chronicler Pedro de Cieza de León in his ‘Chronicle of Peru’. The origins of freeze drying can be traced back to the 13th century and was used by the Incas. Their crops were stored in the heights of the Andes above Machu Picchu where the cold mountain temperatures froze their stored food, and the water inside slowly vaporised under the low air pressure of the high mountain altitudes.
Read more about RINGANA and their 100% Philosophy.
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ESL Video Quiz: Nougat, How do they do it ?
Quiz #: 23446
(ESL Category: listening) In this video, we learn how the nougat is processed
Nougat 2036
Belgium may not be much bigger than the state of Maryland but it boasts two thousand chocolate shops most of them in the suitably sweet chocolate-box city of Bruges. the locals are expert on candy and what goes into it. Especially world-renowned Belgium Nougat. For 8 decades nougat vital has been perfecting this treat, today making seventy five percent of Belgium’s entire output. That mass production process is hidden in giant factory vats, so to see how they turn just four ingredients into this sticky treat here’s now how they cook up a much smaller batch of nougat supreme.
First glucose and sugar are boiled in open copper kettles to a two hundred and twenty five degrees celcius. Nougat needs to be far sweeter than this so next they ladle in rich Yucatan honey but this will pour out of your chocolate bar as soon as you took a bite.The answer is to add the mix to stiffened egg whites then stir to a sticky mass in a low speed planetary mixer and that’s the basic recipe. But this factory churns out five hundred pieces of nougat a day and that calls for massive machinery. Hot nougat mix pours into conveyors like cement into foundation and a sticky river stretching two hundred and fifty metres slowly rises to the top of the factory . By the time it reaches nougat’s fall the mix is cooled to thirty two degrees and thickened into a dense carpet, next the nougat passes into an extruder which flattens the lot to a snack- friendly thirty two milimetres. it’s sandwiched between two layers of wafer paper made from potatoes starch and
sunflower oil and sliced into bars .Stack those sticky bars now and you’d never tear them apart
So they’re conveyed to an elevator to cool. It holds ten thousand bars. As they rise and fall, rise and fall, the nougat gradually cools and overnight a little confectioner’s magic occurs. A slight crust forms on the surface of each bar, this is called crouting and it gives the nougat its trademark munchability. A few hours later the bars emerge ready to be turned into nougat nuggets by the factory prototype slicers.
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5 or 6 bottom tractor, one cylinder, two cycle diesel'
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Route 4, Huntington, Indiana 46750
In reading over some old Pennsylvania Farmers I ran across an interesting series of arguments on plows. One side said left hand plows were the best and, of course, the other side promoted right plows. Why the two different plows were made was not completely solved, but as all plows were made by local blacksmiths or small one horse factories who made plows for the neighbor only; and in one locality made right hand and another made left hand, so it depended where you lived. I was raised in central Illinois and all plows were left hand until the event of tractor plows. I never saw a right hand plow until came across one at a farm sale where the owner had come from Tennessee. During World War I the manufacturers got together and decided to make right plows only to save on material for added duplication.
We used walking plows, three horse sulkey plows, two and three bottom gang plows, using four to eight horses, usually six head of horses or mules on a two bottom gang. Three horses were hitched on the tongue and three hitched in front of them tandem. This was an ideal hitch and overcame side draughts, etc. There was a great number of makes of plows as a great number of companies were making horse drawn implements of all kinds. In 1797 Charles Newbold of Burlington, New Jersey made the first cast iron plow, but this plow never became popular because farmers thought the cast iron poisoned the ground and stimulated weed growth. The first good light weight as cast iron plow was made by Jethro Wood in 1814. Those plows worked good in the eastern states where the soil was sandy, gravely or where they would scour easily.
In the middle west these plows would not scour in the light prairie soils. Steel plows were first made by Major Andrus in partnership with John Deere.
Then came Parli and Orendorf better known as P and Q whom in later years sold out to the International Harvester and that gave them a plow to add to their line of implements. The Oliver Plow Company of South Bend, Indiana became one of the most popular plow companies.
Any number of companies could be mentioned. There used to be a number of plowing matches like The Big Rock and Wheatland in northern Illinois. Plowmanship was the art of plowing regardless of the plow or the ground condition. As I ride across the country I seldom see a real good job of plowing unless its on stubble or bean ground. Plowing under a heavy coat of corn stalks is another matter. There is a lack of pride in plowing any more and the larger the farm, the poorer the quality of plowing.
When plows were made for cast iron plow with only two exceptions, they were all right hand. Most plows were Oliver, P and O, Grand Detour, LeCoosr, Janesville, Burch, and later John Deere.
A Lenz tractor owned by Norman Pross, Luverne, North Dakota. Shown at New Rockford, North Dakota Show. I've forgotten the size but am sure it was a 5 or 6 bottom tractor, one cylinder, two cycle diesel. A very economical tractor to use.In the early days of tractor demonstrations the P and O and grand Detour had a chain lift on the land wheel. The first Oliver, the clutch was on the furrow wheel. The moldboards on all early plows were good; that is they were abrupt and turned the furrow slice over and pulverized it up at the same time and left the ground smooth. Today's plows, especially the 16' and 18' just throw it over in a slab and don't pulverize as good plows do. Much of this depends on ground condition.
The Janesville Plow Company of Janesville, Wisconsin was a small company making high class machinery in the early day. I remember their horse drawn plows nearly always won the Big Rock and Wheatland plowing contest. I can still see those well pulverized furrows and everything covered and in order - Yes plowing was once an Art. Now scientists tell us today we don't need to plow, just chisel plow. Maybe so, I won't argue with what a lot are doing, but they will have to plow once in a while to cover the trash.
I remember when I was a student at the University of Illinois, one of the only worthwhile things that happened to me there was they sent me out to the field with a 10-20 Titan tractor and a three bottom Burch plow, that they had tampered with and I was to plow. Of course, we had learned how plows were supposed to run beforehand.
Incidentally, that was a real good plow, and the company is still in business at Evansville, Indiana making such things as no till planters, ridgers, heavy disks etc. Back in those days plows were not so expensive, and I have heard of salesmen who in their zeal to close a tractor sale would just throw in a plow.
Now plows made for the northwest were another thing. Mostly from 8 to 20 bottoms. The old 30-60 Hart Parr would plow from 8 to 10 bottoms depending upon the soil. At the museum at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan there is a 20 bottom plow once used behind a 110 horse Case steam engine. If they were plowing sod for the first time they would use breaker bottoms and they would turn the sid with kinking it, lay it over smooth.
In those days furrows were measured in miles and not rods. I talked with a man once in Manitoba who said he drove a Minnesota Universal with a 4 bottom plow from
the time the frost came out until it froze up in November. The Furrows were 4 miles long. Yes, those were the days when one worried about getting home for supper on time. In those days they only plowed about 4' deep, just to cover the stubble and make a sort of seed bed. I've heard it told in North Dakota back in the twenties how they hitched a binder along side of a 6 bottom plow. The binder kicked the bundles over on the plowed ground where they were shocked. They had to use a 4 horse team on the bundle wagon at threshing time. Thus the binding and plowing were done all at once. Things were always done in a big way in the northwest.
DeLaval Alpha Jr. 2 HP or Lauson Frost King Jr. 1916. The engine was made by Lauson and sold under the DeLaval name.
My Domestic 1? HP type A gasoline engine serial #9374 hit and miss system. 4' bore x 4' stroke 50 cubic inch displacement. 18' flywheels, 500 lbs. Made by the Domestic Engine & Pump Co., Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Restored by Donald E. Becker, Myerstown, Pennsylvania. It is an excellent running engine. Courtesy of Donald Kramer, R. D. 1, Box 40, Hereford, Pennsylvania 18056.
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To Kill a Mocking Bird
Explorations in a Theology of 'Otherness'
William Wordsworth, in one of his major poems reflecting on his growing up, recalls how one summer evening he found a small boat under a willow tree and on impulse decided to go off rowing down Lake Windermere. As he rowed in the moonlight, surrounded by the mountains, it seemed as if the boat was gliding along almost under its own power and, anxious to prove his skill to row in a straight line, he fixed his gaze
‘upon the summit of a craggy ridge,
The horizon’s utmost boundary’
with nothing above but the stars and the grey sky,
‘When, from behind that craggy steep till then
The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and large,
As if with voluntary power instinct
Upreared its head.’
It frightened him. Suddenly the mountains, the water and the skies, which had cradled and fascinated him from birth, created a deep anxiety. Stricken with fear — a mixture of awe, wonder, respect and apprehension — Wordsworth turned about, yet the more he rowed the more that ‘huge peak’ seemed to pursue him ‘with measured motion’ as he made his way back to the safety of the willow tree, abandoned the boat, and made for home, but for days that boy lived with an awareness ‘of unknown modes of being . . . a darkness . . . call it solitude or blank desertion’.
In that experience, Wordsworth was the victim of an encounter with ‘the other’, an unknown force able to disturb his equilibrium, which he could neither control nor ignore. Deep down, he knew that that ‘other’ called for respect. A little deeper down perhaps, or maybe deeper in a different way, it frightened him.
Rudolph Otto defined such disturbing encounters with ‘the numinous’ as non-rational (not to be confused with irrational), a mystery which lies at the very heart of humanity. He called it mysterium tremendum to sharpen the strength of the emotion and the fear that goes with it. C S Lewis defines it as not so much the fear of a reality (like confrontation with a wild animal) as the fear of the uncanny (like a ghost). But then, to the mysterium tremendum et fascinans, Otto adds, the overwhelming experience from which you cannot escape. The consequences are profound because you never know what such a spirit might do or how to respond to it and so you find yourself living with the need to keep your distance. You can’t handle it or control it. You can’t deny it. Neither can you leave it alone.
This concept of ‘otherness’ is a fundamental and essential component of our common humanity. It begins in infancy, with a natural caution, suspicion, fear and anxiety. It is a necessary part of growing up until we learn who is or is not to be trusted, and in the process of growing up this ‘other’ morphs from anyone not in our family to anyone not in our street, town, country, tribe, race or the like, or to anyone who does not share our faith, interests, likes and dislikes.
So in this paper I want to explore this experience of ‘otherness’ in a variety of guises, beginning not with religion but with Harper Lee’s narrative in her only published novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. At one level, To Kill a Mockingbird is a human story of racial prejudice in a fairly limited, not to say small-minded, community relating to a particular place and time (‘a tired old town’ in the 1930s); at another it is a communal expression of Wordsworth’s personal experience of fear and fascination and Otto’s mysterium tremendum. The first thing we have to do is to identify the ‘other’.
Identifying the ‘Other'
The ‘other’ varies from person to person and from place to place and is by definition subjective. To the white, ‘the other’ is black; to the black, ‘the other’ is white, and so on, in a multitude of less sharply defined, but no less significant, shades of grey, such as the educated and the uneducated, the rich and the poor, the clean and the dirty, the courteous and the rude, and so on. All these can be summed up as the ‘exclusive other’. It’s ‘them and us’, a label we pin on people we don’t like, are afraid of or suspicious of, and we are all party to it, sometimes as victims, sometimes as perpetrators.
For the most part ‘exclusive otherness’ can be kept in check by balances and counter-balances. It can even form the foundation for a healthy, positive and creative way of life, but without the checks and balances, it all too easily becomes set in stone, with negative results for all concerned, and in an extreme form, or in the hands of lobby groups or manipulators, provide the raw material for a lie or crude invention. To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on both kinds, the one in the main story (Tom Robinson) and the other in the metanarrative (Boo Radley).
In the main story, where the predominant theme is race and colour, the ‘exclusive other’ cuts both ways, the white excluding the black and the black excluding the white. So when Calpurnia, the black cook, takes the white children, Scout and Jem, to her (black) church, she and the children are rebuffed by Lula, a member of the congregation, who says to Calpurnia,
‘I wants to know why you bringin’ white children to nigger church . . . You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here — they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?’ (TKAM 135-136).
In the metanarrative, which is almost a commentary on the main story, we see the damage caused by ‘otherness’ extreme and unchecked. Not altogether unlike Wordsworth, three children (all under 12 and moved by a mix of fear and fascination) let loose their imaginations on something strange or unusual, not of great consequence but quite beyond their experience and understanding. Almost before they know what they are doing, and certainly before other people know what they are up to, they allow their imaginations to distort what is there, partly for their amusement, partly to bolster their fear and uncertainties. These fears are then fuelled and complicated by the environment and folklore they have grown up with, to the point where they find themselves actually creating an ‘other’ that is not really there at all.
Both the narrative and the metanarrative are then backed by a chorus of ‘others’, each of whom tells us something about the way we treat not only ‘the other’ we keep on the outside but also ‘the other’ whom we allow inside our circle though not without taking care to establish our distance from them with phrases such as, ‘Of course, we are not like them’ or ‘Some people would do this, but we don’t’. There is no single brand of ‘otherness’.
There is a touch of the ‘exclusive other’ in us all, often a part of ourselves of which we may not even be aware but which we need to confront head on. Once understood and wisely handled, it can help us establish the ‘togetherness of the others’ that creates the harmony of community life, but in order to appreciate that we first have to come to terms with ‘the other’ in us all.
The ‘Other’ in Us All
Jem sums up his own feelings towards the end when he says,
‘There’s four kinds of folks in the world. There’s the ordinary kind, like us and the neighbours. There’s the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes . . . The thing about it is, our kind of folks don’t like the Cunninghams, the Cunninghams don’t like the Ewells, and the Ewells hate and despise the coloured folks’ (TKAM 258).
Scout disagrees. She thinks there are only ‘folk’. To Kill a Mockingbird suggests it is not quite so simple.
‘Otherness’ is not confined to education, social class or lifestyle. There are many other forms every bit as prevalent, powerful and destructive as race, colour or eccentric behaviour. Every community has its own collection of ‘others’, some more obvious and troublesome than others.
Miss Caroline, the newly-arrived teacher in Maycomb, is an example of the 'inevitable other’. She is the product of her upbringing and quite unaware of how the rest of the world lives. To her the whole of Maycomb is ‘other’, so a bright eight-year-old is reproved because her father is ‘interfering with her reading’ by teaching her at home (TKAM 19) but then when she goes berserk at the sight of a cootie in a pupil’s hair her class are left in no doubt as to who really is ‘the other’.
Miss Maudie is a variation on the 'inevitable other’. We might describe her as the ‘characteristic other’. She would be ‘other’ in any community. ‘Otherness’ is her driving force. It is what makes her who she is. She cherishes it and takes a pride in it. Possessions mean nothing to her. She hates her house, and spends most of her time in her garden which she loves, along with ‘everything that grew in God’s earth including the weeds’ (TKAM 47).
But then she also has the knack of making ‘others’ the ‘other’ in order to establish herself. So she and Nathan Radley, for example, are both Baptists but the Radleys are a different sort of Baptist. (TKAM 49-50). Similarly, she and Miss Stephanie are both churchgoers, but Miss Stephanie is a more traditional, churchy sort of person, a gossip and a busybody, with a lot of very negative attitudes. Miss Maudie may not actually reject the ‘other’ but she never has any doubt that the ‘other’ is not Miss Maudie.
Mrs Dubose and Dolphus Raymond and are a couple of ‘self-created others’. Mrs Dubose, with a reputation as ‘the meanest old woman who ever lived’, chooses awkwardness and hostility to present herself as ‘a lady with a difference’. She does it to conceal the fact that she is a morphine addict, but that only comes out after her death when we learn that ‘she was a great lady’, with tremendous courage and (according to Atticus) ‘the bravest person I ever knew’.
Dolphus Raymond, for different reasons, has quite deliberately created an entirely ‘other image’ for himself as a drunkard, living with a coloured woman and mixed children and enjoying the company of the coloured more than the white, when the reality is quite different. He admits it is dishonest, but plays along with it because he says people have to find a reason for anyone of eccentric behaviour and ‘they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to’.
In one way or another, we are all ‘others’, inevitable, characteristic, self-defining and self-created, as numerous and varied as the sand that is upon the seashore. But every now and then there strides on to the stage an ‘other’ of a different order. Such a man is Atticus.
The ‘Other’ of a Different Order
What makes Atticus different is complex. Some of this is reflected in aphorisms (or Atticisms) which tell us something about him, his character, principles and values. Early on, for example, when Scout is having difficulty with her teacher and classmates, Atticus says, ‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it’ (TKAM 33). He is a man with a shrewd understanding of human nature, and when Scout’s recognition of a familiar face in the crowd saves him from a mob attack he points out that it can take ‘an eight-year-old child to bring ‘em to their senses’ (TKAM 174-176, 179), or later, when he explains to Jem that in that Maycomb jury you can see what happens when something comes between ‘twelve reasonable men in everyday life’ and ‘reason’. (TKAM 251-252).
Asked why he insists on defending Tom Robinson, he says he couldn’t go to church and worship God if he didn’t. Told by Scout that most people think he is wrong, he says ‘before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself.’ For Atticus, living with yourself is a precondition of living with God; they might almost be synonymous.
Local people find Atticus puzzling if not irritating. Even in his own family he is something of a loner and an enigma. (TKAM 94). Scout, for example, complains he not like other dads, and towards the end when Jem is (wrongly) suspected of murder — the victim apparently fell on his knife — it takes all the sheriff’s powers of persuasion to prevent Atticus taking the case to the County Court to avoid any suggestion of a cover-up for his son.
Such a person, walking the face of the earth, amuses some, puzzles others and angers the rest. He has a natural, if unintended, flair to keep the tongues wagging, is clearly not everybody’s cup-of-tea, possibly not the sort of man you would want to meet up with in a bar and unlikely ever to be the soul of a party. He doesn’t easily build close relations with anyone and has few friends, associates and supporters, almost as if people respect him but don’t like him. Yet he risks his reputation if not his life in order to be himself, with all that that entails for himself and for his family and there can be no doubt that Atticus is unique, his own man, sui generis.
What actually motivates him is a matter for speculation. Unlike Browning’s Pippa, Atticus would probably never have said,
‘God’s in his heaven
All’s right with the world!’
but he always seems to have a kind of hunch that all will be well. He never doubts who he is, where he belongs and whom he belongs to, and that is more than enough to give him confidence to face life for himself and with plenty left over for others. In any community he would be a ‘distinctive other’. We need to look more closely.
The Distinctive 'Other'
What enables Atticus to develop his hunch is never spelt out but some seeds may be found in relationships within his own family, particularly with his sister, Alexandra.
Atticus is ‘other’ to Alexandra. Alexandra is ‘other’ to Atticus. On family traditions, standards, values and social graces they are poles apart, and it is only as they come to terms with their own personal backgrounds and problems, in a particular situation and in the interests of others (in their case the rearing of children), that each (the ‘distinctive' and the ‘exclusive') morphs to create a ‘balancing other’, rather like the ‘sail and keel’ in marriage or the ‘good guy/bad guy’ in management.
Life and relationships for a ‘balancing other’ can never be smooth, sometimes creating harmony, sometimes strife, but in the ‘balancing other’ we see the potential for a new world.
To Alexandra her family is special — and different — so when Atticus has opened Scout’s eyes to a different view of the Cunninghams, Scout tells Aunt Alexandra that she is going to invite Walter Cunningham to tea, and even to stay the night. Not on your life! ‘Why not, auntie?’ she asks, ‘they’re good folks’. Alexandra has no wish to challenge the fact that they are ‘good folks’ but replies ‘they’re not our kind of folks’. But then we hear Atticus telling Scout that ‘most of this Old Family stuff’s foolishness because everybody’s family’s just as old as everybody else’s’, and that includes ‘coloured folks and Englishmen’, thereby essentially demolishing the one thing which makes them different from the Cunninghams, the Ewells and the rest and thus destroying one of the myths that props up not only Alexandra but so many others like her. (TKAM 255-259).
With that sharp division, rearing children is bound to be a bone of contention. Atticus accepts Scout as a tomboy. Aunt Alexandra wants to make her a lady (TKAM 257). Next, Calpurnia. When Alexandra is not getting what she wants with Scout she tells Atticus Calpurnia must go. He has a daughter to think of and, with Alexandra around, Calpurnia is no longer needed. Atticus will not hear of it. Alexandra gets in only two words to object and then she is silenced immediately and the matter is considered closed. (TKAM 155-56).
So the ‘balanced others’ haven’t reached agreement, and probably never will, but they have come to terms with each other, learned to respect each other and to live together. Each knows and recognizes what the other will and will not do. They also know they have a common job to do, and they both have to live in Maycomb.
But there is one crucial difference between them. Whereas one ‘balanced other’ (Alexandra) is still most at home among the ‘exclusives’, the other (Atticus) has one other facet to his character which distinguishes him from the rest. He cannot countenance the killing of a mockingbird, and with that goes a distinctive yen for that ‘other’ whom so far we have not mentioned and who needs help most of all — the ‘victimized other’, of which there are three classic examples: the rejected, the ignored and the not needed.
The Victimised ‘Other'
Tom Robinson is rejected — a quiet unassuming fellow but a fall-guy and a scapegoat, is rejected, caught in the crossfire of more powerful forces and prejudice, and the fact that we know so little about him tells its own story. For Atticus he is one of many. Atticus has to do what he does in order to help. Mayella Ewell is ignored. In court, when Atticus asks her if she has any friends, she seems not to know what he means. For Atticus, Mayella ‘must have been the loneliest person in the world’ — not even rejected, just ignored. Dill, even worse, is just not needed, knows it and feels it. (TKAM 158). He is one who scarcely counts in the roll of life, the victim of an indifference that is the very antithesis of love. He arrives and departs very much like a summer holiday, has ideas and drive but is barely taken seriously. Nobody but Jem and Scout seem to notice him at all and he knows his face will be forgotten once he closes the door behind him.
None of these three is a natural ‘other’. None of them has done anything to merit ‘otherness’. They are victims of the attitudes of others. Shakespeare said, ‘Some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them.’ By contrast, all three have had ‘otherness’ thrust upon them, and it is only when we see Atticus in action with them that we begin to appreciate Atticus, the ‘distinctive other’, as ‘the other for all others’.
It is almost as if Atticus came from another world and found no personal difficulty maintaining the values of that other world come what may. He launches no drive or campaign to promote his philosophy but those closest to him (a few) find him an inspiration. More general reactions vary from admiration to puzzlement, from appreciation to anger and, by the end of the story, it is doubtful whether anything really has changed as a result of his presence.
But then could that be, I wonder, because change depended not on him but on the Maycomb community? Living alongside Atticus, it was up to them to write the sequel and for us, the readers, to imagine what that sequel might be, either in their situation or in a similar one of our own world. But then, before we can do that, there is yet one more ‘other’.
The Corporate ‘Other'
The ‘corporate other’ is not unlike all the other forms except that it finds expression in groups and communities rather than individuals and therefore can be much more insidious. At its heart is the fundamental nature of the ‘otherness’ we started with: a suspicion, fear, anxiety relating to the unknown (mysteriumfascinans) coupled with a desire to preserve one’s identity, and linked with an inability to achieve detachment and closure (). In Maycomb the focus is race and colour. In other places and other times it may be religion, politics or gender, possibly even language or dress.
At one level the ‘corporate other’ is what leads children in the playground to gang up against one who presents no threat but who is slightly out of the norm. At another, it may lead to more serious attacks (or defence), ranging from minor skirmishes to wars and rumors of war between races, tribes and nation states. The ‘corporate other’ can and does surface anywhere. In Maycomb, both sides subscribe to a ‘corporate otherness’ and both seem to accept it. History may explain how it came about but it takes more than history to tell us how and why it persists. In one sense nobody in Maycomb is responsible for it. It is bigger and more far reaching than any of them. In another sense everybody in Maycomb is responsible. So how does it persist and why?
The idea that some group (such as the Ku Klux Klan) is actively promoting it in Maycomb seems unlikely, and there is no evidence for it in Lee’s novel. What seems more likely is that Maycomb residents are all victims in different ways of something which has been there for as long as they can remember. They have grown up with it and learned to live with it. Perhaps, as with our growth from childhood to maturity, what began as a perfectly reasonable suspicion or anxiety has taken over, and hardened with age to the point where it has become little more than a deceptive creation or crude invention which nobody has the courage to challenge, which it is in the interests of some people to preserve, and the negative consequences of which most people prefer not to think about.
Harper Lee makes no attempt to get involved in such questions, and it probably would not be very helpful if she did. Instead she offers a metanarrative in which she uses the eyes of three children to help us to see a very similar situation in a slightly different context; she relies on the sensitive reader to spot the connections and reflect on them. So while alerting us to the potential damage in all forms of ‘otherness’, and particularly to the dangers associated with ‘corporate otherness’, she concludes her novel with a faint hint that once we can view all ‘others’ with a more perceptive eye, we may begin to see that, at least in some cases, it is through embracing the ‘other’ that we find our own deliverance. And this brings us to Boo Radley.
The Tale of Boo Radley
The tale of Boo Radley addresses the brand of ‘otherness’ for which there is virtually no evidence but which can readily root and blossom if there is a seed or a doubt, a bit of mystery or imagination, and somebody on hand to exploit it.
Boo Radley is the ‘non-existent other’. There is indeed a person with that name and you can ‘find him’ in Maycomb, but of the real Boo Radley and his family Harper Lee tells us little or nothing. We never meet him until the end, and when we do he is totally different from what we have been led to expect. Yet in his story, we can observe the story of so many others, individual and corporate, in all parts of the world.
The reactions of three children to the ‘non-existent other’ are not unlike those of society in general, possibly a reflection of the attitude of many in Maycomb to those of a different race, colour or way of life, and (some would say) a reflection of ourselves in similar situations. It starts, as we said, when three children, an overdose of imagination and a modicum of maturity are let loose on something strange or unusual (mysteriumfascinans), in itself of no great consequence, and quite beyond their experience and understanding but they cannot let it lie (), at least not without trying to examine it and discover its reality for themselves. But notice the stages they go through.
Initially, they are hardly aware of Boo at all. He was ‘just there’. He always had been. Sometimes they wondered if he was real, but mostly they saw him as part of the furniture, treated him with respect, and kept their distance. All they knew depended on stories, myths and the innuendoes that surrounded him, or what they had gleaned from comments and gossip, and most of it merely washed over them. Boo barely encroaches on their lives and when he does there are always others around to offer assurance, security and protection. All there is is just enough ‘strangeness’ to breed suspicion.
So it is that individuals, families, tribes, races, dogmas, ideologies and the like can live for years, if not generations, surrounded by all kinds of ‘others’ which they know are there but which scarcely impinge on their consciousness. Then one day something happens.
In this case the catalyst was the arrival of Dill, a year younger than Scout, a ‘visitor’ from another world. When boredom sets in at the end of a long summer vacation, Dill sells Jem and Scout the idea of taking on Boo Radley. From that moment, Scout and Jem’s world turns on its axis. Boo Radley becomes a phantom, a symbol, an icon — ‘the non-existent other’, with a power over them which they find hard to ignore. What they do may ring familiar bells.
First, a dare. They play ‘chicken’ with ‘the other’, testing and teasing themselves as to who has the courage to go and touch the wall or knock at the door (TKAM 15-16).
Next, fantasy feeds on ‘mysterious messages’. Stories, handed down from year to year, are combined with presents found in a tree adjoining the Boo Radley home, suggesting that Boo Radley may be playing games with them. (TKAM 37-38, 69-70)
Then, play-acting. They dramatize ‘the other’, fear and anxiety finding expression in humour as they make fun of the whole idea (TKAM 43-45), followed by careful planning to get Boo to come out of his hiding place (TKAM 52).
At each stage, boldness and the lack of response feeds suspicion, matched by increasing confidence and risk-taking, until even the adults join in and when a shot is fired in the Radley garden one night the story goes round that Boo’s older brother had shot a negro. Just the sort of thing to confirm precisely what everybody wants to believe.
Hard facts may still be hard to come by, but with constant dripping slowly there is a growing suspicion of this ‘non-existent other’, possibly enough to cause alarm (in a childlike way), but to the point where he looms larger and larger on their radar. Like Wordsworth’s peak, fear (mysteriumfascinans) is balanced by a fatal, almost irresistible attraction ().
More thoughtful adult attitudes vary. Nobody seems to doubt that Boo Radley is real. Some actually claim to know. Some to have seen him (TKAM 48). Some adopt a healthy indifference. Some just don’t see him as a problem. Some go into denial. Some wage a war against him. Only a few, like Scout and Jem, want an explanation.
Miss Maudie’s view is simply that Boo Radley was a fine youngster, stays in the house because he doesn’t want to come out (TKAM 49), and everything they say about him is ‘three-fourths coloured folks and one-fourth Stephanie Crawford.’ Atticus, wise and detached as ever, keeps things in proportion, tells them to ‘stop tormenting that man’, to stop their games and to keep well away from the house until they are invited (TKAM 54-55).
Yet, and still without any hard evidence, it is a story which runs only on fear and suspicion, and serves only those who want to relieve their boredom or those who find it stimulating to have an enemy. So it is that something ‘non-existent’ can assume reality.
As the story comes to a end, the details of narrative and metanarrative become secondary. By the middle of October little in Maycomb has changed and, by the end of the month, life for Scout and Jem had resumed the familiar routine of school, play and study (TKAM 277, 287). The story of Boo Radley is over. Or is it just beginning? Not altogether unlike the second gospel, To Kill a Mocking Bird ends on a positive, if uncertain, note.
Boo, it appears, was a much misunderstood character, a caring person who goes about his business unobtrusively, making advances and offering openings but leaving others to respond. He had made overtures to the children with gifts but they had no understanding of what was going on, found it impossible to believe it was Boo, and, (blinded by neighbourhood legend and folklore), found themselves unable to share their anxieties with the adults around them.
Yet, when Jem lost his trousers, making a hasty exit from Radley territory, it turns out that it was Boo who repaired them and left them in an orderly fashion for Jem to collect at his own convenience (TKAM 66). On a cold night when Miss Maudie’s house was burned to the ground it was Boo who provided a blanket for Scout (TKAM 81) and it was Boo who was on hand when she needed someone to protect her after the Halloween Party (TKAM 309-10). At no point however had the children seen him, not even on the night of the fire. (TKAM 80-82). As Jem pointed out, all Scout had to do was to turn round, but she was too busy looking at the fire to notice (TKAM 82). After the Halloween Party, standing there in his presence with Atticus and Mr Tate, there is still something of the mysterious about him which makes it difficult for Scout to acknowledge him. She is awe-stricken and speechless.
The sheriff asked her what happened. She says,
‘Mr Ewell was tryin’ to squeeze me to death, I reckon . . . then somebody yanked Mr Ewell down . . . Somebody was staggerin’ around and pantin’ and — coughing fit to die.’
Who did she think it was? She knows. He is standing there straight in front of her, and she still cannot say his name. All she can do is to point and say,
‘Why there he is, Mr Tate, he can tell you his name’. (TKAM 309).
Her description which follows (TKAM 310) is poignant as she finally acknow-ledges his presence.
‘He had been leaning against the wall when I came into the room, his arms folded across his chest. As I pointed he brought his arms down and pressed the palms of his hands against the wall. They were white hands, sickly white hands that had never seen the sun . . .’I looked from his hands to his sand-stained khaki pants . . . up his thin frame to his torn shirt. His face was white as his hands . . . His cheeks were thin to hollowness; his mouth was wide; there were shallow, almost delicate indentations at his temples, and his grey eyes were so colourless I thought he was blind. His hair was dead and thin . . .
‘When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly . . . and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. A strange small spasm shook him . . . but as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbour’s image blurred with my sudden tears.
‘Hey, Boo’, I said.’
Readers familiar with the Bible (or Handel’s Messiah) may be reminded of other parallels to Lee’s portrait of Radley. Other readers, familiar with religious art, may recall associations with portraiture. This is not to suggest that Boo is Jesus, or even a Christ figure, but simply to note that occasionally, and not least among the rejected, despised and dispossessed ‘others’, one comes across a character who so closely resembles the one at the heart of the Christian tradition, and, when it happens, nobody is more surprised than we are, except perhaps the person themselves. Atticus, the ‘distinctive other’, is perhaps the only one who knows that the story is never all failure and that there is much more to life than what regularly passes for success.
We began with Otto’s mysterium tremendum et fascinans and noted how scholars of the history of religion have sometimes regarded this as humanity’s searching after God, a response to a limited understanding of life with a mixture of fear, suspicion and fascination. If there is any connection between the two searches it is not so much in the characters as in the quest. Biblical images of early encounters with God are scarcely concealed below the surface, beginning with God telling Moses, ‘you will see my back, but not my face’ continuing in Isaiah’s description of the Suffering Servant, coming to a climax with the women weeping at the cross and finding the ultimate expression in the stone which the builders rejected.
Perhaps Harper Lee is telling us more than she realized as she offers us a tool for dealing with our fears and uncertainties and giving us a fresh way of looking at them. If so, one way to get the most out of To Kill a Mockingbird is to identify the principal characters (Boo, Atticus, Tom, Mayella or the like) in our own experience, but instead of ‘playing games’ with them or fantasising about them, learning to see what we are doing to ‘the other’, to hear what the ‘others’ are trying to tell us, and to spot what it is that we are missing.
Page references are to the New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006 edition.
© Alec Gilmore 2017
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Paper Tubes
Cardboard tubes are cylinder-shaped components that are made from wood pulp that has been fabricated into an assortment of cardboard, including paper-adhesive composites, kraft paper, paperboard, and fiberboard. There is a wide range of functions that utilize cardboard tubes to some extent. Cardboard tubes are often made by wrapping a ribbon of cardboard around a mandrel in a designated set of dimensions.
Cardboard tubes can be manufactured to fit numerous items. Depending on the desired level of protection, the structure of cardboard tubes can be made with varying levels of thickness and strength. Cardboard tubes can be found as shipping tubes or mailing tubes, and can be used for things that can be rolled up into a cylindrical shape, such as a document, poster, paper, or piece of artwork. Postal tubes can be made from high quality kraft paper are capable of enduring stress and pressure that comes with the transit and transportation processes. Kraft tubes are very resilient, and are a recommended type of tube for shipping and packaging applications.
Cardboard tubes have numerous other uses, including paper cores that provide structural fortitude for items such as toilet paper, paper towels, rolls of fabric, electrical wires, coin banks, caulking tubes for construction purposes, grease cartridges used extensively for mechanical and automotive applications, and finally, paper cans that are used for packaging merchandise such as costmetics and foods. Contractors and construction businesses use heavy-duty cardboard tubes called Sonotubes in forming concrete pillars. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Ace Paper Tube Corporation
Cleveland, OH | 800-882-9002
Valk Industries, Inc.
Greeneville, TN | 423-638-1284
Western Container Corp.
Beloit, WI | 800-393-7917
Chicago Mailing Tube Co.
Chicago, IL | 312-243-6050
Paper Tubes & Sales
Dallas, TX | 800-422-5108
Heartland Products Group LLC
Milwaukee, WI | 414-988-7141
The majority of cardboard tubes are spiral-wound, and they can be strengthened with additional adhesive materials. The first step involves cutting large sheets of paper or cardboard into thin ribbons which are given an adhesive coating and then wrapped at an angle around a mandrel configured into the designated shape. Multiple layers can be added in this step, depending on the tube’s desired level of fortitude. All paper tubes are measured and labeled according to their interior dimensions.
In order to ensure structural integrity, paper tubes are generally no longer than 48 inches (approx. 122 cm) in length, despite the variety of the types of tubes available. Waterproof and water resistant cardboard is necessary for certain heavy-duty applications. Therefore, additional adhesives and interior waterproof sealing layers can be added in the fabricating process.
The mixture of resin and wood pulp is formed, cured, and may undergo additional curing within an oven. During the heat treatment process, the pulp melds with the adhesives in order to strengthen the final product, which is more durable and resilient to humidity and other forms of weather. These attributes are important in transportation and storage, in which products are at an additional risk of damage from moisture.
Thicker cardboard is highly recommended for storage, mailing, and transporting fragile items. Mailing tubes are thus designed to shield products from denting, bumping, or breaking while in transit. It is also crucial to choose the correct size in order to minimize how much the products move around while inside the tube. Both of the shipping tube’s ends are sealed with a plastic plug for postal and transportation purposes, especially for scientific or medical products, or confidential documents.
Both ends may be sealed, or they may fold in and close. The interior dimensions are measured in order to formally classify the tube. The thickness of the tube’s wall and the closing spaces at either end are analyzed as well. Tubes used for mailing and shipping are stronger than other types of containers, including boxes. The cylindrical shape of the tube enables it to contain items which are preferably not folded, such as artwork, maps, posters, and blueprints.
Cardboard tubes can vary greatly in terms of size, industry, and function. Tubes can also be coated with customizable decorative foil or paper. Logos and other product information can be printed on the outside of the tube, which can be found on food processing items. Different colors, designs, and patterns can be printed for the purposes of gift packaging or holiday-themed postal tubes.
Paper tubes are commonly fabricated from recycled paper, and tubes made with durable material can be reused. This makes them a cost-effective alternative to other materials such as metal, glass, plastic, or wood. Furthermore, cardboard is easier to cut, purchase, and dispose of, compared to most other materials. In terms of strength-to-weight ratio, cardboard is often times favored over plastic and metal because of its light weight and durability. Heavy-duty cardboard tubes are much less prone to denting and breakage, making this type of cardboard ideal for high-impact mailing and shipping applications.
One important thing to keep in mind is that cardboard is porous. Therefore, for applications such as food processing or electrical wiring, a layer of non-porous material may have to be added in order to protect the tube’s contents from additional and potentially hazardous moisture. Aside from this minor disadvantage, cardboard tubes are flexible, strong, and can be easily reused and recycled. Therefore, numerous industries and applications can rely on cardboard tubes for their day-to-day functions.
Cardboard Tubes Informational Video
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Use visual references to help size up components of a meal, dietician Lisa Westfall says
Portion control is important when it comes to losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight. Many Americans underestimate the amount of food and calories they eat in a day. Just because it's on your plate doesn't mean you have to eat it.
Examples of appropriate serving sizes for a sensible meal are as follows:
For starches, 1 slice of bread, 1/2cup cooked rice or pasta or 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes
1/2 cup cooked veggies
1 cup of milk
3 to 4 ounces of meat
Having an object to reference a serving size can be helpful. A vegetable or fruit serving is the size of your fist. A serving of pasta is the size of an ice cream scoop. A piece of meat can be compared to a deck of playing cards. An apple should be no bigger than the size of a baseball. A computer mouse is a good visual for a potato. A bagel should be around the size of a hockey puck. As we all know, the bagels from some restaurants are much bigger than that. Most restaurants provide servings that are two to four times the amount that we should eat.
Nutrition labels are on food products for a reason. It is important to look at the serving size and amount of servings in the product. This will help you in eye-balling the proper amount to eat. When preparing foods at home, try using measuring cups to portion your vegetables, pasta, fruit and other items. Then put them onto your plate so you can see how much each item covers your dish. This will help you learn how to judge what a serving size is without having to use a measuring cup.
Use smaller dishes at home, store leftovers in portion-controlled containers, try to avoid eating out of a bag. You can pre-portion baggies with chips, pretzels and other snacks.
Portion size is important when it comes to controlling calorie intake and can help promote weight loss or maintain a healthy weight. It is also helpful for when you eat out. Most restaurants double or triple what a serving size should be. By being informed, you will be able to judge how much you should eat to ensure you are not over-indulging. At the same time, don't let all of this bog you down. Eating should still be enjoyable, just keep your eyes open to what is on your plate.
Lisa Westfall is a registered dietician at Dublin Methodist Hospital.
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The 10 Biggest Religions In The World
By Abhinandan Lawati
People all over the world have their own beliefs and religions. Most of these religions follow similar practices and preach the same ideals. It is a shame to see the world in turmoil even though all of these religions promote peace. We have compiled a list on 10 of the biggest religions in the world. The CIA’s World Fact book has been used for reference.
Before we begin the list, here are some interesting facts for you.
• The term Buddhism is derived from a Hindu word Budhi, which translates to wisdom.
• There are millions of different Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu religion.
• Around 50 bibles are sold every minute in the United States.
• Muslims believe that Allah is God’s personal name.
• Mormons are forbidden to drink tea, coffee, and alcohol.
1. Christianity
In terms of popularity, Christianity is the biggest religion, with followers exceeding the 2 billion mark. It has been reported that over 50% Christians are Roman Catholics. The New Testament presents Christianity as a religion based on the life and teachings of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
2. Islam
With over 1.5 billion followers, Islam is a popular religion. Muslims consider their holy book, the Quran, to be the word of God. Many people often confuse the true meaning of the word Jihad; Jihad means to struggle and strive in the name of the Almighty.
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3. Atheist/ Agnostic/Non religious
There are people in the world who don’t believe in the Almighty. These people account for nearly 1 billion of the total population. Atheists don’t believe in the existence of deities. The term atheism bears Greek origins. It originated from the Greek word atheos.
4. Hinduism
Nearly a billion people follow Hinduism and most of them live in India. Considered the oldest religion, followers of this religion consider the Bhagavad Gita as their holy book and worship countless deities with Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, and Lord Ganesha etc being the prominent ones.
5. Chinese Traditional Religions
chinese traditional religions
There are nearly half a billion people in the world who follow various traditional Chinese religions. These folks believe in the worship of gods, spirits, and different energies that benefit them and help them thrive. Some of these ritual traditions include Wuism, Nuoism, Taoism, and Confucianism etc.
6. Buddhism
The religion, Buddhism, is largely based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the enlightened one. The major branches of Buddhism are Theravada and Mahayana. Buddhism is famous in various Asian countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, Korea, Korea, China, Japan, and Vietnam etc. This religion has over 400 million followers.
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7. Ethnic Religion
ethnic religion
Civil religions bearing organized clergy can be considered ethnic religions. Over 300 million people are followers of several ethnic religions namely Traditional Berber religion, Shinto, Judaism, Dongbaism, Samaritanism, and Kirat Mundum etc.
8. African Traditional Religion
african traditional religion
Africa is a large continent and there are over 100 million people who follow various African traditional religions. The followers of these religions believe in higher power, spirits and traditional medicine.
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9. Sikhism
Followers of this religion are known as Sikhs. Founded in the 15th Century by Guru Nanak, this religion boasts of over 23 million followers. Punjab, a state in India, is home to most Sikhs. The holy scripture of this religion is the Guru Granth Sahib.
10. Juche
Juche is a religion formed by the former North Korean dictator Kim II Sung. The religion’s political thesis entrusts its followers with the responsibility of developing their country. Juche is known to have around 19 million followers.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Extinctions)
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Conservation status
Lower Risk
Other categories
Related topics
IUCN Red List category abbreviations (version 3.1, 2001)
More than 99 percent of all species, amounting to over five billion species,[1] that ever lived on Earth are estimated to be extinct.[2][3][4] Estimates on the number of Earth's current species range from 10 million to 14 million,[5] of which about 1.2 million have been documented and over 86 percent have not yet been described.[6] More recently, in May 2016, scientists reported that 1 trillion species are estimated to be on Earth currently with only one-thousandth of one percent described.[7]
Through evolution, species arise through the process of speciation—where new varieties of organisms arise and thrive when they are able to find and exploit an ecological niche—and species become extinct when they are no longer able to survive in changing conditions or against superior competition. The relationship between animals and their ecological niches has been firmly established.[8] A typical species becomes extinct within 10 million years of its first appearance,[4] although some species, called living fossils, survive with virtually no morphological change for hundreds of millions of years.
Mass extinctions are relatively rare events; however, isolated extinctions are quite common. Only recently have extinctions been recorded and scientists have become alarmed at the current high rate of extinctions.[9][10][11] Most species that become extinct are never scientifically documented. Some scientists estimate that up to half of presently existing plant and animal species may become extinct by 2100.[12]
A dagger symbol (†) next to a species name is often used to indicate its extinction.
External mold of the extinct Lepidodendron from the Upper Carboniferous of Ohio[13]
The dodo of Mauritius, shown here in a 1626 illustration by Roelant Savery, is an often-cited example of modern extinction[15]
The extinction of one species' wild population can have knock-on effects, causing further extinctions. These are also called "chains of extinction".[17] This is especially common with extinction of keystone species.
Extinction of a parent species where daughter species or subspecies are still extant is called pseudoextinction or phyletic extinction. Effectively, the old taxon vanishes, transformed (anagenesis) into a successor,[18] or split into more than one (cladogenesis).[19]
Lazarus taxa[edit]
The coelacanth, a fish related to lungfish and tetrapods, was considered to have been extinct since the end of the Cretaceous Period until 1938 when a specimen was found, off the Chalumna River (now Tyolomnqa) on the east coast of South Africa.[20] Museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer discovered the fish among the catch of a local angler, Captain Hendrick Goosen, on December 23, 1938.[20] A local chemistry professor, JLB Smith, confirmed the fish's importance with a famous cable: "MOST IMPORTANT PRESERVE SKELETON AND GILLS = FISH DESCRIBED".[20]
Far more recent possible or presumed extinctions of species which may turn out still to exist include the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus), the last known example of which died in Hobart Zoo in Tasmania in 1936; the Japanese wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax), last sighted over 100 years ago; the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), last sighted for certain in 1944; and the slender-billed curlew (Numenius tenuirostris), not seen since 2007.[21]
The passenger pigeon, one of hundreds of species of extinct birds, was hunted to extinction over the course of a few decades
Assessing the relative importance of genetic factors compared to environmental ones as the causes of extinction has been compared to the debate on nature and nurture.[24] The question of whether more extinctions in the fossil record have been caused by evolution or by catastrophe is a subject of discussion; Mark Newman, the author of Modeling Extinction, argues for a mathematical model that falls between the two positions.[4] By contrast, conservation biology uses the extinction vortex model to classify extinctions by cause. When concerns about human extinction have been raised, for example in Sir Martin Rees' 2003 book Our Final Hour, those concerns lie with the effects of climate change or technological disaster.
Genetics and demographic phenomena[edit]
If adaptation increasing population fitness is slower than environmental degradation plus the accumulation of slightly deleterious mutations, then a population will go extinct.[27] Smaller populations have fewer beneficial mutations entering the population each generation, slowing adaptation. It is also easier for slightly deleterious mutations to fix in small populations; the resulting positive feedback loop between small population size and low fitness can cause mutational meltdown.
Limited geographic range is the most important determinant of genus extinction at background rates but becomes increasingly irrelevant as mass extinction arises.[28] Limited geographic range is a cause both of small population size and of greater vulnerability to local environnmental catastrophes.
Genetic pollution[edit]
Purebred wild species evolved to a specific ecology can be threatened with extinction[29] through the process of genetic pollution—i.e., uncontrolled hybridization, introgression genetic swamping which leads to homogenization or out-competition from the introduced (or hybrid) species.[30] Endemic populations can face such extinctions when new populations are imported or selectively bred by people, or when habitat modification brings previously isolated species into contact. Extinction is likeliest for rare species coming into contact with more abundant ones;[31] interbreeding can swamp the rarer gene pool and create hybrids, depleting the purebred gene pool (for example, the endangered wild water buffalo is most threatened with extinction by genetic pollution from the abundant domestic water buffalo). Such extinctions are not always apparent from morphological (non-genetic) observations. Some degree of gene flow is a normal evolutionarily process, nevertheless, hybridization (with or without introgression) threatens rare species' existence.[32][33]
The gene pool of a species or a population is the variety of genetic information in its living members. A large gene pool (extensive genetic diversity) is associated with robust populations that can survive bouts of intense selection. Meanwhile, low genetic diversity (see inbreeding and population bottlenecks) reduces the range of adaptions possible.[34] Replacing native with alien genes narrows genetic diversity within the original population,[31][35] thereby increasing the chance of extinction.
Scorched land resulting from slash-and-burn agriculture
Habitat degradation[edit]
Predation, competition, and disease[edit]
The large Haast's eagle and moa from New Zealand
Climate change[edit]
Extinction as a result of climate change has been confirmed by fossil studies.[40] Particularly, the extinction of amphibians during the Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse, 305 million years ago.[40] A 2003 review across 14 biodiversity research centers predicted that, because of climate change, 15–37% of land species would be "committed to extinction" by 2050.[41][42] The ecologically rich areas that would potentially suffer the heaviest losses include the Cape Floristic Region, and the Caribbean Basin. These areas might see a doubling of present carbon dioxide levels and rising temperatures that could eliminate 56,000 plant and 3,700 animal species.[43]
Mass extinctions[edit]
Marine extinction intensity during the Phanerozoic
Millions of years ago
The blue graph shows the apparent percentage (not the absolute number) of marine animal genera becoming extinct during any given time interval. It does not represent all marine species, just those that are readily fossilized. The labels of the traditional "Big Five" extinction events and the more recently recognised End-Capitanian extinction event are clickable hyperlinks; see Extinction event for more details. (source and image info)
There have been at least five mass extinctions in the history of life on earth, and four in the last 350 million years in which many species have disappeared in a relatively short period of geological time. A massive eruptive event is considered to be one likely cause of the "Permian–Triassic extinction event" about 250 million years ago,[44] which is estimated to have killed 90% of species then existing.[45] There is also evidence to suggest that this event was preceded by another mass extinction, known as Olson's Extinction.[44] The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (K-Pg) occurred 66 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous period, and is best known for having wiped out non-avian dinosaurs, among many other species.
Modern extinctions[edit]
Biologist E. O. Wilson estimated [12] in 2002 that if current rates of human destruction of the biosphere continue, one-half of all plant and animal species of life on earth will be extinct in 100 years.[48] More significantly, the current rate of global species extinctions is estimated as 100 to 1000 times "background" rates (the average extinction rates in the evolutionary time scale of planet Earth),[49][50] while future rates are likely 10,000 times higher.[50] However, some groups are going extinct much faster. Biologists Paul R. Ehrlich and Stuart Pimm, among others, contend that human population growth and overconsumption are the main drivers of the modern extinction crisis.[51][52][53][54]
History of scientific understanding[edit]
For much of history, the modern understanding of extinction as the end of a species was incompatible with the prevailing worldview. Through the 18th century, much of Western society adhered to the belief that the world was created by God and as such was complete and perfect.[56] This concept reached its heyday in the 1700s with the peak popularity of a theological concept called the Great Chain of Being, in which all life on earth, from the tiniest microorganism to God, is linked in a continuous chain.[57] The extinction of a species was impossible under this model, as it would create gaps or missing links in the chain and destroy the natural order.[56][57] Thomas Jefferson was a firm supporter of the Great Chain of Being and an opponent of extinction,[56][58] famously denying the extinction of the wooly mammoth on the grounds that nature never allows a race of animals to become extinct.[59]
A series of fossils were discovered in the late 17th century that appeared unlike any living species. As a result, the scientific community embarked on a voyage of creative rationalization, seeking to understand what had happened to these species within a framework that did not account for total extinction. In October 1686, Robert Hooke presented an impression of a nautilus to the Royal Society that was more than two feet in diameter,[60] and morphologically distinct from any known living species. Hooke theorized that this was simply because the species lived in the deep ocean and no one had discovered them yet.[57] While he contended that it was possible a species could be "lost", he thought this highly unlikely.[57] Similarly, in 1695, Thomas Molyneux published an account of enormous antlers found in Ireland that did not belong to any extant taxa in that area.[61][58] Molyneux reasoned that they came from the North American moose and that the animal had once been common on the British Isles.[61] Rather than suggest that this indicated the possibility of species going extinct, he argued that although organisms could become locally extinct, they could never be entirely lost and would continue to exist in some unknown region of the globe.[61] Using the antlers as evidence for this position, Molyneux described how moose had continued to exist in North America even as they were lost to the British Isles.[58] The antlers were later confirmed to be from the extinct Irish elk Megaloceros.[58] Hooke and Molyneux's line of thinking was difficult to disprove. When parts of the world had not been thoroughly examined and charted, scientists could not rule out that animals found only in the fossil record were not simply "hiding" in unexplored regions of the Earth.[62]
Georges Cuvier is credited with establishing the modern conception of extinction in a 1796 lecture to the French Institute,[59][55] though he would spent most of his career trying to convince the wider scientific community of his theory.[63] Cuvier was a well-regarded geologist, lauded for his ability to reconstruct the anatomy of an unknown species from a few fragments of bone.[55] His primary evidence for extinction came from mammoth skulls found in the Paris basin.[55] Cuvier recognized them as distinct from any known living species of elephant, and argued that it was highly unlikely such an enormous animal would go undiscovered.[55] In 1812, Cuvier, along with Alexandre Bronigniart & Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, mapped the strata of the Paris basin.[57] They saw alternating saltwater and freshwater deposits, as well as patterns of the appearance and disappearance of fossils throughout the record.[58][63] From these patterns, Cuvier inferred historic cycles of catastrophic flooding, extinction, and repopulation of the earth with new species.[58][63]
Cuvier’s fossil evidence showed that very different life forms existed in the past than those that exist today, a fact that was accepted by most scientists.[56] The primary debate focused whether this turnover caused by extinction was gradual or abrupt in nature.[63] Cuvier understood extinction to be the result of cataclysmic events that wipe out huge numbers of species, as opposed to the gradual decline of a species over time.[64] His catastrophic view of the nature of extinction garnered him many opponents in the newly emerging school of uniformitarianism.[64]
Jean-Baptist Lamarck, a gradualist and colleague of Cuvier, saw the fossils of different life forms as evidence of the mutable character of species.[63] While Lamarck did not deny the possibility of extinction, he believed that it was exceptional and rare and that most of the change in species over time was due to gradual change.[63] Unlike Cuvier, Lamarck was skeptical that catastrophic events of a scale large enough to cause total extinction were possible. In his geological history of the earth titled Hydrogeologie, Lamarck instead argued that the surface of the earth was shaped by gradual erosion and deposition by water, and that species changed over time in response to the changing environment.[63][65]
Charles Lyell, a noted geologist and founder of uniformitarianism, believed that past processes should be understood using present day processes. Like Lamarck, Lyell acknowledged that extinction could occur, noting the total extinction of the dodo and the extirpation of indigenous horses to the British Isles.[57] He similarly argued against mass extinctions, believing that any extinction must be a gradual process.[55][59] Lyell also showed that Cuvier’s original interpretation of the Parisian strata was incorrect. Instead of the catastrophic floods inferred by Cuvier, Lyell demonstrated that patterns of saltwater and freshwater deposits, like those seen in the Paris basin, could be formed by a slow rise and fall of sea levels.[58]
The concept of extinction was integral to Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, with less fit lineages disappearing over time. For Darwin, extinction was a constant side effect of competition.[66] Because of the wide reach of On the Origin of Species, it was widely accepted that extinction occurred gradually and evenly (a concept we now refer to as background extinction).[59] It was not until 1982, when David Raup and Jack Sepkoski published their seminal paper on mass extinctions, that Cuvier was vindicated and catastrophic extinction was accepted as an important mechanism. The current understanding of extinction is a synthesis of the cataclysmic extinction events proposed by Cuvier, and the background extinction events proposed by Lyell and Darwin.
Human attitudes and interests[edit]
Biologist Bruce Walsh of the University of Arizona states three reasons for scientific interest in the preservation of species; genetic resources, ecosystem stability, and ethics;[68] and today the scientific community "stress[es] the importance" of maintaining biodiversity.[68][69]
Governments sometimes see the loss of native species as a loss to ecotourism,[72] and can enact laws with severe punishment against the trade in native species in an effort to prevent extinction in the wild. Nature preserves are created by governments as a means to provide continuing habitats to species crowded by human expansion. The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity has resulted in international Biodiversity Action Plan programmes, which attempt to provide comprehensive guidelines for government biodiversity conservation. Advocacy groups, such as The Wildlands Project[73] and the Alliance for Zero Extinctions,[74] work to educate the public and pressure governments into action.
Planned extinction[edit]
• The smallpox virus is now extinct in the wild,[76] although samples are retained in laboratory settings.
• The rinderpest virus, which infected domestic cattle, is now extinct in the wild.[77]
The poliovirus is now confined to small parts of the world due to extermination efforts.[78]
Dracunculus medinensis, a parasitic worm which causes the disease dracunculiasis, is now close to eradication thanks to efforts led by the Carter Center.[79]
Biologist Olivia Judson has advocated the deliberate extinction of certain disease-carrying mosquito species. In a September 25, 2003 New York Times article, she advocated "specicide" of thirty mosquito species by introducing a genetic element which can insert itself into another crucial gene, to create recessive "knockout genes".[80] She says that the Anopheles mosquitoes (which spread malaria) and Aedes mosquitoes (which spread dengue fever, yellow fever, elephantiasis, and other diseases) represent only 30 species; eradicating these would save at least one million human lives per annum, at a cost of reducing the genetic diversity of the family Culicidae by only 1%. She further argues that since species become extinct "all the time" the disappearance of a few more will not destroy the ecosystem: "We're not left with a wasteland every time a species vanishes. Removing one species sometimes causes shifts in the populations of other species—but different need not mean worse." In addition, anti-malarial and mosquito control programs offer little realistic hope to the 300 million people in developing nations who will be infected with acute illnesses this year. Although trials are ongoing, she writes that if they fail: "We should consider the ultimate swatting."[80]
See also[edit]
4. ^ a b c Newman, Mark (1997). "A model of mass extinction". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 189: 235–252. doi:10.1006/jtbi.1997.0508.
5. ^ G. Miller; Scott Spoolman (2012). Environmental Science – Biodiversity Is a Crucial Part of the Earth's Natural Capital. Cengage Learning. p. 62. ISBN 1-133-70787-4. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
6. ^ Mora, C.; Tittensor, D.P.; Adl, S.; Simpson, A.G.; Worm, B. (23 August 2011). "How many species are there on Earth and in the ocean?". PLOS Biology. 9: e1001127. PMC 3160336Freely accessible. PMID 21886479. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127.
8. ^ Sahney, S., Benton, M.J. and Ferry, P.A. (2010). "Links between global taxonomic diversity, ecological diversity and the expansion of vertebrates on land" (PDF). Biology Letters. 6 (4): 544–547. PMC 2936204Freely accessible. PMID 20106856. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2009.1024.
9. ^ a b Species disappearing at an alarming rate, report says. MSNBC. Retrieved July 26, 2006.
13. ^ Davis, Paul and Kenrick, Paul. Fossil Plants. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C. (2004). Morran, Robin, C.; A Natural History of Ferns. Timber Press (2004). ISBN 0-88192-667-1
15. ^ Diamond, Jared (1999). "Up to the Starting Line". Guns, Germs, and Steel. W. W. Norton. pp. 43–44. ISBN 0-393-31755-2.
17. ^ Quince, C.; et al. "Deleting species from model food webs" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-09-25. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
20. ^ a b c "Discovery" of the Coelacanth
21. ^ 4 Extinct species that people still hope to rediscover – John R. Platt – Scientific American – February 21, 2013
22. ^ Mills, L. Scott (2009-03-12). Conservation of Wildlife Populations: Demography, Genetics and Management. John Wiley & Sons. p. 13. ISBN 9781444308938.
23. ^ Stearns, Beverly Peterson and Stephen C. (2000). "Preface". Watching, from the Edge of Extinction. Yale University Press. pp. x. ISBN 0-300-08469-2.
24. ^ Raup, David M.; J. John Sepkoski Jr. (March 1982). "Mass extinctions in the marine fossil record". Science. 215 (4539): 1501–3. Bibcode:1982Sci...215.1501R. PMID 17788674. doi:10.1126/science.215.4539.1501.
27. ^ Bertram, J; Gomez, K; Masel, J (February 2017). "Predicting patterns of long-term adaptation and extinction with population genetics". Evolution. 71 (2): 204–214. doi:10.1111/evo.13116.
28. ^ Payne, J.L.; S. Finnegan (2007). "The effect of geographic range on extinction risk during background and mass extinction". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 104 (25): 10506–11. Bibcode:2007PNAS..10410506P. PMC 1890565Freely accessible. PMID 17563357. doi:10.1073/pnas.0701257104.
29. ^ Mooney, H. A.; Cleland, E. E. (2001). "The evolutionary impact of invasive species". PNAS. 98 (10): 5446–5451. Bibcode:2001PNAS...98.5446M. PMC 33232Freely accessible. PMID 11344292. doi:10.1073/pnas.091093398.
32. ^ Rhymer, J. M.; Simberloff, D. (November 1996). "Extinction by Hybridization and Introgression". Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. Annual Reviews. 27: 83–109. JSTOR 2097230. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.27.1.83. Introduced species, in turn, are seen as competing with or preying on native species or destroying their habitat. Introduces species (or subspecies), however, can generate another kind of extinction, a genetic extinction by hybridization and introgression with native flora and fauna
33. ^ Potts, Brad M. (September 2001). "Genetic pollution from farm forestry using eucalypt species and hybrids : a report for the RIRDC/L&WA/FWPRDC Joint Venture Agroforestry Program". Robert C. Barbour, Andrew B. Hingston. Australian Government, Rural Industrial Research and Development Corporation. ISBN 0-642-58336-6.
35. ^ Lindenmayer, D. B.; Hobbs, R. J.; Salt, D. (2003-01-06). "Plantation forests and biodiversity conservation" (PDF). Australian Forestry. 66 (1): 64. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-09-30. there may be genetic invasion from pollen dispersal and subsequent hybridisation between eucalypt tree species used to establish plantations and eucalypts endemic to an area (Potts et al. 2001). This may, in turn, alter natural patterns of genetic variability
37. ^ Lee, Anita. "The Pleistocene Overkill Hypothesis Archived October 14, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.." University of California at Berkeley Geography Program.'.' Retrieved January 11, 2007.
38. ^ Koh, Lian Pih. Science, Vol 305, Issue 5690, 1632–1634, 10 September 2004.
39. ^ Dunn, Robert; Nyeema Harris; Robert Colwell; Lian Pin Koh; Navjot Sodhi (2009). "Proceedings of the Royal Society". The sixth mass coextinction: are most endangered species parasites and mutualists?. The Royal Society. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
41. ^ Thomas, C. D.; et al. (2004-01-08). "Extinction risk from climate change". Nature. 427 (6970): 145–148. Bibcode:2004Natur.427..145T. PMID 14712274. doi:10.1038/nature02121. Retrieved 2010-05-28. minimal climate-warming scenarios produce lower projections of species committed to extinction (approx18%) (Letter to Nature received 10 September 2003.)
42. ^ Bhattacharya, Shaoni (7 January 2004). "Global warming threatens millions of species". New Scientist. Retrieved 2010-05-28. the effects of climate change should be considered as great a threat to biodiversity as the "Big Three" – habitat destruction, invasions by alien species and overexploitation by humans.
43. ^ Handwerk, Brian, and Brian Hendwerk. "Global Warming Could Cause Mass Extinctions by 2050, Study Says." National Geographic News (Apr. 2006): n. pag. www.nationalgeographic.com. Web. 12 Oct. 2009.
44. ^ a b Sahney, S.; Benton, M.J. (2008). "Recovery from the most profound mass extinction of all time" (PDF). Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological. 275 (1636): 759–65. PMC 2596898Freely accessible. PMID 18198148. doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.1370. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-22.
47. ^ "Vanishing fauna (Special issue)". Science. 345 (6195): 392–412. 25 July 2014. doi:10.1126/science.345.6195.392.
48. ^ Wilson, E. O. (April 30, 2012). ""E. O. Wilson wants to know why you’re not protesting in the streets"". Grist (Interview). Interview with Lisa Hymas. Retrieved January 16, 2014. E. O. Wilson repeats his estimation in 2012.
49. ^ J.H.Lawton and R.M.May, Extinction rates, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK
50. ^ a b De Vos; et al. (2014). "Estimating the Normal Background Rate of Species Extinction". Conservation Biology. 29: 452–462. doi:10.1111/cobi.12380.
51. ^ Pimm, S. L.; Jenkins, C. N.; Abell, R.; Brooks, T. M.; Gittleman, J. L.; Joppa, L. N.; Raven, P. H.; Roberts, C. M.; Sexton, J. O. (30 May 2014). "The biodiversity of species and their rates of extinction, distribution, and protection" (PDF). Science. 344 (6187). doi:10.1126/science.1246752. Retrieved 15 December 2016. The overarching driver of species extinction is human population growth and increasing per capita consumption.
53. ^ Ceballos, Gerardo; Ehrlich, Paul R; Dirzo, Rodolfo (23 May 2017). "Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction signaled by vertebrate population losses and declines". PNAS. doi:10.1073/pnas.1704949114.
54. ^ Graham, Chris (July 11, 2017). "Earth undergoing sixth 'mass extinction' as humans spur 'biological annihilation' of wildlife". The Telegraph. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
58. ^ a b c d e f g Bressan, David. "On the Extinction of Species". Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
59. ^ a b c d Vidal, Fernando; Dias, Nélia (2015-06-19). Endangerment, Biodiversity and Culture. Routledge. ISBN 9781317538073.
60. ^ Inwood, Stephen (2005-05-03). The Forgotten Genius: The Biography of Robert Hooke, 1635–1703. MacAdam/Cage Publishing. ISBN 9781596921153.
61. ^ a b c Molyneux, Thomas (1695-01-01). "A Discourse Concerning the Large Horns Frequently Found under Ground in Ireland, Concluding from Them That the Great American Deer, Call'd a Moose, Was Formerly Common in That Island: With Remarks on Some Other Things Natural to That Country. By Thomas Molyneux, M. D. Fellow of the King and Queens Colledge of Physicians inIreland, and of the Royal Society in England". Philosophical Transactions. 19 (215–235): 489–512. ISSN 0261-0523. doi:10.1098/rstl.1695.0083.
63. ^ a b c d e f g Trevor., Palmer, (2003-01-01). Perilous planet earth : catastrophes and catastrophism through the ages. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521819288. OCLC 912273245.
64. ^ a b S., Rudwick, M. J. (1998). Georges Cuvier, fossil bones, and geological catastrophes : new translations & interpretations of the primary texts. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226731063. OCLC 45730036.
65. ^ Renato), Mandelbaum, Jonathan (Jonathan. The age of Lamarck : evolutionary theories in France, 1790–1830. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520058309. OCLC 898833548.
66. ^ "The Lost World". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
67. ^ C. Cormack Gates; Curtis H. Freese; Peter J.P. Gogan; Mandy Kotzman. American bison: status survey and conservation guidelines 2010. IUCN. p. 15. ISBN 978-2-8317-1149-2. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
68. ^ a b Walsh, Bruce. Extinction. Bioscience at University of Arizona. Retrieved July 26, 2006.
71. ^ Diamond, Jared (2005). "A Tale of Two Farms". Collapse. Penguin. pp. 15–17. ISBN 0-670-03337-5.
72. ^ Drewry, Rachel. "Ecotourism: Can it save the orangutans? Archived February 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine." Inside Indonesia. Retrieved January 26, 2007.
73. ^ The Wildlands Project Archived November 22, 2005, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved January 26, 2007.
74. ^ Alliance for Zero Extinctions Archived April 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved January 26, 2007.
75. ^ Ehrlich, Anne (1981). Extinction: The Causes and Consequences of the Disappearance of Species. Random House, New York. ISBN 0-394-51312-6.
77. ^ Dennis Normile (2008). "Driven to Extinction". Science. 319 (5870): 1606–1609. PMID 18356500. doi:10.1126/science.319.5870.1606. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
81. ^ "Why a famous biologist wants to eradicate killer mosquitoes". PRI.
External links[edit]
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AskDefine | Define rich
Dictionary Definition
rich adj
1 possessing material wealth; "her father is extremely rich"; "many fond hopes are pinned on rich uncles" [ant: poor]
2 having an abundant supply of desirable qualities or substances (especially natural resources); "blessed with a land rich in minerals"; "rich in ideas"; "rich with cultural interest" [ant: poor]
3 of great worth or quality; "a rich collection of antiques"
4 marked by great fruitfulness; "fertile farmland"; "a fat land"; "a productive vineyard"; "rich soil" [syn: fat, fertile, productive]
5 strong; intense; "deep purple"; "a rich red" [syn: deep]
6 very productive; "rich seams of coal"
7 high in mineral content; having a a high proportion of fuel to air; "a rich vein of copper", "a rich gas mixture" [ant: lean]
8 suggestive of or characterized by great expense; "a rich display" [ant: poor]
9 marked by richness and fullness of flavor; "a rich ruby port"; "full-bodied wines"; "a robust claret"; "the robust flavor of fresh-brewed coffee" [syn: full-bodied, robust]
10 highly seasoned or containing large amounts of choice ingredients such as butter or sugar or eggs; "kept gorging on rich foods"; "rich pastries"; "rich eggnogg"
11 pleasantly full and mellow; "a rich tenor voice"
12 affording an abundant supply; "had ample food for the party"; "copious provisions"; "food is plentiful"; "a plenteous grape harvest"; "a rich supply" [syn: ample, copious, plenteous, plentiful]
User Contributed Dictionary
see Rich
en-adj er
1. Having a lot of money and possessions.
2. Having an intense flavour.
3. Very amusing.
4. Ridiculous, absurd.
Derived terms
having wealth
Extensive Definition
Rich may refer to:
Rich as a name may refer to:
See also
rich in German: Rich
rich in French: Rich
rich in Japanese: リッチ
rich in Polish: Rich
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
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Nature genetics | Apr 26, 1999
Glaucomas are a major cause of blindness. Visual loss typically involves retinal ganglion cell death and optic nerve atrophy subsequent to a pathologic elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP). Some human glaucomas are associated with anterior segment abnormalities such as pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) and iris atrophy with associated synechiae. The primary causes of these abnormalities are unknown, and their aetiology is poorly understood. We recently characterized a mouse strain (DBA/2J) that develops glaucoma subsequent to anterior segment changes including pigment dispersion and iris atrophy. Using crosses between mouse strains DBA/2J (D2) and C57BL/6J (B6), we now show there are two chromosomal regions that contribute to the anterior segment changes and glaucoma. Progeny homozygous for the D2 allele of one locus on chromosome 6 (called ipd) develop an iris pigment dispersion phenotype similar to human PDS. ipd resides on a region of mouse chromosome 6 with conserved synteny to a region of human chromosome 7q that is associated with human PDS. Progeny homozygous for the D2 allele of a different locus on chromosome 4 (called isa) develop an iris stromal atrophy phenotype (ISA). The Tyrpl gene is a candidate for isa and likely causes ISA via a mechanism involving pigment production. Progeny homozygous for the D2 alleles of both ipd and isa develop an earlier onset and more severe disease involving pigment dispersion and iris stromal atrophy.
Pubmed ID: 10192392 RIS Download
Mesh terms: Age Factors | Animals | Atrophy | Chromosome Mapping | Crosses, Genetic | Glaucoma | Homozygote | Iris | Iris Diseases | Membrane Glycoproteins | Mice | Mice, Inbred BALB C | Mice, Inbred C57BL | Mice, Inbred DBA | Mice, Inbred Strains | Microsatellite Repeats | Oxidoreductases | Pigment Epithelium of Eye | Proteins | Species Specificity
Research resources used in this publication
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Research tools detected in this publication
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Data used in this publication
None found
Associated grants
• Agency: NCI NIH HHS, Id: CA34196
• Agency: NEI NIH HHS, Id: EY07758
Mouse Genome Informatics (Data, Gene Annotation)
We have not found any resources mentioned in this publication.
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Dinosaurs, lacking Free Mindfulness Exercises, Become Extinct from Selfie Craze
Dinosaurs, Lacking Free Mindfulness Exercises, Become Extinct from Selfie Craze
Mindfulness was beyond the intelligence of iPhoning dinosaurs
Oh dear
In California, scientists and archaeologists are blown away by the discovery of a female brontosaurus upper body in the La Brea Tar Pits. Not only is it the biggest specimen to be found in the area, but to their shock, the creature was clutching a mobile phone between its toes.
This discovery may finally explain the extinction 65 million years ago of the dinosaur kingdom. The mobile phone!
Through extensive computer study and simulation, it seems that all herbivorous dinosaurs, including Ankylosaurus, Apatosaurus,Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, Dryosaurus, Euoplocephalus, Heterodontosaurus, Hypsilophodon, Iguanodon, Kentrosaurus, Lambeosaurus, Lesothosaurus, Maiasaura, Massospondylus, Montanoceratops, Pachycephalosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Protoceratops, Riojasaurus and many others communicated by phone day and night. Young were often ignored as were the usual daily necessities of herbivorous lizards.
The worst thing that could happen did happen. The carnivores made meals of them like hotcakes until they were all gone. Tyrannosaurus Rex and
Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Coelophysis, Compsognathus, Deinonychus, Dilophosaurus, Eoraptor, Giganotosaurus, Megalosaurus, Suchomimus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Unenlagia, Utahraptor. Velociraptor, Yangchuanosaurus, and many others had no interest in phones because they could usually make themselves heard vocally. They made short work of the small brained big vegetarians.
You see, the herbivores’ brains were too small to fit in the skill of mindfulness behavior. Hunger or thirst or bathing never crossed their minds when they were on their phones. No wonder they died out. Oh, I forgot to say that when all the herbies were gone of course the carnies died of starvation!
Is there a lesson here for us to learn?
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FVBE - TimeBase1
by Roberto Asquini
Build a 32 bit precision timer with 15nsec of resolution
This example presents a programmable 32 bit timer with resolution of 15.625 nsec and max period of 67 seconds. It can be used to generate very precise periodic pulses for by other peripherals or to trigger timed events or operations. The example will show how to program it to light up an external LED for a precise semiperiod of 1.0000 second and how to change the timer values through several foxbone interfaces. This example uses, as usual, a Fox Board coupled with a Fox-VHDL board.
Real measure of the TimeBase1 TIMEBASEHALFOUT output signal
The above screenshot shows the oscilloscope result output of the 32 bit timer function TimeBase1. It is possible to see, in the highest green trace, the 1.00000 second semiperiod generated by the Fox-VHDL board output H13 TIMEBASEHALFOUT. In the two traces underneath there are the rising and falling fronts of the signal zoomed to show the precision of the measure.
Signature release register values for this example:
The example is composed of two VHDL files: TimeBase1.vhd that realizes the inner part of the example with the logic needed to implement the 32 bit timer-counter and the logic for resetting it at the desired value. The other file FoxBone_TimeBase1.vhd is a wrapper file that permits the working of the timer under the FoxBone specifications. So we will be able to access the timer functionalities through some foxbone registers.
In particular, these are the relevant FoxBone registers for this application and their meaning:
• -- 0x0004: readable register returning the FoxBone release (presently 0x0070 or 0.7.0)
• -- 0x0005: first hardware application word returning 0x2323 (FoxBoneExamples)
• -- 0x0006: second hardware application word returning 0x0000 (stands for example 1)
• -- 0x0007: third hardware application word returning 0x0001 (release 1 of example 1).
Those above registers are present in every foxbone implementation to help the application software to recognize the correct programmed FPGA inside the Fox-VHDL board to avoid uncorrect driving of the hardware peripherals inside the FPGA.
• -- 0x0100: read/write register with the bit 0 meaning enable for the TimeBase: 1 = enabled
Startup value = 0x0001 (enabled)
• -- 0x0102: read/write register with the low 16 bit part of the time base preset value
Startup value 0x8fff.
• -- 0x0103: read/write register with the high 16 bit part of the time base preset value
Startup value 0x03d0. (Both registers are preset at startup for a total delay of 1.0000 seconds).
How it works
The 32 bit timer application example uses a 32 bit counter clocked by the main external clock of the Fox-VHDL board (frequency: 64 MHz; period: 15.625 nsec). The free running counter value is compared constantly against a 32 bit (programmable through FoxBone) value named DIVIDERVALUE. When there is a match, a positive pulse of 15.625 nsec is generated on the external output TIMEBASEOUT on the FPGA pin H14 that is connected to the Fox-VHDL pin JP3.23. Moreover the matching has the effect of resetting the 32 bit counter, so that a whole time interval will be waited as programmed. The total number of clock ticks for every round of the counter will be DIVIDERVALUE +1. To take advantage of the timer output in a different way, since the generated pulse is very short in time, another output is generated with a logic divider by two feeded by the generated pulse. Its output will be half frequency square wave but with a 50% duty cycle. So, its semiperiod will equal the programmed interval timer. This signal is routed out of the FPGA on the line TIMEBASEOUTHALF on the FPGA pin H13 that corresponds to the external Fox-VHDL pin JP3.24. At this line we can connect an external LED or an oscilloscope to show the timer operation.
How to test it immediately
To try immediately the 32 bit timer function you can download and save on your PC the FPGA programming file: FoxBone_TimeBase1.stp.
Then follow the programming instructions on: Flashing the FOX VHDL FPGA with a new hardware image to program the Fox-VHDL FPGA.
To program the FPGA and test it you should have the Fox programmed with a fimage capable to drive the Fox-VHDL board.
Hardware test bench
Now we are ready to test our Fox-VHDL Example TimeBase1. As shown in the figure below, connect a normal Led to pin JP3.24 and ground (GND) through a 1000 Ohm resistor.
Schematic of the hardware connection
After the start of the Fox Board and the FOX VHDL you should observe the external LED just connected, cycling with on and off periods of exactly 1 sec each. To change this time period just refer to the article How To change FoxBone registers from the FOX BOARD .
Using one of the methods described in the article change the values of the registers 0x102 and 0x103. Observe consequently, the on and off variation of time semiperiods of the LED.
Beware when modifying the foxbone registers 0x102 and 0x103. if the timer is running since if you change the value with a lower value in a moment when the running 32 bit counter has just passed that value, the matching comparison will be delayed to a complete round of the 32 bit counter so you must wait up to 67 seconds to have the register change operative. It can result in an apparent freeze of the function. To avoid this, better to stop the timer before changing its register values. To stop the timer counter and reset it to zero, just write 0x0000 into the register 0x100. After the change on the registers 0x102 and 0x103 restart the timer with a write operation of 0x0001 in the 0x100 register.
Test the 32 bit timer with the timebase application
Inside the FOX image able to program and drive the FOX VHDL board, there is also installed a kernel driver specifically designed to operate with the foxbone registers of the foxbone timebase application. In other articles we will explain how to build a Linux kernel driver for a foxbone peripheral so to exploit the max performances from it. Here we would like to show a simple way to interact with the Timebase function with a simple command line tool that is also inside the FOX Board image
the timebase tool
# timebase
timebase usage: timebase command value
valid commands:
e = enable timebase;
d = disable timebase;
h = set high timevalue;
l = set low timevalue
Typical usages:
timebase e (enable)
timebase h 1d0 (set high value to 0x1d0 which)
(makes the led blink fast)
As you can see above, invoking timebase from a console or telnet session of the FOX, you can have the possible options to use the tool. You can enable or disable the timebase (so stopping the LED from blinking) or change the lower word or the higher word of the 32 bit timebase preset value. It is very simple to use this tool also inside a script. Here is reported the sourcecode of the timebase tool to show the way to write a program that uses the custom kernel driver of the timebase foxbone function: timebase.c
In Depth: TimeBase1.vhd description
The VHDL code TimeBase1.vhd implements the inner part of this example. In our examples we always detach the function application specific code files from the FoxBone interface file that is put above it in a hierarchical way. This decoupling permits a cleaner way of programming the internal hardware functions separating them from the details of the foxbone interface needed to operate it. It is a good common practice that permits an easy reuse and multiple use of the hardware function logic blocks. The wrapping VHDL code file for this example (FoxBone_TimeBase1.vhd) will be presented later on.
As you can see, at the beginning of the TimeBase1.vhd VHDL file it is declared an entity named TimeBase1 that has the following port signals:
• CLOCK that is used to connect the main clock for the working of the logic.
• TIMEBASEOUT This is one of the two outputs of this function. It goes high for 15.625 nsec every time the 32 bit counter reaches the DIVIDERVALUE value.
• RESETN This signal is used to stop and reset all the logic of this function logic block.
• DIVIDERVALUE This is a port signal that is set from outside this module and is here used as comparison value for the running counter to reset the counter when matching and to generate TIMEBASEOUT pulses.
• RUNCOUNTER This port is made available for hierarchical higher codes to have information around the actual value of the running counter.
After the declaration of two internal signals we see the presence of two processes that together realize the complete 32 bit timer function. Let's see the first process:
RunningCounterProcess : process (RESETN, resetCounter, CLOCK)
if ( RESETN = '0' or resetCounter = '1') then
RunningCounter <= x"00000000";
elsif ( CLOCK'event and CLOCK = '1') then
RunningCounter <= RunningCounter + 1;
end if;
end process;
This first process is sensitive to three signals: RESETN, resetcounter and CLOCK. This process acts on the RunningCounter 32 bit internal signal. It resets the RunningCounter when either RESETN = '0' or the internal signal resetCounter is at level '1'; otherwise at every CLOCK rising front the RunningCounter value is incremented.
Let's see now the second process:
resetCounterprocess : process (RESETN, CLOCK)
if ( RESETN = '0' ) then
resetCounter <= '0';
elsif ( CLOCK'event and CLOCK = '0') then
if (RunningCounter = DIVIDERVALUE) then
resetCounter <= '1';
resetCounter <= '0';
end if;
end if;
end process;
The second process initializes at zero the internal signal resetCounter during RESETN = '0'. Then on every falling edge of the CLOCK signal it is made a comparison between the DIVIDERVALUE value and the RunningCounter value. If they are equal, the internal signal resetCounter is set. Otherwise (no matching values) the resetCounter signal is reset. The second process realizes a standard 32 bit logic comparator.
Making the comparison on the negative front of the CLOCK port signal is useful to avoid logic races on the increment of the RunningCounter that is incremented on the rising edges of the CLOCK.
@idea To better understand race conditions in logic design please see this article: Understanding Race Conditions in Logic Programming.
The set of the resetCounter signal will reset RunningCounter to all zeroes value so restarting the whole process.
In the last part of the code, the internal signal resetCounter is connected to the port signal TIMEBASEOUT, so it will be available outside the entity TIMEBASE1. It is the main output for this function. As well the internal runningCounter signals are connected to the port signal RUNCOUNTER so other entities outside this module can read it for their use. It offers a view of the current timebase value. The connection of the internal signals to port signals declared in the entity also permits to visualize them during simulation session.
In the following you can see a simulation diagram of the TimeBase1.vhd VHDL code. This simulation has been made using the standard tools inside the Actel suite of programs Libero 7.1:
Simulation diagram of TimeBase1 VHDL code
Is it possible to see in the diagram that when the signal resetn (the simulator ignores the uppercase of the names) is at a low state the runcounter port signal that replicates the internal signal RunningCounter is fixed at zero and is not incremented by the clock port signal. After the rising front of resetn, runcounter starts counting up at every rising front of the clock.
In the highest part is it possible to see the value set for dividervalue that is 2. When the runcounter reaches the value 2, at the clock falling edge, the runcounter value shows that the runningCounter has been reset and the port signal timebaseout is set for one clock period of time. timebaseout is reset at the next clock falling edge and runcounter can then restart counting again from the next rising front of the clock port signal. This is why the total period exceed by 1 the value of the DIVIDEVALUE signal. Infact the rising fronts of the timebaseout signal are distant here three clock periods.
Changing the dividervalue to 4, will change the time period of the timebaseout pulses from 2+1 to 4+1 clock periods.
Asserting low the port signal resetn stops and resets the runcounter 32 bit counter.
In Depth: FoxBone_TimeBase1.vhd description
The VHDL code FoxBone_TimeBase1.vhd implements the outer part (or interface part) of this example.
This is the root part of the VHDL project so the relative entity port signals will all be connected to real pins of the FPGA. In the following the list of the external pins to operate this function through FOXBONE. We can see so in the entity FoxBone_TimeBase1, the declaration of the 32 bit FOXBONE_BUS and the other 4 foxbone control signals:
The present port signal RESETN is not the same as in the previous file TimeBase1.vhd. It is a different signal. Every signal visibility is inside its architecture definition. To connect together signals between two architectures you have to use port signals in the entity/component relationship as explained in the Introduction of VHDL coding.
The other port signals declared in the main entity for this project are:
• CLOCK that is the external main clock present on board (64 MHz);
• TIMEBASEOUT is the output for the pulse generated by the timer when the counter matches the dividervalue programmed in the foxbone registers 0x102 and 0x103.
• TIMEBASEHALFOUT is instead a signal generated in this file to have a signal of 50% duty cycle that we will connect to a LED for demonstration purposes. It realizes a "use" of the 32 bit timer to generate a simple flasher with equal times for on and off.
In the architecture part of the code we see firstly a group of eight 16 bit constants that implement the constant foxbone register addresses and values. The following constants represent the addresses chosen for the specific registers of the TimeBase1 function:
• TIMEBASE_ENABLE_CONTROL_REGISTER_ADDRESS: address 0x100. Bit 0 of this register is to enable/disable the 32 bit timer.
• TIMEBASE_LOW_VALUE_CONTROL_REGISTER_ADDRESS: low word timer value (will be passed to the low part of DIVIDERVALUE of TimeBase1).
• TIMEBASE_HIGH_VALUE_CONTROL_REGISTER_ADDRESS: high word timer value (will be passed to the high part of DIVIDERVALUE of TimeBase1).
Now we found the declaration of the component TimeBase1. This is the standard way to decompose a logic task in a hierarchical way with several files. The component will be instantiated later and the port signals of the component will be connected to the respective port signals of the entity TimeBase1. so they must have always a perfect correspondence in terms of bit width and meaning to couple together.
Then we see the definition of the internal signals.
The simple declaration of a signal (single bit or multibit) is enough to realize a permanent register inside the FPGA that can be written or read inside the scope of the signal itself that is inside the architecture where the signal has been declared.
The Address signal realizes the FoxBone Address Register; TimeBaseLow and TimeBaseHigh are the place to store the 32 bit DIVIDERVALUE that is the preset value for the timer. They will be joined to form a single 32 bit value in TimeBaseValue. The signal TimeBaseEnable is the register to enable or disable (with its bit 0) the Timer. Then there is the declaration of TimeBaseOutput and TimeBaseHalf50Duty that will bring the resulting outputs to the port signal for external access. The last signal declared dummyRunCounter is not stricly necessary if we don't need to have the TimeBase1 running counter value available outside the FPGA chip (or for simulation purposes).
Ended the signal declaration part of the code, we start with the interconnection part between signals and direct asynchronous statements with the desired combination of logic operations needed:
-- this is the address register
Address <= (others => '0') when RESETN = '0' else
FOXBONE_BUS when ADDRESS_WRITE = '1';
The above statement realizes the working of the FoxBone Address register. The Address internal 16 bit signal is assigned a '0' value when the external RESETN signal is at low logic state. Otherwise it is asynchronously assigned the value present on the FOXBONE_BUS if the external port ADDRESS_WRITE is at high logic state (this follows the FoxBone 0.7.0 specifications). This statement will be implemented inside the FPGA with combnatorial logic so it will be always working asynchronously with respect to other statements and processes inside the FPGA.
Now is the part realizing the addressing for the internal constant release registers:
-- input from release registers
and DATA_READ = '1' else (others=>'Z');
This statements put on the FOXBONE_BUS the value of the addressed release register written on the Address internal signal register when the external port signal DATA_READ is at low logic state. Otherwise the FOXBONE_BUS is released to let other uses of the bus. This is a simple (however not the best in logic occupation efficiency) way to make the decode of the Address value for the read of a register. In this way every register takes care of its logic decoding and it is very simple to add new registers or to cut them without affecting the remaining ones compared to a solution with a decode module that decodes all the addresses for all the registers, that would be more efficient in terms of logic gate occupation but monolithic and more difficult to extend for new registers and functions.
Now we have the function specific foxbone register read/write part:
-- write operation to the TimeBase Enable Register to set its value
TimeBaseEnable <= x"0001" when RESETN = '0' else
and DATA_WRITE = '1';
-- write operation to the TimeBase Low Value Register to set its value
TimeBaseLow <= x"8fff" when RESETN = '0' else
and DATA_WRITE = '1';
-- write operation to the TimeBase High Value Register to set its value
TimeBaseHigh <= x"03d0" when RESETN = '0' else
and DATA_WRITE = '1';
-- read from the TimeBase Enable Register to read its value
-- read from the TimeBase Low Value Register to read its value
-- read from the TimeBase High Value Register to read its value
We can see the VHDL code to act on the internal signals relative to the TimeBase registers. TimeBaseEnable is preset at 0x0001 (Timer enabled) at startup (when RESETN = '0') otherwise will be written by the FOXBONE_BUS when it is made a write operation on its address (specified above in the constant part. Similarly for the TimeBaseHigh and TimeBaseLow. Then we have the part that permits to read back those three registers that is the same we have seen for the constant release registers, using the internal signals as source to charge the FOXBONE_BUS instead of the constant values.
There is now the build of the stopTimeBase internal signal as the immediate AND operation of the RESETN external port signal and the bit 0 of the TimeBaseEnable register. stopTimeBase will be used to pass the reset command to the TIMEBASE1 component so that the internal counter will be reset and stopped either when the external FOXBONE interface is reset or when the bit 0 of the foxbone register TimeBaseEnable is at zero value. Then the two foxbone registers TimeBaseLow and TimeBaseHigh are joined together with as asynchronous statement to form the function needed 32 bit value TimeBaseValue for the DIVIDERVALUE port signal of TimeBase1.
-- the TimeBase will be stopped (stopTimeBase<='0') when either RESETN or
-- bit 0 of TimeBaseEnable are at '0' value.
stopTimeBase <= RESETN and TimeBaseEnable(0);
-- we are operating with negative logic so we need 'and' here!!
-- here is the join of the two 16 bit TimeBase values to form
-- the complete 32 bit TimeBase signal value
TimeBaseValue <= TimeBaseHigh & TimeBaselow;
Now we have the real instantiation (there can be more than one instantiation of the same component in case you need more than one for your application) of the TimeBase1 component with the coupling between the component port signals and the internal signals of the present file:
-- this is the instantiation of the TimeBase component.
myTimeBase : TimeBase1
port map (
CLOCK => CLOCK, -- input clock 64 MHz.
TIMEBASEOUT => TimeBaseOutput, -- out timebase signal.
RESETN => stopTimeBase, -- reset signal (active low)
DIVIDERVALUE => TimeBaseValue, -- 32 bit divider value
RUNCOUNTER => dummyRunCounter
We see that the external CLOCK is passed directly to the component TimeBase1. Also the mapping for the other signals is to pass inside the component the right signals and to extract the output signals to be used outside it. Finally we have a simple process that uses the main output port signal of the TimeBase1 component TIMEBASEOUT, mapped to TimeBaseOutput to generate a 50 % duty cycle signal with half the frequency of TimeBaseOutput:
-- this process takes the output of the TimeBase and
-- divide it by two obtaining a 50 % duty cycle signal
-- with half the frequency of the original TimeBase signal.
timebaseDividerProcess : process (stopTimeBase, CLOCK, TimeBaseOutput)
if ( stopTimeBase = '0' ) then
TimeBaseHalf50Duty <= '0'; -- initialization
elsif ( CLOCK'event and CLOCK = '1') then
if (TimeBaseOutput = '1') then
TimeBaseHalf50Duty <= not TimeBaseHalf50Duty;
end if;
end if;
end process;
This above process will produce the internal signal TimeBaseHalf50%Duty. This process is sensitive to three signals:
• stopTimeBase: above generated;
• CLOCK: main clock;
• TimeBaseOutput: the main output from the TimeBase1 component
The process initializes the TimeBaseHalf50Duty to '0' when stopTimeBase is at low logic state, otherwise, on the rising fronts of the CLOCK signal it inverts TimeBaseHalf50Duty every time it finds the signal TimeBaseOutput at high logic state (it happens only once at every complete round of the running counter of TimeBase1). This is a simple way to divide a signal frequency by two having equal time for the up part and the low part of the resulting signal (50% duty cycle).
The last two statements only map the two internal signals constituting the real outputs fo this application to two port signals for this entity (that is the root file of the project), making them available outside the FPGA when mapped to a specific pin during the physical constraints Designer phase of the Libero compilation of the code.
Simulation of the FoxBone_TimeBase1.vhd project
Simulation diagram of FoxBone_TimeBase1 VHDL code
It is possible to see in the above diagram, realized with the ModelSim simulator inside the Actel Libero suite, the complete simulation of the timer operation inside the foxbone architecture.
Firstly we have the reset stage of the foxbone interface, then the write on the register 0x100 of the '0' value, stopping the timer operations. Then we see the write on the registers 0x103 (high part) and 0x102 (low part) of the combined value 0x00000003 (we use low values to have a comprehensible view in the simulation). After setting the internal registers 0x102 and 0x103 for the DIVIDERVALUE, we release the timer counter writing a '1' on the 0x100 register. Just after the release of the timer we see activity on the timebaseout port signal that goes high at every 3+1 clock pulses (see the working of TimeBase1.vhd to see why).
Finally, the port signal timebaseouthalf will generate the supposed signal with half the frequency of timebaseout and 50% duty cycle. We used this signal to connect to the external LED for visualization after putting the registers 0x102 and 0x103 at a value such as to generate precise 1.000 second semiperiods of the timebaseouthalf port signal.
Libero Designer Layout Report
This is the Status Report that can be obtained in the Libero Designer session under the Menu: Tools - Reports - Status Report after the Layout compiling phase of the project.
Compile report:
CORE Used: 356 Total: 6144 (5.79%)
IO (W/ clocks) Used: 23 Total: 157 (14.65%)
Differential IO Used: 0 Total: 38 (0.00%)
GLOBAL (Chip+Quadrant) Used: 1 Total: 18 (5.56%)
PLL Used: 0 Total: 1 (0.00%)
RAM/FIFO Used: 0 Total: 8 (0.00%)
FlashROM Used: 0 Total: 1 (0.00%)
As you can see the 32 bit timer function and all the FoxBone interface and registers are occupying only 5.79% of the FPGA logic space.
Download the whole project to install and recompile it in your PC
Here is the link to download a zipped copy of the entire Libero 7.1 project. Please refer to the Libero projects download and installation page to be able to recompile the project, to simulate it and generate the programming .stp file to program the Fox-VHDL FPGA.
The only very important file to consider other than the .vhd files of the project, is the physical constraint file that maps the port signals of the VHDL project to the physical pins of the FPGA. It is easy to see that the maximum effort has to be applied to avoid mistakes on this file, since a wrong map of an output of the Fox_VHDL board to an output of the Fox Board can result in a misfunctioning or to a damage for the internal output stages of the Fox-Board or the FOXVHDL board. We provided current limitation resistors on all the lines to avoid this but we cannot guarantee against a very wrong mapping of several outputs together, so be very careful when mapping the physical pins of your application.
You can find here the FoxBone_TimeBase1.pdc constraint file that is also, when installed the project in your PC, under the projects FoxBone_TimeBase1\constraint directory. You can see in the .pdc file, for every function pin, other than the settings for its electrical behaviour, the mapping to the correct physical FPGA pin. You can face this information with the schematic file of the FOXVHDL board to see that they couple exactly for the interfacing with the Fox Board J6 and J7 connectors. The output function signals have instead been routed to the FPGA pins that are connected to the external connector JP3 of the FOXVHDL Board.
The physical constraint file is generated automatically as an export file inside the Designer session of your project. It is possible to assign the mapping of the pins in the IO Attribute Editor inside the Designer application of the Libero suite.
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Java printing class
Basically you have to transform a Java graphics object into a binary bitmap matrix, and pipe it out to LPT1 printer port. You need to attach a few control codes, this would form a very very basic printer driver.
This can be a program in Java or Java(with JNI) or (C/C++ to listen on a TCP/IP port)
More details:
We have an application which is currently working with Jaxax print API. It prints correctly. However this is for a labelling application and the problem is the user has to keep going into the driver to change the optical sensor setting and the media size every time he wants to switch label. Which is complicated to the user. This is because the printer driver is not able to automate switching of media types. So your task is to bypass the printer driver and write directly to the printer which is on LPT1. This is the easy part.
[url removed, login to view]
(see page 44 for matrix size)
Here is a printer log for what our current [url removed, login to view] produces, taken from a Printer log.
[url removed, login to view]
As you can see it just basically pipes out a few control codes and then produces some BITMAPs. Your task is to reproduce this output, but without using the printer driver. The source code for our print routine is also attached, as you can see it's very simple.
Habilidades: Programação C, Java
Ver mais: simple binary code, simple binary, part time driver, source printing, or java, binary problem, java control printer port, write chinese, tcp ip, problem java, prints, printing, printer driver, pipes, pipe, java problem, java api, ip tcp, easy java, code java, chinese part time, c java, basic java, bar codes, java using
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B Kinetic Energy of two positive charges flying apart
1. May 8, 2016 #1
Usually when we calculate the kinetic energy acquired by a positive charge as it moves in the direction of the electric field produced by another positive charge, we assume that the source charge remains stationary and so the loss in potential energy for the moving charge is equal to its gain in kinetic energy.
But what if both charges are allowed to move? Is the original potential energy shared between the two charges? Would you use half of the original potential energy for each of the two charges?
2. jcsd
3. May 8, 2016 #2
Simon Bridge
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In the lab frame:
You can work out the potential energy between the initial and final positions - this will tell you the total change in kinetic energy.
The symmetry dictates how the kinetic energy is shared.
You can also work the problem by brute force using Lagrangian mechanics.
A lot depends on what, exactly, you are trying to calculate.
4. May 8, 2016 #3
It's not hard with two charges. If they are identical charges then you can just accelerate both of them by the same amount. If not, you can convert it into a 1 body problem using the reduced mass.
5. May 8, 2016 #4
Simon Bridge
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For N particles, positions ##\vec r_i## Newton's second law for the jth particle is $$k\sum_{i\neq j}^N \frac{q_iq_j}{|\vec r_j-\vec r_i|^3}(\vec r_j-\vec r_i) = m_j\frac{d^2}{dt^2}(\vec r_j-\vec r_i)$$
... the result is a system of N differential equations which you can solve for each ##r_i(t)## by the usual methods.
For the case of two identical particles, ##q_1=q_2=q## and ##m_1=m_2=m## this simplifies to:
$$\frac{kq^2}{|\vec r_2-\vec r_1|^3}(\vec r_2-\vec r_1) = m\frac{d^2}{dt^2}(\vec r_2-\vec r_1)\\
\frac{kq^2}{|\vec r_1-\vec r_2|^3}(\vec r_1-\vec r_2) = m\frac{d^2}{dt^2}(\vec r_1-\vec r_2)\\
\vec r_1(0)=\vec r_{01}, \vec r_2(0)=\vec r_{02}, \frac{d}{dt} \vec r_1(0) = \frac{d}{dt} \vec r_2(0) = 0$$
It is usually easier to change coordinates so that one axis (usually z) lies along ##\vec r_2-\vec r_1## with the origin half way between the particles.
This way the particles start at ##\pm z_0## given by ##z_0 = \frac{1}{2}|\vec r_1-\vec r_2|##.
The equations become:
$$\frac{kq^2}{(z_2-z_1)^2}\hat k = m\frac{d^2z_2}{dt^2}\hat k\\
\frac{kq^2}{(z_2-z_1)^2}\hat k = -m\frac{d^2z_1}{dt^2}\hat k\\
z_1(0)=-z_0, z_2(0)=z_0, \dot z_1=\dot z_2 = 0$$ ... something like that.
But if the particles start out stationary at ##\pm z_0## at some time, and they are later at ##\pm z_1## so that ##z_1>z_0##, then, ceteris paribus, we can work out their velocities by conservation of energy:
$$v^2 = \frac{kq^2}{m}\left(\frac{1}{z_0}-\frac{1}{z_1}\right)\\ \vec v_2=v\hat k = -\vec v_1$$
Last edited: May 8, 2016
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Magnet moving over surface creating levitation
1. Nov 23, 2015 #1
I've been doing reading on Halbach Arrays moving over surfaces and generating repulsive forces. From my understanding, the moving magnet induces a circular electric current in the metal track, which gives rise to a magnetic field.
However, I'm having trouble understanding why this field causes the array to levitate. Why doesn't the array become attracted to the sheet?
2. jcsd
3. Nov 23, 2015 #2
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hi there
welcome to PF :smile:
Im not sure what you are describing is really a Halbach Array. Have you read the wiki article ?
4. Nov 23, 2015 #3
Sorry, I was on my phone, I should be a little more detailed.
There exists a system called the Inductrack where they essentially move a halbach array at a velocity over a track. This induces circular eddy currents in the track, which in turn produce an upwards magnetic field. In theory, the upwards magnetic field causes the halbach array to levitate over the track. Because the strength of the field is proportional to the strength of the current which is proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux from the array over time, the faster the array moves over the track, the greater the levitative force will be.
My question is a fundamental one. So we induce eddy currents in the track, which gives rise to eddy currents, which gives rise to a magnetic force in the "upwards" direction. Why is this force a cause for levitation (repulsion) and not attraction? Is it a consequence of Lenz's Law? I'm having trouble seeing it!
5. Nov 23, 2015 #4
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Interesting. I have no idea how it works.
It appears to have been invented at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab.
Here's an article dated 1998.
There have been a few discussions about it here at PF. I don't see anywhere that anyone thoroughly explained the effect.
It appears to still be in the testing phase.
The original patent:
Magnetic levitation system for moving objects [google patents]
US 5722326 A
publication date March 3, 1998
Here's a paper by the inventor, Richard Post:
The Inductrack Approach to Magnetic Levitation
POST, Richard F., RYUTOV, Dmitri D.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
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Resistance of Wedding Ring
1. Mar 24, 2015 #1
Estimate the resistance of a gold (wedding-type) ring. State clearly all assumptions, and introduce any equations you use. your solution should also include a brief summary of how you approached and solved the problem.
Helpful tip:
You will have to make certain assumptions. My professor is not looking for one particular numerical answer. Any reasonable approximations will be acceptable.
2. Relevant equations
I have the Resistance equation.
3. The attempt at a solution
We have to make assumptions. I would need to lookup the resistivity of gold.
Not sure though how to do it though if it is 50% copper as well. If it was 100% gold, you would lookup the resistivity of gold, the length of gold ring (L), and figure out the area.
I would make an assumption for the radius. This would be a cross-sectional area I believe. I'm not really sure what some reasonable L, and R values are.
Also, what would you say about being 100% gold vs 50% copper and 50% gold?
2. jcsd
3. Mar 24, 2015 #2
There is nothing wrong with assuming that the ring is pure gold.
The radius of cross section is important.
if r is the radius of cross section, then ##\pi r^2## is A.
Then you can find L when radius of ring is R.
You can then find R using the expression ##R=\rho L/A##
So if you find R using the above method,the assumptions you would be making are:
1)the cross section of ring is circular
2)the ring is pure gold
4. Mar 24, 2015 #3
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5. Mar 24, 2015 #4
What are some reasonable assumptions and values for a cross-sectional radius of a ring?
Is 0.1cm for r and what is the L for?
6. Mar 24, 2015 #5
The problem is, it is difficult to measure its resistance using circuits. For example, if you use a battery of 3V and an ammeter, then you have to connect the ring like this -()-. Now the equvivalent resistance depends on the arc length between the connecting wires. Once you know the equvivalent resistance in terms of R, use ammeter and baterry to find equivalent resistance from circuit and then equate the two. The value of R will not be precise.
7. Mar 24, 2015 #6
Here is a better assumption. After going through the dimensions of some wedding rings, I found that they almost have a semi circular cross section. 1.5mm radius is good.
so take radius of cross section as 1.5mm and assume semicircular cross section. The diameter can be taken from 15mm to 20mm.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
So you want to communicate with people across town or across the globe. To do so you need to see and be seen. That is accomplished by using a Web Camera and some computer software. First, the web camera, or "webcam".
How does a webcam work? A small camera attached to your computer sends video images back and forth between you and another webcam user so you can have conversations just like you would if you were actually face-to-face. Communicating through a webcam is similar to using traditional video conferencing. But instead of sending images through phone lines, webcams use Internet chat programs, such as instant messaging (IM) tool, to deliver the video and sound. For example, if you wanted to talk with your best friend via a webcam, you'd both log into the same IM program and video chat in a private window that appears on both of your computers.
Setting up a webcam for the first time might seem a bit intimidating -- but getting started is easier than you think. By following a few simple steps, you'll be ready to start video chatting in no time.
Get the gear
In addition to your computer, you only need four things to connect with your family members via a webcam:
1. Camera
Webcams come in lots of shapes and sizes, but the most popular ones are eyeball cameras -- small, round devices that usually sit on your desk or on top of your monitor.
"The easiest way is to use the same type of camera on both ends of a chat," says Shane Williams, owner of a major computer retailer in southern California. "Theoretically, it shouldn't matter, but we find that people have fewer connection issues when they've got equipment from the same vendor."
While some bare-bones webcams can cost $50 or less, these baseline models won't include everything you want (like auto focus, so grandma can see you clearly). According to Williams, cameras in the $100 range should provide the features you need -- including a built-in microphone, which you would have to buy and set up separately if it's not included in your webcam. Most webcams can also take still pictures just like your digital camera. And if you're willing to part with up to $350, you can get a camera with motion sensors that, for example, let you use it as a "nanny cam" or security camera that will begin recording once it senses movement in a room.
2. Webcam software
Software enables your webcam to connect to your computer, and it is included with the camera when you buy it. One word of caution: Make sure you read the installation instructions before you plug the camera into your computer! It's rare, but sometimes plugging in the camera before the software is installed will prevent it from working properly. In recent months, it is becoming more and more common for the software and hardware to both be installed on your laptop already.
3. Internet connection
Any Internet connection will do, but broadband, such as DSL or cable Internet access, will give you the best picture and sound quality. You can connect via a hard cable, or through an invisible Wi-Fi connection.
4. Chat program
Instant messaging tools are another way to video chat with your friends and family because most are already on your buddy list and your chats will be totally private. Some of them have it built into the chat, some, like VIA3 already have video meetings that arent depending on IM.
Assuming you choose a webcam with a built-in microphone, getting it set up should only take a few minutes. Read the camera's user manual and follow the installation instructions. Next, plug the webcam into your computer (they usually attach via a USB cable). The computer should now "see" the new device and pop up a short message that tells you how to start using it.
At this point, you're ready to start using your webcam. Adjust your camera's focus -- point it toward your face, turn the focus dial until the picture becomes clear on your computer screen. To kick off a video chat session, you and your chat partner should both be online and logged into the same IM program. Send a request to your friend by clicking your program's webcam or chat icon. Once your friend accepts the invite, you'll both see each other in the small windows on your computer screen. Your conversation can begin.
Ready to start your own video and audio meetings to show off your face and new camera? Try VIA3 for free to get started, at
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Posted by Bühler
Though many are daunted by the prospect of learning how to sail, sailing is quite easy and relaxing once you understand the basics. Before you learn about the actual act of sailing, there are several terms you should know.
Bow: The front, or head, of the boat.
Aft: The rear of the boat. Also referred to as the stern.
Hull: The ship’s body.
Starboard: The right side of the vessel as one faces the bow.
Port: The left side of the vessel as one faces the bow.
Deck: The floor of a boat.
Ceilings: This paradoxical term refers to the walls of the boat. Also known as bulkheads.
Overhead: The ceiling of the boat, as ceilings are understood in most other forms of architecture.
Masts: Vertical beams.
Booms: Horizontal poles that can hit unwary sailors. Use caution when moving about the ship, as booms tend to swing in heavy winds.
Gaffs: Horizontal booms considered too high to reach.
Poles: Horizontal booms high enough that they cannot hit a sailor.
Spars: The various types of masts and booms.
Line: A rope used for a specific purpose. For example, a dock line is used to secure the ship to a dock.
Standard rigging: The collective group of stationary lines designated to secure the ship’s masts; typically steel cables rather than standard rope.
Shrouds: Also known as stays, shrouds are the individual lines of a ship’s standard rigging.
Running rigging: While standard lines remain stationary, running rigging is comprised of movable lines that control sails and other onboard equipment.
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Influenza, commonly known as "the flu," is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. Symptoms shows prostration, fever, chills, sore throat, headache, aching behind the eyes with the sensitivity to light, abdominal pain, hoarseness, cough, enlarged lymph nodes, aching of the back and limbs, and frequent vomiting and diarrhea. The person feels cold and shaky, but is sweating. Serious complications such as pneumonia, sinus infections, and ear infections, can develop.
Its earliest signs are similar to those for the common cold: weakness, headache, and aching in the arms, legs, and back. He may feel feverish, and then chilly. It also brings on a dry throath, cough, and extreme weariness.
The flu is easily spread by sneezing and coughing. Individual strains continually change, so vaccines are not very successful.
There are three main types of flu: Type A, Type B, and Type C. Type A the most common known type of flu. All are airborne and most frequently spread by droplets (coughing, sneezing, kissing, and sharing drinking glasses and towels)
Because it is a viral infection, influenza may appear suddenly after an incubation of only 1 to 3 days (most frequently 48 hours after exposure). So begin treating it as soon as you can. The quicker you start treating a physical problem the easier and more quickly it can be eliminated. After 2-3 days, the fever usually subsides; and, if cared for properly, the other acute symptoms rapidly diminish. But the cough, weakness, and fatigue may persist for several days or weeks.
There are natural remedies available for treating flu:
• Take an enema at the first symptom. For fever, take catnip tea enemas, plus a ¼ to ½ teaspoon of lobelia tincture every 3-4 hours until the fever drops.
• Give fluids (fruit juices, vegetable soups) to replace fuild and electrolytes lost through sweating, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Dink at least 10 glasses of water a day, to keep lung secretions thin. Give vitamin c, to bowel tolerance (3,000 mg or more, spaced throughout the day). Also vitamin A (25,000 IU for 1 week) and B complex. Vitamin A protects the lining of the throat (best to take it in the form of carotenes: carrot juice and green and yellow vegetables.) zinc (15 mg, three times daily).
• Do not take anti biotics, for they have no effect on the flu virus. Do not smoke, drink liquor use coffee, or eat junk food.
• Take echinacea and goldenseal, because flu can lead to secondary bacterial pneumonia.
• Eucalyptus oil vapors are also good.
• A useful herb is slippery elm bark powder (1 tablespoon) mixed with boiling water (1 quart) and honey (half cup). Put in a jar and give one teaspoon every 3-4 hours for cough and sore throat.
• Gargle with salt water, to help relieve the sore throat (1 teaspoon salt in 1 pint of warm water). Soak the feet in hot water, to ease a headache or nasal congestion. Occasionally breathe deeply in and out, to refresh and stregthen the lungs and remove wastes.
• Humidify the air in the room. Make sure the air is warm, but also has a current of air to keep it oxygenated. But it should not be drafty. (A draft on the patient is defined as occurring when the skin becomes cooler than the forehead or the patient is not comftable.) Keep warm, close-fitted bed clothes. Back rubs may be given, to increase comfort.
• Helpful herbs include cinchona bark, ginger, eucalyptus, slippery elm, sea buckthorn, yarrow, white willow, and wormwood.
• Another flu remedy is to place 1 oz. each of peppermint leaves and elder flowers in a pan. Pour ½ pint boiling water over these herbs, cover tightly, and keep warm on stove for 15 minutes; strain and cover immediately to keep warm. Take 1 teacupful every 30-45 minutes until there is perspiration; then 2 Tbsp. every 1-2 hours. (For children, give smaller doses and sweeten.) This tea taken how will break down congestions and equalize circulation. (Or substitute pennyroyal and elder flowers instead of the above two herbs.)
• Pour boiling water over a handful each of wormwood, sage, alpine speedwell, and licorice root. Steep for 30 minutes; then take a spoonful every half hour or sip it morning and evening. Recovery time is usually 2 days.
• Boil a 5-inch piece of fresh ginger (from the health-food store) in 2 cups water for 5-10 minutes. Drink a cup every 2-3 hours until the flu is gone. It will relieve nasal congestion, improve blood flow, help eliminate chills and aches, and reduce sore throat pain.
• When it's time to make the transition from liquids to food, emphasize bland, starchy foods. This would include dry toast (so it will be chewed better), bananas, applesauce, boiled rice, cooked cereal, and baked potatoes. Eat lightly and carefully.
• Water therapy: Take a 5-minute hot shower. Quickly dry. Then place a large towel in cold water, wring it out, and wrap it around your body from your armpits to your groin. Put plastic around that. Crawl into bed under a wool blanket and stay there for 20 minutes or until warmed. Do this 102 times daily.
Be careful; influenza is sometimes fatal, especially for children and the elderly. Those who are not hardy and are poorly nourished are especially susceptible. If you have respiratory ailments like asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, etc. , solve it as soon as possible. One thing can lead to another till you are prostrated with sickness. The flu can often lead to ear infections, pneumonia, and sinus infection.
Children who frequently come down with the flu should be checked for hypothyroidism. Check his temperature under the arm with thermometer.
A case of flu is becoming more serious if the voice becomes hoarse, he develops pains in his chest, he has difficulty breathing, or he starts bringing up yellow- or green-colored phlegm. It may be best to see a phycician, if this has not already been done.
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9 NEW New Years Facts You Never Knew
The Last 1,000 Days
The 365-day year is a recent innovation, started by FDR during the Great Depression to stimulate spending. Prior to that, the year was a sensible 1,000 days. FDR pushed for the hundred-day year but was thwarted by the Supreme Court. After much finagling with Congress, the bureaucratically awkward year length we have today was decided upon.
The Leap Year Hoax
Of course some years have 366 days, right? If you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you. Seriously, it’s a covered truss bridge in Maine, privately financed. We’re selling shares. That’s real, but “Leap Year” is a hoax perpetuated by the calendar industry to generate uncertainty and bolster sales. As any chronologist will tell you, a year is a year, an abstract measure of time. To suggest that a “year” could be off by a quarter of a day is as absurd as saying the dollar fluctuates in value. A dollar is a hundred cents and a post-Roosevelt year is 365 days, no more, no less. On leap years, they make up for the extra day in February by taking a day away somewhere in the first few weeks of January. As an example, in 2012 there simply was no January 13.
Dropping the Ball
1904 was a year of promise for New York City. It was the year the New York subway made its debut and the year the New York Times opened its new headquarters in its namesake square (Times Square!) with a great New Year’s party. The tradition called for one-upsmanship, and four years later, the paper of record decided to launch a party of men into space. Launching a metal ball from Times Square was in keeping with the ambitions of the era but proved premature. The scientists tasked with firing the ship from a giant cannon into space gravely miscalculated the velocity the ball would need to escape Earth’s gravity. Rather than blasting into the heavens, the ball crashed to the ground, killing its crew of “space-tro-nauts” and exploding in a ball of fire. Onlookers loved the spectacle. The crashing ball became an annual tradition that continues to this day. In 1922 it was decided that the ball should crash unmanned, and in 1935 the number of innocent bystanders killed in the fiery crash prompted organizers to slowly lower the ball rather than fling it earthward. What the tradition now lacks in spectacle it makes up for in lives saved.
Syne Language
In 1788 the Scottish poet Robert Burns was commissioned to write a New Year’s poem and have it set to a traditional folk song for the Scottish year-ending tradition of Hogmanay. Burns pocketed his advance and promptly forgot the entire matter until called upon to perform the song that New Year’s Eve. The startled Burns improvised what would become “Auld Lang Syne,” singing nonsense syllables and gibberish to cover for his unpreparedness. No one seemed to notice, and people today continue to sing the song, assuming they have forgotten the words, when no words ever existed to the song.
Out With the Old
The classic image of the old year, personified by an old man, giving way to the new, in the form of a baby, each wearing a sash with their respective years on it, began in the Industrial Age. An era of great social change brought with it many new problems, such as how to treat the infirm and the unwanted. During the early 1800s, overburdened old folks’ homes and orphanages would dump their excess charges on the public in an early ritual of euthanasia. Old men were put on display as the previous year, then publically executed, and the hope was that someone would take care of the New Year’s baby.
Ancient Eves
The Babylonians probably counted down to midnight from 12.
Champagne (pronounced “cham-PAG-nay”) is considered a fancy drink for fancy occasions. The irony is that Champagne is a nasty, acrid drink and tastes like warm piss, and possibly IS warm piss, drawn from an extremely drunk and bubbly Frenchman.
Should Auld Abstinence Be Forgot
It turns out my theory that New Year’s would be a great time to let alcoholics get a 24-hour pass on teetotaling is a lousy idea. Those guys really don’t know when to stop! Stop drinking, alcoholics! For the rest of you, just remember that you only have a problem if you admit it.
Another Bad Idea
A small control test has proven to me without a doubt that my idea that people should be allowed to drink and drive on New Year’s Eve as a form of release is also a bad idea. I do still think that if all cars were fitted with bumper-car technology this world would be a safer place, as well as more fun.
Have a safe and happy new year, everybody!
• What? no no no….1,000 day year? laughable. No January 13th? Right. LOL
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Tuesday, 8 March 2016
Iban girls
The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. In Malaysia, most Ibans are located in Sarawak, a small portion in Sabah and some in west Malaysia. They were firstly but now formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks especially in the Saribas and Skrang regions which are near the coastline and thus they had gone on expeditions along the coastline up to the Kapuas river delta in the south and the Rajang river delta in the north. However, those Ibans that had migrated and lived inland to upper Rajang river region was further upriver and did not really go downriver to the sea as often but they became into contact with local tribes such as the Baketan, Ukit and Kayan.
It is believed that the term "Iban" originates from the Iban's own formidable enemy, the Kayan who call the Sea Dayaks in the upper Rajang river region that initially came into contact with them as "Hivan". The Kayan mostly lives in the central Broneo region and migrated into the upper Rajang river and thus went logger-head with those Ibans who migrated from the upper Batang Ai/Lupar region and Katibas river. In fact, those Sea Dayaks in the Saribas and Skrang regions initially resisted being called Iban and insisted to be called Dayak but somehow the term Iban increasingly becomes popular later on after the European starts to frequently uses this term.
Source: Wikipedia
Thanks to Paul for this beautiful People card and stamps!
Sent: 4 December 2015 Received: 8 December 2015 Travelled: 4 days
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Friday, December 6, 2013
Menorah Lighting on White House Lawn: Celebrating Jewish Supremacist Separatism
The now annual lighting this week of a giant menorah in front of the White House symbolizes not only the power grab made by Jewish Supremacists over the United States, but also their controlled mass media’s deliberate suppression of the facts around Hanukah.
The Jewish Supremacists who control the mass media like to pretend that Hanukkah is simply some sort of Jewish version of Christmas.
Hanukkah is actually a celebration of Jewish racism, Jewish supremacy and Jewish separatism. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Macedonian-ruled Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BCE.
Seleucid Empire king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (c. 215 BC – 164 BC), having experienced trouble with the Hebrews within his empire’s borders, launched a policy to try and promote assimilation with them, so as to reduce tensions.
As part of this process, Antiochus IV outlawed all religions, including Judaism,
Some Jews went along with this assimilation process, but many extremists among that community—some sources say the majority—opposed it.
A rabbi named Mattathias the Hasmonean, sparked a revolt against the Seleucid Empire by refusing to worship the Greek gods by killing a Hellenized Jew who stepped forward to offer a sacrifice to an idol.
Mattathias’ son Judah Maccabee then gathered together a Jewish army and, after a protracted terrorist campaign, was victorious over first the Hellenized Jews and then Seleucid forces.
After the Maccabees entered Jerusalem in triumph and ritually cleansed the Temple, they re-established traditional Jewish worship there. According to the story, the victorious Maccabees could only find a small jug of oil that enough to sustain the lit Menorah for one day, but it lasted for eight days, by which time further oil could be procured—hence the lighting ceremony of the menorah which forms a major processional part of the celebration.
A large Seleucid army was sent to quash the revolt, but returned to Syria on the death of Antiochus IV. Its commander Lysias, preoccupied with internal Seleucid affairs, agreed to a political compromise that restored religious freedom and the dispute ended.
The important point here is that the festival of Hanukah actually celebrates Jewish separatism and a victorious Jewish campaign against assimilation—not a season of gifts or goodwill, as the media pretends.
The lighting of the menorah in front of the White House in actual fact is celebrating the halting of intermarriage and assimilation.
Imagine for a second any religion publicly celebrating its desire to be spate—and then getting the White House to endorse it!
At the same time, the Jewish Supremacists who publicly celebrate their separateness in this way, are the forefront of telling everyone else to integrate.
One law for the Jewish Supremacists, one law for the Gentiles.
1. Virtually every Jewish holiday is based on some form of anti-gentile treachery. The list of Hebrew, then Israelite, then a long...ancient one indeed. The Old Testament of the Christian Bible is replete with accounts of how the "Semites" exploited the naïve populations of the various gentile nations of that time that allowed them entry, and subsequent influence...influence that in time would lead to the destruction of the host society. This ancient dynamic of Jewish perfidy toward the gentile societies they inhabit is manifest even now In America and in Europe. The Jews...the People of the Serpent...
2. Informed people have long known that the "Jews" are a distinct race as well as a religion. This is well and good. Knowledge can, in fact, be power. But even these informed people are unaware of the historic blood-hatred that the Jews harbor against the gentile races...especially the WHITE gentile race. The Jews consider themselves to be a race of people superior to every other race...they even consider themselves to be the Chosen People of God Almighty Himself...quite a grandiose assertion indeed. The "Jews'" assertion of racial superiority has its roots in the OId Testament of the Bible...the book of Genesis in general, the first five books of Moses ( the Jewish Torah ) in particular. The Torah describes the holy covenant between God ( Yahweh ) and the-then Hebrews vis-à-vis the Sinai Covenant. The main component of the Sinai Covenant, so we're told, is Yahweh's promise to the Hebrews that they and their children and grandchildren would be His favorites...His Chosen People. Since that ancient time, modern-day Jews...who probably are NOT the descendants of the Hebrews described in the Bible but, rather, Khaizars of Turkish/ Mongolian stock...have exploited their self-proclaimed status as a special breed of humanity for their own self-serving benefit. Ill-informed American Christian ministers and politicians have over time fallen for this sinister ploy, i.e., lie...a sinister lie that via sermons and political diatribes they have passed on to the naïve and gullible common people who believe their minister's sermons and their politicians' pro-Zionist speeches. And this is why the uninformed, ignorant masses of America are willing to foment and fight Middle Eastern wars for the self-serving benefit of Israel..."God's Chosen People," perhaps a cynical lie. But then, a lie, however blatant...becomes truth if told often enough...
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First Case of Zika Virus Reported In Puerto Rico
First Case of Zika Virus Reported In Puerto Rico
Brazil has been hit by a highly infectious virus that gets transmitted by mosquitoes. The virus, called Zika virus, has been blamed for a high number of birth defect cases in Brazil. Recently the first case of Zika virus has also been reported in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico’s Health Secretary Ana Rius said in a statement on Thursday that the unidentified patients had not travelled recently and lives in the island’s eastern region.
Symptoms of the illness include slight fever, headache and joint pain in the hands and feet. As per health officials, symptoms of the Zika virus infection are very much similar to that of people infected with two mosquito-borne illnesses dengue fever and chikungunya.
Apart from this, scientists said that Zika virus infections have led to a recent increase in cases of babies being born with abnormal heads. Scientists said several babies born in these areas within this year had small heads, a condition which they call microcephaly, which often results in mental retardation.
As per reports, over 2,700 babies in Brazil were born with microcephaly in 2015. The ratio was up from fewer than 150 in 2014. Seeing the severity of the situation, Brazil health officials have accepted that the surge in the abnormal births is being linked to a sudden outbreak of the Zika virus.
Since the first case of Zika virus detected in May 2015, health officials estimated that between 440,000 and 1.3 million people have been infected with the infectious virus.
Rodrigo Stabeli, vice president of the Rio de Janeiro-based Fiocruz research institute, said, “We are looking at the beginning of an epidemic in a country that has in between 200,000 and 300,000 births per year, which shows how worried we are. It's a virus we don't know that much about”.
In other news NYTimes reported, at least 40 of the infants have recently died, and some Brazilian researchers warn that cases could multiply in the months ahead. Those babies who survive may face impaired intellectual development for life.
Brazilian researchers say that Zika, an obscure mosquito-borne virus that made its way to the country only recently, is to blame for the sudden increase in brain damage among infants.
In a statement provided to NBC News, Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico's representative in Congress, said in a statement his office had been in touch with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which had confirmed the single case of Zika on the island.
"There is no reason for alarm, and the public should continue to take common sense steps to avoid mosquito bites, like using repellent and wearing long pants and shirts," Pierluisi said.
The CDC has issued a warning to tourists traveling to Puerto Rico and other affected areas, asking them to protect themselves from the mosquitoes that spread the virus -- especially pregnant women. The Aedes aegypti mosquito thrives in tropical climates and typically lives around buildings in urban areas. It is known to bite aggressively during the day, but can also attack at night, both indoors and out. It's the same mosquito that can carry yellow fever, dengue fever and chikungunya, according to a report from the CNN.
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sábado, 28 de fevereiro de 2009
Sarabande - Haendel
George Frideric Handel (Friday, 23 February 1685 -- Saturday, 14 April 1759) was a German-born Baroque composer who is famous for his operas, oratorios and concerti grossi. Born as Georg Friedrich Händel (IPA: [ˈhɛndəl]) in Halle, he spent most of his adult life in England, becoming a subject of the British crown on 22 January 1727.[1] His most famous works are Messiah, an oratorio set to texts from the King James Bible; Water Music; and Music for the Royal Fireworks. Strongly influenced by the techniques of the great composers of the Italian Baroque and the English composer Henry Purcell, his music was known to many significant composers who came after him, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXwMrNi97pM
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Diet no carbs
June 21, 2013
No Carbs Diet: The Flaw in Fat
We get our energy from the food we eat in the form of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrate (also alcohol). Foods from plant and animal sources provide protein and fat. Carbohydrates, however, come exclusively from plant sources. We commonly refer to carbohydrates as starch and sugar. Any food that contains starch or sugar, whether it is natural or refined, is a source of dietary carbohydrate. For example, a glass of fruit juice is rich in fructose, a natural sugar, while a can of pop will have sucrose, a refined sugar that has been added, but in both cases the carbohydrate content is about the same. Other common carbohydrate foods include fruit, starchy vegetables like potato and rice, anything made with flour including bread, pasta and pastries, anything that contains sugar and milk which contains lactose, a naturally occurring sugar. All these foods, once they enter our digestive system, will produce a rise in blood glucose.
2. Doesn’t our body need carbohydrates?
No. This is a common myth. For instance, many people, even medical professionals, will tell you that the brain needs glucose (from carbohydrates) to function. In fact, the brain can get up to 80% of its energy needs from ketones, an energy source produced from fat in our liver. There are a few tissues that do require exclusively glucose for their energy needs like the lens of the eye, the red blood cells and a part of the kidney. The fact is that the liver is capable of producing sufficient glucose to sustain these tissues through a process called ‘gluconeogenesis’. All other tissues of the body are quite happy to burn fat or ketones for their energy needs when glucose is absent.
3. Aren’t ketones supposed to be harmful?
We all produce ketones from time to time when our supply of dietary carbohydrates dwindles. Many people will produce them in the early hours of the morning after the carbohydrates they ate for dinner are used up. People on a low-carbohydrate diet will burn ketones along with fat for most of their energy needs. We sometimes test the urine of low-carb dieters to measure ketones to determine if the diet is working. The levels of ketones in the blood in all these instances is not high enough to cause any harm. There is a condition known as ‘ketoacidosis’ which is harmful and part of the confusion around ketones may be due to this. Ketoacidosis is a serious problem that occurs in type 1 diabetics when they are not given insulin. In this case the ketone levels are many times higher and blood sugars are very high, too. While ketoacidosis is harmful, the ketosis experienced by low-carb dieters is not.
4. Will a low-carb diet increase my risk of heart disease?
This is another common myth. It is based on the notion that if you eliminate carbs as an energy source you will have to increase fat intake to compensate (there is a limit to how much protein you can eat). It was thought that an increase in fat would lead to high cholesterol which is associated with heart disease. When the studies were actually done on this, however, much to everyone’s surprise, the opposite happened. People on a low-carb diet improved their cholesterol readings even when they increased their fat intake and even when their intake of saturated fat (the so-called bad fat) increased. It appears that when you body must rely on fat for energy, the saturated fat you eat gets burned up before it can cause any harm. Another factor that plays a role in heart disease is the level of inflammation in our system. If the markers of inflammation are high we recognize this as a sign of increased risk of heart disease. We commonly order a C-reactive protein test, a marker of inflammation in the blood, to assess a person’s risk. A recent study showed that people on a low-carb diet demonstrated significantly reduced inflammatory markers.
Although there haven’t been any long term studies yet to prove it, the existing science suggests that a low-carb high-fat diet may actually reduce the risk of heart disease.
5. Will a low-carb diet harm my kidneys?
Many people mistakenly refer to low-carb diets as high-protein and we know that eating too much protein, if you have kidney damage, will worsen this problem. In fact, low-carb dieters tend to only moderately increase their protein intake and the scientific literature is clear that an increase in protein when your kidneys are healthy causes no harm. Dr. Mary Vernon, a Kansas physician who specializes in treating diabetics with a low-carb diet, has reported that patients who have very early signs of kidney damage from their diabetes can actually correct this problem with a low-carb diet, something that has not been demonstrated with any drug or other type of therapy.
The bottom line is that if you have documented kidney damage, you should not make a big dietary change without consulting your doctor. For everyone else, there is no need to worry about kidney damage from a low-carb diet.
6. Does a low-carb diet increase the risk of gall stones?
Gall stones develop when the gall bladder is inactive. Once they have developed, there is a risk that contraction of the gall bladder will cause a stone to block the gall duct. This will lead to an acute gall bladder attack which can be very painful. When gall stones are diagnosed, usually by ultrasound, surgery to remove the gall bladder is generally regarded as the best way to correct the problem. The gall bladder tends to contract in response to a fatty meal. If someone has gall stones and they eat a fatty meal this could trigger an acute gall bladder attack. On a low-carb diet, most of the calories come from fat but, initially this is the fat that the person has stored. Burning off stored fat won’t trigger a gall bladder attack. Later on in a low-carb diet, when weight loss has reached a plateau, increasing dietary fat could theoretically trigger a gall bladder attack. There have been no reports of this in the literature and my colleagues who have had years of experience in guiding people on low-carb diets tell me that the risk is no greater than if people were eating a regular diet.
Carbo-Ban No Carbs Diet
Carbo-Ban No Carbs Diet
No Carb Diet Menu Free
No Carb Diet Menu Free
No Carb Diet Menu:No Carb Meals and No Carb Snacks
No Carb Diet Menu:No Carb Meals and No Carb Snacks
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Absorption In chemistry absorption can mean two things: Firstly it can imply that powerful forces exist holding two substances together, and that seperation of the two is not easily accomplished. Secondly it can mean absorption of heat, light etc.. . The absorption of ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation is the basis of some forms of spectrometry which can be used to identify different chemical compounds. See also infrared radiation.
Acid A substance that when dissolved in water dissociates and can donate a hydrogen (proton) to another molecule. Examples include sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Under these conditions nitric acid dissociates according to the following equation:
In water the protons attach themselves to the water molecules, giving the following equation:
Actinides This is a group of elements within the periodic table and are also known as the transuranics. The name refers to those elements with increasing atomic no. from actinium, which all have similar chemical properties, like the lanthanides. The first few members of the group are the naturally occuring elements actinium, thorium, proactinium and uranium. Beyond this elements have been made artificially by radioactive bombardment. These artificial elements are unstable, some have very short lifeimes and undergo spontaneous radioactive decay.
Adhesive Any compound that can stick two surfaces together is classified as an adhesive. Simple adhesives are of cellulose, starch and rubbers. Modern adhesives are based upon complex polymeric materials. The adhesive is spread in an unpolymerised form, and the adhesive properties increase as polymerisation occurs between the two surfaces.
Adiabatic A chemical or mechanical process which takes place without heat entering or leaving the system. The term is only applicable to enclosed and isolated systems - so in essence is idealistic and purely theoretical and is important in the study of thermodynamics.
Adrenaline This was the first naturally produced hormone to be isolated it a pure state. It is known as epinephrine, but its chemical name is 1-[3,4-dihydroxyphenol]-2-methylaminoethanol. Its main action is to raise blood pressure, producing a faster pulse rate.
Adsorption If any compound, solid, liquid or gas, is loosely held by weak attraction to the surface of a solid it is said to have undergone adsorption. This process is much weaker and less permanent than absorption.
Air The air that we breathe is a mixture of gases. The composition of dry-air at sea level is shown below:
Alchemy Several of the great Greek philosophers considered all matter to be composed of four basic "elements", fire, air, earth and water, and that all materials were had these components mixed in different proportions. If this theory was true, then it was believed that all substances could be converted (transmuted) into each other by varying the proportions of the mixture. This tansmutation theory was the basis of Alchemy from approx. 300 B.C. to 1500 A.D., after which it slowly gave way to the more scientific concepts of chemistry from the 17th century onwards. The alchemists represented their "element" by a variety of symbols (see below), some of which were based on astrological signs
They were mainly concerned with trying to turn base metals into gold and looking for the elixir of life although they also developed medicinal drugs, developed couterfeiting techniques and the debasement of precious metals.
Alcohol An organic compound which has the general formula CnH2n+1OH, they consist of hydrocarbon chains terminated by hydroxyl groups, O-H. Smaller members are water soluble, flammable and are useful as organic solvents and fuels. As with hydrocarbons, each member differs from the previous by an additional -CH2- group. Alcohols with branced chains are also possible. Some of the simpler alcohols are listed below:
Aldehyde An organic compound containing the -CHO group (see below). An example of these distinct aromatic compounds is formaldehyde.
Alicyclic compounds An alicyclic compound contains rings of -CH2- units joined by single bonds. Their general formula is CnH2n, the simplest member being cyclopropane. An example of these compounds is cyclohexane (see below):
Alkali A water soluble hydroxide on one of the alkali metals. The term is virually synonymous with the term base. An example is Sodium Hydroxide, NaOH.
Alkali metals Group I of the periodic table consists of the alkali metals. They are the most electropositive elements known, are monovalent, have low melting points and react violently with water.
Alkaline earth metals Group II of the periodic table consists of the alkaline earth metals. They are bivalent and react with water to produce water soluble hydroxides.
Alkaloid A naturally occuring organic compound containing nitrogen that acts as a base. Many alkaloids are physiologically active and can be used in small quantities as medicines, but if taken in larger doses they can be extremely poisonous. An example is caffeine.
Alkanes This is the correct chemical term for compounds known as paraffins. They are considered the simplest organic compounds and are a family of chain hydrocarbons having the general formula C2H2n+2. All of the bonds are single bonds (-C-H-, and -C-C-). The chains can be straight or branched. The smaller members (less than 4 carbons) are gases, while larger ones (five to seventeen carbons) are liquids. Beyond seventeen carbons the alkanes are waxy solids. Some simple alkanes are listed below:
Alkenes These compounds are similar to alkanes, in that they can be straight or branched aliphatic hydrocarbons. The only difference is that the alkenes (also known as olefins) contain a carbon-carbon double bond, and have the general formula C2H2n. The simplest group member is ethene which is a gas. The double bond can be anywhere within the length of the carbon chain, resulting in a large number of possible isomers. The double bond means that these compounds are "unsaturated" and react readily with compounds capable of adding across the double bond. Some simple alkenes are listed below:
Alkynes These compounds are also similar to alkanes. They have the general formula C2H2n-2 corresponding to carbon chains with a triple carbon-carbon bond included. The simplest member of this family is ethyne (also known as acetylene). The triple bond makes these compounds very reactive. Some simple alkynes are listed below:
Allotropy Certain chemical elements have the ability to exist in two or more different structural forms known as allotropes. These allotropes may possess different physical properties such as density and melting points. Allotropic elements include carbon, tin, phosphorus and sulphur. Each allotrope is stable within a certain range of temperature and pressure only, and under certain conditions an allotrope can be converted into another.
Alloy An alloy consists of an intimate mixture of two elements, usually metals to give a metal compound or solid solution. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin and brass on of copper and zinc. By varying the composition it is possible to alter the chemical and physical properties of the alloy such as conductivity, ductility and corrosion resistance.
Alpha particles These are particles possessing a positive charge, and are emited from radioactive elements. The particles are actually helium nuclei, ie. helium atoms that had lost their outer electrons. The study of the alpha particle played a major part in the development of modern atomic theory. Rutherford bombarded other elements with alpha particles to produce nuclear disintegration.
Alum An alum is a double salt comprising a sulphate salt of a monovalent element, with the sulphate salt of a trivalent element. The most well known example is potash alum (aluminium potassium sulphate) KAl(SO4)2.12H2O which is used to clear murky water.
Amalgam Liquid mercury has the ability to dissolve other metals to produce alloys and these alloys are called amalgams. Amalgam examples are gold/mercury, silver/mercury and copper/mercury all of which are used in dentistry.
Amide An organic compound containing the -CONH2- group (see below). Also see peptide.
Amine An amine is a distinctive smelling organic compound with one or more of the hydrogen atoms in ammonia replaced by organic groups. There are three classes of amines, dependant on the number of hydrogens replaced (see below):
The organic groups can be aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic, and some common amines are listed below:
Amino group An organic compound containing the -NH2- group. Substances which contain this group are called amines. Examples include urea, and trimethylamine.
Amino acid A large class of substances with molecules including the amino and carboxyl groups.In the human body, amino acids are joined together to form long chains as part of the structures of proteins. Because they possess two functional groups, amino acids exhibit both acidic and basic characteristics. Each amino acid has an abbreviation when in a protein chain, so that the protein GlyAlaVal would indicate that a molecule of Glycine is joined to one of Alanine which is in turn joined to one of Valine. A list of the more common amino acids are given below:
Anhydride These are compounds formed by the removal of water or Hydrogen and Oxygen together from another substance. In inorganic chemistry most anhydrides are formed by the loss of the water of crystallisation. eg. Copper(II) sulphate is a blue hydrated salt with the formula CuSO4.5H2O, but if heated, the water is driven off leaving the colourless anhydrous salt CuSO4. In organic chemistry an anhydride is usually the result of the loss of a water molecule from a dicarboxylic acid, eg. from phthalic acid to give phthalic anhydride (see below):
Anion A negatively charged ion or group of atoms.
Antioxidant A substance which decrease the rate at which another substance is oxidised. An example includes BHA.
Aromatic compound A substance containing one or more benzene rings. These compounds although unsaturated do not undergo normal reactions for unsaturated compounds as shown by their saturated open-chain analogues. This ability is related to the way in which their bonding electrons are spread evenly over the planar ring. Substances classified as being aromatic include those with one benzene ring such as:
- or several rings such as:
Certain other compounds can posses aromatic character - ie. they react in an aromatic manner even though they do not have the six-membered carbon ring. This group of compounds includes:
Atactic A polymer is atactic if the groups attatched to the backbone are not arranged in any regular geometric pattern. Also see Isotactic.
Atom The smallest part of an element that retains its properties. It is possible to "split" the atom up further into components; protons - which have a positive charge, electrons, which have a negative charge and neutrons which have no charge. The simplest atom is hydrogen, which consists of a single proton nucleus and has a single electron forming an orbit or shell around the proton. The next simplest is helium, with two protons and two neutrons in the nucleus with two electrons orbiting within the shell - see selow for diagram:
In all atoms the number of protons and electrons are the same but the number of neutrons can vary. Most of the mass of an atom is composed of the protons and neutrons, while the different isotopes of the same element vary in their number of protons, neutrons and electrons in the atomic structure. In some elements the arrangement of protons and neutrons in the nucleus is unstable, and the atom may disintegrate forming radioactivity.
Azo dye An azo dye is one of an extensive range of synthetic organic dye made from aniline, by first converting it with sodium nitrite to a diazonium chloride salt which is then reacted with other aromatic amines, phenols and sulphonic acids. The well known indicator methyl-orange is formed by making the diazo salt of sulphanilic acid, and reacting the product with dimethylaniline (see below):
All azo compounds have the general formula Ar-N=N-Ar' with the characteristic -N=N- group in the middle.
Base A substance that reacts with acid to produce a salt and water only. It does this by accepting a hydrogen ion from the acid. An example is ammonia which accepts a proton to become the ammonium ion - NH4+
Beta particles Radioactive elements can emit several types of radiation. Beta particles are very fast moving electrons. The particles have a velocity of between 30-99% speed of light, and it is this velocity which gives the beta particles greater penetrating power than alpha particles.
Bond A chemical link between two atoms. In an ionic bond the attraction is between opposite charges on two neighbouring ions. In a covalent bond the two atoms share a pair of electrons.
Carbanion This is an abbreviation of "carbon anion", and is applied to negatively charged ions that are believed to occur during organic reactions. The carbanion then reacts with positive species to produce new products. To acquire a negative carbon ion it is necessary for the atom to retain two electrons forming a bond between itself and another group - see below:
Carbonyl group An organic compound containing the >CO group (see below). When a hydrogen atom is attached to the carbon, the resulting compound is known as an aldehyde. When only carbon atoms are attached, the resulting compound is known as a ketone. See also carboxyl group and amide group.
Carboxyl group An organic compound containing the -COOH group (see below), Where a carbonyl group is attached to a hydroxyl group. See also carboxylic acids.
Carboxylic acid A substance containing the carboxyl group. The carboxylic hydrogen can be lost as a hydrogen ion, so these substances are also acidic. An example includes acetic acid.
Carcinogen A substance capable of causing cancer in living organisms. It includes substances such as blue asbestos (crocidolite), which is a mineral, and benzene. Benzene has been used extensively for decades in chemistry and strict saftey guidlines must now be followed befrore it is used. Any new pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food chemical has to be checked to ensure that they are not carcinogenic.
Catalyst A substance that changes the rate at which a reaction equilibrium is attained, without itself being consumed. Catalysts can increase the rate of reaction (positive catalysts) or decrease them (negative catalysts or inhibitors).
Cation A positively charged ion or group of atoms.
Chain reaction A reaction where the product of one step is a reactant in a later step, which produces a reactant for a later step, and so on.
Chiral Means "handedness" - A chiral or asymmetric molecule is one which can be distinguished from its mirror image. An example includes lactic acid.
Cis-trans isomerism Compounds with double bonds, or alicyclic rings can exhibit isomerism, due to the attached groups lying above or below the plane of the oduble bond or ring. The "cis" compound is the one with the groups on the same side of the bond, and the "trans" has the groups on the opposite sides. The different isomers have different physical and chemical properties. Examples are fumaric acid/maleic acid and 1,3-dimethylcyclohexane - see below:
Combustion Combustion is the combination of a substance with oxygen in the presence of a flame accompanied by the production of heat and light. Combustion requires a supply of both fuel and oxygen (air) and can take place in the open atmosphere such as an open fire, or in a closed system, such as a car engine.
Condensation reactions This is mainly an organic reaction where a simple molecule such as water or ammonia is eliminated when two molecules combine to produce another compound. A typical reaction is the esterification of an acid by an alcohol - in this case water is eliminated - see below:
Condensation reactions reaction play a major part in the polymer industry for the synthesis or artificial polymers.
Cross-links To increase the rigidity and density of synthetic polymers groups are introduced into the monomer molecules which enable bonds to form between polymer chains - this is known as cross-linking. The degree of cross-likning can have a marked effect on the physical properties of the final product. An example are the silicones - they can vary from oils (low degree of cross-linking) to waxes (high degree of cross-linking).
Crystal A discrete solid where the atoms,ions or molecules are arranged in an ordered 3-dimensional structure. The regular structures have the ability to "bend" or diffract beams of X-rays, and this aspect of crystallography is an extremely helpful tool in structure determination.
Cyclic compounds A cyclic compound is one where the atoms are joined together so as to form a closed ring.
Decomposition Where chemical compounds are broken up into simple molecules and even as far as their original elements. These processes are normally irreversible. An example of decomposition is when ammonium nitrate is heated. This produces nitrous oxide and water which are unable to recombine - see below:
Detergents These are organic chemicals designed to clean surfaces or objects. They do this by reducing the surface tension and suspend dirt in suspension from the object to be cleaned. Early detergents were long chain alcohol derivatives of sodium sulphate salts, such as sodium lauryl sulphate CH3(CH2)11O.SO2.ONa they were superseded by alkyl benzene sulphonates but these could not be broken down easily by bacteria at sewage works so these were eventually replaced by more eco-friendly detergents. Detergent molecules come in two parts - the sulphate or phosphate end (water soluble hydrophilic portion) and an organic hydrocarbon chain (water insoluble hydrophobic portion).
Diazo compounds This is a series of organic compounds possessing the general formula Ar-N=N-Y, where Ar is an aromatic group and Y is any group linked to the nitrogen except via a carbon atom. They are different from the azo compounds which have the general formula Ar-N=N-Ar'. Diazo compounds are formed from amines by a two stage diazotisation reaction. Stage one is the conversion of an aromatic amine into a diazonium chloride salt using cold sodium nitrite and hydrochloric acid - see below:
The second stage is the reaction of the diazonium chloride salt with an appropriate compound - such as another aromatic amine, eg. the reaction with p-toluidine - see below:
Distillation The separation and purification of a mixture of components by vapourisation followed by condensation, based on the different volatilities of each component. A typical experimental set up for distillation is shown below:
Drug Any chemical compound used for medicianal purposes can be considered a drug. There are naturally occuring substances such as ethanol and caffeine as well as synthetic drugs such as aspirin and amphetamines. In general the term "drug" is used for compounds that can cause addiction with emphasis on narcotics.
Dyes Dyes are chemical compounds that can attach themselves to fabrics or surfaces to give them colour. Most dyes are complex organic molecules and need to be resistant to many things such as the weather and the action of detergents. Indigo, otained from plants was being used by the Egyptians 5000 years ago, and natural dyes obtained from plants and animal sources are stil used today. In 1856, Perkin developed the first synthetic dye based upon aniline.
Electromagnetic waves All matter absorbs and emmits radiation covering a broad band of frequencies and wavelengths. This electromagnetic radiation has the velocity of the speed of light (2.998 x 108 ms-1) and arises from the vibrating electric charges in atoms and bonds. The range of wavelengths, also known as the electromagnetic spectrum is shown below:
Electron An elementary negatively charged particle orbiting within an atom, the electrons are arranged in shells - and it is the outermost shell electrons which take part in bond formation.
Electron pair Two electrons within one orbital with opposite spins responsible for a chemical bond. See also lone pair.
Emulsion A dispersal, with a variety of industrial uses of one liquid as small particles in another liquid. An example would be milk.
Enzyme A naturally occuring protein that fascilitates a specific biochemical reaction; a biological catayst.
Ester A volatile fruity odoured product of the reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol.
Exothermic reaction The majority of chemical reactions are accompanied by the evolution of heat - these is known as exothermic reactions. The reaction between an acid and a base is exothermic, it is possible to feel the temperature change when one is added to the other - see below:
A rapid exothermic reation results in an explosion, as occurs when TNT explodes.
Fatty acid A naturally occuring, usually in fats, monobasic carboxylic acid, with a long hydrocarbon tail chains.
Ferromagnetism Many substances are found to be magnetic, in that they are attracted by magnetic and electric fields, but it is found that the metals iron, cobalt, nickel and a number of alloys posses a greater level of magnetism than other substances. This powerful magnetism is called ferromagnetism, and is due to a large magnetic moment in the atoms of the metals due to an unbalanced spin of the electrons in their inner orbits.
Fluorescence The slow emission of longer wavelength light following the absorption of shorter wavelength radiation. Fluorescence is common with aromatic compounds with several rings joined together. Phosphorescence is similar but may persist long after the stimulating radiation is extinguished.
Gamma rays One of the three types of rays produced by radioactive disintegration, but gamma rays are the only one comprised of electromagnetic radiation. Gamma rays have a very short wavelength, and have the greatest penetrative power of all radioactive emissions.
Glycols Glycols are compounds that have two hydroxyl groups present in each molecule. The simplest member is ethylene glycol - see below:
Halogens This important group of elements occupies Group VII of the periodic table. Its first element, fluorine, is the most strongly electronegative element known. All halogens are electron defficient and readily share electrons with other elements to staisfy their valency needs, eg. they all form compounds with hydrogen, with the formula HX (where X=halogen)
Heavy water A molecule of water contains two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Most water comprises of hydrogen/oxygen but a small percentage is composed of another hydrogen isotope, deuterium and oxygen. Deuterium differs from hydrogen by having one neutron in the nucleus of each atom. Deuterium water is given the formula D2O. There is approx. 1 part in 5000 D2O in normal water and it can be concentrated by electrolysis. D2O had a higher boiling point (101.4 °C) and melts at 3.6 °C
Heterocyclic molecule A molecule containing at least one ring of carbon atoms, and which also has at least one atom from a different element, (nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen etc..) within the ring. Examples are shown below:
Hydrocarbon A molecule comprised solely of carbon and hydrogen. The simplest example is Methane.
Hydrogen bond A bond formed by a hydrogen atom to an electronegative atom, and is denoted X---H-B.
Hydrogen ion The ion which is left when the hydrogen atom loses its electron, forming a proton. In water the hydrogen ion binds to the water molecules, producing H3O+. Compound which exhibit hydrogen bonding include water and amines.
Indicators A number of complex organic molecules can change their molecular structure and colour when faced with different pH conditions. The most well known indicator is litmus, which is a mixture of vegetable dyes. A list of common synthetic dyes is given below:
Infrared radiation Electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light, and is responsible for the transmission of radiant heat.
Ion An electrically charged atom or group of atoms. If an atom or molecule gains an electron - it becomes a negatively charged anion, or if it loses an electron it becomes a positively charged cation.
Isomerism If a molecule possesses the same molecular formula, but the atoms are arranged in a different way, then they are called isomers. Isomers have different physical and chemical properties from each other. Optically active isomers differ only in the fact one is the mirror image of the other, as shown with lactic acid below:
Many isomers occur as a result of different substituents occupying different positions on a benzene ring - see below:
Isotactic Means geometrically regular. A polymer is isotactic if all of the groups attched to the back bone are arranged in the same geometrical pattern. See atactic.
Isotopes All atoms of the same element posses the same no. of protons and electrons but not neccarily the same no. of neutrons. So all atoms of an element will react in the same way, but they can differ in their molecular masses. Atoms of the same element with different masses are known as isotopes. Hydrogen has three isotopes. 99.98% of all hydrogen has one proton and one electron, while 0.02% of hydrogen has one proton, one neutron and one electron. This isotope is called deuterium. There is also a trace of a third isotope, tritium, which has two neutrons in its nucleus.
Ketone An organic compound containing the carbonyl group, >C=O, to which other carbon atoms are attached. Ketones are extremely useful as solvents and paint components. An example is Butanedione.
Lanthanides This is a group of fifteen closely related elements and are known as the rare earth or "inner transition" elements. They are so alike that they are difficult to seperate from each other and usually all occur together in nature.
Lipid A naturally occurring substance soluble in organic solvents but not in water.
Molecule A molecule is two or more atoms joined together by chemical bonds. This may result in two atoms of the same molecule, such as chlorine, Cl2, or by combining elements as in ammonia, NH3. A molecule can be considered the smallest unit representitve of that compound which possesses all its properties.
Lone pair A pair of electrons not involved in bond formation.
Neutron One of the three fundamental particles which form atoms, the neutron has the mass of a proton but no electrical charge. Neutrons are emitted when large atomic nuclei are bombarded with alpha particles.
Noble gases This collection of elements make up Group 0 in the periodic table. They were known as inert gases for many years but that has changed with the reports of noble gas compounds. They are all gaseous elements found in the atmosphere, except for radon which is formed from the radioactive decay of uranium. The elememts are inert due to their stable electronic configuration. The gases are useful as inert atmospheres for reactions that must exclude oxygen, for balloons (helium) and for lighting displays.
Oxidation This is a reaction with oxygen, as in combustion. An oxidized molecule is generally one that has lost electrons. Reduction also takes palce during oxidation - if one substance is oxidised then anothr must be reduced.
Parrafin See alkanes.
Peptide An organic compound containing the group -CONH (see below), examples of which are polypeptides.
Periodic table Early alchemists understood that certain elements could be grouped together due to the properties that they had. But it was not until the 18th century that Lavoisier tried to classify the known elements. It took another 100 years and a lot of trial and error for Mendeleev to propose a real foundation for the modern periodic table. He arranged the elements in a table according to relative atomic mass and left gaps where an element did not match. By doing this he could predict where a new element should come and what properties it should have.
pH Acidity and alkalinity of aqueous solutions are axpressed in terms of pH. This is a measurement of the hydrogen ion concentration of the solution. Mathematically it is expressed as:
The pH scale of 0-14 covers the range from strong acid to strong base. A neutral solution has the same number of hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions and this corresponds to pH 7. Values higher than pH 7 are alkaline, whereas if they are lower than pH 7 they are acidic.
Phenol An organic substance in which a hydroxyl group is attached directly to a benzene ring. An example is vanillin.
Photochemical reaction A chemical reaction can be enhanced when induced by light, just as some are speeded up by catalysts. Chlorine is one of a number of substances that undergo photochemical reactions. In sunlight, chlorine will react with carbon monoxide to produce the poisonous gas phosgene:
A large number of organic reactions are carried out by irradiating with ultraviolet light.
Photon All matter absorbs and emits electromagnetic radiation in discrete small quantities called photons. The energy of a photon (E) varies withthe frequency of the radiation according to:
- where h is a constant known as Planck's constant.
Polymer A polymer is a long chain molecule or a complex 3-dimensional lattice produced by the reaction of simple compounds with each other. There are two types of poymerisation. The first, where compounds open a double bond and link together via the radicals formed is called addition polymerisation. eg. the poylmerisation of propylene to polypropylene:
The other main type of polymerisation is condensation polymerisation, where as with condensation reactions, a simple molecule is eliminated during the formation of the polymer, eg. the reaction between adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine to produce nylon:
Protein A molecule comprised of long chains of amino acid molecules. Proteins, which include enzymes, are polypeptides.
Proton One of the three fundamental particles in atoms. Protons carry a large positive charge, is of similar mass as the neutron but is 1836 times as heavy as an electron.
Radical A radical is a reaction intermediate where a bond is broken and the two parts of the molecule exist carrying a single unshared electron. The radicals are normally destroyed quickly by recombination or they break in another radical and a stable molecule.
Reduction The addition of hydrogen and the removal of oxygen - the oppposite to oxidation, but is now generalised to the inclusion of electrons to a substance by any means.
Salt The ionic product of a reaction between an acid and a base. Water is also formed
Saturated compound An organic compound that does not comprise of carbon-carbon multiple bonds. Examples include ethane and propane.
Solvent A solvent is a substance capable of reataining its physical state whilst forming a homogenous mixture with one or more substances. Some common solvents are listed below:
Surfactant A surface-active agent; one that accumulates at the interface between two liquids and modifies their surface properties. An example would include the sterate ion.
Transmutation The conversion of one element into another by a process taking place in the nucleus.
Ultraviolet light Electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light.
Unsaturated compound An organic compound that contains carbon-carbon multiple bonds. Examples include ethene and propene.
Vitamins The name vitamins is obtained from "vital amines" as it was originally thought that these substances were all amines. This is now known not to be as vitamins have a range of structures. The body requires a small amout of vitamins, but any deficiency leads to metabolic and physical disorders.
Wavelength The distance beween neighbouring peaks of a wave of electromagnetic radiation.
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Radiation rises in sea
While workers are still desperately trying to stabilize the situation at Fukushima’s Daiichi nuclear plant, concerns are growing over contamination in the seawater. Radioactive iodine has been measured off the coast.
Radiation has been detected off Japan's coast
Radiation has been detected off Japan's coast
Japanese authorities have been taking samples from the ocean right off the coast and also 30 kilometers off the coast. While experts are concerned, Dr. Paul Johnston, head of the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter University in the UK, says the measurements aren’t enough:
"What is happening at the moment is a series of samples have been taken over a period of time, which indicate that there is a problem taking shape – there is a problem evolving there, but we don’t know much about the dimensions of this particular problem because the sampling frequency and intensity simply have not been sufficient to be able to pin that sort of thing down with any degree of resolution."
Experts continue to take water and soil samples
Experts continue to take water and soil samples
4,000 times higher than normal
Traces of radioactive iodine 131 have now been found in the sea which are more than 4,000 times higher than permitted levels.
Johnston says iodine itself is not the problem. "The situation is I think at the moment that what has been detected is iodine 131, which is less a concern than the other isotopes because of its shorter half-life. But of course, where there’s iodine 131, its very likely there are going to be other radionuclides as well, things like caesium 137 and possibly some of the plutonium isotopes as well because some of those have been found on the land. So we need to find out what is going on there." He adds, "It may be that there is no threat to human health but that will have to be decided on the basis of some comprehensive monitoring."
Johnston says it would not be good if caesium were found, as studies on radiation poisoning in Sellafield in the northern UK and the French Cap de la Hague have shown that the isotopes can travel very far.
TEPCO President, Masataka Shimizu, has not appeared in public for over two weeks
"In fact, the discharges from Sellafield can be detected all the way up to the arctic regions so the caesium 137 which will tend to stay dissolved in the seawater, could be transported really quite long distances." Johnston points out the difference with other radioactive substances: "Things like the plutonium isotopes, if they are ultimately detected, are likely to remain much more localized with the sediments in the region and that might lead to a much more regional problem taking shape there.
Diluted radioactive material
Günter Kanisch of Hamburg’s Thünen Research Institute does not believe any radioactivity measured off the coast of Fukushima will have an impact on fish stocks further away, like in the Bering Sea, for example.
"Surely radioactive materials will move to other places, like to the Bering Sea, but it will take years and in the meantime, the concentration of radioactive materials will be so diluted until it reaches the Bering Sea, that it does not seem likely that there will be any trace of it in the fish there."
But Johnston is not so sure and says that experts and authorities will have to keep an eye on the situation, as it is still developing. He points out that the radiation can pose a real threat to human health if large quantities of contaminated fish or shellfish are consumed locally.
Author: Irene Quaile (sb)
Editor: Thomas Bärthlein
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Module 6: how drugs work: learner's workbook
3.1 Classifying drugs by their effect on the central nervous system
Page last updated: 2004
Drugs can be classified in many ways. For example, they can be classified according to:
• uses (medicinal or recreational)
• effect on the body (the specific effect on the central nervous system)
• source of the substance (synthetic or plant)
• legal status (legal/illegal)
• risk status (dangerous/safe).
One of the most common and useful ways of classifying a drug is by the effect that it has on a person's central nervous system. The brain is the major part of the central nervous system, and this is where psycho-active drugs have their main effect.
The below sub-section summarises the major classifications of drugs including stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens. The group 'others' includes those psycho-active drugs that do not fit neatly in any other category. Some drugs can be classified in a number of categories, e.g. cannabis and ecstasy.
Classifying drugs by their effect on CNS
Tend to speed up the activity of a person's central nervous system (CNS) including the brain.
These drugs often result in the user feeling more alert and more energetic.
Examples include:
• Amphetamines
• Cocaine
• Pseudoephidrine (found in medications such as Sudafed, Codral Cold and Flu)
• Nicotine
• CaffeineTop of page
Depressants (also known as relaxants)
Tend to slow down the activity of the CNS, which often results in the user feeling less pain, more relaxed and sleepy.
These symptoms may be noticeable when a drug is taken in large amounts.
It is important to note that the term 'depressant' is used to describe the effect on the CNS, not mood.
CNS depressants are more likely to result in euphoria than depression, especially in moderate use.
Examples include:
• Alcohol
• Major tranquillisers
• Benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium, Temazepam) Opioids (heroin, morphine)
• Volatile substances (can also be classified as 'other' (glue, petrol, and paint).
Have the ability to alter a user's sensory perceptions by distorting the messages carried in the CNS. A common example is LSD (trips).
Hallucinogens alter one's perceptions and states of consciousness.
Examples include:
• LSD
• Psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
• Mescaline (peyote cactus)
Includes psycho-active drugs that do not fit neatly into one of the other categories, but which are clearly psycho-active, such as antidepressants (e.g. Zoloft) and mood stabilisers (e.g. Lithium).
Examples include:
• MDMA (ecstasy)*
• Cannabis*
• Volatile substances (petrol, glue, paint)
* Both ecstasy and cannabis can produce hallucinations, especially in cases of heavy use, or inexperienced users. However they are usually considered primarily as CNS stimulants and depressants respectively, as these effects are almost always present.
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Greek Economics: Drachmas, debt and Dionysius
The poor economic record of Greece goes back a very long way, says Matthew Lynn.
Sweeping old drachmas into a furnace, Athens, November 1944 (Getty Images / Time Life / Dimitri Kessel)
In 1929 the Harvard economist Charles Bullock published a magnificent essay on a monetary experiment conducted by Dionysius the Elder, ruler of the Greek city state of Syracuse from 407 BC until his death in 367. After running up vast debts to pay for his military campaigns, his lavish court and spectacles for the common people he found himself painfully short of ready cash. No one wanted to lend him any more money and taxes were drying up. So Dionysius came up with a great wheeze. On pain of death he forced his citizens to hand in all their cash. Once all the drachmas were collected he simply re-stamped each one drachma coin as two drachmas. Simple. Problem solved. Syracuse was rich again.
Except, of course, it wasn’t. Bullock used it as an early example of why just minting more money out of thin air was seldom a reliable way of creating more wealth. There was, however, another lesson to be learned. When it comes to making a mess of the economy and fiddling the figures the Greeks have been at the top of their game for a very, very long time.
As the rioters storm through Athens, as the beleaguered Prime Minister George Papandreou patches together a coalition government and as the French and German governments wrestle with the second bail-out for their wayward partner in the euro in a little over a year it is worth remembering that this is not just a financial story, but a historical one as well.
If Europe’s leaders had looked more closely at the country’s past they would probably have never allowed Greece to merge its currency with Germany and the other euro-zone members of the EU. Its credit record is truly awful. After the formation of the modern Greek state in 1829 the country went on to default on its debts in 1843, 1860 and 1893. According to calculations by the economists Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth S. Rogoff Greece has spent more time in default to its creditors than any other European country. It has been skipping its repayments for 50 per cent of the years since 1800, compared with a mere 39 per cent of the time for the next worst offender, Russia. Indeed, even if you moved it across to Latin America – generally regarded among bond traders as default central – it would still be among the worst offenders. Only Ecuador and Honduras have a worse record of meeting their debts.
One reason for this is that the Greeks simply don’t have much money. All of the southern European countries that are struggling to stay in the euro zone – Spain, Portugal and Italy as well as Greece – are relatively economically backward compared to their richer northern neighbours. In all of them poor quality Mediterranean soils prevented agricultural development and the emergence of the prosperous middle class that drove the Industrial Revolution in the rest of Europe. But Greece was the most extreme example. Cut off by the Carpathian mountains it was far removed from the mainstream of European science and culture. For much of the last millennium it was dominated by the Byzantine Empire – not much known for its industrial prowess. Even after independence it struggled to earn a living for itself.
While much of Mediterranean Europe modernised rapidly in the postwar years, Greece barely caught up. Occupation by the Nazis followed by a civil war didn’t help. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, when much of peripheral Europe was starting to industrialise for the first time, it was ruled by a buffoonish clique of colonels who resisted any form of modernity, either cultural or economic. In a number of ways Greece still remains a pre-industrial economy, dominated by the state, by cartels and by a handful of wealthy families. Few multinational companies have found it possible to do business there.
The interesting question is why anyone thought Greece could survive in a monetary union alongside countries such as Germany, Austria, Holland and France that have always been far richer?
In reality everyone was trying to escape their history. The Germans and the French committed themselves to the euro as the next stage in cementing the European Union together; the 1957 Treaty of Rome, the European Coal and Steel Community, Euratom, the EEC, the EC and the earlier monetary union have all been put forward as ways of cementing France and Germany (and others) together. The Germans, and particularly the Bundesbank, knew Greece should not join the euro. But it wasn’t really possible to tell countries they were not welcome in the single currency. It would fatally undermine the whole European project, an ideal to which an entire generation of politicians had committed themselves.
And the Greeks? Like the rest of the financial and political elite in southern Europe, they believed the euro would be a catalyst for modernisation. Replacing the drachma with a new currency would, they argued, be a transformative act which, in a single step, would turn Greece into a vibrant, free-market economy.
But in that respect, as in so many others, the euro was simply not up to the job. Dionysius couldn’t make Syracuse richer by re-stamping the coins. And the European Central Bank couldn’t change the course of a few hundred years of Greek history by enforcing a one size fits all monetary policy. That simple truth is now catching up with all of them.
Matthew Lynn is a columnist for the Wall Street Journal Market Watch and the author of Bust: Greece, The Euro and The Sovereign Debt Crisis (John Wiley, 2011).
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Atrial Fibrillation
Signs & Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) usually causes the heart's lower chambers, the ventricles, to contract faster than normal.
When this happens, the ventricles can't completely fill with blood. Thus, they may not be able to pump enough blood to the lungs and body. This can lead to signs and symptoms, such as:
What Causes Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation occurs when the electrical signals traveling through the heart are conducted abnormally and become very rapid and disorganized.
This is the result of damage to the heart's electrical system. The damage most often is the result of other conditions, such as coronary heart disease (also called coronary artery disease) orhigh blood pressure, that affect the health of the heart.
Sometimes, the cause of AF is unknown.
Who Is At Risk for Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects millions of people, and the number is rising. Men are more likely than women to have the condition. In the United States, AF is more common among Whites than African Americans or Hispanic Americans.
AF is uncommon in children.
Major Risk Factors
AF is more common in people who have:
• High blood pressure
• Coronary heart disease (CHD)
• Heart failure
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Structural heart defects, such as mitral valve prolapse
• Pericarditis; a condition in which the membrane, or sac, around your heart is inflamed)
• Congenital heart defects
• Sick sinus syndrome (a condition in which the heart's electrical signals don't fire properly and the heart rate slows down; sometimes the heart will switch back and forth between a slow rate and a fast rate)
Other Risk Factors
Other conditions that raise your risk for AF include hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone), obesity, diabetes, and lung disease.
Certain factors also can raise your risk for AF. For example, drinking large amounts of alcohol, especially binge drinking, raises your risk. Even modest amounts of alcohol can trigger AF in some people. Caffeine or psychological stress also may trigger AF in some people.
Some data suggest that people who have sleep apnea are at greater risk for AF. Sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.
Metabolic syndrome also raises your risk for AF. Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for CHD and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.
Research suggests that people who receive high-dose steroid therapy are at increased risk for AF. This therapy is used for asthma and some inflammatory conditions. It may act as a trigger in people who have other AF risk factors.
Genetic factors also may play a role in causing AF. However, their role isn't fully known.
Reference: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Last updated April 27, 2017
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Many Americans, approximately 50 to 70 million don’t get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This affects all aspects of life, including work productivity, happiness, and overall health. Many of us live in a fast-paced environment so getting enough quality sleep is sometimes near impossible. In response to this, founder and medical student Kamil Adamczyk and his colleagues at Intelclinic developed a sleep mask called the NeuroOn to promote a more efficient — yet less time consuming — sleep schedule.
The NeuroOn is designed to transition someone from monophasic to polyphasic sleep, which means that you can sleep less but efficiently. A polyphasic sleep pattern is defined by napping various times throughout the day instead of sleeping the standard eight hours at night. The mask is intended to help adjust your cycle using a series of sensors that distinguish between REM and NREM sleep stages. "Both sleep stages are necessary for us," said Adamczyk to Wired magazine. “A regular sleep contains only about 15 percent of REM sleep. We could regenerate faster if we would enlarge the time spent in REM sleep, and polyphasic sleep is all about it."
The NeuroOn has brain wave sensors which allow the mask to measure the movements of your eyes and the muscles in your face. By doing this, the mask helps people track their sleep patterns and know which times of day are best for them to sleep. This is comparable to patients visiting a sleep clinic, but instead of being prodded and probed by a number of wires, the sleep mask seemingly replaces all of this.
When you sleep the mask then sends data to your smart phone, which can be converted into graphs according to the Smithsonian magazine. When you’ve completed your last REM sleep, the NeuroOn wakes you up with lights, a vibration, or a sound alarm. The inventors also suggest that NeuroOn will be able to induce coherent dreaming, which Adamczyk and his team are hoping will lead to sleepers taking over their own dreams with the help of their sleep masks.
The inventors claim that by using the NeuroOn every person can gain an extra four hours of free time every day. Or course these are merely speculations as the mask is still in its prototype stage. The inventors also emphasize the convenience of their sleep mask. "We want our device to be used every day. That implies that the mask has to be extremely comfortable. That's why we will never be as precise as [the clinics] but still precise enough to provide our users with valuable date,” Adamczyk said to Wired magazine.
So far, the Intelclinic funding campaign has raised $438,573, enough to start making and shipping out their prototypes. The estimated delivery for the initial backers is May 2014.
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Zika virus Epidemiology
Figure 1: Global distribution of countries that have past or current evidence of Zika virus transmission (as of 18 April 2016). Adapted from CDC . The CDC has a comprehensive site describing countries and areas with active Zika virus transmission.
In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infections in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Health Ministry, as of November 2015 there was no official count of the number of people infected with the virus in Brazil, since the disease is not subject to compulsory notification. Even so, cases were reported in 14 states of the country. Mosquito-borne Zika virus is suspected to be the cause of 2,400 cases of microcephaly and 29 infant deaths in Brazil in 2015.
The emergence of Zika virus in South America led to a rapid spread throughout South and Central America, reaching Mexico in November 2015. It has appeared sporadically in travellers to the United States and Europe but has not established person to person spread in those areas. Because of the "growing evidence of a link between Zika and microcephaly" the CDC issued a travel alert on January 15, 2016 advising pregnant women to consider postponing travel to the following countries and territories: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The agency also suggested that women thinking about becoming pregnant should consult with their physicians before traveling.
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Define Jacobean Fabric Pattern
Decorating Dictionary: Jacobean Fabric
[Image Sources: 1, 2]
Decorating Dictionary - Distressing
Decorating Dictionary: Distressing
Distressing: is the process of intentionally blemishing or damaging a piece of furniture in order to give it an aged, weathered, or rustic appearance. During this refinishing technique items are often sanded, scraped, dimpled, bleached and stained, or treated with crackling paints and coats. Distressed furniture is popular element of the Shabby Chic interior style.
[Image Sources: 1, 2]
Decorating Dictionary: Anglepoise
Anglepoise: a balanced-arm lamp designed in 1932 by British designer George Carwardine. Carwardine, a design consultant specialising in vehicle suspension systems, saw an alternative use for springs and levers and created a mechanism with task lamps in mind. Carwardine teamed up with the Terry Spring Company to refine the Anglepoise lamp for the domestic market. Today Anglepoise is seen as a multi-product iconic British brand.
[Image Source]
Decor Dictionary - Define: Verdigris
Decorating Dictionary: Verdigris
Verdigris: is a bright blue-green patina, or natural “coating”, that is formed when copper, bronze or brass is exposed to air or seawater over a period of time. The Statue of Liberty is an excellent example of this. The term is a variation on the Old French “vert-de-Grèce”, meaning “green of Greece”; however the contemporary French spelling “vert-de-gris” translates to “green of grey”. Until the 19th century Verdigris was also a sought after green colour pigment often used in paintings.
[Image Sources: 1, 2]
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Masterpieces of Music: Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) is one of the most important figures of the first half of the 19th century in music. Apart from his activities as pianist (cut short by an injury to his hand) and composer, he was largely responsible for the creation of an entirely new vocation: the music critic who writes for the non-professional audience. A musical expert who shaped public opinion through the press was rather a new concept on the continent (though it had a longer history in England). In 1833 Schumann founded the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik as a challenge to the more conventional music criticism found elsewhere. The "Davidsbund" were an imaginary league of the musical elite who fought against the Philistines of the popular press and the authoritarianism of the conservatories. Romanticism contained internal tensions, between the desire to appeal to the public, who were, after all, the supporters of the great growth in music consumption of the time, and the contrary desire to support the musical progressives such as Schumann himself and other new figures such as Chopin and later, Brahms. The Davidsbund included imaginary characters - elements in Schumann's personality - such as Florestan (rash and reckless), Eusebius (mild and sociable) and Meister Raro (the reproving master). It has been noted that these characters correspond rather well to the Freudian trinity of id, ego and superego. Not surprising as Freud himself acknowledged that his theory was prefigured in romantic literature.
In 1837 Schumann wrote a set of eighteen pieces for solo piano entitled Davidsbündlertänze which are not really dances, but like a conversation between Florestan and Eusebius, either or both of whom are credited with the individual pieces. Here, from Wikipedia, are the movements with tempi and ascriptions:
1. Lebhaft (Vivace), G major, Florestan and Eusebius;
2. Innig (Con intimo sentimento), B minor, Eusebius;
3. Etwas hahnbüchen (Un poco impetuoso) (1st edition), Mit Humor (Con umore) (2nd edition), G major, Florestan (Hahnbüchen, now usually hahnebüchen (also hanebüchen or hagebüchen), is an untranslatable colloquialism roughly meaning "coarse" or "clumsy." Apparently, it originally meant "made of hornbeam wood." (See the article "Hanebüchen" in the German version of Wikipedia.) Ernest Hutcheson translated it as "cockeyed" in his book The Literature of the Piano.);
4. Ungeduldig (Con impazienza), B minor, Florestan;
5. Einfach (Semplice), D major, Eusebius;
8. Frisch (Con freschezza), C minor, Florestan;
10. Balladenmäßig sehr rasch (Alla ballata molto vivo) (1st edition), ("Sehr" and "Molto" capitalized in 2nd edition), D minor (ends major), Florestan;
11. Einfach (Semplice), B minor-D major, Eusebius;
12. Mit Humor (Con umore), B minor-E minor and major, Florestan;
13. Wild und lustig (Selvaggio e gaio), B minor and major, Florestan and Eusebius;
14. Zart und singend (Dolce e cantando), E major, Eusebius;
15. Frisch (Con freschezza), B major - Etwas bewegter (poco piu mosso), E major (return to opening section is optional), Florestan and Eusebius;
16. Mit gutem Humor (Con buon umore) (in 2nd edition, "Con umore"), G major - Etwas langsamer (Un poco più lento), B minor; leading without a break into
18. Nicht schnell (Non presto), C major, Eusebius.
And here is a performance of the complete work:
A measure of just how revolutionary this music is would be a comparison with a late Beethoven piano sonata from a mere decade before. Instead of a unified structure comprising a few, three or four, movements with a very clear tonal structure, there is instead a myriad of short 'characteristic' pieces, each with its own mood and structure.
vp said...
Surely a fairer comparison would be with Beethoven's Bagatelles. Compared with apples, oranges will always appear "revolutionary".
Bryan Townsend said...
Now that is a very pertinent observation! Beethoven's Bagatelles are very similar in terms of being a collection of short pieces and perhaps the Schumann work descends from them. The differences are also manifest: the Beethoven op 126 only has six movements, the Schumann eighteen. The keys of the Beethoven movements fall by major thirds, the Schumann is structured differently and so on. But I take your point gladly! I guess the revolutionary aspect has more to do with the imaginary personas which I can't see Beethoven doing.
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Only show results available in Virginia? Ok
biomass burning Applications
• Biomass Burning
• Woody biomass gasification
Converting wood waste into electricity—lumber mill off-cuts, wood from forestry thinnings (cleared of leaf matter), disposal of wooden pallets and crating (with nails removed). Wood is chipped, dried, and used to produce electricity, reducing electrical costs and paid disposal. Disposal by gasification also has far lower particulate emissions than controlled burns and a lower carbon footprint than decomposition, since methane emissions from anaerobic decomposition are avoided. Decomposing wood reverts all of its carbon content to CO2, but gasification sequesters a portion of it as charcoal waste, usable as biochar.
By All Power Labs based in Berkeley, CALIFORNIA (USA).
• Material handling equipment for biomass energy industry
• Energy from waste wood
If waste wood is utilized, woody biomass can be a form of renewable energy that complements solar and wind. Furthermore, gasifying the wood to produce electricity is a lot cleaner than disposing via controlled burns, and has a lower carbon footprint than decomposition, since decomposition often produces methane, and reverts all of the carbon to carbon dioxide, whereas with gasification, a portion is sequestered as char-ash.
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Like Water for Climate
Indeed, often we drink without being thirsty, but that is how it should be: as the beverage maker Gatorade reminds us, “your brain may know a lot, but it doesn’t know when your body is thirsty.” Sure, drinking this much does not feel comfortable, but Powerade offers this sage counsel: “you may be able to train your gut to tolerate more fluid if you build your fluid intake gradually.”
Now the British Medical Journal reports that these claims are “not only nonsense, but thoroughly debunked nonsense.” This has been common knowledge in the medical profession at least since 2002, when Heinz Valtin, a professor of physiology and neurobiology at Dartmouth Medical School, published the first critical review of the evidence for drinking lots of water. He concluded that “not only is there no scientific evidence that we need to drink that much, but the recommendation could be harmful, both in precipitating potentially dangerous hyponatremia and exposure to pollutants and also in making many people feel guilty for not drinking enough.”
So why do we keep hearing (and believing) that more water is better? Well, obviously Gatorade and Powerade would like us to drink more of their products, and getting us to gulp more than we would naturally like seems like a brilliant marketing move. Likewise, the latest Hydration for Health science gathering, which promotes drinking more water, has been sponsored by Danone, which sells bottled water under brand names like Volvic and Evian.
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Summary: Joseph (son of Jacob) was truly a faithful man who convictingly went to his death awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise of Canaan. It is his trust in God’s promise and His providential care that makes him a great example for our faith.
Study Tools
Theme: A man of great faith, especially at his death.
A. Joseph (in Genesis) is one of the better if not most well known of Bible characters.
1. Children learn about Joseph and his “coat of many colors.”
2. Stories are told of his sold into slavery, placed in prison, or his raise to power.
3. Most fail to remember or learn that one of his greatest acts of faith is that which took place in his
dying days. Heb. 11:22
B. In this lesson we walk through the life of Joseph.
1. We see his trust in God from his young age up until his death.
2. More importantly for us, we see our need to trust in God and to live faithfully before Him until our
dying days.
A. Jacob’s love for Joseph. Gen. 37:1-4
1. It was more than all his sons because Joseph was born in his old age.
2. The manifestation of this favoritism was a special coat made for him.
3. Jacob’s favor towards Joseph, however, lead to his older brother hating him.
B. Joseph’s dreams. Gen. 37:5-11
1. Whether right or wrong, he mentioned two dreams where symbolizing their bowing down before
2. His brothers (who already despised him) had even more hatred against him.
3. His father however, having rebuked Joseph, kept the saying of the dream in his mind.
4. Ultimately, this dream was of God and would bring about God’s increase to/for Jacob and his
C. Hated Joseph is sold into slavery. Gen. 37:12-36
1. Joseph goes to look for his brothers as Jacob was concerned about their well being. Vs. 12-17
2. When they saw Joseph coming to them from afar they plotted against his life and end up selling
him to Midianites.
3. In turn, Joseph is sold by the Midianites to Potiphar. Gen. 39:1
4. In the meantime, Joseph’s brothers imply to Jacob of Joseph’s death. Vs. 31-34
D. Joseph put into prison by Potiphar, the Egyptian (officer of Pharaoh). Gen. 39
1. Because God is with Joseph and Potiphar knows this, he ends up as overseer over Potiphar’s house
and possessions. Vs. 3-6
2. Because he was handsome in form and appearance Potiphar’s wife made unsuccessful advances at
Joseph and has him sent to prison. Vs. 7-20
3. Even in prison, however, God continues to be with Joseph. Vs. 21-23
E. Joseph interprets more dreams. Gen. 40-41
1. For Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker who offended Pharaoh and were placed in prison. Ch. 40
2. For Pharaoh.Ch. 41:1-37
F. Joseph greatest next to Pharaoh. Gen. 41:38-57
1. Joseph is now 30 years old when he rules as 2nd in command to Pharaoh. V. 46
2. There are seven years of plenty (and two sons born to Joseph) before the seven years of famine
G. Joseph brings his family to Egypt. Gen. 42-47
1. True to Joseph’s interpretation of God’s dream, the famine was so severe the nations come to
Egypt for food.
2. Thus, Joseph’s brothers come and bow before Joseph in need of food, thus fulfilling the dream he
had twenty plus years earlier.
3. After testing their integr ity Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and sends for his father to live in
the land under Pharaoh’s favor.
H. Joseph’s great faith verbalized before his death. Gen. 50:22-26
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[WEBINAR] Extract Value From Your Data Through Micro-Queries
Flat File Database
Definition - What does Flat File Database mean?
A flat file database is a type of database that stores data in a single table. This is unlike a relational database, which makes use of multiple tables and relations. Flat file databases are generally in plain-text form, where each line holds only one record. The fields in the record are separated using delimiters such as tabs and commas.
Techopedia explains Flat File Database
Flat file database tables can be set in various application types, including HTML documents, simple word processors or worksheets in spreadsheet applications. The tables within a flat file database can be sorted based on column values. These tables serve as a solution for simple database tasks.
In spite of the limitations associated with flat files, flat file databases are used internally by various computer applications to store data related to configuration. Most of the applications permit users to store and retrieve information from flat files based on a predefined set of fields.
Flat files include data types common to other databases. A few features of the data in flat file databases include:
• Database Management System: The text data represent an intermediate style of data before being loaded into the database.
• Separated Columns: Flat file databases are based on fixed-width data formatting. Columns are separated using delimiter characters.
• Data Types: Columns in the database tables are restricted to a particular data type and are not indicated, unless the data is passed on to a relational database.
• Relational Algebra: Records in flat file database tables meet tuple definitions under relational algebra.
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Friday, August 14, 2015
CHINA | Its Move Today vs. FDR's in 1933-34
FDR's moves to stabilize financial markets and devalue the
dollar paid off.
China's devaluing the renminbi (aka the yuan) appears to be based on the idea that by devaluing in stages, the rest of the world is less likely to care.
Actually, no.
It seems that the Chinese government had in mind loosening the effective peg of the renminbi to the dollar, allowing the currency to fluctuate within a wider band against the dollar.
But markets react fast. Once people in the marketplace think they understand what is happening, they worry about losing money every minute they delay in acting on the knowledge.
FDR and his first Treasury Secretary, Will Woodin, had the brains first to stabilize the financial markets in March-April 1933, and then to buy all private gold in May 1933. They were preparing quietly for a devaluation in order to:
• reduce the foreign (gold) equivalent of U.S. public and private debts
• encourage exports and
• discourage imports.
Gold played a role vis-a-vis the dollar then that the dollar today plays vis-a-vis the renminbi.
FDR in 1933 forced the sale to the government of private gold (other than gold coins in the hands of collectors). Then, at the beginning of 1934, FDR devalued the dollar against gold in one fell swoop, from $20.67 for an ounce of gold, where it had been for a century (except for the Civil War), to $35 an ounce.
His action was meant to be a one-time event, and so it turned out to be.
An example of what appears to be the Chinese program is conveyed by an old Irish joke. A Kerry man in the Dail urges his colleagues to change all the road signs so that vehicles drive on the right, as they do in Continental Europe. He figured that the cost could be spread out over several years. The first year they would move the trucks over to the right lane. Then they would move the buses, and the third year they would move over the private cars.
As Lady Macbeth says in Act 1, Scene 7: "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly." FDR understood that. The Chinese government, if we understand their moves aright, does not.
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Pickle Cactus
Foto info
Pickle Cactus
P Introduced Unknown Photo: Anil Thakur
Common name: Pickle Cactus, Pickle Plant, Ice Plant
Botanical name: Delosperma echinatum Family: Aizoaceae (Ice plant family)
Synonyms: Delosperma pruinosum, Mesembryanthemum echinatum
Pickle Cactus is a succulent plant that has small leaves shaped like pickles cucumbers, with bristly hairs, carried on thin wiry stems. Leaves can grow to about 2.5 cm long and are light green. The plant has a more upright habit than most Delospermas, often reaching 1.5 ft. In containers or baskets, it will reach about 1 foot in height. The most notable features are the water vesicles that cover the leaves. Pickle Cactus is definitely not a cactus, but close to Ice Plant. It is native to South Africa.
Identification credit: Anil Thakur Photographed in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,
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Friday, March 31, 2017
Fri.’s Devo - Rules of the Kingdom
The people were to celebrate Passover in the month of Abib. Abib was the 7th month on the civil calendar but the first on the religious calendar. Remember in Exodus 12:2 God gave them a new first month and this was it. Fifty days after Passover, the people were to celebrate the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Passover and Pentecost happened in the spring during the wheat harvest. This was to represent the revival of souls into the kingdom. In the fall, they harvested the grapes and the olives. This also represents a harvest into the kingdom. During this harvest they were to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Three times a year, the men were to come to Jerusalem to present their offerings and celebrate before the Lord: Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
Judges and leaders were to rule over the towns to make sure the people obeyed God’s laws and treated each other fairly. If they decided to set a king over themselves then the king must be a fellow Israelite. He must not accumulate a lot of horses from Egypt, or take many wives, or accumulate large amount of silver and gold. He was to write all the laws down by hand and keep it and read it over and over so that he would learn to fear God and obey him. If he did all these things he would reign a long time over Israel.
In Luke, Herod heard about all the things Jesus was doing and wondered if John the Baptist hadn’t risen from the dead. He tried to see Jesus.
Meanwhile, the disciples had come back from going out and ministering and seeing miracles happen at their own hand. Jesus took them to Bethsaida to rest but the crowd found out and met them there. Jesus was moved to see them and taught the people about the kingdom of God. He spoke all day and when the disciples counseled Jesus to send them home so they could eat, Jesus told them to feed them. This was not what the disciples expected to hear. They only had five loaves of bread and two fish but there were five thousand people to feed.
We all know the story. Jesus fed them and there were 12 baskets of food left over. Twelve stands for government - God’s government. The lessons was: in God’s government there is always more than enough.
After the day was over, Jesus asked his disciples who others thought he was, then he asked them who they thought he was. Peter said, “You are the Christ the Son of God.” Then Jesus told them what was about to happen. He would be turned over to the leaders of the religious order, be killed and then raise to life on the third day. He told them that denying yourself was the way to God’s kingdom.
As you read Psalm 72, I challenge you to put our president’s name in place of the king. Through God, we pray that he does all this for God’s people.
Lord, may we study to know Your promises and your laws that we follow you in wisdom and passion.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Government
Read: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24: Proverb 12:5-7
God warned his children of false prophets who performed miracles. They were a test to see if the people loved the Lord with all their hearts. If anyone, even someone one in their own house tried to persuade them to worship other gods, they were to report them and have them stoned. They, themselves were to throw the first stone.
What do both of these things mean to us now? There are many people in the world with the ability to do miracles who don’t claim Jesus. We can’t use their miracles as signs that they are true. We have to look at the source. If the source is wrong and doesn’t come through Jesus, then we are to speak out against it. Stoning has to do with throwing words at a target. If someone who is close to us is being deceived it is up to us to go to them and teach them the truth. What they do to that truth is up to them. Hopefully the stone or Word we give them will kill their false thoughts.
They were not to cut themselves or shave the front of their heads for the dead. It was a common practice of idolaters, in their worship and at funerals, to make incisions on their faces and other parts of their bodies with their finger nails or sharp instruments. (We see that in 1 Kings 18:28 with the worshippers of Baal.) They also made a large bare space between their eyebrows (Jeremiah 16:6). These degrading practices of hopeless sorrow were not to be practiced by God’s people. We are not to be those who mourn without hope. We know that we will one day see our loved one and that they are in a much better place.
In the things God told them not to eat, there were sanitary, dietary, and spiritual reasons.
God took careful attention to the Levite and the poor. Neither were to be neglected, but those that had were to give to those who had need. Servants and slaves were to be released during the year of jubilee. If they chose to stay the master would take an awl and pierce the servants ear into the door and he would be his for life. This is a picture of the cross. The door is Jesus, and this man is being pierced to Jesus making him a part of the family.
In Luke, we have a 12 year old who is dying and a woman who has been bleeding for 12 years. Twelve stands for government and these two women stand for the picture of the spiritual condition of Israel. They were bleeding and dying with no hope. The young girl died and Jesus resurrected her just as the old government had to die and be resurrected in the power of God. Jesus healed both of them showing that salvation had come to their nation to heal and restore. Jesus then called the 12 together and gave them authority to drive out all demons and cure diseases and sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. This was the picture of the government Jesus was bringing.
Lord, increase our discernment of right and wrong and increase our compassion for the poor and the ministers of God. Lord, bring in your government of the kingdom.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Wed.’s Devo - Remember God’s Promises
Moses was still talking to the people and he is calling them to remember all the signs and wonders God did and they saw with their own eyes even though they were children. They were to teach these things to their children who wouldn’t have witnessed them.
The land God had for them would not be like Egypt where they had to carry water to their crops from the Nile. This land would be watered from heaven and the land would grow produce year round. This was a land that God cares for continually from the beginning of the year to its end.
God warned them of following the gods of the land. If they did, he would shut the heavens and not let it rain. Rain is a symbol of God’s favor and blessing. They were to bind the word of God around their hearts, their hands and their foreheads. The Pharisees would take this literal and make phylacteries that they strategically bound around their arm and head… but most of them forgot about their heart. God was really saying that their hearts, deeds and mind (body, soul and spirit) were to be totally given to Him and following his Word. They were also to write the words of God on their doorposts of their house and on their gates. They do these with these little boxes that have scripture in them called mezuzah’s. Doors and gates represent openings into our lives. Everything that enters into our lives needs to be filtered through the Word of God.
God set before them the curse and the blessing. The curse was read from Mt. Ebal which means “bald” and the blessings were read from Mt. Gerizim which means “rocky”. Rocks stand for promises.
In Genesis, Adam was told to eat leafy green plants. After the flood, Noah was told he could add to his diet clean meat. Now, God is telling them they can eat any meat, clean or unclean as long as they drained the blood from it. Man was maturing in his walk on the earth. Crossing over the Jordan was to cross into the spirit where God had “meat” which they would need for spiritual warfare against the giants in the land.
Jesus told his disciples across the lake to the place where they would fight the demons in a man. The demons stirred up the lake to keep them from arriving. Jesus calmed the storm and called the demons out of the man. This man’s demons were the principalities over that whole region. The man was so changed that it scared the people and they told Jesus to leave. The man wanted to go with Jesus but Jesus sent him back to the town to tell the people all about what had happened to him.
Lord, help us to remember the things you have done for us and stand upon the promises and not the curses. May we eat your Word and bear its fruit.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Tues.’s Devo - Taking the Land and Growing the Seed
God told the children of Israel about the nations they would meet when they crossed the Jordan. These nations would be stronger than them with walls up to heaven. God promised to go before them as a consuming fire. He made sure they knew that it wasn’t because of their righteousness or integrity that He was doing this but it was because of the wickedness of the nations they were dispossessing. God reminded them that from day one they had been rebellious and angered him: at Sinai, Taberah, Massah, Kibroth Hattaavah, and Kadesh Barnea. Many times it was Moses that interceded for the people and kept the Lord from destroying them completely. Moses laid before them their whole history which was full of rebellion and the long-suffering of the Lord. Moses told them how God chose them out of all the people of the earth to set his affection on and now it was time to possess the land he had given them in spite of themselves.
His last instructions were to fear God, walk in his ways, love him and serve him with all their heart and soul and to observe the Lord’s laws. To do this they needed to circumcise their hearts and stop being stiff-necked.
In Luke, Jesus told the parable of all parables about the seed and the sower. The seed was the Word of God and the soil was the heart of man. The condition of the heart controlled the harvest of the seed. Those with humble hearts would receive the secrets of the kingdom of God. Jesus told them to consider carefully how they listened. All of this constituted how much revelation God gives and how much of it we will be able to understand. Not only do we need to understand the Word, but we have to live it.
Lord, help us to be rooted in your Word. Help us to have humble hearts to receive your revelation and truth.
Monday, March 27, 2017
Mon.’s Devo - True Blessings
God is always looking ahead to the future. He knew there would come a time that they drove out their enemies out of the land. He wanted them to stay clean and free so he gave them these instructions. First, they must destroy their enemies totally. They were not to make any treaty with them or show them any mercy. They were not to intermarry with them or give their daughter to their sons or take they daughters for their sons or else they would turn them to worship other gods and the Lord’s anger would burn against them. They were to break down their altars and smash their sacred stones, cut down and burn their idols in the fire.
This shows us how God feels about sin. Our enemies are not so obvious. They are not clothed in armor or visible. They are the attitudes of our heart, the fears in our head, the habits we have identified as “that’s just how I am”. That is a wrong concept - not Biblical. We can have the mind of Christ which is not afraid, envious, ashamed, judgmental, hateful, unkind, selfish or haughty. We can…if we choose to.
God gave them the blessings of paying attention to God’s laws and loving Him with all their hearts. The blessings are amazing: God’s love, fruitfulness, prosperity and divine health. The land God was giving them was good: plenty of water, wheat, barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where there was no lack. In God, there is no lack!
In Luke, we see Jesus eating at the home of a rich Pharisee named Simon. While he was there, a woman with a bad reputation came and anointed Jesus feet with myrrh. Simon judged Jesus in his heart thinking that if he was a prophet he should know that she was a sinner. Jesus, who knew all hearts rebuked him for thinking that way and tried to show him a better way to think. This woman had many sins to be forgiven which made her love Jesus all the more. Simon, who thought he had no sins was not able to love.
I don’t want you to miss the few verses in chapter 8 that tell us the three women who supported Jesus ministry with their money. One was Mary Magdalene who had been possessed with 7 devils; one was the wife of Herod’s manager, and one was
a lady named Susanna. These are the only people mentioned who supported Jesus’ ministry with monetary means.
Lord, help us to live in your blessings and understand that the greatest blessing cannot be measured in monetary means.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Sun.’s Devo - Don’t Forget
Read: Duet. 5:1-6:25; Luke 7:11-35; Psalms 68:19-35; Proverbs 11:29-31
Moses read again to the people the ten commandments and told them how they came about. None of these people except Joshua and Caleb and Moses were there in person when God gave the law on Mt. Sinai. They were to teach them to their children so that everything would go well with them when they came into the land. He exhorted them to love God with all their heart, soul and strength. They were to talk about the Lord’s laws when they sat at home, when they walked along the road and when they lay down and rose up. That means…all day. They were to write them on the doorframes of their houses and on their gates.
When they settled in the land and became prosperous they were not to forget the Lord and his laws or God would burn with jealousy and punish them.
In Luke, Jesus met a funeral party leaving the city for the grave. The boy who died was a widow’s only son and Jesus had compassion on her. He brought the man back to life and gave him back to his mother. This got the attention of many and some of these were John the Baptists disciples. John sent them to Jesus to ask if he was the Messiah when John had already proclaimed him to be. Jesus discerned John’s real question and answered it. John’s read question was, “why have you not set me free from my prison?” since that was one of the things the Messiah was prophesied to do. Jesus instead told his disciples to notice the things he was doing and the prophecies he was fulfilling and not to be offended if he didn’t do what he wanted him to do. This is such a good word to me. I find myself upset with God because he doesn’t fulfill a certain promise in his Word when he has fulfilled so many others. I need to be thankful for what he has done and leave the rest to him.
Jesus then addressed the crowd about John. He asked them why they went all the way out in the wilderness to see John. The people that had repented under John’s ministry would be able to accept Jesus’, but the Pharisees who weren’t baptized under John and didn’t accept John, would not be able to accept Jesus. Only the children of God can have Godly wisdom.
Lord, I repent of grumbling and complaining about your timing and the way you are moving in my life. I am grateful for all the wonderful ways you have provided and kept us in You. Help me to see your wisdom. Help us to remember all the things you have done for us.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Sat.’s Devo - Good Fruit
Mose gives his last speech to the children of Israel. God told the people not to add to his commandments or subtract from them. By the time Jesus came to earth, they had added so much of their own laws to God’s law that God’s laws were no longer important. Their own laws called the Talmud had taken priority over the Mosaic law. He also exhorts the people to follow the laws God because they will show them wisdom and understanding. He reminds them that no other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way God was to them. He hears every prayer they pray. Moses told them it was their job to teach what they had seen and learned about God to their children so that they would walk with Him.
He told them that if they ever strayed from Him all they had to do was turn and seek him again and he would be found of them. He also told them that they were to drive out a people that are much stronger than them. They would do that with God’s help and then they would receive their inheritance. Many of us are up against enemies that are much stronger than us. Our nation is fighting enemies that are much stronger than us, but they are not too strong for the Lord. That is why we pray and believe and put our trust in God. Nothing is impossible to Him.
Two of the enemies that the children of Israel faced were Sihon king of the Amorites and Og, King of Bashan. Those kings represented destructive words and shame. They defeated them both. They are still enemies we must defeat on a daily basis.
Jesus taught that if we allow Him to train us in his Word we will be like Him. When we build our lives upon Jesus, the storms of life and the trials will not blow us away but we will stand strong.
Jesus taught about how a good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart. This will be evident by his conversation. Next, he healed a centurion’s servant whom the centurion highly valued. This centurion was an example of a good tree that bore good fruit. He humbled himself before Jesus and realized Jesus’ authority with God. He got his request.
Lord, help us to not fall to the enemies of destructive words and shame. May our hearts be fertile ground that bears good fruit.
Friday, March 24, 2017
Fri.’s Devo - The Spirit Brings Life
When God is ready to move us into our promised land he is ready. In today’s reading God said, “you have made your way around this hill country long enough.” I sometimes feel that way about the place I have been in. I have been in the wilderness long enough.
God gave them boundaries to live in. They were not to take land from people he did not tell them to. God even told them to pay Esau to go through their country. He told them whose land they could have and whose they couldn’t. He gave the history of all the people who had lived there. They were all nations stronger than them but God had began to put terror and fear of his people in the hearts of all the nations on the earth. We need the world to hear the reports of what God has done for us and be afraid and run.
Moses begged the Lord to let him go over the Jordan into the land He had promised but God would not listen to Moses. He told him “that is enough”. There are times when God says “no” and he will not change his mind. If anyone could get God to change his mind, I would think it would be Moses. Look at all Moses had done. But, God’s ways are perfect. Moses stood for the law and the law cannot cross over into the spirit. The law brings death, but the spirit brings life.
Jesus didn’t make any decision on his own. I imagine he had met many choice men do be his disciples, but he wanted to make sure he choses God’s men. He spent the night praying over his decision and when he got God’s heart, he acted.
Jesus came preaching a different gospel from that of the Pharisees. They didn’t believe in humility, forgiveness, or grace. Their religion was one of position, selfishness, and law.
Lord, may we learn your ways and choose grace and spirit.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Thur.s’ Devo - Accepting the New
Read: Numbers 36:1 - Dueteronomy 1:46; Luke 5:29-11; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 11:24-26
First, Moses decided a question about the daughters of Zelophehad who received inheritance. What would happen to their land if they married outside their tribe? The answer was simple: they must marry within their tribe, so they did. That was easy because they obeyed. I wonder how easy our problems would be fixed if we just obeyed.
It had now been 40 years since the children of Israel had disobeyed by not believing the reports of Joshua and Caleb. Moses met with them and gave them a lesson of their history because he did not want them to repeat it.
In Luke, tax collectors where considered a publican. The Pharisees were prohibited from eating a publican’s food and were not allowed to invite a publican to their table and now Jesus was not only eating Levi’s food but doing at Levi’s table. They only people the tax-collectors could hang out with were other tax collectors and prostitutes because they had prostituted themselves to money and sold out their own people. So, when Jesus chose Levi (Matthew) as one of his disciples and actually went to his house and ate with his friends, the Pharisees were appalled. Jesus explained that these were the people who needed him so he went to them. He came to call sinners to righteousness. This flew in the face of the Pharisees because their were not allowed to discuss the laws of purification in the presence of a sinner because they didn’t want the sinner to be purified. They were also not permitted to try to be a good example to a sinner lest they repent. What a different gospel Jesus was bringing.
Then Jesus referred to himself as the bridegroom and he gave them the parable about the old patch on a new garment. and new wine being poured into old wineskins. The Pharisees were the old patch and the old wineskins that wouldn’t change to accept the new gospel Jesus was bringing.
When the disciples ate grain on the Sabbath, the Pharisees complained. Jesus reminded them of what David did when he was hungry on the Sabbath. He ate the shewbread that was set aside only for the priest. Jesus was trying to show them that following God was not about religious rituals but walking in obedience by the Spirit. Then Jesus proclaimed himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath. He proved it by healing a man’s shriveled hand in the synagogue in front of everyone. This made the Pharisees furious. They started trying to come up with a plan to stop Jesus.
Lord, help us to walk in Your Spirit today and obey your voice.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Wed.s’ Devo - Dispossess Your Enemies
Moses gives us a detailed map of their journey. God told them when they passed over the Jordan they were to drive out all the inhabitants of the land and destroy all their pictures, their molten images and totally destroy all their places where they practiced idolatry. Their pictures were their carvings in the rock and in the walls. They were to “dispossess” the inhabitants of the land. In other words, they were to drive them out and take their land as their inheritance because the land is the Lord’s and he gave it to Israel.
That is exactly what we are to do with the inhabitants of our land. We are born with fear, hate, sin, etc. We inherit the sins of our family and their prejudices but when we give our lives to Jesus, then we have to dispossess our bodies, minds and spirits. We have to change wrong mindsets and put on the mind of Christ. If we don’t, those wrong mindsets will remain and be pricks in our eyes and thorns in our sides and will vex us. A prick in the eye in the Hebrew means a brier as a hedge. It will keep us from seeing the big picture; we will only see the immediate and not through God’ eyes. A thorn in the side is an adversary that imbeds itself in us. Vex means an enemy that oppresses us, shuts us up and binds us up.
God told the Israelites if they didn’t drive out their enemies, He would do to them as he thought to do to their enemies. They would receive what was meant for the enemy. That does not sound good!
Cities of refuge are one of my favorite topics but I don’t have room to explain it in detail. It was a place where innocent people who were accused of murder could flee. The accused would present his case to the Levites at the gate and if they believed his account, he would be free to live there safely until the death of the high priest. Then he would be released to go back to his home.
In Luke, Jesus healed a Jew who had leprosy. This was one of the signs that the priests had decided was a Messianic miracle - one only the Messiah would be able to do. Jesus told the man to go show himself to the priest. Jesus was trying to show the religious leaders that he was in fact the Messiah. Instead, when Jesus pronounced a man’s sins were forgiven they accused him of blasphemy. They just didn’t know what to do with the things that Jesus did. When Jesus healed the paralytic they said, “we have seen strange things to day.” If the stuck around, they saw even stranger things.
Lord, help us to dispossess our selves and take our place in the kingdom. Help us to recognize our enemies and make them flee from us. Thank you that you are our city of refuge and no devil can accuse us of sin. We are safe in your city.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Tues.’s Devo - Crossing the Jordan
I don’t know what to think about Reuben and Gad’s request; I have so many questions. Had they seen their land yet or were they afraid to take a chance when they had what they wanted already? The fact that God was angry at their decision makes me think that they were settling for what they knew would work instead of putting their trust in the land God had chosen for them. When they promised to help everyone else get their land, God’s heart was appeased but I wonder if things would have been different if they had gone on across the Jordan to their land. God does give us free will, but his plan is always the best. It might not always be the easiest but there is benefit in that also.
I look at the Red Sea as the passage into salvation. The wilderness is that testing time where you grow and mature. The Jordan River is the passage into the spirit-filled life. Many Christians are content to spend their lives in the wilderness and never cross over into the spirit-led life. Over the Jordan is where the promises of God are fulfilled. That is where spiritual warfare is fought and won. That is the land of milk and honey; joy and spirit; battles and victories.
Jesus’ ministry was first to the Jews so that is where he ministered at first. When he cast out a demon from a man in the synagogue, word spread very quickly. Next he rebuked a fever from Simon’s mother-in-law. Many realized that Jesus was the Christ but Jesus told them not to announce that publicly. When they begged him to stay there, Jesus explained that he had to go to other cities also. He preached in the synagogues of Galilee to the Jew first.
Jesus taught by using natural things and turning them into super-natural situations. He wanted to talk about his mission of saving souls so he used fish to stand for the souls. He showed them that where once there was no salvation, now many would be saved. Simon, who had seen Jesus heal his mother-in-law, now saw how Jesus could command nature. Surely this was the Messiah. He forsook everything and followed Jesus.
Lord, we want to be like Simon and forsake all and follow You. We want to cross over the Jordan into the promised land and walk in Your Spirit.
Monday, March 20, 2017
Mon.’s Devo - Through Water and Fire
God gave the women coverings called husbands. I understand this passage because I had to use it once. I had gone to a meeting outside my church and heard a couple speak. They begged for support and I was full of compassion and probably guilt and wanted to help them. It was obvious that they were struggling financially. I pledged a certain amount to give them every month. We were struggling financially also. When I went home and told Dave, he was not so full of compassion. He told me we couldn’t pay that pledge so I had to go back the next night and tell them why I had to remove my pledge. They couldn’t refute the Bible and they were gracious to me but it was a very humbling experience for me. It did help me to understand why God gave it to us. Dave is my balancer and my support. He was my rescuer in that incident.
God told Moses to go against the Midianites who had done everything they could to curse Israel. When Balaam was not allowed to curse Israel he sought another way to curse them…from within. He caused them to enter into idolatry with the women of Midian. God was fed up with it and sent Moses to defeat the Midianites. Moses sent 12,000 men to fight them with the priests and the holy instruments and trumpets. They slew all the males and the five kings of Midian but kept the females and children alive. Wasn’t it the women who led them away from God and caused a plague that killed 24,000 of them? So they had to go through their captives and kill all the male children and every woman who were not virgins. Then they had to purify themselves and all the spoils of war with fire and then with water. God was giving them a way to rid all their spoils of any disease or infections so it wouldn’t enter the camp.
Then they could divide the spoil and give the Levites their part.
In Luke, we have Jesus’ temptations. This was not the only times Jesus was tempted because it says that after this time the devil left him for a season. Jesus was about to start his ministry and God had put his seal upon him at his baptism of water but now he had to go through the baptism of fire. The devil tried to tempt Jesus with earthly things but Jesus saw right through that and went for the spiritual things. Bread was natural, the Word of God was life. The kingdoms of the world were natural but to worship the Lord was worth far more. Proving himself was self-preserving but to tempt the Lord who was the giver of life was totally wrong. Jesus gained authority by not giving into these temptations. He returned from 40 days of not eating or drinking full of the power of the Spirit.
When Jesus began his ministry he was loved and esteemed highly by all who heard him. But he didn’t come for that. He came to test men’s hearts and bring truth. It didn’t take long to make people offended in him. The people in his own home town wanted to stone him after one short sermon.
Lord, help us to walk in boldness and authority, unmoved by the opinions of others.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Sun.’s Devo - Our Offerings
Drink offerings and offerings by fire are continuous themes throughout the Bible. Oil and wine are also themes we see. The water stands for humanity, life, baptism, cleansing and repentance. Fire stood for sanctification, refining, zeal and judgment. Oil stood for the anointing of the Holy Spirit and wine stood for the blood of Jesus, joy, and the new covenant. They were constantly making these offerings… on the Sabbath, the first of the month, at feasts and some daily. This is reminding us that at the beginning of any thing we are to offer ourselves anew to the Lord. Sometimes, I find myself having to do this several times a day.
God took his feasts very seriously. I have explained their significance several times before but it is amazing how many times the Bible goes over the feasts and what to do on them. I talked to a man this past week who gave me a booklet explaining how everything is pointing toward Jesus coming back this Roshashana. I tried to tell him that though I found this authors research fascinating, Jesus was not coming back this year. We still have to learn to rule and reign on the earth as sons of God doing the works of Jesus. Do not be deceived about the times we are living in. We are living in the Kingdom age where heaven is coming down to earth. We are not going up to heaven…yet.
Notice that on the feast of Trumpets (the feast of Jesus’ return and the rapture) there is an offering every day for seven days. After Jesus returns, many will be offering sacrifices to the Lord and repenting of their sins. It will be a time of great harvest.
In Luke we have Joseph’s genealogy. He was from the tribe of Judah which was the kingly tribe. Mary was from the tribe of Levi making Jesus both a priest and a king. Luke traces Joseph’s line back to Adam who was the son of God. Adam was a type of Jesus who was the son of God.
Lord, we join with the Psalmist in saying our soul waits upon You. You are our rock and our salvation and we offer ourselves to You today to use however You see fit. We trust in You and we will not be moved.
Saturday, March 18, 2017
Sat.’s Devo - Our Inheritance
I forget that Moses was a Levite. His father’s name was Amram which means “high people”. His mother’s name was Jochebed which means “Jehovah-glorified”. These are descriptions of the Levites. They were people that God chose to lift up above the people as teachers and leaders that would glorify Him.
The daughters of Zelophehad came to present their cause before Moses. Their father had died in the wilderness and had no sons so they didn’t want their father’s inheritance to be lost. God told him to give them their father’s inheritance. This should be an encouragement to all the single and divorced women. God has an inheritance for you.
Then, God told Moses to go up on mount Abarim and look at the land that God had promised to give the children of Israel. Moses would be able to see the promise from afar and get a glimpse of what he had worked for over 40 years to accomplish. His posterity would take his mantle and continue his destiny on the other side of the Jordan. Once he saw it, God would gather him to his people as he did Aaron. That means that he would meet his ancestors in Sheol.
This is how God works in families. Each family has a destiny and a purpose that they are to carry forth. Their span of life is their baton that they carry to mark their part of the race. It will continue until Jesus comes back.
In Luke, we see all the players in place. The political leaders were Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, and Philip (Herod’s brother). The high priests were Annas and Caiaphas. God’s prophet was John the Baptist. All through the ages the prophets were usually not popular with the political or religious leaders so they had to live in the deserts and the hills. They would make calls to the cities only on assignment from God. Jerusalem was responsible for killing many of the prophets so it is no wonder that they killed John the Baptist also.
Another thing about prophets… they were bold and fearless. John hit the scene screaming, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath!” That explains their lack of popularity with the religious leaders. John the Baptist and Jesus only spoke offensively to the religious leaders because they were responsible for the people’s spiritual awareness and they had failed miserably and used their office to benefit only themselves. John addressed sin because he came to preach repentance from sin. He was paving the way for Jesus to bring the salvation that comes after repentance.
Lord, our inheritance is in You. You are our shelter and our strong tower from the enemy. Hide us in your tabernacle. Thank you for our heritage. Preserve us in your mercy and truth.
Friday, March 17, 2017
Fri.’s Devo - Being About the Lord’s Business
After God cleansed the people by destroying all who participated in idolatry, he told Moses to count the people. In the King James it reads, “take the sum”. That is a term that means to shake the head. It reminds me of threshing the wheat to let the wind drive away the chaff and the good part remains. These people were the grain that remained. These were also just a count of war-aged men. There were 601,730.
It made a special effort to let us know that though Korah and his followers died because of their rebellion in the earthquake, their children remained and continued their line. What happened to Korah and his followers stood as a warning sign of what happens when people oppose God’s anointed. We could use a reminder of that in our country.
Mary and Joseph did all the requirements of the law concerning having a first-born son and as they were leaving the temple, they just happened to run into Anna, the prophetess. She had married a man who died 7 years after their wedding date. She had remained in the temple praying and fasting for the redemption of Jerusalem since then and was now was 84 years of age. She came face to face with the redeemer of the world and gave thanks.
We don’t hear any more about Jesus till his famous line in the temple, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be about my Father’s business.” I have blogged about this before so I won’t repeat it but this became Jesus motto. He was born to be about his Father’s business which was redeeming the world. They had looked for him for three days and finally found him. When Jesus died, he was “lost” for three days, then appeared to his disciples and calmed their fears.
Lord, we pray with the Psalmist: Give us aid against the enemy. With You we will gain the victory and you will trample down our enemies. Help us to be about your business today.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Thurs.’s Devo The Consequence of Idolatry
I love that an enchanter who hated Israel had to give such a beautiful prophecy over Israel. He not only blessed Israel but he cursed Israel’s enemies. Balaam lost honor and riches for obeying God, but he had no choice. He even prophesied the coming of Jesus as a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter that would rise out of Israel.
God saved Israel from being cursed yet Israel cursed themselves by committing idolatry with the daughters of Moab. Worshipping Baal meant participating in all sorts of sexual perversions with temple prostitutes. God became very angry and a plague broke out among the people. When an Israelite brought one of these women into the camp, Phinehas, the priest ran and speared the man and women in the act of their perversion. His zeal for the Lord stopped the plague but not before twenty-four thousand people were killed. Zimri was the name of the man killed. His name means “musical; my psalm” so he was a musician who wrote psalms to the Lord. The woman’s name was Cozbi which means “false”. Her father’s name was Zur which means a rock. So that means that their doctrine was false.
They were Midianites which means “contention and strife”.
The enemies that the Israelites faced are the same spirits and enemies that we face. We cannot afford to make friends with strife and contention. This spirit is trying to consume our land and we have to raise up the banner of love and kindness to defeat it. We also have to war against our enemies.
In Luke, Jesus is born. The heavens proclaimed his arrival to shepherds who were watching over temple sheep. These sheep would be sacrificed for the sins of the people. How fitting. Since he is the first born he is to be presented to the Lord. While they were at the temple, there was a prophet who was there because God had told him to go there that day. When Mary and Joseph came with Jesus, he took Jesus in his arms and prophesied over him with joy. He knew that this baby was the salvation for the world. He would be the light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. He would reveal the thoughts of man.
Last night one of our cars was broken into and my daughter-in-law’s purse was stolen. Her purse and all its belonging was strewn all over the street. Psalm 59 has new meaning today.
Lord, I will sing of your power and your mercy that comes in the morning. You are our defense and and refuge in the day of trouble.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Wed.’s Devo - God is All-Powerful
Read: Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:56-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13
Balak is bent on cursing Israel and he is bent on Balaam doing the cursing. Balak means “waster” which is exactly what Balak wanted to have proclaimed over Israel. Balaam’s name means “not of the people; a foreigner” because Balaam was not one of God’s people. He was a false prophet subject to God. He is greatly rebuked for not giving up and going home. He played along with Balak maybe hoping to find a loophole.
In Luke we read about the birth of John the Baptist. When Zaccharias wrote John’s name down on the tablet his tongue was loosed and he could talk. The people marveled at the miracle. It had been years since they had seen any type of miraculous act on the earth so this was huge. When God loosed Zaccharias’ tongue he started prophesying about John’s destiny. He was to go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. Jesus was the face of God to the world. John was to give knowledge of salvation to his people be the remission of their sins. John preached repentance and baptism as sanctification. John would give light to them that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide their feet into the way of peace. John brought hope and restoration to those that had lost their hope and their way.
Today, we are being attacked like never before because the devil is afraid at what he is seeing. We are actually starting to win! We are learning how to fight and use our authority. We learn by having reasons to use it. That is another reason we are going through so much mess. God is allowing opportunities for us to grow and learn how to rise up and use the authority he gave us through the name of Jesus. This is not the time to give up but to be courageous. The devil’s schemes are just smoke screens. The real is shining behind this smoke screen. We just need to walk through it expecting to see the light on the other side.
Lord, help us to be fearless and offensive. You are with us, so who and what do we have to fear ?
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Tues.’s Devo - The Lord is Victorious
God had promised Israel that he would go before them and defeat their enemies. The first enemy to come against them were the Canaanites. They took some of the Israelites prisoner. God helped them completely destroy their cities and defeated them.
After their great victory, the Israelites got impatient and complained about the manna. God sent deadly snakes to bite them and many died. When the people repented, God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on the pole. If they looked upon it, the people that had been bitten would live. The curse became the blessing. Jesus became the curse that was lifted up on a cross that when we behold him, we will be saved from our sin.
The next enemy they met was Sihon, king of the Amorites. Israel had asked if they could just travel through their land and Sihon said, No. He gathered his whole army to come fight Israel. They had defeated the Ammonites and the Moabites to take their land. God helped them defeat them which made the surrounding people afraid. Og, king of Bashan was so afraid of the Israelites he decided to hire the soothsayer, Balaam to curse them. Every spirit is subject to God so first Balaam had to ask God. God told him he couldn’t curse the Israelites because God had blessed them. The king of Og kept pestering Balaam and offering him a bigger and bigger purse. We will learn tomorrow what happens.
In Luke, Elizabeth was in her sixth month. Six months from the day of Atonement brings us to Passover. Mary was visited by an angel and told that she would have a baby. Elizabeth was too old and Mary was too young - in that she wasn’t even married. Both would be miracles by the hand of God. Mary believed and totally surrendered herself to God’s will. Elizabeth praised for this, remembering what had happened to her husband for not believing. Mary and Elizabeth had a praise meeting then Mary stayed there for another 3 months. She must have left right before Elizabeth delivered.
Our Psalm was written by David when he was in the cave fleeing for his life from Saul. Sometimes I feel like I am hiding out, fleeing from Satan but I want to be fearless and stand my ground. David found his footing in the Lord.
Lord, we pray with David, Our heart is steadfast, awaken our souls to praise You.
Monday, March 13, 2017
Mon.’s Devo - From Death to Life
Moses gave the priest a ceremony to do to cleanse the congregation from sin. It included wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool thrown into the sacrifice of the red heifer. We saw all these symbols on the cross. Jesus was the red heifer, the wood was the cross; the hyssop was offered to Jesus to ease the pain but he refused it; and the red wool was a picture of the lamb covered in blood. Jesus’ sacrifice took away sin forever.
Once again, the children of Israel are before the rock at Meribah in the valley of Sin. It is time to cross over into the promised land again. And, once again, they are out of water and complaining. Miriam must die here. She stands for rebellion and rebellion cannot enter the promised land. She was a leader so much more was required of her. She was also leprous making her unclean.
This time, Moses was not to strike the rock but speak to it. The rock stood for Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:4) and he was struck only once for our sins. It was time to speak to him and ask for water. Moses was angry and struck the rock two times which distorted the picture God was trying to paint. Moses’ impulsiveness and anger would cost him his life.
Aaron was punished because of his rebellion. He had to be stripped of his priestly garments and they were given to his son, Eleazar. He died on Mt. Hor. Hor means “forefather” and that is what Aaron was. The law brings death but the new covenant brings life. In the Old Testament we read today of two people who died because of their sin. In the New Testament today we read about the birth of two babies who would bring repentance and salvation to the world.
Luke is the account of the life of Jesus in order (Luke 1:3) so we can use Luke to know what order the events happened. The angel came to Zacharias on the Day of Atonement and Elizabeth became pregnant. She would have a boy named John who would operate in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just and to prepare the people for the Lord. Turning the hearts of the fathers to the children had to do with turning the prophecies of the forefathers to these children. Because Zacharias didn’t believe, he was struck dumb. Elizabeth became pregnant with John the Baptist.
Lord, increase our faith. Prepare us for your next move on this earth. With you nothing is impossible.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Sun.’s Devo - God is a God of Justice
Yesterday, we read where God killed the men who opposed Moses. Today we read that the people were mad at Moses and gave him the credit for killing Kohath and his followers. That was the core of their sin - they wouldn’t give to God credit for what he did and the fact that they didn’t approve of who God chose to lead them. (That sounds familiar.) So, the whole camp rose up against Moses and blamed him. God wanted to kill them all so Moses told Aaron to run and take a burning censor of incense and make atonement for the people before God could kill them all. God had already killed 1,400 of them.
Then God told Moses to tell each of the heads of the tribes to present a rod that they themselves had carved their name on. The one that sprouted would be the one God chose. They each brought their staff and Moses laid them before the Lord. In the morning, Aaron’s staff had not only budded but it had bloomed and had almonds on it. That was supernatural proof that God had chosen him and his family to be their ministers. Anyone else that came near the sanctuary would be put to death.
Then, God gave them detailed instructions about what theywages for being Levites and working for Him would be. They were to be well taken care of but even they had to tithe. This is a good reminder to us of how God is our employer and he will take care of us and bless us.
Mark gives us the resurrection in a nutshell. The women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus body and found the stone rolled away and an angel who told them to tell the disciples to go to Galilee and there they would see Jesus.
Jesus appeared to the two men on the road to Emaeus and the disciples didn’t believe them. Then Jesu appeared to the eleven disciples and this time they did believe. He commissioned them to go preach the good news and baptize the believers. Then he listed the signs that would accompany them. They would drive out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up poisonous snakes, during deadly poison and none of this would hurt them. They would also lay their hands on the sick and heal them. (In the book of Acts, they did every one of these things.)
Lord, thank you that you sustain us and you never let the righteous fall. We pray for our nation that you would put an end to your enemies and that the deceitful men would not live out half of their days. Put a hedge about the bodies and hearts of your leaders and make them strong in You.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Sat.’s Devo - Offerings and Fringes
God explained the different offerings the people were to bring. The heave offering was to be brought when they eat the bread of the promised land. It was to be a first fruit offering. The heave offering was to be waved up and down by the priest signifying the God of heaven. The wave offering was waved side to side signifying God was also God of earth. When offered together it made the sign of the cross.
God gave them many types of offerings, even offerings to offer for their ignorance of breaking his laws. We do many things out of our lack of knowledge. This offering showed that they acknowledged God’s holiness and their own sinfulness. But, to sin willingly and knowingly was to despise the word of the Lord. This person would be cut off and would bear the consequence of his actions. That happened to the man who gathered the sticks on the Sabbath. He was stoned.
God told them to make fringes in the borders of their garments with a blue ribband. If you study this it, you will find that tying these fringes became a very intricate law of tying and braiding and ritual. The Talmud added all kinds of rules to tying these tassels. These tassels were to remind them to bind the Word of God to their hearts but they eventually became a symbol of religious social status.
Then the clan of Kohath and a few Reunites rose up with 250 others to oppose Moses as their leader. Moses tried to have a meeting with them but they refused so God told him to call a meeting with Him and for them to bring burning censors. These censors represented their request to God. They came to that meeting. God opened the earth and swallowed them and their families.
Mark gives us a descriptive narrative about the crucifixion. Jesus took the place of Barabbus. “Barabbus” means “son of Abba”. Barabbas stands for all of us. He was the scapegoat that deserved death just as we are the scape goat that deserve judgment. Jesus took our place and died for us that our sins would be forgiven and not held against us. I wonder if it changed Barabbas’ life.
Jesus’ accusers called him the King of the Jews and he was not only their king but everyones’ king. He was taken to the Praetorium which was the judgment hall where they put a purple robe on him and a crown of thorns. They hailed him their king and mocked him by bowing down to him. They hit him on the head, and spit on him. They brought him to Golgotha which means “place of a skull” and crucified. I can’t help but see the many references to Jesus’ head. He is the head over the church and the ruler of heaven and earth.
After he was crucified, he was laid in a rich man’s tomb (Is. 53:9).
Lord, Lord, thank you for dying for us and taking our sin.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Fri.’s Devo - Die to Live Another Day
It is a sad day in Israeldom. The people received the bad report of the ten spies and rejected the good report of Caleb and Joshua. Because they rebelled and chose not to have faith in God, God sentenced them to death and their children to 40 more years of wandering in the wilderness. Those that had any remembrance of Egypt would be dead and the new generation would enter God’s promised land. God said that only Joshua and Caleb would enter the land - he didn’t mention Moses because He knew. God called them an evil generation because they could not see the promise standing before them. Jesus called the generation he came in an evil generation also (Luke 11:29). They couldn’t see the Messiah standing before them.
Some of the people decided to go in anyway without Moses’ blessing and without the ark of the covenant of the Lord and were killed by the Amalekites.
God did leave them with hope. He told them that when they did enter the land they could offer Him the same offerings as before.
…On to Mark. The Jews have to have two or three witnesses in order to kill a person (Deuteronomy 17:6). The leaders of the law couldn’t even get two false witnesses to agree so they asked Jesus if he was the Christ. Jesus answered, “I am.” At his own confession he was sentenced to death. “I am” is sacred words to the Jewish scholars. “I am” was a name God gave to himself when Moses asked him his name. For Jesus to use this term was blasphemy to them. He added, “and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” It was then that the high priest said, “need we any further witnesses?” So it was by his own words that Jesus was condemned. They didn’t take his life - he laid it down.
Our Psalm and Proverb for today were very timely of what was going on in both our other readings.
Lord, may we be of the righteous that deliver from death. May we be like Jesus who saw death as a means to life.
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Thurs.’s Devo - The Light of Truth
Read: Numbers 11:24-13:33; Mark 14:22-52; Psalm 52;1-9; Proverbs 11:1-3
God anointed the 70 elders with his spirit and they all prophesied unceasingly. Two of the men went into the camp and took their gift of prophesy. Someone reported it to Moses thinking they were stealing Moses thunder. But Moses said he wished that all of them prophesied. Moses realized it was not his power but God’s power and God could give it to whoever He wanted.
Later, Aaron and Miriam jealously judged Moses for having an Ethiopian wife. God judged Aaron and Miriam and Miriam became leprous.
It is easy to see the weaknesses in our leaders but it is never our responsibility to judge them or be jealous of their position. God places people in authority as he wills, not because they are perfect. God uses all our circumstances to shape us into the person he can use.
Even after Miriam became leprous, Moses cried out to the Lord for healing. Moses wouldn’t leave till she was well.
The people got their meat. Quail blew in with the wind and fell in piles two cubits high everywhere. Before they could even eat them, God got angry at their greed and smote the people with a plague that killed many. Miriam’s name means “rebelliously” which was how the people were. Her rebellion had to be judged.
Jesus didn’t worry about offending people with the truth. He knew that even if his disciples didn’t understand at the time, they would later. Judas, however, betrayed Jesus with a kiss. The devil uses cunning deceitful kindness to do his dirty work. He is the master of passive aggressiveness. He also does his work in the dark at night. Jesus did his work in the light of day with nothing to hide.
Lord, help us to be children of the light bearing Your truth without shame or fear.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Wed.’s Devo - Rise Up
Read: Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51-19; Proverbs 10:31-32
God told Moses to make two silver trumpets to be used for assembling the people and marching forward. Each leaders groups were given a certain trumpet blow to summon them. Another alarm was blown to call them to war. The leaders were Judah, Reuben, Ephraim and Dan.
When the tribes traveled they traveled according to families in this order:
(the Levite clan - Gershon)
(the Levite clan - Kohath)
When they went forward, Moses would announce, “Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” (That is a good prayer to pray every morning.)
The people complained and God sent fire that consumed those on the outskirts of the camp. God gave them manna which was a sweet tasting seed that could be made into bread. They complained because they didn’t have meat.
Moses was so exhausted with the people and their grievances that he went to the Lord. God told him to appoint 70 leaders to act as judges over the people. He also told them that he was sending the gripping people some flesh to eat for a whole month. Moses wondered how many flocks and herds it would take to feed so great of a crowd but God told Moses that his arm was not short, he would do it.
Moses appointed the 70 men and God filled them with his Spirit
In Mark, it is two days before Passover and the chief priests and scribes tried to devise a plan to kill Jesus. They planned to wait till after the feast days to keep the crowds happy but we know that didn’t happen. Meanwhile, Jesus was at Simon’s house when Mary came in and anointed Jesus body for burial. When the disciples complained about the expense she was waisting, Jesus rebuked them. Jesus understood the importance of what she was doing.
Judas left to sell Jesus out. Jesus sent his disciples to find the man with the water pot and follow him. How interesting that Jesus would end his ministry with a man carrying a water pot. Remember his first miracle? He put water into pots and it turned to wine. The clay pots stand for humanity. Water stands for the Holy Spirit, and wine stands for the joy of the Holy Spirit. Jumping ahead, Jesus told his disciples that he would not drink at the Lord’s Supper because he said that the next wine he would drink would be new wine drunk in the kingdom of God. It was not the time for joy, but it would be when he rose.
Lord, may we drink of your water and your wine and always be full.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Tues.’s Devo - Rules for the Passover
The Levites were to minister to the Lord and obey God so that there would not be any plague among the children of Israel when they came to the sanctuary. The priests were free of serving at the age of 50. Fifty speaks of jubilee where people are set free to enjoy their inheritance.
Moses instructed them again about keeping the Passover every year. If they were unclean for any reason the first month, then they were to observe it the second month. The Passover was of utmost importance since it was the picture of salvation through the blood. If someone refused of observe it and had no excuse then he would be cut off from his people and bear his own sin. This is the same of a person who refused to accept the blood of Christ for their sins.
If a stranger wanted to observe the Passover, they were to let him follow the same rules they did. Everyone is welcome into the kingdom of God but we all have to come through Jesus.
How nice would it be to have a cloud that led you through life. We actually do have a cloud that leads us through life and that cloud is called the Holy Spirit. It covers us in the day seasons and is a fire during our night seasons.
Mark 13 is about the end of time. One thing that Jesus warns about over and over is being deceived by others who can do miracles and signs and wonders. We all like the miraculous and the spectacular and God is all of those things but the root and the heart is what Jesus warns about. The motivation is the key. Jesus did all his miracles to glorify God and help people. He never charged a penny or wanted attention. We need discernment in the days we are living in because there are plenty of people that are rising up doing great things. We are suppose to do the works that Jesus did and even greater…I just pray that we do it in the same humility and love that Jesus did.
Lord, may we be set apart for your good works.
Monday, March 6, 2017
Mon.’s Devo - The Nazarite Vow
Read: Numbers 6:1-7:89; Mark 12:38-13:13: Psalm 49:1-20; Proverbs 10:27-28
The word for Nazarite in the Hebrew is naziyr which means consecrated as a prince. Figuratively it means an unpruned vine. If a person wanted to separate himself to the Lord he was to abstain from wine or other fermented drink and not eat anything from the fruit of the grape. He was not to shave his head and was to be holy until his vow was over. He could not go near a dead person.
The two people that were named in the Bible for being Nazarites were Samuel and Samson. Both became a Nazarite because it was decided before their birth they would be Nazarites. Both of their mothers were barren until God touched them and both were prophesied over before their birth. This gives us a better picture of what a Nazarite might mean spiritually. It is a person that was chosen before their life and set apart by God for a particular purpose. That is the definition of all of God’s chosen people.
When I read in Mark today, I couldn’t help but think that Samuel and Samson’s mothers were like the widow who gave her two mites. It was all she had. Hannah and Samson’s mother had waited for years to have a baby and when they finally did, they gave their sons to the Lord. Those are the sacrifices that please the Lord - the ones that cost us the most and come from grateful hearts.
Lord, bless us and keep us; make your face shine upon us and be gracious to us. Turn your face toward us and give us peace. May we freely give you everything we own for your glory.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Sun.’s Devo - Producing Life
Moses was told to count the Levites from the different clans. Every family clan within the Levite tribe had a different office concerning the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons were to tend to the taking down and setting up of the curtains and the coverings of the furniture. They were to cover most of the pieces with a blue cloth to signify these pieces are a copy of ones in heaven. The burnt altar was covered with purple. This is piece stands for the cross. This is one of the most important pieces. It was covered with purple because the king of heaven would die on that altar and purple is the color of royalty.
Once covered, the Kohathites were to carry the furniture.
The Gershonites were to carry the curtains and the coverings. The Merarites were to carry the frames and all the foundational things.
Only Aaron and his sons could see the pieces of furniture and the ark of the testimony. They alone could touch the holy things. It was Aaron’s son, Eleazar who tended to the oil, the incense, the meat offerings and the vessels. Aaron and his sons were over the other clans to oversee and instruct them in their office.
They were to send away from the camp anyone who had an infectious skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or was ceremonially unclean. Sin, wrong motives and attitudes will spread through our churches like the flu. We have to put these things out or they will infect the rest of the congregation. We have to do the same thing with wrong thoughts and temptation.
Then, God told them what to do when you suspect someone one of having another lover. This has to do with adultery but it also has to do with spiritual adultery. If there is someone we know that is toying with another lover other than Christ, we are to confront them and give them the Word. If the Word makes them sick and they react negatively to it then we will know that our suspicion was right. The woman had to drink the water with the ink of the words of her wrong mixed in it. If it caused her abdomen to swell and her thigh to rot then they knew she was guilty and she would not be able to bear a child. Her abdomen swelling and there not being a child there means that that person will not produce life again because they have chosen to walk away from the truth and righteousness. Her thigh rotting means that her strength is taken from her and her walk will always be with a limp and not upright. These are the consequences of sin.
Jesus reiterated this to us when he told the Sadducees that he is not the God of the dead but the living. Everything we do in him produces life.
Lord, help us to be quick to repent of wrong attitudes and sin. Help us to walk in life.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Sat.’s Devo - The Sign of the Cross
The tribes camped in the sign of the cross with the Levites in the middle. So, when God looked down from heaven he was the sign of the cross. They all had flags or banners that they marched behind called standards. God told them to number each tribe. Before, God had told them that the first born were his possession, but now he told them that the Levites were going to be his in place of the first born. There were only 22,000 Levites and 22,273 first born so they had to pay for the extra 273 people. Each person was to pay 5 shekels so they had to collect 1,365 shekels from the first born to pay for the extra ones (273 X 5 = 1,365).
God was teaching them that every one of God’s people must be redeemed. Now, we can be redeemed by applying the blood of Jesus to our hearts. It is our faith in Jesus as the Messiah and God as our father that makes us a child of God.
In Mark, Jesus entered Jerusalem and was challenged by the chief priests over his authority to do things. The problem they had was that they were the religious authority and thought that everything must come through them. Jesus did not even ask them if he could do what he did which offended them. It made them look bad to the people. They were all about outward appearances and personal position.
When challenge, Jesus answered them with a question which was the way the religious people always did. He asked them about John the Baptist. He backed them in a corner with no way to answer. Since they wouldn’t answer him, he didn’t have to answer them. Then Jesus told a parable about them. God was the man who planted the vineyard and put a wall around it, build a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. God’s vineyard was his plan of salvation. The wall was the law and the watchtower were the prophets. God rented his vineyard out to the farmers which were the Levites. They were to tend the vineyard and make sure it produced fruit. When the owner sent servant after servant to collect some of its fruit, they abused some and killed others. They represented the prophets that God sent to warn Israel to turn back to God. Finally, the man sent his son. They killed him and threw him out. He was speaking of himself. He was the stone that the builders rejected that became the capstone.
The scribes and Pharisees knew he was talking about them so they left to come up with a way to trick him in his words. They came up with a plan to attack his political views. They asked him about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus asked them who’s inscription was on it. Then he told them to give to Caesar was was his and to God what was His. His wisdom shut them up and amazed them.
Lord, I thank you that you put your wisdom in us. Give us the right words to speak when we are challenged for our faith or in questions of our political views. May we answer in truth and authority.
Friday, March 3, 2017
Fri.’s Devo - Spreading the Gospel
Read: Leviticus 27:14- Numbers 1:54; Mark 11:1-25; Psalm 46: 1-11; Proverbs 10:23
Everything that is devoted to the Lord must first be judged. If the person who owned it wants to redeem it back he must pay a fifth to its value except in the case of the firstborn or the one devoted to destruction. The first born are the Lord’s and the ones devoted to destruction are Satan’s. Anyone in between can be saved by a fifth which stands for grace. The Jews believe that there are three groups of people: the chosen totally righteous, the totally evil and the in-betweeners which could go either way. We don’t know which are which so we listen to God’s Spirit who leads us. It is not up to us to save the world, that is the Lord’s business. It is our job to listen and obey. Every man must be accountable for what he has heard so we might be sent to tell a totally evil person about Jesus so that when he stands before God he can’t say that no one told him. Or we might be sent to talk to a person who is in the middle and could go either way. Our testimony might be the one that shifts them to the side of salvation. Or we might be sent to spread seed into the life of the chosen person who hasn’t seen the light yet. Our seed may be the one that one day causes them to turn. The results are not up to us. Our obedience is what God is looking for.
God told Moses to count the children of Israel and find out how many men from each tribe were army aged. There were 603,500. Only from the tribe of Levi were they not counted because the tribe of Levi were to handle the tabernacle and the holy things of God.
Jesus entered Jerusalem on the tenth day of the month. This was the day that the priests selected the Pascal lamb - the lamb that would die for the sins of the nation on Passover. The Pascal lamb would be examined for 5 days to make sure it was spotless. Jesus was entering his 5 days of examination also. He rode down the same path the Pascal lamb had just walked down and the crowd was still there. They did to Jesus the same thing they had done to the Pascal lamb. They laid down their robes and waved their palm branches and cried out, “Hosanah, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Jesus cursed the fig tree because it was not bearing fruit. It had leaves but no fruit. Fig trees get fruit before the leaves appear so it should have had fruit. The fig tree stood for Israel. Israel should have had fruit of faith and expectancy for the Messiah but it was steeped in the tradition of man and couldn’t make the leap to the spirit. Israel rejected Jesus so Jesus cursed that generation like he did the tree.
He then went and turned the tables of the merchants selling sacrifices for the Passover. He was cleansing his temple. Once Jesus comes into our lives he cleanses our temple and makes us holy.
Lord, help us to be ready and fruitful during our season. This is the season to manifest your glory and your works on the earth. Make us ready.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Thurs.’s Devo - It’s an Upside Down Kingdom
God proclaimed that the Israelites were his servants so if an Israelite becomes poor and works for an alien who has become rich then he can be bought back by one of his own family in jubilee. I think that this has to do with a family member who has become a slave to sin. A family member can buy him back from that lifestyle through prayer and love. Jubilee means “a continuous blast of a horn, the signal of the silver trumpets.” The blast of the horn was to call the people to assemble for a meeting or for war. Silver is the color of redemption. A person who has been a slave to sin needs us to come together as the body and war for them until they are redeemed. We do this by gathering prayer warriors to pray for our family and those God has put on our hearts.
If we redeem a father or a mother, we will get the whole family. (Leviticus 25:54)
In Leviticus 26, the Lord gives strict commands regarding making a graven image of Him. He didn’t want them to make anything that they could imagine to look like him because Jesus was going to be the exact image of God according to Hebrews 1. They would have never made an image as a servant to be their God. Then God gave them the blessings of following his laws and the curses of not. It’s a no-brainer as to which is more beneficial.
In Leviticus 27, God give the taxes that are to be given for each person. It is ridiculous to think that God is weighing your worth in terms of shekels so that is not what he is doing. He is weighing their amount they owe to society based on their work they will do. When they are young, they can’t work so their taxes are small. During their prime, they can work so their taxes are more. People over sixty have paid their due and their taxes are less. Jesus was a son of the king so he said he didn’t owe taxes but just so they wouldn’t be offended, he paid them. We are to pay the taxes the government requires of us but know that as a child of the king, he has paid it all for us.
Jesus’s disciples were arguing over which was more important to Jesus and which one would have the highest honor when Jesus came to his kingdom. Jesus told them the one who suffered the most and gave up the most. That was not what they wanted to hear. At that time, a blind man came and begged for his sight. He was humble and just wanted to see. Jesus healed him then he followed Jesus. His humbleness and hunger was what Jesus was looking for in a follower. I hope the disciples got the connection. It is not about being exalted, it is about being humble.
In Psalms we see that Jesus is exalted through his children. We bring glory to him on the earth.
Lord, may our lives be humble and full of love. Be exalted in our lives on the earth today.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Wed.’s Devo - The Oil and the Bread
God told Moses that the oil for the menorah in the Holy Place must be made of clear olive oil. It was to stay lit continually and never go out. Also, the bread for the Table of Shewbread was to be replenished every week. It was to be lined with incense because the Word is holy and sweet.
Right after that we see a fight between an Israelite and a half Israelite/half Egyptian because the latter blasphemed the name of God. He was to be stoned to death. God was showing them how important what he was saying was to him.
God also gave them other laws. Death was to be punished with death. Whatever you did to another must be done to you. This man who blasphemed God brought death to his name so God had to reciprocate and bring death to his name. His name is not even mentioned.
God gave them a special jubilee year every 50 years. This was to be on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. All possession except other specified went back to the original owner. The value of everything is around the nearness to or the distance from the next jubilee. The sixth year is to produce enough to make it through the next three years. We are in the sixth year, spiritually so we can expect great fruit and blessings.
Jesus used a rich man’s question about entering the kingdom to expose his heart. The man wanted to be in the kingdom but he wasn’t willing to give everything. It wasn’t a matter of being rich but a matter of trusting in those riches.
Lord, help us to trust in the true riches of the kingdom of God.
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Please excuse my dear aunt Sally-1-1.pptx
Adding sound:
This activity involving creating a powerpoint using sounds and animation was very helpful for keeping a powerpoint entertaining for students. I will mostly use powerpoints for science and I will have to entertain the students throughout the lesson so I will use sounds and animation to keep them involved.
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