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Air pollution a cause in girl's death, coroner rules in landmark case. 19 12 2020 \| 11:06 Coroner says failure to reduce pollution levels to legal limits was factor in death of Ella Kissi-Debrah, who had severe asthma. A coroner has made legal history by ruling that air pollution was a cause of the death of a nine-year-old girl. Philip Barlow, the inner south London coroner, said Ella Kissi-Debrah’s death in February 2013 was caused by acute respiratory failure, severe asthma and air pollution exposure. He said she was exposed to nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM) pollution in excess of World Health Organization guidelines, the principal source of which were traffic emissions. The coroner said the failure to reduce pollution levels to legal limits possibly contributed to her death, as did the failure to provide her mother with information about the potential for air pollution to exacerbate asthma. “Ella died of asthma contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution,” said the coroner on Wednesday. He said that during Ella’s life, nitrogen dioxide emissions in Lewisham, where she lived, exceeded legal limits, both EU and national levels. Particulate matter levels were above the WHO guidelines, he said. “The whole of Ella’s life was lived in close proximity to highly polluting roads. I have no difficulty in concluding that her personal exposure to nitrogen dioxide and PM was very high.” The coroner said the health effects of air pollution had been known for many years, and children and those with asthma were particularly at risk. He found that air pollution both induced and exacerbated Ella’s particular form of severe asthma. The ruling is the first of its kind in the UK and is likely to increase pressure on the government to tackle illegal levels of air pollution across the country. Rosamund Kissi-Debrah outside the court after the coroner’s ruling. Photograph: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Ella’s mother, Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, a former teacher, spent years fighting to have her daughter’s death examined by a second coroner. Her resilience was repaid on Wednesday when Barlow agreed with expert medical evidence provided by the family which said Ella’s particular form of acute asthma was exacerbated by air pollution. Kissi-Debrah’s lawyers submitted that air pollution was a public health emergency and there was a pressing need for it to be recorded as a cause of death to ensure public health programmes to tackle toxic air were prioritised. In evidence to the two-week inquest, Prof Stephen Holgate, an immunopharmacologist and consultant respiratory physician of the University of Southampton and Southampton general hospital, said a biological cause of Ella’s disease getting worse in the winter months was the seasonal worsening air pollution. He said it was the cumulative effect of the toxic air Ella was breathing in living within 30 metres of the South Circular road that caused her final acute asthma attack. Holgate said Ella was like a canary in a coalmine, signalling the risk to other Londoners from the toxic mix of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides in the air. Ella had had numerous seizures and been taken to hospital almost 30 times in the three years before her death. An inquest ruling from 2014, which found that she died of acute respiratory failure, was quashed by the high court following new evidence about the dangerous levels of air pollution close to her home. Image removed. A family photo of Ella Kissi-Debrah, front. Photograph: Claire Cox/PA During the hearing, Holgate, who was a member of the royal commission for environmental pollution until it was closed in 2011, heavily criticised the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Health and Social Care for failing to work together on toxic air. Ella’s family argued there was sufficient evidence to conclude there were failures by the state to take steps to protect the public from dangerous levels of air pollution, which amounted to a violation of article 2 of the Human Rights Act, concerning the right to life. The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the coroner’s conclusion was a “landmark moment” and called pollution a “public health crisis”. “Today must be a turning point so that other families do not have to suffer the same heartbreak as Ella’s family. Toxic air pollution is a public health crisis, especially for our children, and the inquest underlined yet again the importance of pushing ahead with bold policies such as expanding the ultra low emission zone to inner London.” “Ministers and the previous mayor have acted too slowly in the past, but they must now learn the lessons from the coroner’s ruling and do much more to tackle the deadly scourge of air pollution in London and across the country.” A government spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with Ella’s family and friends. “We are delivering a £3.8bn plan to clean up transport and tackle NO2 pollution, and going further in protecting communities from air pollution, particularly PM2.5 pollution, which we know is particularly harmful to people’s health. Through our landmark environment bill, we are also setting ambitious new air-quality targets, with a primary focus on reducing public health impacts.” 16 December 2020 The Guardian
How a DRG Works For Hospitals Many private health insurance companies, as well as Medicare, use very specific systems to decide how much patients pay when receiving medical services. One of these systems is called the diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment system. The DRG is a code that is assigned to a patient based on the diagnosis they were given when entering the hospital and the care they received. This DRG also designates a set amount that the hospital will get paid, no matter the total amount of cost that is incurred during treatment of a patient. The way hospitals make money is if they can treat someone effectively for less money than what they get paid for the DRG. Patients also have some checks through the help of DRG audits and DRG auditor responsibilities to make sure the diagnosis and treatments given match the DRG code. What Exactly is DRG? As was stated above, DRG stands for diagnosis-related group. It essentially puts inpatients in a group and subgroups based on the diagnoses and treatment they receive. The DRG is based on ICD-10 codes that relate to specific diseases and conditions. For example, there are ICD-10 codes that reflect: • Infections and parasitic diseases • Cancer • Nervous system • Skin • Pregnancy and childbirth • Respiratory System • Eyes, ears, nose and throat • Neoplasms, blood and blood-forming organs These codes can be found by inpatients after they’ve been treated once they are given a visit summary. The ICD codes are usually listed under a section labeled “Dx” or “diagnosis”. How Much Does a Hospital Get Paid? In order to know how much a hospital will get paid, an inpatient first needs to know the DRG and then find out the hospital’s base payment rate. If an inpatient calls the billing department and asks for itemization or the Medicare base payment rate, they can find out that info.
What is First Communion? Deborah Ng Deborah Ng Communion wafers and wine or grape juice. Communion wafers and wine or grape juice. First Communion is considered one of the holiest and most important occasions in a Roman Catholic person's life. It is the first time that a person receives the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which is the eating of consecrated bread and drinking of consecrated wine. Catholics believe these to be the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Most Catholic children receive their First Communion when they're 7 or 8 years old, because this is considered the age of reason. Other people can receive communion for the first time whenever they've met all of the Catholic Church's requirements. Children are often given a rosary, a certificate, and a small bible after their first communion. For anyone to receive communion, that person must be considered to be without sin and in a state of grace. Traditionally, young Catholic children will make their first confession, also called the Sacrament of Penance, a week before receiving their First Communion. At confession, the child will tell his or her sins and misdeeds to a priest and receive a penance in exchange. The penance usually is several prayers to be recited immediately after leaving the confessional. After this, the child is considered to be absolved of sin, and he or she is ready for his or her First Communion. Priest giving the Holy Communion to a young girl. Priest giving the Holy Communion to a young girl. Confession isn't the only requirement for receiving the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist; the Sacrament of Baptism must have been received as well. A child, or any person, who has not baptized cannot receive communion. If the child has been baptized, he or she generally begins studying for First Communion in first grade. Catholic children who don't attend Catholic school go to religious instruction classes after school or on weekends. In most cases for young children, at least two years of religious education must be undertaken before they can receive communion for the first time. Priest showing wine and bread to the parish as part of Holy Communion. On the day of one's First Communion, and whenever receiving communion thereafter, those who are partaking must fast — which means not eating any food — for at least one hour before receiving the sacrament. Drinking water or taking medicine, however, are exceptions. This type of fasting is called the Eucharistic Fast. A child's first communion is often a cause for celebration, but to many Catholics, the event has a deeper meaning. They believe that the event means that a child has studied and understood, to the best of his or her ability, what Catholics call the mystery of transubstantiation — the changing of the substance of ordinary bread and wine into the substance of Jesus Christ's body and blood, according to Catholic beliefs. Catholics believe that, before receiving communion, a child also should be able to tell the difference between Eucharistic bread and regular food. A connection to Jesus Christ is the main purpose of Communion. A connection to Jesus Christ is the main purpose of Communion. After First Communion, young Catholics must attend church every Sunday, and they are encouraged to receive communion frequently, even weekly. If one has missed Sunday mass without good reason or has committed a mortal sin, that person is expected to go to confession before receiving communion again. Most Catholics go to confession at least once a year, usually during Lent — a 40-day observance that typically begins in February or early March and ends in late March or April. You might also Like Discussion Comments Permitting underage alcohol use is illegal, no matter the circumstances. As I have read through many of these comments, all I hear are rules of man, regulations of man, ideas of man, fear induced by man of not being accepted by God, requirements of man, hoops man tells you to jump through to get to God. Nowhere in scripture do I read of these rules, requirements, hoops or ideas of a man needed as priest. If you are in fear, and the burden of sin is weighing heavily upon your shoulders, come to the one, Jesus, who died to become our high priest, to take our sin and blot it out, so we don't need a man or rules or regulations or feel like we are falling short. And we are not saved from sin by works. No matter how many times you put a check mark for "good deeds" or never missing mass; those things will not save you. It is by Christ Jesus alone. By his "grace we are saved, not of works, lest any man should boast" And once you come to him, read the Bible for yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you and follow after sound doctrine, not the "doctrine of man" We were bought freedom at the cross. Freedom from sin, freedom from condemnation. Jesus said it best: "I am the way, the truth, the life, and no man cometh to the Father except by me." We are saved by him, given a love we could never earn, and kept by him. I trust in no man, nor myself to keep me held in the arms of my Savior. I trust only in one, Jesus. He has healed my brokenness and made me new! Accept freely this gift you have been given. No religion, no rules, no man can give you this freedom. For it was bought with the blood of one, and only he, Jesus Christ, the Son of God can save us from despair of sin. "Come to me, all ye who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, my yoke is easy, my burden is light." - Jesus "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest." @anon224306: If you consciously and deliberately took Holy Communion knowing that you couldn't (maybe because you aren't baptized, maybe because you aren't validly married through the church's rites and rules, maybe because you have otherwise consciously and deliberately violated any of the 10 Commandments) you have committed a grave sin called sacrilege. In such cases, you must confess to a priest, if and only if you have been baptized. Why to a priest? Because they have inherited from the apostles the job of being used by God to forgive sins and applying the merits of Jesus's sacrifice to for the forgiveness of your sins. You have to say all your grave sins, hiding none, or the confession isn't valid and is grave sin. Whatever you say in confession remains in confession (the priest would by rule stop being a priest if they said whatever they heard in confession). It cannot be used against you, not even in court. As sins are like garbage, priests just forget about what you said after they give you the absolution (forgiveness of sin), just like you don't keep the garbage other people put on your hands to throw away. The priest may counsel you a bit before absolution. They are usually extremely kind, sp there is nothing to fear. If you haven't been baptized but believe in Jesus Christ as your saviour, you can get some preparation to be baptized. Once you are baptized, all your sins are forgiven and you don't need confession, but you can only be baptized once in your lifetime: if you commit grave sin afterward you need confession to be forgiven and cannot receive holy communion until you are. Even though it is not grave sin to receive Holy Communion without previous formal education about it, you must at least know what it is and means. The Church, though, mandates previous formal education about it, not because it would be sin to receive without education, but because it helps guarantee you know what you are doing and you will not commit sacrilege and helps you do it with due love, and benefit from it. @anon, post 89: I know of at least three parishes that require the girls to wear a cloth diaper and plastic pants under their white tights with their communion dresses and a few others where it is a tradition for them to wear them. The girls I talked to told me their communion dresses were considered extensions of their baptism outfits, so the cloth diaper and plastic pants were required to symbolize the purity and innocence of their baptisms. I know you may find this hard to believe, but it's true. The wearing of a diaper and plastic pants for First Communion is a total fallacy and it is not Catholic ruling that young females doing first communion has to wear such apparel. It is not true that young females taking First Communion do not wear diapers/nappies and plastic pants under their communion dresses. What's the deal with the rubber pants? Our daughter, now 13, was adopted from an orphanage last year in Northern Ireland when she was 12. We brought her over here and gave her a whole new life. We wanted to have her baptized and the baptism director told us since she was adopted and starting over that she had to be baptized as an infant through the infant baptism program, as that is the only way they would baptize her. We registered her as an infant on the infant roster and then we were told she had to wear the standard white gown, bonnet, tights and white shoes. We had the gown and bonnet made for her and got the white tights and shoes then had to have a cloth diaper made for her and got white rubber pants to wear over it with the required white under shirt. We dressed her in the parish nursery and she was very cute and adorable in the outfit. She even had a pacifier that she sucked on during the ceremony. My partner's ex is a Catholic and wishes their son to be brought up a Catholic. My partner and I are not Catholic, but are more than willing to take his son to Mass every other Sunday on our weekends. Do we have to attend the same church, because my partner's ex is refusing to attend a difference service and is insisting on attending the same service as her son, but this upsets him as he sees his mum and has to say goodbye? Can we attend a different Church and that still count towards attendance? Re: communion and porn - your nine year old grandchild is going through a very normal stage of curiosity and her online activity is indicative of that, not that she doesn't understand or deserve Communion. Your only action should be to let her parents know what you found and let them handle it. The church doesn't need to get involved. My children are to have their first communions in April. The priest wants us to complete community service for the church. I have not found time and we live a very busy life. So from my understanding he is going to deny the children their first communions. What should we do? How can you deny everything these kids have worked for. Does the first holy communion make the holy spirit who dwells inside my body leave my body? I am having distressing moments because of the unloving holy spirit who tries to kill me. Can first holy communion make the holy spirit who dwells and makes it difficult to leave my body inside my body, leave my body? I am not Catholic. I caught my sneaky 9 year old granddaughter viewing pornographic websites immediately after her first communion. I then discovered that she had also visited the websites numerous times for at least two months prior the her first communion. Doesn't this mean that she didn't truly understand the significance of taking communion? Why would you have to confess your sins to a priest when he is just another man just like us, with sin. The only person to confess our sins to is Jesus Christ! John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." What does the white arm band worn by boys at their First Communion represent? Lutherans also receive First Communion, although it is not celebrated like the Catholics do. First Communion is when they receive their Confirmation, usually when they are 12 or 13 years old. My nephew is having his First Communion coming up and I found a cool St. Christopher sports medal for him online. I am a grandma and our eight year old granddaughter is making her first communion this coming May. We offered to buy her a communion outfit so my daughter sent us the list of the required outfit for the girls. They have to wear a white bonnet instead of the veil with their dresses. Has anyone heard of girls wearing a bonnet with their communion dresses? I am from a hindu family got married to christian. I was baptized and did the marriage class but did not go to catechism class, so I did not receive first communion. During the marriage ceremony priest gave me the holy communion which I accepted, and after that I attended church and many times I have taken holy communion. Now I stopped going to church, having guilt that I have been committing the sin intentionally. I have tried to confess before a priest but I am scared. Can anybody answer me if it is a sin to take Holy Communion without going through catechism class and First Communion? Can I confess my sin before God in private? For confession, one should go to priest? Why? I would like to know if a person over the age of 65 and has missed Mass through no fault of their own, can they still receive Holy Communion without receiving the sacrament of reconciliation? i am a girl 16 and roman catholic. i was just confirmed. our parish has strict dress requirements for both first communion and confirmation. the boys had to wear white suits and ties and we girls had to wear a poofy, floor-length dress with a veil, elbow length gloves and low cut shoes. Under our dresses, we had to wear an undershirt, cloth diaper, plastic pants and white tights. The first communion and confirmation dresses are extensions of the baptism gowns we were baptized in as babies so the underwear is required to symbolize the purity of our baptisms for first communion and confirmation. It was weird walking walking down the aisle with a diaper and plastic pants on under our tights! my nine year old cousin just made her first communion on may first. a bunch of us female relatives participated in dressing her. a couple of them gave her a bubble then brought her in to her room and laid her on her bed. after her rubdown with baby lotion,we pinned her cloth communion diaper on her then put the rubber pants on over it then her under shirt. her lace anklets and shoes were put on, then her poofy communion dress and veil. she looked very dainty and precious. My best friend's little sister is getting her first communion today. I actually had never heard of one before, but this is rather interesting. I am not Catholic (I am Baptist) but I have been invited to a former student's First Communion. I'd like to attend to show support for my student but am a bit nervous since I am unfamiliar with this important sacrament. I want to make sure I know what to expect and that I show proper respect so that I don't offend anyone. I'm not sure if I will know anyone other than my student and his family. Please tell me what I can expect. There is a potluck dinner afterward. Is it OK if I just go for the First Communion and not the dinner? I just think that might be more for the family. I just finished ordering my First Communion invitations today. I am so excited for my son to partake in his first Eucharist. I love all the First Communion resources on your site -- absolutely helpful. Why so many anonymous posters? I am Protestant and my ex - wife is Catholic. I do not want my seven year old son to take his First Communion. He is far too young. All this blind faith in the priests is why so many children have been abused. Peter F. I have a question that I am not sure about. I have a 10 year old daughter and a 7 year old daughter. I did not start my 10 year old in CCD because I wanted her to make the decision on what religion she wanted to practice, so she decided at 9 that she was ready, but my younger daughter wanted to start on time in first grade. they both have been studying for two years to make their communion. My older daughter has been studying with other older children deciding to join the catholic church. From the beginning, I made it clear to the church that I was excited for them to be making their communion together. For my younger daughter, the church sent home a list of dates that I could choose for the communion, but when i called to book it they said that my older daughter could only make her communion on at the Easter welcoming mass. This wouldn't be an issue except that this service is at 8 p.m. and lasts for three hours, so this means that there will have to be two different ceremonies and that my older daughter will not have my family there to share in her moment Also, with it being so late we can't do a party, and my other daughter would get my whole family there for hers which isn't fair to the other. I tried to speak with the church about this but they won't budge. I don't see what the issue is. They both studied for two years and she isn't that far behind. She is still a little girl and she is so upset that she is contemplating not even doing it. Is this a set in stone rule? is it in the bible? 14 children due to take first holy communion at on a saturday in June. Of those 14, only one attends mass (the family are devout) and the rest will make their first holy communion and not even their Sunday obligation. we as a parish will never meet them. The worship isn't of god, but of a local secondary school with good results. A sad state of affairs that needs to be addressed by our Bishops but is ignored because it makes the figures look good. I am 16 and a girl and making my first communion this may. I am going to look around and find my dream communion dress and veil. I want to feel very dainty and pure so i want a beautiful dress. i am wearing tights and patent leather shoes. @thequestion: I am not Catholic either, but I do understand the importance of the Mass in their rituals. How about this as a possible solution: Call your local parish priest and have him call your son's priest, explain the situation, and that your local priest will be sure to note that your son attended Sunday morning Mass on the weekends he's with you. Your local priest might be able to accomplish what you calling your son's priest might not. I don't know that it will work, but it's certainly worth a try. Good luck and God bless! I have a question i need some advice on. I am a Christian, but not Catholic, so i do not know much about certain catholic rituals. I have a son with an ex-girlfriend. I get him on a fortnightly weekend basis only (not my choice, but his mother's). He is being brought up in the catholic faith. I do not mind this as he is still worshipping our Lord god, so i am fine with this. The problem i have is that she has now told me that he will be making his first communion in five months, and as a result, her priest has said he must attend morning mass every Sunday without fail. Previously, on the weekends i have him, he goes to mass on Sunday evening when i drop him back at his mums. The problem i have is that this has cut my time with my son down to one day only a fortnight. I have spoken to a number of catholic friends and they have told me that as he goes to a catholic school, he would get mass there also, and that on top of evening mass on Sunday, should be fine. As you can imagine, the times i have with my son on weekends are precious to me and losing a day with him, especially as my wife and I have a new baby and he has now has a new baby sister, it is very difficult. She has suggested I take him to mass and I have said I I would take him to a local catholic church where I live, as I cannot drive 40 – 50 minutes to take him to her church every Sunday morning, then drive back to my home, then drive back to her for Sunday evening. Also all our planned activities as a family he can no longer attend, including weekend break in February and march. Can you tell me why her priest would insist that he must attend Sunday morning mass for the next five months without fail? to anon 22170: you should be baptized as soon as you can and then start you classes for first holy communion.i assume you are a girl?if so you should ask your priest if you can be baptized as an infant through the infant baptism program. it is far more meaningful and symbolizes your purity of an infant. you would have to wear a white dress and bonnet, tights and shoes for your baptism as an infant. many parishes baptize older girls as infants and they are dressed just like an infant for the ceremony. to anon 125393: yes you should make your first communion at 16. then you will be confirmed at 18. if you are a girl,you should wear the traditional communion dress, veil, gloves, shoes, tights, plastic pants (baby style) and under shirt. we have a 13 year old adopted daughter from ireland who has the mentality of a seven year old. we just baptized her as an infant to start her over. we did the traditional white gown,bonnet, tights and booties on her. we did a girls first communion cloth diaper and rubber pants under her tights. it was a special day as she entered god's kingdom. All sacraments must be completed in order: 1. Baptism, 2. Eucharist, 3.Reconciliation(confession), 4. Confirmation, 5. Matrimony, 6. Holy Orders, 7. Anointing the Sick You can't just skip one. I'm 15 and i have been baptized but moved from my real mum and dad. I'm a catholic but i have not had my first holy communion because the people i live with aren't catholic. they say I'm too old but i want to have my first holy communion next year when I am 16. is that possible? please tell me. I have recently returned to the Catholic church after about 20 years and would like my children to receive their communion but am told by my very ill and old priest that we have no catechists in the parish. My eldest child is nearly 12 but with learning difficulties and my youngest will be seven in a couple of weeks. My 11 year old attends a Catholic school, my youngest does not. Nothing seems to be getting done. What can do? To those who think this is not in the Bible, please read John 6: 51-66. @Anon22170: I will pray for you that you will be able to receive the Sacraments. Patience is a virtue with God. Keep learning all you can so you will be able to use these gifts God is giving you now to know, love and serve Him on earth to be able to be with Him forever in Heaven! Amen. From a First Reconciliation/First Holy Communion preparation teacher. priests cannot forgive our sins. Jesus is our only mediator. We are not cannibals, so why would God want us to eat flesh and drink blood? Through Holy Communion, Catholics are also recommitting themselves as offerings to our Lord Jesus Christ, as in our baptism. We renew our faith, renew our promises to our Lord, and commit to following his example. As he offered himself up to us, we offer ourselves back to Him and His loving grace. Also, as a former Protestant, to those that do not understand the whys and wherefores of these sacraments, they are firmly based in the history of Christian faith and firmly rooted in both religious history and scripture. Also, the Church and religious traditions and teachings were around long before a formal bible was formulated and all Christians can thank the Catholic Church for the first ever bibles as modern day bibles get their foundation from the Mother Church. I have a 10 year old daughter with Downs Syndrome. She can read on a second grade level, but her comprehension is still not at that level yet. I would like for her to be able to make her First Communion with my 7 year old daughter who will begin her preparation this year. Are there any compensations for her disability since she may never really understand the concept of the Eucharist? "Catholics become one with Christ and believe they will share in His eternal life." In the case of their children, you believe it for them. This is a great article, thanks. I have found some good ideas for first communion gifts that any child would love. to #32 and others that think alike: it's okay not to agree with what we think. freedom of speech is a wonderful thing. however, freedom of religion is just as good. if you don't like our practices get over it. we are allowed to practice them as we please. Catholicism is the oldest christian religion know to man. Many catholics believe in tradition and those that ridicule or question their beliefs, well, that's the wonderful thing about America: the freedom to choose how you would like to believe, if you even believe. Don't waste your energy trying to figure it all out or making judgmental remarks. For anon 81323, Ash Wednesday is another holy day that you might want to research. As a Catholic, I am not afraid of death and I embrace all the sacraments that allow me to appreciate what Jesus has suffered and endured to give us the opportunity for eternal life. Don't judge, just believe and practice with what you are comfortable with. Thank you. I don't think anyone should ever do this. It's overly religious and none of this is in the Bible! Communion is but not first communion nor confession nor that you have to be baptized in order to receive it. All that's required is being a believer on Jesus Christ! The more I read up on this, the more ridiculous this sounds. I mean, it sounds so weird that humans create and spend time on all these elaborate ceremonies and procedures just because they can't handle the fact that they are going to be dead as the dirt when they die. I mean seriously people, you're eating a piece of bread, do you actually think that's going to change your life? Answers to some of the above q's. If you were baptized Catholic, but never received first Communion, you should talk to your priest. They will likely wish for you to receive some catechism before you receive first communion. The eastern rite Catholics and Orthodox traditionally perform all three sacraments of initiation (baptism, communion, and confirmation) all together for infants. Therefore, they usually do not have a separate first communion. Most Protestants do not celebrate it as they do not view Communion the same way as Catholics. Catholics believe the Lord is truly present, body and blood, soul and divinity, in the bread and wine once it is consecrated by the priest during Mass. Protestants hold it as merely symbolic. Dear 69942: Yes, it is very bad to receive Holy Communion if you have not been prepared to receive this Sacrament. Precisely, because you must first understand who it is you are going to receive - Jesus Christ. Thus it is not bread. Holy Communion is not an occasion for "come one, come all" but only those who are worthy. Jesus has given the Church authority to decide who is worthy to receive the Lord. But, Jesus wants people to come to Him, so talk to a Priest in your area. If you were baptized but have not done your first communion, just talk to your priest and you can start preparing for first communion and possibly for confirmation at the same time. Godparents are chosen for baptism and confirmation. Your baptism Godparents are expected to be at your communion as support. You don't need to appoint for Godparents for first communion 1st communions are usually in May, sometimes June. I was baptized in the catholic church but after that i was never really in touch anything, so my question is what do i do during mass when everyone else goes up to receive communion and i have to get in line with them? what do i do after the priest blesses me? I know i am supposed to cross my arms but what action do i do after the priest blesses me? are 1st communions done at a certain time of the year? What are the godparents' responsibilities at first communion? Is it bad if you haven't had your communion but you eat the bread anyway? I am an adult and was baptized when I was a young child, and I never made my first holy communion, but would like to now. How to I go about that? im 12 and not yet been baptized or had my 1st communion and i go to catholic school and we have masses i want my first communion like every one else please help me i want it badly. - anon22170 You need to speak with a priest at the Catholic Church where you attend school. There are classes called RCIA that you can go to for becoming a Catholic which is how you can be baptized and receive your first communion. I'd talk to the grown-ups at your school to help you with that. I admire you wanting to become Catholic. God bless you. i'm 10 years old and i've been baptized but my parents never took the time to organize my first communion. i'm now learning my prayers. anon51011, this is a subject you need to discuss with your priest. The next time you go to confession, just tell him the circumstances and ask him if you are eligible to receive communion. He will know the answer, and can help you with the process. What if I'm a catholic and I've never received my first communion? am i allowed to take the bread and wine? i understand that it represents jesus and when i was younger i couldn't afford a first communion but i was still taught about God and everything and i go to confession. is it against the rules for me to take the bread and wine or am i still allowed to? i'm 19 years old and I was baptized when I was young and then moved to US not long after. When I came to the US my family did not go to church. I want to start going to church again. What do i have to do to get my first communion? what do you need to know mostly in your catechism during your first communion mostly? Answer to above. Christians believe we are saved by grace alone, there are no "works" you have to do in order to be saved. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He saved us from death, he took all our sins to the cross. You go to Christ for forgiveness. Is this right? I was going to enroll my daughter to start taking her classes for her first communion. However, I was told that my wife and I also must attend classes once a week (same day as daughter). I told them that I work shift work and am unable to attend. My wife can't attend because we have a 4 month old and a 5 year. old (no baby sitter). They told me I culd not enroll her!! Why do my wife and I need to got to class? I already did my first communion and as far as I know my parents didn't have to go to class. I'm very dissapointed and upset. What do you need to know to get prepared for your 1st communion? Dear anon17202, To find the answer to your question, read the above information on this website. Its all right here. Take care. :) Dear anon22170, the one who is 12 at a Catholic school and wants to receive communion badly: Please go get baptized right away!! Talk to the priest at your school and tell him that you want to be baptized and that you are not yet. This is VERY important for anyone who believes in Jesus, because he asks us to be baptized. Second, tell him that you want to receive the Eucharist at communion, and he will help you get involved in a short program that will prepare you. Your desire is from God, so follow it!! Your faith is too important to let slide by. do Christians celebrate first communion, reconciliation and conformation?? Is it possible to have first communion if you are not catholic? I am only 11 but i am thinking of becoming Catholic. this guy liam told me that first communion means going into God's family as his son and that you get free ice cream from priests i don't know what to believe any hints fellow Catholics? or "different" Christians. anyone else can also answer me? According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Eastern Orthodox Churches practice infant communion so they don't practice as Catholics do. Catholics allow children to have their first communion when they reach the age of discretion or reason — meaning, when they'll be able to recognize the difference between the Eucharist and a regular bread, though in most countries, there is a set age for First Communion. There are no sponsors for First Communion, only during Baptism and Confirmation. what is the role of a sponsor at a first communion?? I know first communion is traditionally associated with the Roman Catholic Church, but what about other Christian religions. Do they not celebrate it? Like what about the Eastern Orthodox Church? Or is this determined by whether the denomination starts giving the sacrament to children earlier than the Catholics do (i.e., at 6/7 years old). Or maybe it's because Catholics have more rituals? Anyone know? Post your comments Forgot password? • Communion wafers and wine or grape juice. By: Gary Scott Communion wafers and wine or grape juice. By: teressa • Priest giving the Holy Communion to a young girl. Priest giving the Holy Communion to a young girl. • Priest showing wine and bread to the parish as part of Holy Communion. • A connection to Jesus Christ is the main purpose of Communion. By: poco_bw A connection to Jesus Christ is the main purpose of Communion.
Whole grains have been widely recognized as used as one of the healthier food alternatives because of their high content of antioxidants and fiber. However, several color studies suggest associations between whole-grain foods like brown rice and the risk of type-2 diabetes. The objective of this research is to evaluate the association between the intake of whole-grain foods and the risk of type 2 diabetes. This is a prospective cohort study based on the Nurses’ Health Study (1984-2014, 1991-2017) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2016). The study included a total of 194,784 participants, including 158,259 men and 36,525 women who did not have type-2 diabetes, cancer, or cardiovascular disease at the baseline. After years of follow-up, 18,629 participants were identified with type 2 diabetes. The total whole-grain consumption was divided into five equal groups of servings a day. After adjusting dietary risk factors and lifestyle for diabetes, participants in the highest category for whole grain consumption had a 29% lower rate of type 2 diabetes than those in the lowest group. The research concluded that the higher consumption of whole grains and various commonly-eaten whole-grain foods was associated with a lower risk of type-2 diabetes. These findings support the fact that consuming whole grains is a great way to prevent type-2 diabetes. Ref: https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m2206
Chemical Recycling Europe calls for faster recognition and legislative review The recycling industry plays an important role in the transition to a more circular economy by turning polymeric waste into new value-added materials. The sustainable management of waste and use of resources is at the heart of the European Green Deal. While the new Circular Economy Action Plan aims at accelerating transformational change required by the EU Green Deal, in order to meet its ambitions and to reach EU recycling targets laid down in the EU Plastics Strategy, there is an urgent need to develop and implement new technologies for the recycling of polymeric waste, going beyond the limitations of traditional mechanical recycling. Chemical Recycling complements the current recycling approaches and has the potential to be an environmental game-changer by processing polymeric wastes which are currently difficult to recycle. Investment in developing chemical recycling technologies and infrastructure will lead to the creation of new jobs and the protection of our environment by curbing CO2 emissions and increasing EU recycling capacity.
No evidence was found of genetic overlap between brain volume measures and risk of schizophrenia, according to research published in Nature Neuroscience. This was the key finding in a worldwide collaborative study examining genes behind the development of schizophrenia. Because brain volumes and schizophrenia are both affected by genetics, and because schizophrenia correlates with smaller subcortical brain volumes, the researchers investigated whether smaller brain volumes and schizophrenia share any genetic effects. Continue Reading “We looked at subcortical volumes to determine whether the genes that increase risk for schizophrenia affect the hippocampus, thalamus and amygdala, and whether the genes that affect the volume of those areas increase risk for schizophrenia,” said Jessica Turner, PhD, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Georgia State University in a statement. The study was between nearly 600 researchers from more than 350 institutions across the globe — a large-scale collaboration necessary in order to analyze results from common variant studies of schizophrenia (33 636 cases, 43 008 controls) and sample brain scans from 11 840 people worldwide. “Unfortunately, our results indicate no overlap, so we are going to have to look elsewhere to find the genetic effects on brain measures causing the development of schizophrenia,” said Dr Turner. “But what makes this research so exciting is that the international scientific community is capable of working together on a massive scale, across country borders, to examine these questions that affect so many of us.” These findings provide a proof of concept (based on a limited set of structural brain measures) and define a road map for future studies to investigate possible genetic covariance between brain structure or brain function and the risk for psychiatric disorders. “We would rather have found that there is a set of genes that drive both the development of schizophrenia and a smaller thalamus, of course,” said Dr Turner. “But we will continue analysis on other parts of the brain, including the frontal cortex and temporal cortex, and a number of other approaches.” Franke B, Stein JL, Ripke S, et al. Genetic influences on schizophrenia and subcortical brain volumes: large-scale proof of concept. Nat Neurosci. 2016; doi:10.1038/nn.4228.
Science of happiness Anna Jastrzembska wonders whether happiness is other people 30th November 2015 If you ask my friends, they’ll tell you that I say: “food/coffee/books/animals are better than people” at least once a day. I would describe myself as antisocial on the best of days. However, I can’t deny that humans are social creatures by nature- it’s an undeniable scientific fact. Researchers continuously show that quantity and quality of social connections impact not only our psychological wellbeing, but also longevity and health in general. Before you panic, let’s stress it one more time: quality. Quality is important. Suffering fools is bad for you. Humans are evolutionary meant to live in groups, to bond with others and create relationships. Survival of homo sapiens as a species is most likely in a group- not necessarily a family. Not without reason scientists continue to claim that emotions and behaviours such as love, generosity, compassion or empathy are uniquely human. The need to love and be loved, to care and be cared for are fundamental human needs. Because of that, we are reluctant to break bonds with other people and it hurts to do so. Getting to know more people, especially in your local environment (such as neighbours and coursemates), makes you feel safer and more secure. The feeling of belonging generates happiness- not only yours, but also those around you. It’s the contagiousness of happiness that makes communities flourish. Simple things like a smile or a random act of kindness can make somebody’s day and make you happier, too. Sharing your bag of crisps, giving a cup of coffee to a homeless person or explaining a complicated concept to a struggling coursemate can make a day for both of you. The same goes for volunteering. Even one-off projects have been shown to boost happiness. As humans, we are simply wired to care for each other to ensure the survival of the species. “As humans, we are wired to care for each other to ensure the survival of the species” This is also why the happiest people tend to be from the countries that rank high in social support and generosity categories. Mind you, it doesn’t necessarily link in with wealth. It explains why Mexicans are happier than Americans, and Venezuelans rank higher than inhabitants of Singapore. The statistics are worth having a closer look at. Countries in Northern Europe always top happiness rankings, but Swedes or Finns aren’t known for their extreme socialness. That’s because it’s not the quantity of the human contact that is important for our happiness, but the quality. Knowing that there is someone (whether it’s a friend or a wider social structure or community) out there to support you, someone you can fall back on if you need, is invaluable to our happiness. It’s about how close-knit a community is, rather than having a thousand Facebook friends. Research found that people are happier if they have at least one close friend, however, their happiness doesn’t increase the wider their social network is. On the other hand, lack of close personal ties makes you not only more psychologically vulnerable, but is as bad for your health as smoking or obesity, while poor quality relationships are a source of unnecessary stress and pain. Positive emotions are bases for all kinds of relationships. Yes, we’ve all heard about “a friend in deed,” but it’s the positive experiences that bring people close in the first place. Experiencing positive emotions together, sharing good things that happened to you or just cracking a joke - all of these are meant to strengthen social ties. Eventually, it’s the close relationships we lean on in times of need and it’s the memory of the good times you’ve had together that help you get through the hardships. Wide social networks might higher your self-esteem, but it’s your friends and loved ones that give our lives a meaning, and it’s them who make us happy. So, if you call yourself my friend, this one is for you, guys! (Visited 4 times, 1 visits today) Leave a Reply ReLated Articles Copy link Powered by Social Snap
Cart (0) Finding your Ukrainian Ancestors Regular price $18.95 In the 1800's, Ukrainians were one of the groups that left the old country for economic, political and survival reasons. This emigration, or Diaspora, scattered them across the globe to Britain, Canada, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Hawaii, Australia and Asia, while fewer remained in Europe, closer to their homeland. This books explores the historical and genealogical resources that are available for the descendants of those Ukrainians to pursue knowledge of their ancestors' lives, and discover the social and economic reasons that those ancestors made the decisions that they did.
Coping Strategies. Questions regarding Resettlement, Participation, and Energy Self-sufficiency author: Valeska Flor “Nothing was normal anymore in this village that was disbanding bit by bit; bombarded by noise during the day, but desolately quiet at night. Not only the buildings were missing, the people that had given life and breath to them were missing as well” (Bachér 2011, 37). With these words the author Ingrid Bachér describes the resettlement of the town Garzweiler, Germany, during the 1980s. In her novel Bachér reports about the daily life of the fictional Aschoff family and how lignite mining causes rifts in the landscape and in the lives of the people living there. The German energy requirement is covered by a mix of fossil fuels, nuclear power and renewable energy. Although renewable energies are to be supported during the course of the German energy transition, lignite is still presented as an important partner and transitory technology in this mix. Therefore, the contribution of coal/lignite in this mix has decreased considerably but still has its use. However, the consequences of a constant energy supply for thousands of people in lignite areas, in particular resettlement, are often disregarded. The ethnography of the Rhenish lignite area presented in this paper has allowed to show the ambivalence of energy production, consumption as well as coping strategies of resettlers. Energy Issues and the Electrification of Society “Energy” is omnipresent and determines our everyday life. But what does “energy” actually mean? In physics, energy is defined by the ability of a substance, body or system to do work, and this also applies to humans. As long as we live, we convert energy: while breathing, eating, moving, sleeping and thinking. Nature also supplies an infinite amount of energy: sunlight, wind movement, water power, geothermal energy, or renewable biomass can be used for energy and supply us with electricity. Energy is therefore not only a purely physical quantity; it is a metaphor for individual prosperity and the prosperity of a country and its society. The electrification of society as a whole began with the introduction of electric illumination, initially around the turn of the century in public spaces and later—around the 1920s—in private spaces. During this period, the extraction of energy resources and the production of electricity were increasingly integrated into the economic, political and socio-cultural argumentation patterns (which today are also referred to in connection with lignite mining). The basis for the idea that energy is the fundamental driving force of the economy and society was formed precisely in this context. Energy was no longer just an “energetic view of the world” but a “general cultural principle” (Binder 1999, 241). Nowadays, our understanding of energy is rather everyday and universal, but also diffuse: “hardly imaginable is a life without the many electrical aids, and at the same time it is a secret, the path of electricity in our everyday life lies in the dark” (Ibid., 9). Electricity is simply there, but during crises—like resettlement—, more thought is given to electricity and energy consumption. Reasons for Lignite Mining and Resettlement in Germany The resettlements procedures currently taking place in Germany are drastically changing the lives of their residents. In this context it is to say that most of the villagers do not leave voluntarily. They have to leave because of the Section 79, subsection 1, of the federal mining law which says that: “The assignment of property is permitted in individual cases if it serves the public good [. . .], and if due to the site dependency of the mining operation the enterprise cannot be carried out by any other reasonable means.” (BbergG § 79, 1). To put it bluntly: the law puts the good of the many before the good of the few. The resettlers do not have the option to stay. They have to move and (re) settle somewhere else and find a way to cope with these experiences. Coping Strategies: Participation and Energy Self-Sufficiency Coping and adjustment are important aspects of the Rhenish lignite mining area, e.g. during the planned citizen participation process where the resettlers gain agency through civic engagement. This is done through a participation procedure in the resettlement process. Keywords such as democratic legitimacy, social compatibility, planning and competence acquisition, self-determination and participation, as well as compensation for material and immaterial losses of resettlers were mentioned, explained, and criticized by my interview partners. In addition, numerous practices could be observed. These participatory practices can be understood as the “skillful performances of competent bodies” (Reckwitz 2003, 290), where the habitus and the social, cultural and symbolic capital of the resettlers are merging with the embodiment of knowledge (Bourdieu 1977). They are knowledge-based activities and practical abilities guided by the acquisition of skills, i.e. activities in which practical knowledge and understanding are central (Reckwitz 2003, 292). During the resettlement process, behavioral routines are developed, which enable the resettlers to act as experts in their environment. The behavioral routine “energy expert” is one of the most important roles in the process. As the villages resettle due to society’s need for energy, there is a special motivation for discussing holistic energy concepts and reducing dependence on fossil energies in the future. For this reason, the resettlers acquire knowledge in connection with a wide variety of energy issues: they learn about innovative energy concepts, such as climate protection settlements, current energy-saving regulations, passive houses, and centralized and decentralized energy supply. Being an energy expert means being independent of the energy companies in the future. To be independent from a company that is responsible for the demolishing of their own Heimat—an image that is prominent in most of the interviews. But learning is not enough, being active—in the planning process and in (political) activism—is presented as a way to gain agency. Agency in a normative political process which reduces resettlers—at least in the beginning—to a passive role, i.e. they do not move on their own free will, is the basis for coping and adjustment. In this context agency encourages the resettlers to think about their own energy requirements consumption and enables them to plan their future accordingly. Bachér Ingrid (2011): Die Grube. Berlin: Dittrich Verlag. Binder Beate (1999): Elektrifizierung als Vision. Zur Symbolgeschichte einer Technik im Alltag. Tübingen: TVV. Bourdieu Pierre (1977): Outline of a Theory of Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Reckwitz Andreas (2003): Grundelemente einer Theorie sozialer Praktiken. Eine sozialtheoretische Perspektive. Zeitschrift für Soziologie 32/4, 282-201. New book – Frac Sand Mining and the Struggle for Community (Thomas W. Pearson) When the Hills Are Gone Frac Sand Mining and the Struggle for Community Thomas W. Pearson An overlooked part of fracking’s environmental impact becomes a window into the activists and industrial interests fighting for the future of energy production—and the fate of rural communities When the Hills Are Gone tells the story of Wisconsin’s sand mining wars. Providing on-the-ground accounts from both the mining industry and the concerned citizens who fought back, Thomas W. Pearson blends social theory, ethnography, stirring journalism, and his own passionate point of view to offer an essential chapter of Wisconsin’s history and an important episode in the national environmental movement. Fracking is one of the most controversial methods of fossil fuel extraction in the United States, but a great deal about it remains out of the public eye. In Wisconsin it has ignited an unprecedented explosion in the state’s sand mining operations, an essential ingredient in hydraulic fracturing that has shaken local communities to the core. In When the Hills Are Gone, Thomas W. Pearson reveals the jolting impact of sand mining on Wisconsin’s environment and politics. A source of extraordinary wealth for a lucky few, and the cause of despoiled land for many others, sand mining has raised alarm over air quality, water purity, noise, blasting, depressed tourism, and damage to the local way of life. It has also spurred a backlash in a grassroots effort that has grown into a mature political movement battling a powerful mining industry. When the Hills Are Gone tells the story of Wisconsin’s sand mining wars. Providing on-the-ground accounts from both the mining industry and the concerned citizens who fought back, Pearson blends social theory, ethnography, stirring journalism, and his own passionate point of view to offer an essential chapter of Wisconsin’s history and an important episode in the national environmental movement. Digging deep into the struggles over place, community, and local democracy that are occurring across the United States, When the Hills Are Gone gives vital insight into America’s environmental battles along the unexpected frontlines of energy development. Introduction: Magic Mineral 1. Save Our Hills 2. Low-Hanging Fruit 3. Dangers Unseen 4. Where You Live 5. Neighbors 6. In Pursuit of Local Democracy 7. Confronting the Next Boom Thomas W. Pearson is associate professor of anthropology and assistant director of the Honors College at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. His research has been published in American Anthropologist, Cultural Anthropology, American Ethnologist, Human Organization, and other academic journals. He lives in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Editor’s webpage: New book: Fear and Fortune Fear and Fortune — Spirit Worlds and Emerging Economies in the Mongolian Gold Rush By Mette M. High Cornell University Press, 09 May 2017, Ithaca, NY, United States Mongolia over the last decade has seen a substantial and ongoing gold rush. The widespread mining of gold looks at first glance to be a blessing for a desperately poor and largely pastoralist country where people’s lives were disrupted by the end of the USSR and tens of millions of livestock were killed in devastating droughts in the early 2000s. Volatility and uncertainty as well as political and economic turmoil led many people to join the hopeful search for gold. This activity, born out of uncertain times, poses an intense moral problem; in the “land of dust,” disturbing the ground and extracting the precious metal is widely believed to have calamitous consequences. With gold retaining strong ties to the landscape and its many spirit beings, the fortune of the precious metal is inseparable from the fears that surround mining. Tracing the continuities and discontinuities between human and nonhuman worlds, Mette M. High follows the paths of gold as it is excavated and converted into “polluted money,” entering local shops and Buddhist monasteries, joining the illegal gold trade, and returning as “renewed” money for the “big bosses” of the gold mines. High has done several years of fieldwork in Mongolia, spending time with the “ninjas,” as the miners are known locally, as well as the people who disapprove of their illegal activities and warn of the retribution that the land and its inhabitants may suffer as a result. This book is about radical change, or as many Mongolians put it, when life becomes “strange” and “chaotic.” High has gained a deep understanding of the processes by which Mongolians square a morally questionable activity with the lure of profit. How do they involve themselves with tainted sources of money, and can it ever be cleansed and made usable? Addressing how our lives and those of others are intimately intertwined, Fear and Fortune offers an expansive and capacious approach to understanding the high stakes involved in human economic life. Introduction: Land of Fortune 1. The Burden of Patriarchy 2. The Power of Gold 3. Angered Spirits 4. Polluted Money 5. Wealth and Devotion 6. Trading Gold
The Cardiac Chain of Survival When SCA strikes, immediate treatment is critical. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and treatment with an automated external defibrillator (AED) can help save the victim’s life if given within minutes of the event. The Institute of Medicine reports that the SCA survival rate has remained stagnant at under 10% for three decades. One reason is because bystanders are not prepared or are unwilling to take action in the event of a cardiac emergency. Reports show that 70 percent of Americans either don’t know or have forgotten how to administer CPR—an alarming statistic, given one quarter of Americans say they’ve been in a situation when someone needed CPR. The Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Sciences cites that each year less than 3 percent of the U.S. population receives CPR training, leaving bystanders unprepared to respond to a cardiac arrest. And the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent every minute without CPR. The new CPR standard is hands-only CPR—a departure from the breath/compression combination many of us grew up with. It’s a simple two-step process: clasp hand over hand and push hard and fast in the center of the chest. Hands-only CPR can be a bridge to life until an AED can be used to shock the heart back to life. Defibrillation with an AED is the only way to restore normal electrical activity to the heart and get it beating again. Sadly, there are too few public access AEDs, so bystander CPR is even more critical until EMS arrive. What’s more, the national average for EMS arrival is six to 12 minutes. A sudden cardiac arrest victim can easily die in that short window, so people on the scene must begin assisting. You can double or triple their chance of survival. Their life literally depends on your quick action. If you need more motivation to learn CPR and how to use an AED, consider this: The American Heart Association reports that 7 in 10 SCAs happen at home, so you may save the life of someone you love. Our Partner in Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention The mission of San Diego Project Heart Beat is to help make AEDs as assessable as fire extinguishers throughout the region, while helping to educate society on the magnitude of sudden cardiac arrest death and teaching quick recognition and response to sudden cardiac arrest with the tools at hand. For CPR training, AED devices and maintenance programs, learn more. Need help funding an AED? Various organizations accept grant applications to support schools, and others help schools raise money. Also try civic groups such as your local Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Moose Lodges, Masonic and Optimist clubs. Why don’t people take action when someone goes in to sudden cardiac arrest? 1. They don’t recognize sudden cardiac arrest—they assume the person has fainted and waste time trying to wake them up. 2. They are unsure of how to perform CPR. 3. They think an AED is only for medical professionals, but AEDs are specifically designed for anyone to use. The AED has audio instructions that walks the bystander through the necessary steps. 4. They think they will hurt the victim. The truth is, the victim’s heart has stopped so anything they can do will only help. Further, an AED device will only shock a person with no heartbeat, so you can’t mistakenly use it on someone who is not in cardiac arrest. 5. They are worried they will be liable, but The Good Samaritan Law is a national standard that protects anyone who tries to help a sudden cardiac arrest victim. Find Training Download Poster Now Watch this Cardiac Chain of Survival Video For training on how to use each brand of AED, visit Save Station.
DoS Attack Classification Dos Attack DoS Attack Classification – There are two main kinds of attacks: denial-of-service attacks and distributed denial-of-service attacks. In distributed denial-of-service attacks, multiple compromised systems are coordinated in an attack against one target. DoS Attack Classification There are different ways to carry out denial-of-service attacks. Although there are many exploits used by attackers, the basic objectives remain the same: bandwidth consumption, network connectivity, or the destruction of configuration information. The following are representative types of denial-of-service attacks: • Smurf • Buffer overflow attack • Ping of death • Teardrop • SYN flood DoS Attack Classification Smurf Attack The smurf attack is a network-level attack against a host. It is named after its exploit program. The attacker sends a large amount of ICMP echo (ping) traffic to IP broadcast addresses with a spoofed source IP of a victim. If the routing device delivering traffic to those broadcast addresses accepts the IP broadcast, hosts on that IP network will take the ICMP echo request and will each reply to it with an echo reply, multiplying the traffic by the number of hosts that are responding. On a multiaccess broadcast network, there could potentially be hundreds of machines replying to each packet, overwhelming the victim’s network connection. A fraggle attack uses UDP echo packets in the same fashion as the smurf attack uses ICMP echo packets. IRC servers and their providers are the most common targets of smurf and fraggle attacks. Smurf attacks affect two parties: the intermediary (broadcast) devices and the spoofed address target. The victim is the target of the large amount of traffic that the broadcast devices generate. Assume a colocated switched network with 100 hosts. The attacker sends a 768-kbps stream of ICMP echo packets, with a spoofed source address of the victim, to the broadcast addresses of the bounce sites. These ping packets hit each bounce site’s broadcast network of 100 hosts. Each of them takes the packet and responds to it, creating 100 outbound ping replies. As a result, 76.8 Mbps of network traffic heads to the victim. DoS Attack Classification Buffer Overflow Attack The buffer overflow attack is one of the most common kinds of DoS attacks. A buffer overflow attack is a type of attack that sends excessive data to an application that either brings down the application or forces the data being sent to the application to be run on the host system. It is used to crash a vulnerable system remotely by sending excessive traffic to an application. Sometimes, attackers are also able to execute arbitrary code on the remote system via a buffer overflow vulnerability. Sending too much data to the application overwrites the data that controls the program, and the hacker’s code is run instead. Examples of attacks based on the buffer characteristics of a program or system include: • Sending e-mails that have attachments with 256-character file names to Netscape and Microsoft mail programs • Sending huge Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo requests, known as the ping of death • Exploiting vulnerabilities in FTP and IIS servers using the list command, either as an authenticated user or via anonymous FTP, to crash the server. Ping of Death Attack In the ping of death attack, an attacker deliberately sends an ICMP echo packet of more than the 65,536 bytes allowed by the IP protocol. Packets sent over TCP/IP can be broken down into smaller segments and reassembled at the destination. Attackers can take advantage of this feature by sending a packet of more than 65,536 bytes broken up into segments. Many operating systems do not know what to do when they receive an oversized packet, so they freeze, crash, or reboot. Ping of death attacks are dangerous because it is easy for the attacker to spoof his source address. Also, the attacker does not need to know anything about the machine that he or she is attacking except its IP address. By the end of 1997, operating system vendors had prepared patches to avoid the ping of death. Several Web sites block Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) ping messages at their firewalls to avoid any future problems with this type of DoS attack. Teardrop Attack Internet Protocol (IP) requires that a packet that is too large for the next outgoing router interface to handle be broken up into fragments. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to launch a denial-of-service attack. The fragment packets contain an offset value that enables the entire original packet to be reassembled by the receiving system. In a teardrop attack, the attacker manipulates the offset value of the second or latter fragment(s) to overlap with a previous fragment. The receiving system is not able to reassemble the packet and may crash, hang, or reboot. This type of attack has been around for some time, and most operating system vendors have patches available to guard against this sort of malicious activity. The Unnamed Attack The unnamed attack is a variation of the teardrop attack that attempts to cause a denial of service to the victim host. In this case, rather than overlap, the packet fragments have gaps between them. The attackers manipulate the offset value so that there are parts of the fragments that are skipped. Some operating systems may behave unreliably when this exploit is used against them. SYN Attack In a SYN attack, the attacker sends a series of SYN requests to a target machine. The attack creates incomplete TCP connections that use up network resources. Normally, when a client wants to begin a TCP connection to a server, the client and the server exchange a series of messages as follows: 1. A TCP SYN (synchronize packet) request is sent to a server. 2. The server sends back a SYN/ACK (acknowledgement) in response to the request. 3. The client sends a response ACK to the server to complete the session setup. This method is called the three-way handshake method. In a SYN attack, the hacker sends a fake SYN request to the server and when the server sends an ACK to the client, a response ACK is never sent. This leaves the server waiting to complete the connection. Proper packet filtering is a viable solution. An administrator can also modify the TCP/IP stack. Tuning the TCP/IP stack will help reduce the impact of SYN attacks while still allowing legitimate client traffic through. Some SYN attacks do not attempt to upset servers, but instead try to consume all the bandwidth of the Internet connection. Two tools to counter this attack are SYN cookies and SynAttackProtect. To guard against an attacker trying to consume the bandwidth of an Internet connection, there are some additional safety measures that an administrator can implement. For example, decreasing the time-out period for keeping a pending connection in the SYN RECEIVED state in the queue can block such an attack. Normally, a server will retransmit the first ACK packet when no response ACK is sent from the client. Decreasing the time of the first packet’s retransmission, decreasing the number of packet retransmissions, or turning off packet retransmissions entirely can erase this vulnerability. If You Like This Please Comment Down And For More Hacking Content Click Here Related posts Leave a Comment
Get help now Essays on Measure for Measure We found 6 free papers on Measure for Measure Essay Examples Shakespeare’s Monk Measure for Measure William Shakespeare Words: 968 (4 pages) If there is one thing that Matthew Lewis’ novel The Monk: A Romance teaches us about writing, it is that William Shakespeare was an amazing creative author. Just about every facet of Lewis story is, at least in some part, borrowed from Shakespeare’s work. The most obvious allusion to Shakespeare in The Monk: A Romance,… Is Lucio seen as just a comedian in ‘Measure for Measure’? Measure for Measure Words: 1065 (5 pages) Lucio’s character is a mixture of many different traits. He is a go-between, a good friend, a heartless lecher, a comic, a liar, and a rebel to the end.He is a bridge between the world of the bawds and the world of the main characters like the duke, Angelo and Claudio. He is a true… How Are Women Portrayed in Measure for Measure? Measure for Measure Words: 1377 (6 pages) In ‘Measure for Measure,’ Shakespeare portrays women as a reflection of the opinion of women in society at the time – that opinion being that women are lesser in society than men. The three women with active roles in Measure for Measure are: Mistress Overdone, a bawd who is arrested for her occupation; Isabella, whose… Free Measure for Measures: Mercy vs. Justice Measure for Measure Words: 1033 (5 pages) Measure for MeasureMercy vs. Justice in Measure for MeasureTheme: Mercy vs. Justice. Allusion to justice = eye for eye, tooth for tooth measure for measure; allusion to mercy = let him without sin cast the first stone esp. sexual sin. Summary: Duke wants to restore the strictness of fornication/adultery laws. He sets up Angelo to… Angelo’s Character in a Play Measure for Measure Measure for Measure Words: 1066 (5 pages) Isabella defines Angelo as an ‘arch-villain’. To what extent do you agree with her that Angelo is the villain of the play?Though he displays many villainous traits and commits some seemingly irredeemable acts of cruelty, it would be unfair to judge Angelo outright as an ‘arch villain’All of Shakespeare’s plays contain at least one character… Measure for Measure – power and corruption Measure for Measure Words: 546 (3 pages) Compare and contrast the ways in which power and corruption is presented in Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare and other texts. In the play Measure for Measure, considered to be a dark comedy, Shakespeare shows the power and corruption of the higher characters within the society of Vienna, almost representative of the period it… Frequently Asked Questions about Measure for Measure What is the message of Measure for Measure? The theme of Measure for Measure is the temperance of justice with mercy. Merciful justice is juxtaposed throughout with strict enforcement of the law. The duke, Isabella, Escalus, Mariana, and the Provost all advocate mercy. What solutions did the Duke have for Isabella? The Duke convinces Isabella that instead of letting her brother die, she should participate in a rather convoluted scheme that involves accepting Angelo's indecent proposal, and then participating in a bed trick: At the last minute, Mariana will sleep with Angelo instead, unbeknownst to Angelo. Why did Angelo not marry Mariana? Angelo certainly does not wish to marry Mariana, since she has no dowry, but Mariana does want to marry him. Shakespeare was perhaps satirizing the institution of marriage and the bachelor's desire to avoid it if possible. Why is Angelo so attracted to Isabella? That make her good? ... Here, Angelo reveals that he's attracted to the things that "make [Isabella] good" (her virtue) and that he's never before been turned on by women (especially promiscuous women). Hi, my name is Amy 👋 Get help with your paper
Hydrogen, electrification and circularity – a plasma chemistry perspective Part 2 Plasma technology can be used to produce hydrogen from methane without CO2 emission, while also forming useful hydrocarbon compounds. This process involves heating to a high temperature using a plasma instead of natural gas. During the production of ammonia and artificial fertilizer, hydrogen is extracted from natural gas (the main component of which is methane). As part of that process, CO2 is generated as a by-product and the majority of that is released into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to the total greenhouse gas emissions. By making use of plasma technology, we can utilize methane in an effective way by converting it into hydrogen and high-quality hydrocarbons, such as acetylene and ethene, which forms the basis of plastics, without releasing any CO2. Brightsite is establishing a new plasma lab with the aim of optimizing existing plasma technology, developing new plasma processes and taking an important step towards the ultimate circular chemistry. A presentation by Hans Linden, Senior Project Manager / Business Development, TNO Question 1: What drives you? I prefer to work on technologies which should result in a sustainable planet Question 2: Why should the delegate attend your presentation? Presentation shows an old technology with renewed attention to produce hydrogen and minimizing GHG emission Question 3: What emerging technologies/trends do you see as having the greatest potential in the short and long run? Technologies that are energy effective and are scalable Question 4: What kind of impact do you expect them to have? Stepping stone towards a GHG emission free chemical industry. Question 5: What are the barriers that might stand in the way? Time and money About Brightsite Brightsite, a PPP (Public / Private Partnership), founded by Sitech Services, TNO, University of Maatricht and Brightlands Chemelot Campus Organization, is thriving primarily for a climate neutral Chemelot Industrial Park by 2050. Brightsite will have an open innovation approach seeking cooperation with various relevant companies and knowledge providers in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Brightsite will actively seek cooperation for the larger benefit of climate neutral chemistry and a strong economic environment for business and employment in the process industry. Brightsite will operate over all Technology Readiness Levels from fundamental research toward demonstrators ready for implementation by the industry. Brightsite will stimulate research, engineering and education at the various relevant levels. Brightsite thrives to accomplish the most sustainable process industry site of Europe and by doing so creating a vibrant and strong business environment for current and new business at Chemelot as well as for the Netherlands and neighbouring countries. Hans Linden will be speaking at the 2021 edition of the Clean Hydrogen Conference. Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published.
Do Cats Have Belly Buttons? Spread the love "Do cats have belly buttons?" "Sure they do!" "Then have you ever seen one?" "Uh, this ……" Everyone is curious about so the cats have a belly button. The cat’s belly button is small, only a few millimeters in diameter, and relatively flat and smooth, unlike the human navel so obvious, usually covered by fur, not easy to see. cat with a belly buttons Photo by svklimkin What Does the Belly Button Do? The belly button is the place where the fetus is connecting to the mother’s body. The fetus grows up in the mother’s womb, and there is something called the “placenta” in the womb, between the placenta and the fetus’ belly button. And there is a tube-like something connected. This “tube” is called the umbilical cord. The fetus absorbs nutrients from the mother’s body through the umbilical cord and grows to maturity day by day. Why Does My Cat Have a Belly Button? Like humans, kittens develop in the mother’s womb, receiving nutrients and oxygen from the mother through the umbilical cord while expelling waste. When the kitten is born, and the umbilical cord is useless, it is chewed off by the mother cat. After a few days, the umbilical cord attached to the kitten naturally falls off, leaving a scar that we call the belly button. However, not all mammals have navels. Whales and dolphins, which are aquatic mammals, also have smooth and inconspicuous belly buttons. And like the platypus, echidna, oviparous animals, no placenta, and umbilical cord all rely on an egg and naturally do not leave a belly button after breaking the shell. Kangaroos, koalas, these marsupials, it is also difficult to see the navel. They have a placenta, but it is limited because the gestation period is concise, probably only about 30 days. After the pups are born, this small, immature, peanut-sized mass of flesh takes up residence in the mother’s nursery bag, and the umbilical cord falls off naturally, leaving no trace. Where is a Kitten’s Belly Button? A cat’s belly button is usually located in the middle of the lower part of the abdomen, just below the final rib cage. Finding a cat’s belly button can be difficult because it is a flat, smooth patch of tissue left behind after the umbilical cord has been severed and the cat’s abdomen is close to the skin. It is often rendered invisible due to abdominal fat and fur. What Does a Cat’s Belly Button Look Like? A cat’s belly button looks like a small circular scar with a circumference of about 5 mm. Fur does not usually grow on a cat’s belly button, leading many people to mistake it for ringworm. Final Thoughts Your cat does have a belly button. It is inconspicuous and often difficult to detect. During the next cuddle or grooming session, look for a small 5 mm scar near the base of your cat’s rib cage, similar to a bald patch. If your kitten has puffiness around their belly button, they may have an umbilical hernia. Consult your veterinarian, who will help you with diagnosis and treatment. Spread the love Leave a Comment thirteen − 11 =
2b or not 2b…That is the Question: But Are Standardized Tests Asking the Right Ones? Standardized testing has become a hot topic of conversation everywhere from the teachers lounge to local P.T.A. meetings. The news is filled with articles about teachers “teaching to the test” (see a few examples here, here and here). But are standardized assessments the best and only way to measure student learning? Teachers use many tools to assess and measure student growth and learning, which then guide future teaching. A formalized test is one of the tools we as teachers use to assess a student’s knowledge. We then discern the best possible way to move forward and what to teach from that point. However, testing has turned into a dreaded monster. The word “test” has become the new four-letter word to both students and to teachers. You say “test” to any teacher these days, and they stare at you with a look of regret and sadness in their eyes. The bubble over their head says, “Oh…remember the days when testing truly evaluated what students could do and what they learned.” The end goal is now making sure that, no matter what, students perform well on standardized tests. We have developed a culture of teaching to the test. What happened to teaching to the students? What is the purpose of standardized tests? Standardized tests were initially put into place to gather a large amount of data on student achievement. As a nation, we are expected to raise student achievement and yet, we haven’t asked ourselves the most fundamental of all questions: how are we defining student achievement? We, as teachers, parents, and collectively as a country, need to ask ourselves, do we want our kids to be able to fill in a bubble or do we want our children to be productive citizens in our country and in our world for today and the future? Are we “testing’ them to see if they can critically think, problem solve and have the skills necessary for the workforce? How do standardized tests affect teachers? I hear more and more teachers talk every day, telling me, in hushed whispers that they “miss teaching” and “all we do is teach to the test. It’s not fun for the students or us. “ Recently, a teacher showed me a file cabinet in her room, chock full of creative lessons to teach percentages in her math class. “I can’t use these anymore. I used to have a “shopping day” and the kids would understand the real life implications of learning percentages. It was great.” When asked why she couldn’t do it anymore, she explained that she was told it “wasted” time and took away from the skill sheets that would help prepare her students for upcoming standardized tests. Albert Einstein said, “Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.” Just because standardized tests can measure large amounts of student growth, doesn’t mean they can/should measure every aspect of student learning. In fact, we need to remember they should not be used to assess everything. We must have accountability in our schools and classrooms and there is a place for formalized testing but not at the expense of creative teaching methods. Teachers need to be able to use their creativity in teaching, to be able to teach critical thinking and problem solving while teaching the necessary academic skills. Consider the following story problem and how you would respond: You have a file cabinet in your room, full of creative lessons plans you have used and have found to be successful in teaching your students. Your principal and district leaders have asked that you not use these lessons because they do not prepare your students for the standardized tests. What do you do? a. Meet the requirements of your principal and district and teach to the test b. Find an alternative school that promotes the learning and teaching that fits your ideals c. Go rogue and teach your students using the methods you know d. Go into early retirement %d bloggers like this:
Trespass meaning in law Trespass to the Person \| Tort Trespass An unlawful intrusion that interferes with one's person or property. Tort Law originated in England with the action of trespass. Initially trespass was any wrongful conduct directly causing injury or loss; in modern law trespass is an unauthorized entry upon land Trespass is defined by the act of knowingly entering another person's property without permission Legal definition for TRESPASS: (A) torts. An unlawful act committed with violence, ti et armis, to the person, property or relative rights of another. Every felony includes a trespass, in common parlance trespass (tres-p [schwa]s ortres-pas), n. 1. An unlawful act committed against the person or property of another; esp., wrongful entry on another's real property. [Cases: Trespass 1-15 Trespass legal definition of trespas 1. Trespass definition is - to commit a trespass; especially : to enter unlawfully upon the land of another. How to use trespass in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of trespass 2. Trespass can be said to be an action exceeding the limit carved by the law. It is an intentionally directed, unreasonable interference with one's person and property. The word 'intention' here implies committing the wrong voluntarily 3. al offense. While state laws define cri 4. person, property or relative rights of another. Every felony includes a trespass, in common parlance, such acts are not in general considered as trespasses, yet they subject the offender to an action of trespass after hi 5. al trespass in the first degree. (1) A person is guilty of cri 6. al trespassing 7. Trespass in English law is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to goods and trespass to land Penal Code 602 PC - California's criminal trespassing law, endnote 39, above. See People v. Wilkinson, endnote 23, above, at 910-11. (The purpose of the legislature in passing subdivision (l) of the trespass law is quite clear. It intended the word 'occupy' to mean a non-transient, continuous type of possession Example: the lessee may file Trespass against the lessor who enters the leased premises against the will of the lessee. 7. Justified trespass: If the entry is: (a) to prevent serious harm to himself, to an occupant or to a third person (b). to render some service to humanity or justice (c). in case of public houses while they are ope Trespassing, or trespass to land, occurs when an individual enters onto another individual's land without their permission or without a legal right to be on the property. Trespassing may be a crime, a civil tort, or both, depending on where the trespass occurs and what the laws are in the state Trespass to person refers to the case where there is the wrongful apprehension of a body or person. That is, there is a wrongful apprehension of one's body or person causing harm or injury done with malafide intention. There are three types of trespass Trespass is the unlawful occupation of, or interference with land or property belonging to someone else. Trespassing can take different forms such as 'squatting', dumping rubbish on someone's land or encroaching on a neighbour's land in a boundary dispute. What is trespass to land? Trespass to land is a civil wrong under the law of tort trespass n. entering another person's property without permission of the owner or his/her agent and without lawful authority (like that given to a health inspector) and causing any damage, no.. Trespass is an area of criminal law or tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels, and trespass to land.. Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem (or maiming), and false imprisonment. Through the evolution of the common law in various jurisdictions, and the codification of. Florida law recognizes two forms of criminal trespass: For purposes of this statute, a conveyance is defined as a sleeping car, an aircraft, a trailer, an automobile, or a boat, vessel or ship. This means you could face a criminal trespass charge for sleeping in someone else's car without permission How does the verb trespass differ from other similar words? Some common synonyms of trespass are encroach, infringe, and invade. While all these words mean to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another, trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion. hunters trespassing on farmlan The Colorado crime of criminal trespass is when a person unlawfully enters or remains on someone else's property. Penalties for criminal trespass in Colorado range from as little as a fine and probation to as much as three (3) years in prison and a $100,000 fine.. In Colorado, trespass can be in the first-degree trespassing (CRS 18-4-502) second-degree trespassing (CRS 18-4-503) o Three torts of trespass to the person exist to protect a person's right to physical integrity at civil law: The tort of battery is concerned with actual infliction of unlawful physical contact with the plaintiff (a) A person commits an offense if the person enters or remains on or in property of another, including residential land, agricultural land, a recreational vehicle park, a building, or an aircraft or other vehicle, without effective consent and the person: (1) had notice that the entry was forbidden; o Criminal trespass in the second degree: To knowingly enter or stay unlawfully in or on someone else's property in a way that doesn't constitute first degree criminal trespass. Charges and Penalties Criminal trespass in the first degree is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in county jail and/or a fine of up to $5,000 Trespass Wex US Law LII / Legal Information Institut Definition of TRESPASS • Law Dictionary • TheLaw A criminal trespassing charge can be filed in Indiana if a person does the following: Interferes with the use or possession of someone else's property without getting the owner's consent. Knowingly enters someone else's property without any contractual interest in the same, even after being denied entry by the owner Generally, the main elements of trespass are: an unlawful intrusion or invasion upon a property, intent of intrusion, force,and. consequent injury to an owner. A trespass is said to be committed when one enters upon the land or property of another without the consent either express or implied, of the owner or occupier thereof [i] Criminal trespass involves entering property knowing that one is not supposed to be there. Trespass involves entering the property without this intent. A district attorney will prosecute criminal trespass in a criminal court. A property owner will litigate civil trespass in a civil court Trespass to land is the unjustified interference with the possession of land. This interference might take the form of someone refusing to leave land or property when asked by the legal possessor, or the dumping of an unwanted fridge on the lawn of a neighbour Free Consultation: Tulsa Criminal Lawyer. For answers to your questions about trespass laws in Oklahoma or to explore criminal defense options with an experienced Tulsa criminal lawyer, call Wirth Law Office at (918) 879-1681. You can also send an inquiry using the Ask the Attorney form at the top of this page In civil law, trespass to land consists of any unjustifiable intrusion by a person on the land in possession of another. READ: What are confrontation skills? What does Detinue mean? 1 : a common-law action for the recovery of a personal chattel wrongfully detained or of its value. 2 : detention of something due especially : the unlawful. Trespass, in law, the unauthorized entry upon land.Initially, trespass was wrongful conduct directly causing injury or loss and thus was the origin of the law of torts in common-law countries. Trespass now, however, is generally confined to issues involving real property.. Neither malice nor knowledgeability is essential to trespass. Thus, mistaken belief as to ownership of land is no defense. What is the legal definition of TRESPASS? LegalLingo 1. Trespass trespass n [Anglo-French trespas violation of the law, actionable wrong, from Old French, crossing, passage, from trespasser to go across, from tres across + passer to pass]: wrongful conduct causing harm to another: as a: a willful act or active negligence as distinguished from a mere omission of a duty that causes an injury to or invasion of the person, rights, or esp. property of. 2. First and Second Degree Trespass. § 14-159.11. Definition. As used in this Article, building means any structure or part of a structure, other than a conveyance, enclosed so as to permit reasonable entry only through a door and roofed to protect it from the elements. (1987, c. 700, s. 1.) § 14-159.12. First degree trespass. (a) Offense 3. To trespass is to go beyond one's right by violating a boundary or a law. When we trespass on someone's property, we violate the physical boundaries they have in place. In a similar way, we trespass when we violate God's moral law or the rights of other people. Ephesians 2:1 shows how serious it is to trespass against God's commands. 4. What does trespass mean? The transgression of a moral or social law, code, or duty. (noun 5. Law of Torts I. T respass to Land. T respass to land can be described as the unfair interference with possession of land by. another or in other meaning is that entry to other ' s person land without a valid j ustification. According to Lim Y oke Foo v Pun T at Meng, the court held that defendant were Trespass Definition of Trespass by Merriam-Webste Generally, trespass to real property is a wrong against the right of possession[i] Trespass is an invasion of the exclusive possession of land[ii]. A simple definition of a civil trespass to real property is an injury to or use of the land of another by one having no right or authority[iii] Trespassing into the property with a criminal intent to insult, intimidate or annoy the person in possession of the property is the essence of Criminal Trespass. There is a metaphorical allusion to the term 'intent' implying 'aim', meaning thereby, the object for which the effort was made 39-14-405. Criminal trespass. (a) A person commits criminal trespass if the person enters or remains on property, or any portion of property, without the consent of the owner. Consent may be inferred in the case of property that is used for commercial activity available to the general public or in the case of other property when the owner has. The Law Looks Kind Of Complicated On Criminal Trespass, Give Me The Short Version.There are a couple of ways to prove criminal trespass and a few very rare nuances dealing with healthcare facilities, doctors, and land surveyors. However, ninety five percent of cases do not have anything to do with those provisions Awareness of trespassing. This rule requires that the trespasser be cognizant that his or her use of the property amounts to trespassing (meaning the trespasser has no legal right to be on the property). Good faith mistake. A few states follow this rule, which requires the trespasser to have made an innocent good faith mistake in occupying the. In English to trespass means to go beyond the legal boundaries or to violate legal, moral, or social standards. In a biblical context, a trespass is going beyond the boundaries God has set. In other words, it is sin. In the Old Testament, there are several Hebrew words that have been translated as trespass depending upon the translation being. Whether in the Phoenix area, or anywhere in Arizona, per A.R.S. §13-1502, §13-1503 and §13-1504, Trespass is generally when a person knowingly enters or remains unlawfully on a piece of property after they have been requested to leave, or without the expressed permission of the owner, or in violation of a posted sign warning of Trespass. Per A.R.S. §13-1504, Criminal Trespass in the. Search Texas Statutes. (a) A person commits an offense if the person enters or remains on or in property of another, including residential land, agricultural land, a recreational vehicle park, a building, or an aircraft or other vehicle, without effective consent and the person: (2) received notice to depart but failed to do so Trespass to land occurs when a person intentionally enters someone else's property without permission. The only intent required for this claim, is the intent to enter the property. So even if your neighbors accidently cross from their property into your lot, they can be liable for trespass. A trespass can also occur if someone causes a. Criminal trespass. (a) Buildings and occupied structures.-- or remains on any agricultural or other open lands when such lands are posted in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the person's attention or are fenced or enclosed in a manner manifestly designed to exclude trespassers or to confine domestic animals; or. Trespass to Land in Torts. Definition : Trespass to land is the unjustifiable interference with the possession of land.(Winfield) Two Essentials : Invasion of or entry on the land. Invasion must be unjustifiable. Possession: It is the evidence of ownership and has two ingredients : Animus and Corpus ; Animus is the mental element and corpus is the physical element The landowner, legal occupant, or an authorized representative can post the No Trespassing or Keep Out sign on any portion of the land and identify any activity that is prohibited. Even if you post a No Trespassing sign, you can grant permission to designated individuals. That is your right as a property owner. Trespassing laws vary by state Trespass. Trespassing is a legal term that can refer to a wide variety of offenses against a person or against property. Trespassing as it relates to real estate law means entering onto land without consent of the landowner. There are both criminal and civil trespass laws. Criminal trespass law is enforced by police, sheriffs, or park rangers Light trespass is a form of light pollution which impinges on other people's personal space. The most familiar example of it is a floodlight which illuminates a neighbor's yard. Many people find this pollution extremely frustrating and annoying, and it can be a source of conflict in a community. For this reason, people are encouraged to think. Trespass. Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels and trespass to land. Trespass to the person, historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem, and maiming.[1 810.08 Trespass in structure or conveyance.—. (1) Whoever, without being authorized, licensed, or invited, willfully enters or remains in any structure or conveyance, or, having been authorized, licensed, or invited, is warned by the owner or lessee of the premises, or by a person authorized by the owner or lessee, to depart and refuses to do. Trespass to Land: Definition, Scope, Remedies, Defences; Law of Tort: Definition, Functions, Relationship, Classifications; Section 43-52 of the Land Use Act (2004) Section 39-42 of the Land Use Act 2004; Recent Comments. Natural Theory of Law: merits and demerits - LAWhub NG on Meaning of Motion, Prayer, and Summon in law with example and determine a case of trespass in which the title to premises, or to any interest in the premises, is called in question or affected. (2) A case that deals with the issues referred to in subsection (1) respecting the title to premises, or to any interest in the premises, shall be dealt with according to law in the same manner as if thi The ANVIL Newsletter: Hebrews 10 ~ I Will Put My Laws in Trespass: Meaning, Nature, Types, Defenses and Case Laws Typical intentional torts are: battery, assault, false imprisonment, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, invasion of privacy, trespass, and conversion. Contrary to popular belief, assault doesn't require that the defendant make contact with his or her victim. Instead, assault is an intentional attempt or threat to. Trespass definition: If someone trespasses , they go onto someone else's land without their permission. \| Meaning, pronunciation, translations and example Justice, Mercy, and Forgiveness - Article - Stevenhorne Criminal Trespassing Law - Nol 1. al laws that prohibit unauthorized access to a computer. At first blush, the meaning of these statutes seems clear. The laws prohibit trespass into a computer network just like traditional laws ban trespass in physical space. Scratch below the surface, however, and the picture quickly [ 2. Trespass is a civil matter, meaning that while a landowner could bring legal action against a walker who was not on a footpath, it's very unlikely to happen unless some damage was done. This means that taking the wrong route, eating a picnic in a field, having a nap by a hedge and even wild camping are not crimes - at the moment 3. If a person proceeds onto such land, then he or she is trespassing by definition of the law. If you fail to have written consent from the landowner, then you are committing a misdemeanor crime. The results may be: First-time offense-$100-$500 fine. Second offense-$500-$1000 fine. Third offense-$1000-$1500 fine 4. al trespass, there are similar elements of the crime that must be proven by the Los Angeles County prosecutor to obtain a conviction 5. Find 72 ways to say TRESPASS, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus 6. al trespass in the second degree if the person enters or remains unlawfully in a motor vehicle or in or upon premises. (2) Cri 7. al trespass in violation of division (A) (5) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. (2) Notwithstanding section 2929.28 of the Revised Code, if the person, in committing the violation of this section, used a snowmobile, off-highway motorcycle, or all-purpose vehicle, the court shall impose a fine of two times the usual. What is TRESPASS?. Any misfeasance or act of one man whereby another is injuriously treated or damnified. 3 Bl. Comm. 208. An injury or misfeasance to the person, property, or rights of another person, done with force and violence, either actual or implied in law TRES'PASS, n. In law, violation of another's rights, not amounting to treason, felony, or misprision of either. Thus to enter another's close, is a trespass; to attack his person is a trespass. When violence accompanies the act, it is called a trespass vi et armis. 1. Any injury or offense done to another Its meaning then narrowed to the point where it was itself a rather specific category: it came to mean what we would call certain types of torts. As stated in the writs of trespass, it included: Trespass quare clausum fregit: a wrong because he broke the close, i.e., trespassed (in the modern sense) on the plaintiff's real property Trespass is broken down into two types: trespass to land and trespass to chattel. Trespass to land occurs when a person enters your property without permission, the person has no legal right to be. have perhaps not realised is that in most cases this sign has no meaning in Law. This is because trespass, which in simple terms means being on someone else's property without permission, is not generally a criminal offence. However, trespass may be a criminal offence in particular places or in certain circumstances In Georgia, criminal trespass can be committed in several ways. CommittingANY ONE of the following acts is enough to make one liable for trespassing: A.A person commits the offense of criminal trespass when he or she intentionally damages any property of another without consent of that other person and the damage thereto is $500.00 or less Light trespass means light emitted by a luminaire that shines beyond the boundaries of the property on which the luminaire is located.. Light trespass from a site is prohibited, for both new and existing lighting.. Light trespass reduces everyone's privacy, and higher energy use results in increased costs for everyone.. Light trespass: Light falling where it is not wanted or needed (also. An offense of absolute liability, meaning the property doesn't have to be marked against trespassing or have a fence. The charge for this crime is a fine of up to $200. Trespassing in The First Degree. Being charged with trespassing in the first degree in Missouri means that a person or persons have committed any of the following offenses Another word for Sin, What is another, synonym word for According to ORS section 164.255, there are four situations in which a person could be charged with criminal trespass in the first degree in Oregon. This charge is a Class A misdemeanor. Under this section, if a person unlawfully enters or remains in a dwelling, that person commits a first degree criminal trespass The form of trespass under this article has the following elements: 1) that the offender enters the closed premises or the fenced estate of another; 2) that the entrance is made while either of them is uninhabited; 3) that the prohibition be manifest; 4) that the trespasser has not secured the permission of the owner or the caretaker thereof. Trespass torts legal definition of Trespass tort Trespass means each and every actual entry upon the premises of an owner or other person in lawful possession of the premises without the express or the implied consent of the owner or other person in lawful pos- session. Trespass shall also mean remaining upon the premises of an owner or other person in lawful possession after having been told to leave the premises by the owner, or the agent. Criminal trespass is a fourth degree misdemeanor. Potential penalties include: 30 days in jail (maximum), $250 fine (maximum). If the defendant trespassed in snowmobile, off-highway motorcycle or all-purpose vehicle, the fine could be doubled Trespass. If you enter private property without the owner's permission or enter portions of public property that are off limits to the public, you could be liable for civil or criminal trespass. For example, you may not walk into your neighbor's house uninvited, sneak into your congressperson's office, or pretend to be a public official to gain. The definition of 'Criminal trespass' in Black's Law Dictionary is stated as A person who enters on the property of another without any right, lawful authority or an express or implied invitation or license. Criminal trespass basically refers to an unlawful entry by a person into a private property of another person Kentucky Trespassing Laws: What You Need to Know Trespass to land, called trespass quare clausum fregit means the interference with the possession of land without lawful justification. The phrase quare clausum fregit literally means breaking the close of the plaintiff's land. It was held in the case of Onasanya vs Emmanuel that trespass to land is committed where the. A trespass is an unauthorized action with respect to a person or property. A trespass to the person consists of any contact with someone's person for which consent was not given. This is technically described as a battery. An assault would be a situation where a plaintiff reasonably believed a battery upon his person was about to be committed Understand the meaning of Romans 5:20 using all available Bible versions and commentary. And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly: BatteryLegislation to Protect Hunters Who Self-Report Honest Mistakes Trespassing fines vary widely, from a few hundred dollars to as much as $4,000 or more. Like jail sentences, trespassing fines are dependent on state law and the circumstances of the crime, and laws allow courts to impose a range of fines. For example, a conviction for trespassing may result in a fine of as little as $25 or as much as $1,000 The trespass trap: this new law could make us strangers in our own land. The general freedom they proclaim turns out to mean freedom for billionaires, the City of London,. [T]he definition of a common law trespass has remained constant throughout this Court's jurisprudence and has become a well-established rule relating to property rights. At its core, a '[t]respass to real property is an unauthorized entry upon the land of another, and may occur when one enters—or causes something to enter—another's. Meaning of term trespass Literal meaning The term trespass has been derived from a Latin word transgression meaning thereby to pass beyond or to transgress the law. Meaning in modern law Trespass is a voluntary wrongful act against the person of another or to do the disturbance of his possession of property against his will Definition of Trespassing. Trespassing under California Penal Code Section 602, is defined as the willful entering of another person's property with the specific intent to interfere with the person's property rights. Willful is defined as deliberately or on purpose. Specific intent means the person intended not only to do. Car parking on a neighbour's driveway cannot be stopped by Louisiana Trespassing Laws: What You Need to Know (b) Posting in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders; or (c) Fencing or other enclosure manifestly designed to exclude intruders except as otherwise provided in section 28-520. (2) Second degree criminal trespass is a Class III misdemeanor, except as provided for in subsection (3) of this section Criminal trespass third-degree occurs when a person knowingly enters or remains unlawfully on any premises. Criminal trespass third-degree is a violation under Alabama law which is punishable by a fine and up to 30 days in jail. Bradford Ladner, LLP. is a Birmingham Alabama law firm with over 30 years of experience handling state and federal. Definition of Trespass. Under Chapter 810 of the Florida Statutes, the crime of Trespass is committed when a person: willfully enters or remains on some form of real property without authorization, license, or invitation; or. Returns to or ignores a prior warning to stay off real property Define trespass. trespass synonyms, trespass pronunciation, trespass translation, English dictionary definition of trespass. intr.v. tres·passed , tres·pass·ing , tres·pass·es 1. Law To commit an unlawful injury to the person, property, or rights of another, with actual or implied.. Trespass in English law - Wikipedi trespass definition: 1. to go onto someone's land or enter their building without permission: 2. to do something or act. Learn more If the trespass continues, the lawful occupier may apply to the Court for an injunctive relief - that is an order for the trespasser to cease. Legal Costs If court proceedings are required, legal costs may be claimable against the trespasser in order to compensate you for the expense incurred Trespass is not of itself a criminal offence. However there are some offences in which trespass is an essential element and this guidance sets out the most commonly encountered examples of such offences. Prosecutors should also have regard as appropriate to the CPS legal guidance on public order offences and public protests Penal Code 602 PC - California Trespassing Law Criminal Trespass synonyms, Criminal Trespass pronunciation, Criminal Trespass translation, English dictionary definition of Criminal Trespass. intr.v. tres·passed , tres·pass·ing , tres·pass·es 1 Law of Trespass to Goods Subject: Law Topic: Article Trespass to goods, trespass de bonis asportatis, affords a remedy where there has been a direct interference with goods in the claimant's possession at the time of the trespass, whether that be by taking the goods from him or damaging the goods without removing them.Trespass and conversion. Trespassing vs. Defiant Trespassing. Any time a person enters another person's property without permission, they are trespassing. In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to enter or break into any structure or building. Breaking in occurs when a person uses force or intimidation to enter a property. The misdemeanor of trespassing does not require a. The Crime of Trespass (Unauthorized Entry, Trespassing noun. 1 Law. Entry to a person's land or property without their permission. 'the defendants were guilty of trespass'. More example sentences. 'a mass trespass on the hills'. 'Thus in the field of tort, the traditional view is that claims in respect of torts to land, such as trespass and nuisance, can be brought only by an occupier. A person need not have a law degree or an understanding of the various legal nuances of trespass discussed by the Court to know that these signs meant visitors were not welcome. Ms Trespass to land - essentials, remedies, defences - law of torts Introduction to Trespass. Trespass, in its widest sense signifies any transgression or offence against the law of nature of society, or of the country, whether relating to a person or to his property.But the most obvious acts of trespass are In terms of being reasonably interpretable as a sign of the owners intent, No Trespassing and Private Property signal the exact same intent. You do not have a right to trespass, period. However, the law typically admits of defenses to a trespassing charge, which in Washington state (RCW 9A.52.090(3)) says tha What Are the Elements & Damages of Trespass to Land Discuss The Law relating to Trespass to Goods 1. Introduction A wrongful interference with the possession of property that is personal property as well as realty, or the action instituted to recover damages stand for trespass. The action for trespass to goods, affords a remedy where there has been a direct interference with goods in [ Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor crime. In most cases, it is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by fines of up to $2,000 and a jail sentence of up to 180 days. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if the defendant was carrying a gun or deadly weapon at the time or if there are prior criminal trespass convictions (1) A person commits the crime of criminal trespass in the first degree if the person: (a) Enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling; (b) Having been denied future entry to a building pursuant to a merchant's notice of trespass, reenters the building during hours when the building is open to the public with the intent to commit theft therein What is the definition of trespassing in the Trespass Act? A description of trespass in Scots Law is 'the process of entering another person's property or land without permission' Trespass. Trespass is a tort that requires someone to interfere with the property of the plaintiff in a direct manner. If a neighbor plants trees on your property, it is a trespass. Even if, he throws some stones that fall in your property, the action classifies as trespass Definition of Trespass to the land: Trespass to land is unjustifiable interference with the possession of it. Wrongful entry upon the land of another. Possession is an important concept in law. The legal consequences which flow from the acquisition and loss of it are many and serious. Possession is the evidence of ownership Criminal trespass — Defenses. 9A.52.095. Vehicle prowling in the first degree. 9A.52.100. Vehicle prowling in the second degree. 9A.52.105. Removal of unauthorized persons — Declaration — Liability — Rights. 9A.52.115. Removal of unauthorized persons — Declaration form — Penalty for false swearing
How The District Line Stations Got Their Names By M@ Last edited 41 months ago How The District Line Stations Got Their Names Our series on London etymology continues with a look at the stations of the District line. Find out how your local station got its name. See also Bakerloo, Central, Hammersmith & City, JubileeMetropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. Western stations Ealing Broadway and Ealing Common Ealing Broadway roundel One of the oldest names in the London region, Ealing is attested from around 700 CE. There once, it seems, was a local chieftain known as Gilla, whose people were the Gillingas. This slowly transmuted into Ylling then Ealing. The long-lost chieftain would be proud to know that his name now decorates two District line stations, two further Piccadilly line stations and two mainline stations — even though the big man could never have conceived of the railways. Acton Town The transport map is as replete with Actons as it is with Ealings. This time, the name comes from a natural feature — an Old English phrase meaning an enclosure surrounded by oaks. Acorns have the same root, in more ways than one. Chiswick Park Chiswick Park tube Chiswick has one of the most delightful etymologies in London. It harks back to Anglo-Saxon times when a cheese farm must have stood close to the banks of the Thames. Chiswick is literally the settlement of cheese. The suffix '-bury' usually tells us that a manor house once stood here. In this case, it is the manor of Gunnhildr, a Scandinavian name. Whether it was home to Gunhilda, the daughter of 11th century celebs Emma of Normandy and Canute, remains speculative. Kew Gardens Kew Gardens at dusk Image: Shutterstock Diving across the Thames, we reach a station named after the popular horticultural attraction. Kew is a most peculiar word. It comes from the same Old French root as quay, and as such denotes a landing place on the Thames. Its earliest occurrence, in 1327, is Cayho — the 'ho' part indicating a spur of land. It's fun to imagine the process by which Cayho gradually came to be pronounced 'Kew'. Richmond: still rich, still hilly. Image: Shutterstock A relatively recent coinage (well, around 1500), the borough, town and park took their names from the now-vanished Richmond Palace, built on the river by Henry VII. His former title was Earl of Richmond, relating to the town in Yorkshire. That place's name comes from Old French for 'strong hill', which might equally apply in this gradient-fond part of London. Turnham Green The pun-maker's favourite tube station bears a hidden reference to the River Thames. The '-ham' derives from the Old English word hamm, meaning a watery, meadowy kind of place. That's because the hamlet stood close to the (then much-wider) Thames. The river is very twisty hereabouts, and the 'Turn-' prefix supposedly reflects that ('turn' being an Anglo-Saxon word meaning circular). Stamford Brook London's only river whose name sounds like a US politician (although we think Tyburn Gallows might have made a good Republican senator). This lost stream separated Hammersmith and Chiswick, and gave its name to the area and Underground station. It's said to derive from Stoney Ford, which doesn't sound at all gubernatorial. Ravenscourt Park Ravenscourt Park Autumn in Ravenscourt Park. Image: Shutterstock This name is relatively modern. It was chosen in the mid-18th century by a fellow called Thomas Corbett, who had recently purchased the manor house. The Corbett family, it seems, liked to indulge in wordplay. Their coat-of-arms included a raven, the French word for which is 'corbeau'. Thomas Corbett named his new gaff Ravenscourt, inspired by his personal rebus. The 'Park' bit was appended in the early 19th century when housing was built in the grounds, and reinforced later that century when the open space became a public park. I love W6 postcode Alas, nobody is quite sure as to the origins of this place name, first recorded in 1294. Some sources suggest it derives from Hammoder's Hythe (a safe haven belonging to Hammoder); others, perhaps more satisfyingly, strike a concatenation of 'hammer' and 'smithy'. Hammersmith may have been an area important for metal working. Can we rename it Thor's Town? Barons Court A name invented at the end of the 19th century to encompass new housing developments. It (probably) has no historical association, and was chosen as a pairing with nearby Earl's Court (much as Queensbury nodded to Kingsbury). West Kensington and High Street Kensington These two stations get their names from another forgotten Saxon chappie. This time, Mr Cynesige or Kenesigne, no known relation to the fellows who gave us Kenton and Kennington. Northern spurs Kensington (Olympia) Addison Road station. A prominent sign bearing the old station name can still be seen to the east of the platforms. Image by M@ The Kensington part is another echo of Mr Cynesige. Olympia, meanwhile, refers to the exhibition centre established here in 1886 — presumably given that grand title in homage to the Olympic city of Ancient Greece. The station was known as Kensington Addison Road until a name change in 1946. Notting Hill Gate A bit of a mystery on Hugh Grant's doorstep. Notting Hill is recorded from the 14th century under various knutting, nutting and knotting guises. The most likely origin is from a personal name such as Cnotta, with the 'ing' bit meaning 'people of', as with Ealing. Or, to paraphrase Michael Caine (who filmed part of the Italian Job here), "Cnotta's lot of people know that". (This, incidentally, is the best pun we've ever written. Unfortunately, it won't work at dinner parties unless you happen to be talking to local historians with an interest in film history.) Bayswater might look pretty landlocked today, but the district stands close to one of London's lost rivers. The Westbourne still flows through the area, but is now relegated to a sewer. The Bays part is thought to come from the Bayard family, who owned land here in the 14th century. The name was recorded as Bayard's Watering in 1380. Paddington Bear in the station. Image: Shutterstock The west-facing station, the wider area, and a certain bear all carry a name that, yet again, comes to us from Anglo-Saxon times. It probably refers to a local land-owner called Padda (the exact name is uncertain), with 'ton' or 'tun' meaning 'the village of'. Edgware Road The old Roman route of Watling Street takes many names along its course. Where it twists north at Marble Arch, it likes to be called Edgware Road (because, after miles of light industry and noisy slipways it does eventually reach Edgware). That name recalls an otherwise forgotten Anglo-Saxon chieftain called Ecgi, associated with a fishing pool (weir or ware) in these parts. Wimbledon branch West Brompton A broom plant we found growing on Wikipedia. Image by MPF under creative commons licence. Brompton Road, West Brompton and the diverse other Bromptons round here all owe their name to a humble plant. The common broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a widespread shrub with golden yellow flowers. It must have been particularly busy in these parts, for it came to define and eventually name the nearby settlement. We'll meet this shrub once again on the District line when we reach the East End. Fulham Broadway The name of Fulham is about as Anglo-Saxon as it gets. It is first recorded as Fulanham in a text from 691, making it one of London's oldest place names. It almost certainly derives from the personal name of a fella' named Fulla, who dwelt beside a watery meadow (-hamm). Fulham proper was historically located on the river beside Fulham Palace. The area around the station was originally known as Walham Green (first recorded in the 14th century as Wandongrene), and the station carried that name until the 1950s. Parsons Green This name is exactly as it sounds. Here, beside the still-extant village green, was located Fulham's parsonage from medieval times. Putney Bridge and East Putney Putney Bridge and Thames Image Shutterstock Putney is another place name from Anglo Saxon days. This riverside settlement grew up around the landing place of a Saxon called Putten. These were once the fields south of Putney, first named as such in the mid-13th century. They remained open land right up to the dawn of the 20th century, after which the fields were filled with modest, yet now unaffordable, housing. Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon The suffix 'don' usually denotes a hill. Wimbledon occupies quite a large one. The name is first recorded as Wunemannedunne in 950 CE, indicating a hill owned by a guy called Winebeald, or something similar. Main route Earl's Court Earl's Court has noble origins dating back to the Norman Conquest. The land was held for more than 500 years by the Vere family, Earls of Oxford. Their manorial court was located very close to the where the underground station stands today. Gloucester Road Gloucester Road art The name is linked to Maria, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, who built a house on the street (at the time called Hog Moore Lane) in 1805. One of three stations on the line to be named after women (see also Gunnersbury and Victoria). South Kensington South Kensington is roughly south of Kensington, whose derivation we explored above. Sloane Square Sloane Square tube Image Shutterstock He helped to establish the British Museum, and sort-of invented hot chocolate. Quite right, then, that Hans Sloane (1660-1753) should be honoured with an Underground station. The long-lived gent owned the Manor of Chelsea from 1712, and his name pops up all over the place. A 'Sloane Ranger' or Sloane was once a popular term for an upper-middle-class fashionista — the type who might frequent this posh neighbourhood — though we've not heard anyone use it for about a decade. Named after Victoria mainline station, which was in turn named after Victoria Street which, like so many things in London, honours a certain queen. Had you attempted to catch the tube here at the start of Victoria's reign, you would have got very wet. Victoria station was built on the site of an old basin serving the Grosvenor Canal, remnants of which still exist on the Chelsea river front. St James's Park The station, somewhat predictably, takes its name from the adjacent St James's Park, which itself is named after the nearby St James's Palace. Why was this 500-year-old palace so dedicated? It was built on the site of a medieval leper hospital in memory of St James the Less. Why did the hospital choose that saint? The answer is lost in the mists of time. Westminster Bridge Image: Shutterstock Walter Thornbury, one of the more readable Victorian historians of London, says that the origin of Westminster's name are 'clear to the veriest child in such matters'. It denotes the minster (abbey) that is to the west of the main body of London (what we now call the City or the Square Mile). There may once have been an Eastminster, too, somewhere near Aldgate. Previously called Charing Cross, then Charing Cross (Embankment), then Charing Cross Embankment, this station finally settled on its current name of Embankment in 1976. Its origins are fairly obvious. This was one of the stations built within Joseph Bazalgette's Victoria Embankment in the 1860s. The Inner and Middle Temples stand nearby. These are not holy places of worship, but enclaves of the legal profession. The lawyers moved in during the 14th century, on the land formerly owned by the Knights Templar — hence the name. Blackfriars pub Image by M@. One glance at the area's most characterful pub, opposite the station, will show you where this name came from. The Dominican monks who — like so many Londoners since — favoured black garb, once held a priory here. Mansion House Named after the Lord Mayor's official residence, which stands nearby. But not that nearby. One of our favourite London facts: Mansion House station is the third closest station to Mansion House (Bank and Cannon Street are closer). Cannon Street Counter-intuitively, this station and the street it inhabits have nothing to do with either religious canons or fighty cannons. Cannon Street is, rather, a 17th century shortening of Candelwrichstrete — the street of candle makers, as first noted in 1190. The origins are still hinted at today; Cannon Street falls within the Ward of Candlewick, one of 25 ancient subdivisions of the City of London. Image by M@ Named after the Monument to the Great Fire of London, a huge column designed by Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, which stands above the station. Tower Hill One of London's traditional sites of execution, Tower Hill has a very simple etymology. It is a hill beside the Tower of London. Aldgate East The most easterly of two stations to carry the word Aldgate, both of which are named after an ancient gateway into the City. But how did Aldgate get its name? The short answer is 'nobody knows'. The long answer is 'Perhaps it's simply the old gate into the city, or maybe it's from Ale Gate because it had a tavern attached to it. Then again, it could be named after an Anglo-Saxon called Ealh, or maybe it's a corruption of East Gate. Could it derive from Aelgate, which would have meant a gate that is open to all?'. Feel free to make your own speculation in the comments. White chapel remains Remains of the 'white chapel'. Image by M@ Unlike its neighbour at Aldgate, the nominative origins of Whitechapel are undisputed and recorded. The church of St Mary Matfelon, whose remains can be found in Altab Ali Park, was initially built of white chalk rubble. The distinctive shine led to its nickname of the 'white chapel' which was applied to the local area as early as the 13th century. Stepney Green The East End name is first recorded around 1000 CE, as Stybbanhythe. It's thought to come from the personal name of an Anglo-Saxon (Stebben), who had a landing place (hythe) on the river. In addition, the only Womble to appear on the tube map. Mile End Known thus since the 13th century, Mile End is a mile from Aldgate pump, one of the traditional locations for measuring distance. Bow Road The road and tube station are named after a bow-shaped (that is to say, arched) bridge that once spanned the River Lea hereabouts. For Bow, see above. The Bromley bit once again derives from the plant called broom, which we last encountered in West Brompton. It must have grown sufficiently thick in these parts to constitute a large wood (leah). Broom-leah eventually became Bromley. The 'by-Bow' helps us distinguish it from the London town and borough of Bromley, which has a different etymology. West Ham In the beginning, there was Hamme. This common place name, meaning a dry area of land between rivers (here, the Lea, Thames and Roding), was first recorded in these parts a century before the Normans came over. In the 12th century, the land was partitioned into East Ham and West Ham. Plaistow tube Image Shutterstock One of the more unusual London place names, it's pronounced as Plahr-stow, not Play-stow. The name recalls Sir Hugh De Plaitz, who married into the land-owning Mountfitchet family. A 'stow' was a meeting place within a manor. Some have alternatively suggested a connection to miracle plays — so Plai-stow was a 'play meetup spot'. Upton Park The name of this district, later adopted by West Ham FC for its (now former) ground, goes back only to the 1880s. It was used as a marketing term for new housing built near the hamlet of Upton. That name simply means a farm or homestead on higher ground. East Ham See West Ham and apply a more easterly mien. Barking is an Anglo-Saxon phrase, first recorded as Berecingas. It derives from a local chieftain called Bereca or means 'the settlement by the birch trees'. We prefer the latter, if only so we can talk about catching the train from the oak town (Acton) to the place of the birch trees, via the broom tree clearing (Bromley). Sources are divided on the origin of Upney. It may mean 'higher stream', a reference to the Mayes Brook. Alternatively, it could refer to a 'higher island' as the brook does bifurcate around the area. After the first world war, Becontree went from an obscure village to the world's largest public housing estate. This is another location named after a plant, easily spotted in the -tree part of the name. The 'Becon' bit might refer to a beacon, but more likely derives from the people of Beohha who had an encampment in the area during Anglo-Saxon times — no doubt beside a distinctive tree. Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East This is another of those early Anglo-Saxon places, first recorded in 666 as Dæccanhaam. It almost certainly derives from a personal name like Daecca, while the -ham means farmstead. The Heathway refers to the road that leads to Becontree Heath. Elm Park More arboreal references — the District line really does live up to its green colour. Little of noise and toil troubled this once rural area until the 1930s, when Elm Park 'garden city' replaced the sparrows and bales. The name was chosen in 1933, taken from one of the displaced farms. A horned beast in Hornchurch. Image by Dave Taskis under creative commons licence. As we approach the end of the line, we find one of the more puzzling etymologies. Hornchurch may get its name, quite literally, from a horned church. First mentioned in 1222, the parish church may have displayed horn-like gables, or else been decorated with animal horns. Nobody is really sure. St Andrew's Church maintains the nebulous tradition with a horned bull's head of later origin (pictured). Upminster Bridge and Upminster Upminster windmill Upminster windmill, by M@ You could almost guess this one. As with Upney, the 'Up-' of Upminster refers to higher ground. The minster part references a church. The bridge of Upminster Bridge is the one that straddles the River Ingrebourne. See also Bakerloo, Central, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria. Other etymological explorations on Londonist: Last Updated 11 February 2019
Protect Cattle from Heat Stress Jun 21, 2022 Subscribe to our Newsletters Extreme temperatures are expected to hit many parts of North Dakota this week, increasing the potential for heat stress in cattle, warns Karl Hoppe, North Dakota State University livestock systems specialist. “One day of heat stress is uncomfortable, but two or more days back to back without night cooling can be deadly for livestock,” says Hoppe. “Signs that animals are trying to regulate their internal body temperature include an increased respiration rate, increased heart rate and increased panting,” says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian. “Once cattle start to pant, some heat stress has occurred.” “If cattle are already experiencing severe heat stress, it may be difficult to help them recover,” cautions Zac Carlson, NDSU Extension beef cattle specialist. “Being prepared and implementing an action plan can minimize the impacts of heat stress on animal performance during the upcoming periods of heat and will avoid death losses in severe cases.” Hoppe, Stokka and Carlson recommend farmers and ranchers take the following steps to protect cattle from heat stress: • For pasture cattle evaluate conditions of water supply and ensure plenty of high-quality drinking water is available. • The amount of water livestock need depends on the type of animal and stage of production, with requirements often doubling during hot weather. The general estimates of daily water intake for beef cattle when the temperature is 90 F are as follows: • Cows - 18 gallons for nursing calves; 15.3 gallons for bred dry cows and heifers • Bulls - 20 gallons • Growing cattle - 9.5 gallons for a 400-pound animal; 12.7 gallons for a 600-pound animal; 15 gallons for an 800-pound animal • Identify animals that are most susceptible to heat stress. They include feedlot animals closest to the market endpoint, very young and very old animals, and those with dark hides. Additionally adult cattle and yearlings that have experienced respiratory disease early in life or post weaning will be at greater risk. • Be aware of the increased risk of “summer pneumonia” in suckling calves following heat stress. Early signs include calves off by themselves, a drooped ear, rapid respiration and dams with full udders. Consult your veterinarian for confirmation of the diagnosis and treatment options. • Develop an action plan to deal with heat stress. • Know when to intervene. A combination of factors, including temperature and humidity, drives heat stress. An action plan should include the following: • Give each animal access to at least 2 inches or more of linear water trough space in a pen. This means that in a pen with 200 animals, you need to have 400 inches (33 feet) of linear water space. More space is needed during times of heat stress as all of the cattle desire to be close to cool water. If your cattle have access to only small water troughs, add temporary space for additional water access during the summer. • Move the animals’ feeding time to late afternoon or evening. This will allow rumen fermentation to take place during the cooler night temperatures, and it will increase the cattle’s lung capacity during the hotter daytime temperatures. • If feeding once daily, consider moving feed delivery until the afternoon. If feeding multiple times daily, consider feeding a small meal in the morning and a larger portion of the diet later in the afternoon. Decrease the amount of feed offerings during and for several days after heat stress. • Provide adequate air movement. Remove unessential wind barriers (portable wind panels, equipment, weeds and other objects) to promote better air movement. Having mounds in pens gives cattle more elevation and possibly access to a microclimate with more wind. • Cool the ground and the cattle gradually. Sprinklers cool the ground cattle are lying on as much as they cool the cattle. Set up sprinklers well in advance of anticipated heat stress because cattle take time to adapt to changes. Use the sprinklers during mildly hot days so cattle become accustomed to the sights, sounds and the cooling effects of the sprinklers. An alternative to sprinklers is running a hose into pens to wet the ground where cattle will be lying. Run the sprinklers or wet the ground before the day’s peak temperatures. • Be aware of the droplet size of water coming from the sprinklers. The goal is to have large droplets of water. A fine mist likely will make the pens even more humid and contribute to greater heat stress. When cattle are in severe heat stress, soaking the animal with water may be necessary for survival. • Provide shade if possible. • Add light-colored bedding (straw or corn stalks) to reduce the temperature of the ground on which cattle are lying. Apply bedding to the tops of mounds and other areas likely to have wind. Also, wet the bedding before or shortly after putting it out. • Control flies as much as possible because hot cattle tend to bunch together and flies will add to the stress of hot days. • Do not work cattle during temperature extremes. If working cattle is absolutely necessary, keep working time as short as possible, use calm-animal-handling techniques to minimize stress related to handling, and consider running smaller groups through the facility or into holding pens. Provide sufficient water in holding pens. Get started as early in the morning as daylight will allow. Do not work in the evening after a heat-stress day; cattle need this time to recover. Reconsider the necessity of working cattle during these periods; postpone or cancel some working events. • Pay attention to long- and short-term weather forecasts and have a copy of the temperature-humidity index chart readily available. Determine the potential risk threshold and be prepared, even if the risk is several index units away. “Also, remember that interventions causing animals distress or to cool extremely rapidly could have disastrous consequences,” Stokka says. Source : ndsu.edu Trending Video Livestock Markets Video: Livestock Markets Mike Briggs is back to give his two cents on the livestock sector. From rising inflation to Full feed yards and worker shortages, Mike covers all the bases and answers some viewer questions this week.
What Is Hypothyroidism? Is Important To Knows? You must care about a lot of the kind of disease that can against you. Know about some disease will make you are aware with the disease. It can keep your body from the disease. Some of you never know about this disease. Hypothyroidism is one kind of disease that can attack man or woman. But, woman is the most infected with this disease. You must know about what is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism description must you know to make you aware with this disease. You must understand the causes and the effect of hypothyroidism. Know about what is hypothyroidism, what causes of this disease and what the effect that you can get if you are getting hypothyroidism can make you know in early and you can handle the early symptom of this disease. What is hypothyroidism disease? Hypothyroidism is one kind of disease that appear from the thyroid hormone. When your body is in lack sufficient from thyroid hormone, it’s mean you are getting Hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormone is a hormone in the body that has the main purpose to run the body’s metabolism. When your thyroid gland that is located in the front of your neck does not produce enough thyroid hormone, its call with hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormone is the important thing for your body because thyroid hormone use to maintenance your body metabolism. What is hypothyroidism is you can see when you find people with slow metabolism for their body. Thyroid hormone is running about your metabolism. When your body in not enough thyroid hormone, you can’t get good metabolism in your body. What are hypothyroidism causes? what is hypothyroidism You can find hypothyroidism causes from some of different factors. You must give your attention in these causes. So, you can avoid from this disease. The first thing that becomes the causes of this disease is surgical removal. This is one of the common cause form the hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can appear depend on the thyroid hormone in your body. You will get hypothyroidism when your body gets low thyroid hormone. One thing that causes your body to get low thyroid hormone is the radiation treatment. Radiation treatment from cancer operation will make your gland cannot produce enough thyroid hormone and make you get hypothyroidism. Radiation treatment can destroy a lot of cells of the thyroid that make you are getting little thyroid hormone in your body. This causes be the most common causes of Hypothyroidism that you must give your attention. Other causes like not enough iodine in your body. Not enough iodine in your body make you are can get hypothyroidism. Iodine use to produce the thyroid hormone. Iodine can’t you get from your body because it can’t produce iodine. You must maintenance to supply your body with enough iodine. Then, you can consume foods that contain with enough iodine to keep your body from hypothyroidism. You will get low thyroid if you are consuming medications too much. You must avoid other causes that can make your body get low thyroid hormone to make your body still in healthy and keep away from hypothyroidism. Worst effect that you will get if you are getting this disease is your metabolism in worst and your body will work and in worst condition. Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published.
What’s sadness? We all experience sadness at times. It is a natural human emotion that life’s uncertain or difficult situations can trigger. People can cry, sob and withdraw from their loved ones when they feel sad. As the circumstances change, sadness usually decreases over time. Research shows that sadness isn’t always a good thing. You can use sadness to motivate yourself to do better. Studies show that sadness can make you more resilient to distress. Sadness can be a powerful motivator that motivates you to make positive changes in your life. Sadness is a natural emotion and can sometimes be necessary. You can feel more happiness and be more grateful for it. It gives you the perspective you need to be grateful for what you have. As with all emotions, sadness also passes over time. You might feel sadder than usual because of all the changes happening in the world. You must recognize any sadness and allow yourself to feel it. Don’t judge yourself for feeling sad. Instead, accept it as it is. This can help reduce your feelings of restlessness and distress. Next, take steps towards feeling better. Let your emotions out and see if you feel any relief. Even better, you can let your emotions on paper to see what happens. What is the difference between sadness and depression? Depression is more permanent than sadness. Depression can also impact your self-care and relationships, as well as professional performance, social life, and professional performance. Depression is not something that disappears like sadness. It often requires dedicated intervention. People who are depressed find it hard to enjoy any activity, even those they once enjoyed. Also, sleep and appetite can be affected. Energy levels can also drop. People can feel ashamed and guilty when they are feeling depressed. Many people have trouble thinking positively, concentrating, and making rational decisions. Many people experience negative thoughts, including thoughts about self-worth, death, helplessness, hopelessness or despair. It is important to recognize that depression affects millions around the globe when you are dealing with it. This is not a flaw in your character or weakness. It is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. There are also things you can do to help it. Professional help is often required to deal with depression. However, it can be hard to decide when to seek professional help. These are some things you should be aware of to make a decision. • If you are suffering from the sadness that has been unrelieved for more than 2 weeks, • It interferes with your professional responsibilities, personal or social life • It makes you feel that life is impossible. • If you have thoughts that are related to self-harm • If your appetite or sleep patterns have changed in any way If any of these signs resonate with you, you are not alone. We understand how difficult this time can be for you and are here to help. We understand that you may not be able to see someone right now. However, the following strategies can help to give you some hope. Engage in fun activities Plan activities you love, such as reading, music, or watching your favorite movie. This should be a goal that you stick to as often as possible. You will spend less time worrying and more time enjoying enjoyable activities. Avoid comparisons Things aren’t going to stay this way forever. This phase will pass with time. It is not a good idea to compare your feelings now with how it was in the past. This will only make things worse. Instead, focus on the present and consider the things that can help you feel better. Track your accomplishments Keep a journal and note down the things you are proud to have accomplished in a given day. You might have cooked a healthy meal or done all the chores in your house. You could also do something as simple as cleaning your bedroom or making your bed. Be kind to yourself Don’t feel like you failed at something you set out to do. It’s OK not to be able to complete your to-do list or reach your exercise goals for the day. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Instead, be positive and focus on the progress you are making. Remember that you are doing your best!
Understanding the Differences Remodeling your home is serious business, requiring seasoned experts. Whether you’re renovating a bathroom or kitchen, creating a room addition or den, or transforming your backyard into a luxurious outdoor space, you’ll need a team of professionals to handle the various aspects of the design and build process. But who is who, and what do they do? You’ve probably already heard the titles “Interior Decorator” and “Interior Designer” used interchangeably. And you’re likely not exactly sure about the difference between an “Interior Designer” and an “Architectural Designer.” Since a firm understanding of these differences is important to selecting the right firm and getting the project done right, this blog is for you. Interior Decorator vs Interior Designer Perhaps the best way to describe the difference between these two experts is to imagine a room: the Interior Designer is responsible for making that room as functional and comfortable as possible for you, while the Interior Decorator is focused on making that room aesthetically appealing. Specifically, the Designer helps create the space, and the Decorator fills it up. Although their duties have plenty of overlap, another way to look at it is that Designers sometimes decorate, but Decorators never design. Understanding your behavior and what you expect the renovated space to do for you is where the Interior Designer begins. They’ll work closely with the Architect to ensure that the living space is ideally structured for your needs. Building codes, fire safety, accessibility, and ergonomic layout of the floors and walls are what a good Interior Designer expertly handles. In contrast, surfaces, furniture, and fixtures are the province of the Interior Decorator, who uses the Designer’s work as a foundation and then creates a luxurious experience on top of the functional effectiveness of a practical design. So when hiring and working with Interior Decorators and Designers, know the difference and make sure they’re fully vetted. Optimal qualifications for a great Decorator have less to do with formal schooling and more to do with having a terrific eye for style, arrangements, and lighting. An excellent Designer, in contrast, should be accredited and have proven design chops. Interior Designer vs Architectural Designer Architectural Designer Now that you know the difference between an Interior Decorator and a Designer, we can extend that room analogy to describe the many different responsibilities between them and an Architectural Designer. Simply put, the Architectural Designer oversees the structural work of the room itself, including all plumbing, electrical, foundational, and supporting infrastructure. A capable Architectural Designer partners closely with builders, craftspeople, technicians, and other experts to ensure that the project matches the exact specifications of the blueprints, is built to code, and constructed competently. With education and experience somewhere between that of an Architect and an Interior Designer, they ensure the actual construction is done right. Another way to understand the differences between all three roles is to imagine your renovation taking place from the ground, up 1) the Architectural Designer ensures the building process is smooth and error-free; 2) the Interior Designer works with them to ensure the layout matches the needs of the homeowner; and 3) the Interior Decorator creates the look, feel, and mood. Given these three vital roles and their many differences, seamless communication between them throughout your home remodeling project is necessary. That’s because the Interior Decorator depends on a functional design, and the Interior Designer must rely on a functioning structure in turn ensured by the Architectural Designer. The weakest link in the chain breaks it. Get the Best of Both Experts with a Design-Build Firm You have many options when hiring professionals to renovate your home, and many of these choices have to do with organizing your team. One option is to hire these roles separately, and then have them work with a General Contractor. The perceived advantage is flexibility and presumably cost savings as each step from design to build is handled incrementally. But another and arguably better way is to partner with an experienced and proven firm that specializes in “Design-Build” — that’s an integrated process through which you work with a general contractor and a design team (an architect or interior designer based on the scope of work) from the very beginning of your project to ensure that your needs are met, and construction moves forward without a glitch. Rather than gluing a team together on an ad hoc and as-needed basis, Design-Build firms map your entire home renovation project from start to finish. By understanding each phase, providing exactly what’s required, and maintaining communication between all your experts, you’ll have a single point of contact capable of preventing delays, cost overruns, and avoidable mistakes. The key takeaway here is that the success of each expert from your Architectural and Interior Designers to your Interior Decorator is dependent on the success of their fellow team members. Not only will an integrated Design-Build contractor ensure they work seamlessly together, but they’ll be best positioned to save you time, money, and headaches on projects large and small. Partner with Progressive Design Build Designers design and decorators decorate. Knowing who does what and why helps you hire and manage the many experts responsible for a home renovation project that’s only as successful as its weakest team member. So how can you ensure you work with only the best? And how can you best manage such a complicated project with so many inter-dependencies? An award-winning luxury design-build remodeling firm proudly serving Southwest Florida, Progressive Design Build has a well-deserved reputation for consistent innovation at the highest levels of design and customer service. Progressive aligns you with the ideal design team (whether a decorator, interior designer, or architect) and ensures they all work smoothly together for you. Driven by their leadership philosophy the firm ensures 100% accountability through accurate estimates, full transparency, compassionate staff, ease of service, and satisfaction guarantees. Progressive Design Build is thrilled to bring you their proprietary Design-Build process for the region’s best work in whole house, kitchen, room additions, outdoor spaces, and more. Sign up for their monthly newsletter, or reach out directly. They can’t wait to hear from you and bring you an integrated team of Southwest Florida’s very best designers to your home remodeling project!
Arab Religion before Islam Ilumquh of the Sabeans Sheba is the Anglicized Hebrew spelling of Saba, the name of an ancient southwest Arabian kingdom roughly corresponding to the modern territory of Yemen, originally settled by Semites from western or central Arabia during the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. Excavations at Ma’rib, its capital, during the 20th century have revealed an imposing temple to the moon god. Like the sabbath it has a meaning of “seven”. Temple of ‘Ilumquh at Marib Yemen, Sabean Moon Bull, Incense Holder Aksum, Moon and Orb of Venus Sabean wall frieze (Doe). “The South Arabians before Islam were polytheists and revered a large number of deities. Most of these were astral in concept but the significance of only a few is known. It was essentially a planetary system in which the moon as a masculine deity prevailed. This, combined with the use of a star calendar by the agriculturists of certain parts, particularly in the Hadramaut, indicates that there was an early reverence for the night sky. Amongst the South Arabians the worship of the moon continued, and it is almost certain that their religious calendar was also lunar and that their years were calculated by the position of the moon. The national god of each of the kingdoms or states was the Moon-god known by various names: ‘Ilumquh by the Sabaeans, ‘Amm and ‘Anbay by the Qatabanians, Wadd (love) by the Minaeans, and Sin by the Hadramis”. The term ‘God is Love’ is characteristic of Wadd (Briffault 3/85). ‘the Merciful’ ascribed to Allah is also South Arabian (Pritchard). The sun-goddess was the moon’s consort; she was perhaps best known in South Arabia as Dhat Hamym, ‘she who sends forth strong rays of benevolence’. Another dominant deity was the male god known as Athtar corresponding to Phoenician Astarte (Doe 25). Pritchard (61) claims their pantheon included the the moon god Sin etc., Shams (Shamash) and Athtar or Astarte as in the Semitic trinity, however it would appear that the sun was female as the Canaanite Shapash who figures in Ugarit myth alongside Athtar (Driver 110). The earliest temple known is the Mahram Bilquis or Harem of the Queen of Sheba, previously called the Awwam the temple of the Moon God ‘Ilumquh which dates from around 700 BC, although its lower levels may be substantially older. Sabean moon worship extended through a long period of time to around 400 AD when it was overtaken be rescendent Judaism and Christianity around a century before Muhammad. Bilqis the Sun-worshipper of Islam Bilquis was the Queen of the Sabeans in Solomons time. Pre-Islamic poetry describes Solomon as a king of universal kingdom of men, djinn and winds etc. nine angels stand before him. He built the castle al-Ablaq near Taima. Sabean Votive Offerings with a black Shulamite (Doe) Diodorus Siculus notes: “This tribe [the Sabaeans] surpasses not only the neighbouring Arabs but also all other men in wealth and in their several extravagancies besides. For in the exchange and sale of their wares they, of all men who carry on trade for the sake of the silver they receive in exchange, obtain the highest price in return for things of the smallest weight. Consequently, since they have never for ages suffered the ravages of war because of their secluded position, and since an abundance of both gold and silver abounds in the country, … they have embossed goblets of every description, made of silver and gold, couches and tripods with silver feet, and every other furnishing of incredible costliness, and halls encircled by large columns, some of them gilded, and others having silver figures on the capitals. Their ceilings and doors they partitioned by means of panels and coffers made of gold, set with precious stones and placed close together, and have thus made the structure of their houses in every part marvellous for its costliness; for some parts they have constructed of silver and gold, others of ivory and the most showy precious stones or of whatever else men esteem most highly” (Pritchard 1974 44). Their sculpture and votive offerings were refined. Strabo noted that the king of Saba who “presides over the court of justice and other things” was not permitted to leave the palace, for if he did “the people would at once stone him, in consequence of a saying of an oracle” (Pritchard 1974 66). Sabean jewelery in gold carnelian and onyx (Doe). Statue, Sabean script, and a decorative panel in marble (Doe). While her tomb and documents of her time have yet to come to light, and remains of the tenth century BC are still largely unknown to archaeology, the recovery of a small amount of contemporary evidence together with a considerable amount of material from only three or four centuries later enables us to reconstruct a general outline of the Queen of Sheba’s culture with considerable probability. She would have lived surrounded by the accoutrements of an affluent civilization: a thriving trade that brought unparalleled prosperity; an irrigation agriculture that provided ample subsistence; a distinctive architecture in stone that was second only to that of Egypt in the ancient Near East in its execution and variety of ornamentation; a richness in metallurgy and stone carving as well as an abundance of artists and artisans who pursued these vocations; a high degree of literacy among the people, who had a keen appreciation of the importance of a written language and of their beautiful alphabetic script; and an art that is representational in a symbolic archaic manner (Pritchard 40). “The great civilization of South Arabia was little known to the Arabs of Muhammad’s time [although] any of the Arab tribes of Muhammad’s day still had a tradition that they had lived in South Arabia before taking to the desert when the old civilization declined.” Some tribes retained a memory of being settled there before conditions worsened, apparently connected with the Marib dam bursting and a return to nomadic life. Restorations were know to have been carried out in 450 and 542 which puts a final date on the demise (Pritchard 1974 88). Sura 34:15 states: “Certainly there was a sign for Saba in their abode; two gardens on the right and the left; eat of the sustenance of your Lord and give thanks to Him: a good land and a Forgiving Lord! But they turned aside, so We sent upon them a torrent of which the rush could not be withstood, and in place of their two gardens We gave to them two gardens yielding bitter fruit and (growing) tamarisk and a few lote-trees.” The hoopoe visits Nikaulis to entice her to Solomon (Lassner). Sura 27:15-44 relates many of the episodes already found for example in the Targum Sheni, a further indication of the familiarity Muhammad had with details of Jewish literature outside the Pentateuch. Rather than Bilqis being portrayed as a demon, Solomon is portrayed as a great man of God and master of the Djinn to whom Bilquis submits in acknowledgement of al-Llah. The story of Solomon sending the Hoopoe in a flock of bird to summon the Queen is told. The people of Sheba are said to be sun-worshippers. Her throne is disguised and placed before her as a test. She says “It is like it’ evasively. As she walks on to the palace: 44 “She though it a pool and uncovered her legs. Solomon said ‘It is a place paved with glass.’ She said ‘I have wronged myself to God, Lord of the worlds, with Solomon I make submission.’ ” al-Lat, al-Uzza and Dhu Shara: the Deities of Nabatea A second prominent Arab culture had sprung up from Southern Sinai around 600 BC and from around 400 BC in the land of the Edomites in Jordan. The Nabateans had a close relationship with the Edomites as they each claim a female line of descent from Ishmael, through Bashemath one of the three wives of Esau and her sister Nabaioth respectively (Browning 32), conditions favourable to integration. This also gave the Edomites descent from Isaac through Esau. The son of Esau and Bashemath was Ruel the Midianite father in Law of Moses. Moon and Sun deities surmounted by the Eagle. Al-Uzza as Moon Goddess commands the Zodiac surmounted by the moon and carrying a moon staff. The temple of Manatu at Petra. Dionysian tragic mask with dolphins. Grape freeze (centre). Aretas IV and Shaqilat II (Glueck). The Nabateans migrated from Arabia as shepherds and caravan traders who benefited from horse breeding and settled adaptably to form rich irrigated productive land with a prominent trade, centred on the previously unpopulated area round Petra – ‘a rose red city half as old as time’. During the time of Jesus, Nabatea was an independent Kingdom with influence spreading to Damascus. Herod was involved in hostilities with Aretas IV the King of Nabatea because Herodias displaced Aretas’s daughter as Herod’s wife. Although they were annexed by the Romans they continued to be a significant Arab power to the time of Muhammad. Herodotus says of the Arabs: “They deem no other to be gods save Dionysus and Heavenly Aphrodite … they call Dionysus Orotalt and Aphrodite Alilat” (Negev 101). In Sumeria Allatu or ‘goddess’ is an epithet of Ereshkigal the chthonic goddess of the underworld. Like El and al-Llah which simply means god, al-Lat ‘goddess’ could be identified with many female deities, and indeed Allat is identified with Aphrodite-Venus (Negev 112). It is said that when Allat became the goddess of the Nabateans, she bacame al-Uzza the ‘mighty one’ as she evolved from a local deity into a patron of an expanding culture (Browning 47). We have seen that al-Uzza is also referred to in connection with the Bedouins at Harran, where it is said Bedouins sacrified Christian virgins caught in battle to the Goddess (Green T 62). Horned stele with Qos-allah, Seal attributed to Edomite Qaush, Djin block (Glueck, Browning). Nabatean inscriptions in Sinai and other places display widespread references to names including Allah, El and Allat (god and goddess) , with regional references to al-Uzza, Baal and Manutu (Manat) (Negev 11). Allat is also found in Sinai in South Arabian language. Allah occurs particularly as Garm-‘allahi – god dedided (Greek Garamelos) and Aush-allahi – ‘gods covenant’ (Greek Ausallos). We find both Shalm-lahi ‘Allah is peace’ and Shalm-allat, ‘the peace of the goddess’. We also find Amat-allahi ‘she-servant of god’ and Halaf-llahi ‘the successor of Allah’. A stele is dedicated to Qos-allah ‘Qos is Allah’ or ‘Qos the god’, by Qosmilk (melech – king) is found at Petra (Glueck 516). Qos is identifiable with Kaush (Qaush) the God of the older Edomites. The stele is horned and the a seal from Edomite Tawilan near Petra identified with Kaush displays a star and crescent (Browning 28), both consistent with a moon diety. It is conceivable the latter could have resulted from trade with Harran (Bartlett 194). There is continuing debate about the nature of Qos (qaus – bow) who has been identified both with a hunting bow (hunting god) and a rainbow (weather god) although the crescent above is alsao a bow. There is no reference to Qos in the Old Testament, but Seir is one of the domains of Yahweh, suggesting a close relationship. His attributes in inscriptions include knowing, striking down, giving and light (Bartlett203). Attempts have been made to also explain the existence of this scarab in the light of trade with Harran for which evidence has been found in cuneiform tablets (Bartlett 194). The Nabateans had two principal gods in their pantheon, and a whole range of djinns, personal gods and spirits similar to angels. These deities were Dhu Shara, or Duchares and al-Uzza. Duchares means Lord of Shera (Seir), a local mountain and thunder god who was worshipped at a rock high place as a block of stone frequently squared, just as Hermes was the four-square god. Suidas in the tenth century AD described it as a ‘cubic’ black stone of dimension 4x2x1 (Browning 44). All the deities male and female were represented as stones or god-blocks. The treasury at Petra. Al-Uzza as grain goddess and as Mari the sea goddess crowned by dolphins. (Glueck, Browning) Duchares was a Zeus-like mountain deity of Jebel Shara, with associations with sacred kingship whose rites took a prominent place in the scheme of worship. Notably King Obodas became Zeus Oboda (Negev 111). He is described on a dam inscription as ‘Dushara the god of Gaia’ (Negev 107). He was celebrated as a god of immortality celebrated by a Dionysian tragic mask of death, in which its wearer became united with him, thus escaping the limitations of the mortal span (Glueck 242). He is surrounded by dolphins as was Dionysus. Al-Uzza was a deity of springs and water, as befits a fertility goddess, and as such she would have been reverenced in Petra with particular devotion” (Browning 47). Manathu (the Manat of Islam) was the patron goddess of Petra, being Fortuna having a similar role to Semitic Gad (Browning 48). As Moon Goddess Tyche she was also Fortune holding a cornucopia of overflowing fruit. The Nabateans originally were tent-dwelling shepherds renowned, like their fellow tribe the Recchabites, for eschewing houses, planted crops or wine, in their case on penalty of death (Negev 101), a sentiment shared by Muhammad, who looked with contempt upon the Kuryshites and Ansari “for they employ themselves with sowing seeds” … “The divine glory is among the shepherds, vanity and impudence among the agricultural peoples” (Briffault 3/111). However agricultural settlement brought changes and the Greek period produced a hybrid culture. Al-Uzza became identified with Atargatis-Aphrodite and Duchares with Dionysus. Freezes including grape vines are prominent, consistent with Dionysian rites, which Browning (47) concedes may have become the “pornographic pop concerts which came to debase the once-glorious cult of Dionysos.” Glueck (166) is even more forthright: “Rich food in plenty and strong wine without stint helped bring the deities and ther worshippers into fervid relationship. Bar-Hebraeus quoted Psalm 12:8 of Nabatean women “the wicked walk on every side while vileness is exhalted among the sons of men”. The scope and nature of the temples supports both males and females being worshippers of the cults. The Mensa Sacra at Petra and the great high place at Khirbet Tannur (Browning, Glueck) The Nabateans, like the Harranians, followed a complex system of astral worship, involving the sun and moon and seven major planets, in which in her varying forms, the Goddess represented Venus and the Moon (Glueck 453). As Moon Goddess she is identifiable with Tyche, Selene and Atargatis-Artemis of Hierapolis. Selene was worshipped in the new and full moon. She stands prima inter pares at the centre of the main dieties of the Nabatean pantheon the seven planets and the zodiac, although sometimes displaced by Zeus. The snake twined eagle is shown in at least one relief standing above both the sun and moon at Jebel Druze. However the fertility goddess, who was also in her aspects the dolphin-crowned Sea Goddess (Aphrodite-Mari) of seafarers and the Moon Goddess clearly dominates the sculptures at Khirbet Tannur, the outstanding Nabataean high sanctuary, archetypal of the biblical high places (Glueck). Women played a significant role in Nabatean society. Aretas IV was on coinage with Shaqilat I, while Malichus II was alongside Shaqilat II. “Married women could bequeath and hold property and genealogy was sometimes traced through the maternal line. Pagan temples, whether inside or outside the Nabataean kingdom were dedicated to both Dushara and Allat or to localized equivalents of Zues Hadad and Atargatis. Indeed in general, Atargatis seems to have outranked her consort by far” (Glueck 166). The Many Deities of the Environs of Mecca There are fewer archaeological remains of the deities of Mecca, and much of the information about them comes from Muslim historians such as al-Kalbi1. Pre-islamic worship of the goddess seems to be primarily associated with Al’Lat, which simply means ‘goddess’. She is a triple goddess, similar to the Greek lunar deity Kore/Demeter/Hecate. Each aspect of this trinity corresponds to a phase of the moon. In the same way Al’Lat has three names known to the initiate: Q’re, the crescent moon or the maiden; Al’Uzza, literally ‘the strong one’ who is the full moon and the mother aspect; then Al’Menat, the waning but wise goddess of fate, prophecy and divination. Islamic tradition continue to recognise these three but labels them ‘daughters of Allah’, or banat al-Llah, firmly associating al-Llah as a pre-Islamic deity paired with the three forms of the Goddess. According to Edward Rice2, as quoted in Campenhausen3 Al’Uzza was especially worshipped at the Ka’bah where she was served by seven priestesses. Her worshippers circled the holy stone seven times – once for each of the ancient seven planets – and did so in total nudity. Near the Ka’bah is the well, Zamzam, which cools the throats of the countless millions of pilgrims. Dawood says that Al’Lat, Al’Uzza, and Manat ‘represented the Sun, Venus, and Fortune respectively’4, but Allat is also described as a representation of Venus5, and she once had a temple in the precinct devoted to the sun-god Shamash in Hatra, Iraq6. In early Mesopotamian art, the only heavenly bodies regularly shown as a group were the triad of Sun, Moon, and Venus, the three most important celestial lights; and in Sumer and early Babylon the sun and moon were represented mainly by a male divinity, though elsewhere in the Semitic world the moon was usually regarded as feminine. In Islam, the moon is considered holiest astronomical object, and moon is the guiding light of all Islamic rituals/festivals. The crescent moon and stars are the symbolic sign in the national flags of many Muslim countries, and it is present over the Mosques, in the Muslim graveyard and so on. The Moon was also male divinity in ancient Semitic religion, and the Arabic word for the moon “qamar” is of the masculine gender, on the other hand, the Arabic word for sun “shams” is feminine gender, reflecting the pattern in Sa’aba. Al’Uzza and Manat are less easily traced to a more archaic source. Their names – ‘the Strong’ and ‘Destiny’ respectively – suggest abstract forces rather than natural objects. If the three ‘daughters of Allah’ are personifications of any natural phenomena, then one is surely the Earth (Al’Lat = Allatu = Ereshkigal); the others are of uncertain pedigree. But there is also a strong chance that their form and function were influenced by the banat, the three daughters of Baal, the supreme deity of the Canaanites. They symbolised light, rain, and earth7 Every family in Mecca had at home an idol which they worshiped. Whenever one of them purposed to set out on a journey, his last act before leaving the house would be to touch the idol in hope of an auspicious journey; and on his return, the first thing he would do was to touch it again in gratitude for a propitious return. The Arabs were passionately fond of worshiping idols. Some of them took unto themselves a temple around which they centered their worship, while others adopted an idol to which they offered their adoration. The person who was unable to build himself a temple or adopt an idol would erect a stone in front of the Sacred House or in front of any other temple which he might prefer, and then circumambulate it in the same manner in which he would circumambulate the Sacred House. The Arabs called these stones baetyls (ansab). Whenever these stones resembled a living form they called then’ idols (asnam) and images (awthan). The act of circumambulating them they called circumrotation (dawar). Whenever a traveler stopped at a place or station in order to rest or spend the night, he would select for himself four stones, pick out the finest among them and adopt it as his god, and use the remaining three as supports for his cooking-pot. On his departure he would leave them behind, and would do the same on his other stops. The Arabs were wont to offer sacrifices before all these idols, baetyls, and stones. Nevertheless they were aware of the excellence and superiority of the Ka’bah, to which they went on pilgrimage and visitation. What they did on their travels was a perpetuation of what they did at the Ka’bah, because of their devotion to it. The sheep which they offered and slaughtered before their (34 idols and baetyls were called sacrifices (ata’ir, sing. atirah); the place on which they slaughtered and offered the sacrifice was called an altar, (‘itr). In this connection Zuhayr ibn-abi-Sulma[94] said: “He moved therefrom and reached a mountain top, Like a high altar sprinkled with the blood of sacrifice.” The banu-Mulayh of the Khuza’ah [tribe] (they are the kindreds of Talhat a-Talahat [or al-Talhat]) were wont to worship the jinn. In reference to them the following verse was revealed: “Truly they worship ye call on besides God, are, like yourselves, his servants.” According to Islamic Theologians (Mullahs, Maulana, Moulavis, etc.), or Islamic teachings— Allah is the supreme God or creator who, in the manner of a revealed God acting in history, talked or introduced Himself with Prophet Muhammad through an Angel named Gabriel, disclosing the truth that it is the Allah who created everything in the universe, right from the time when Gabriel disclosed the ‘truth’ to Muhammad in the mountain cave of Hira Parvat and gave Muhammad the Quran. They believe that before this truth was revealed—pagan Arabs were in the total darkness (Andhakar Zuug) and they used to worship various puppet goddess and that the pagans were very evil people. This picture is however inaccurate. “Allah” was a pre-existing deity in pagan Arabia8. In pre-Islamic days, that Muslims call the Days of ignorance, the religious background of the Arabs was pagan, and basically animistic. Through Moon, Sun, Stars, Planets, Animals, wells, trees, stones, caves, springs, and other natural objects man could make contact with the deity. At Mekka, “Allah” was the chief of the gods and the special deity of the Quraish, the prophet’s tribe. Allah had three daughters: Al Uzzah (Venus) most revered of all and pleased with human sacrifice; Manah, the goddess of destiny, and Al Lat, the goddess of vegetable life. The three daughters of Allah were considered very powerful over all things. Therefore, their intercessions on behalf of their worshippers were of great significance. Moreover, the allegation by some historians and Islamists, such as Montgomery Watt, that the Meccan Quraysh lacked compassion for the poor or were a disintegrating society are without substance (Crone 1987). The indications are rather that they remained economically buoyant and that social inequality did not lead to the disintegration of pre-Islamic society in favour of the umma. Furthermore the Muslim-inspired notion that the Arabs were originally monotheists of Abraham’s religion, who later degenerated into polythesitic paganism, and hence that the Ka’aba is the ordained house of God, has no historical, or archaelogical basis. Rather, the patriarchs worshipped El at stone bethels just as the pre-Islamic Arabians. The most ancient of all these idols was Manah. The Arabs used to name [their children] ‘Abd-Manah and Zayd-Manah. Manah was erected on the seashore in the vicinity of al-Mushallal in Qudayd, between Medina and Mecca. All the Arabs used to venerate her and sacrifice before her. [In particular] the Aws and the Khazraj, as well as the inhabitants of Medina and Mecca and their vicinities, used to venerate Manah, sacrifice before her, and bring unto her their offerings. The Aws and the Khazraj, as well as those Arabs among the people of Yathrib[12] and other places who took to their way of life, were wont to go on pilgrimage and observe the vigil at all the appointed places, but not shave their heads. At the end of the pilgrimage, however, when they were about to return home, they would set out to the place where Manah stood, shave their heads, and stay there a while. They did not consider their pilgrimage completed until they visited Manah. Because of this veneration of Manah by the Awa and the Khazraj, ‘Abd-al-‘Uzza ibn-Wadi’ah al-Muzani, or some other Arab, said: “An oath, truthful and just, I swore By Manah, at the sacred place of the Khazraj.” The Quraysh as well as the rest of the Arabs continued to venerate Manah until the Apostle of God set out from Medina in the eighth year of the Hijrah, the year in which God accorded him the victory. When he was at a distance of four or five nights from Medina, he dispatched ‘Ali to destroy her. ‘Ali demolished her, took away all her [treasures], and carried them back to the Prophet. They then adopted Allat as their goddess. Allat stood in al-Ta’if, and was more recent than Manah. She was a cubic rock beside which a certain Jew used to prepare his barley porridge (sawiq). Her custody was in the hands of the banu-‘Attab ibn-Malik of the Thaqif, who had built an edifice over her. The Quraysh, as well as all the Arabs, were wont to venerate Allat. They also used to name their children after her, calling them Zayd-Allat and Taym-Allat. She stood in the place of the left-hand side minaret of the present-day mosque of al-Ta’if. Allat continued to be venerated until the Thaqif embraced Islam, when the Apostle of God dispatched al-Mughirah ibn-Shu’bab, who destroyed her and burnt her [temple] to the ground. Aws ibn-Hajar, swearing by Allat, said: “By Allat and al-‘Uzza and those who in them believe, And by Allah, verily He is greater than both.” She is, in point of time, more recent than either Allat or Manah. The Arabs named their children after the latter two before they named them after al-‘Uzza. Her idol was situated in a valley in Nakhlat al-Sha’miyah called Hurad, alongside al-Ghumayr’ to the right of the road from Mecca to al-‘Iraq. Over her Zilim ibn-As’ad built a house called Buss in which the people used to receive oracular communications. The Arabs as well as the Quraysh were wont to name their children ‘Abd-al-‘Uzza. Furthermore al-‘Uzza was the greatest idol among the Quraysh. They used to journey to her, offer gifts unto her, and seek her favours through sacrifice. Ishaq:38 “Luhayy put Al-Uzza in a Nakhla Taghut. When they had finished their Ka’ba Hajj they circumambulated Al-Uzza. The Quraysh worshiped her. Manat was worshiped by the Aus and Khazraj in Yathrib.” Ishaq:39 Those who prayed to Al-Uzza and Manat, “shaved their heads and completed all of the rites associated with the Hajj.” “We were in the Prophet’s company in the middle of the lunar month. He looked at the moon and said, ‘You will see your Lord as you see this moon.'”9 We have been told that the Apostle of God once mentioned al-Uzza saying, “I have offered a white sheep to al-‘Uzza, while I was a follower of the religion of my people.” The Quraysh were wont to circumambulate the Ka’bah and say: “By Allat and al-‘Uzza, And Manah, the third idol besides. Verily they are the most exalted females Whose intercession is to be sought.” The Quraysh had dedicated to it, in the valley of Hurad, a ravine (shi’b) called Suqam and were wont to vie there with the Sacred Territory of the Ka’bah. She also had a place of sacrifice called al-Ghabghab where they offered their oblations. It was customary to divide the flesh of the sacrifice among those who had offered it and among those present at the ceremony. The Quraysh were wont to venerate her above all other idols. In the year of the victory (‘am al-fath), the Prophet summoned Khalid ibn-al-Walid and said unto him, “Go unto a tree in the valley of Nakhlah and cut it down.” Khalid went thereto, captured Dubayyah, who was the custodian of al-‘Uzza, and killed him. Abu-Khirash al-Hudhali said lamenting Dubayyah: “What is wrong with Dubayyah? For days I have not seen him Amid the wine-bibbers; he drew not nigh, he did not appear. If he were living I would have come with a cup Of the banu-Hatif make, filled with Bacchus oil. Generous and noble is he; no sooner his wine cups Are filled than they become empty, like an old tank full of holes in the midst of winter. Suqam has become desolate, deserted by all of its friends, except the wild beasts and the wind which blows through its empty chambers.” When the Prophet captured Mecca, he dispatched Khalid ibn-al-Walid saying, “Go to the valley of Nakhlah; there you will find three trees. Cut down the first one.” Khalid went and cut it down. On his return to report, the Prophet asked him saying, “Have you seen anything there?” Khalid replied and said, “No.” The Prophet ordered him to return and cut down the second tree. He went and cut it down. On his return to report the Prophet asked him a second time, “Have you seen anything there?” Khalid answered, “No.” Thereupon the Prophet ordered him to go back and cut down the third tree. When Khalid arrived on the scene he found an Abyssinian woman with dishevelled hair and her hands placed on her shoulder[s], gnashing and grating her teeth. Behind her stood Dubayyah al-Sulami who was then the custodian of al-‘Uzza. When Dubayyah saw Khalid approaching, he said: “O thou al-‘Uzza! Remove thy veil and tuck up thy sleeves; Summon up thy strength and deal Khalid an unmistakable blow. For unless thou killest him this very day, Thou shalt be doomed to ignominy and shame.” Thereupon Khalid replied: “O al-‘Uzza! May thou be blasphemed, not exalted! Verily I see that God hath abased thee.” Turning to the woman, he dealt her a blow which severed her head in twain, and lo, she crumbled into ashes. He then cut down the tree and killed Dubayyah the custodian, after which he returned to the Prophet and reported to him his exploit. Thereupon the Prophet said, “That was al-‘Uzza. But she is no more. The Arabs shall have none after her. Verily she shall never be worshipped again.” Consequently abu-Khirash composed the preceding verses in lamentation of Dubayyah. Abu-al-Mundhir said: The Quraysh as well as the other Arabs who inhabited Mecca did not offer to any of the idols anything similar to their veneration of al-‘Uzza. The next in order of veneration was Allat and then Manah. Al-‘Uzza, however, received from the Quraysh the exclusive honor of visitation and sacrifice. This, I believe, was because of her close proximity. The Thaqif, on the other hand, were wont to offer Manah the exclusive honor [of visitation and sacrifice], in the same way the Quraysh offered it to al-‘Uzza, while the Aws and the Khazraj favored Manah therewith. All of them, though, venerated al-‘Uzza. They did not, however, hold the same regard, or anything approaching it, for the five idols which were introduced by ‘Amr ibn-Luhayy. These are the five idols which God mentioned in the glorious Koran when He said, “Forsake not Wadd nor Suwa’, nor Yaghuth and Ya’us and Nasr.” This, I believe, was because of their distance from them. Hubal is an Aramaic word, meaning vapour or spirit. Some opinions favour an association of Hubal with Canaanite Ba’al. Others liken it it to Cybele. Bearing in mind that Q’re was also an Arabian Goddess, the influence of Greece and Anatolia through Nabatea is a natural conclusion. The Quraysh had also several idols in and around the Ka’bah. The greatest of these was Hubal. It was, as I was told, of red agate, in the form of a man with the right hand broken off. It came into the possession of the Quraysh in this condition, and they, therefore, made for it a hand of gold. The first to set it up [for worship] was Khuzaymah ibn-Mudrikah ibn-al-Ya’s’ ibn-Mudar. Consequently it used to be called Khuzaymah’s Hubal. It stood inside the Ka’bah. In front of it were seven divination arrows (sing. qidh, pl. qidah or aqduh). On one of these arrows was written “pure” (sarih), and on another “consociated alien” (mulsag). Whenever the lineage of a new-born was doubted, they would offer a sacrifice to it [Hubal] and then shuffle the arrows and throw them. If the arrows showed the word “pure,” the child would be declared legitimate and the tribe would accept him. If, however, the arrows showed the words “consociated alien,” the child would be declared illegitimate and the tribe would reject him. The third arrow was for divination concerning the dead, while the fourth was for divination concerning marriage. The purpose of the three remaining arrows has not been explained. Whenever they disagreed concerning something, or purposed to embark upon a journey, or undertake some project, they would proceed to it [Hubal] and shuffle the divination arrows before it. Whatever result they obtained they would follow and do accordingly. Another tradition10 says that the idol Hubal was found out with its right hand mutilated by a man named Khuzaima bin Mudrika and he joining to it a right hand made of gold, installed it in the centre of the Ka’ba, where it was worshipped and therefore was called Hubal Khuzaima. It was an idol of Banu Kinana.] Beside it were laid the ritual arrows of divination. On both sides of it were placed the two gold images of deers. Nearby were standing the imageries of the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael with seven divining arrows in their hands and also the idol of Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in her affectionate embrace. Year in and year out people, were surging there to worship. Both men and women stepping out of their clothings and, rubbing shoulders with each other made seven rounds of the Ka’ba, fell prostrate before the idols and invoked their blessings and benedictions. After the episode of Abraha, the Quraish priding themselves as the people of the sanctuary imposed many a restriction on others who came to Mecca from outside for worship. The outsiders were neither allowed to bring their food inside the sacred territory nor permited to go round the Ka’ba wearing their own clothings. The Quraish supplied them clothings but if they had none, they (the outsiders) were asked to go round the Ka’ba naked. The men circumambulated the Ka’ba completely naked while women were wearing a piece of cloth in front and back and having one hand in front and the other behind.] Not satisfied with this numerality of idols and plurality of gods each and every family had established separately an idol in its home as its private deity. Some of them were like blooming girls, some of them were like ferocious lions and some of them were like rapacious vultures and so on. They worshipped them by whistling through their fingers and clapping their hands. (Q. 8:35) When they went out on a journey the last thing they did was rubbing against their family deity and when they returned the first thing they did was also the same. They carried with them along with the articles of travel four crude stones, three to form oven and the one to worship. If they were unable to carry four they would take one of the stones used for oven and worship it with great piety and veneration. Men in every walk of life had their idols installed in the Ka’ba. The corn merchants had their idol made of flour. If there was any famine they, greatly irked by its inability to help them in their hour of stress, would break it to pieces and swallow it up. When the pilgrims did not find out any wood to feed their oven in rainy days they would break the wooden idols installed there and use them as, firewood instead to bake their bread and cook their curry. Another divinatory tradition among the Arabs was casting of Azlam (i.e. featherless arrows which were of three kinds: one showing ‘yes’, another ‘no’ and a third was blank) which they used to do in case of serious matters like travel, marriage and the like. If the lot showed ‘yes’, they would do, if ‘no’, they would delay for the next year. Other kinds of Azlam were cast for water, blood-money or showed ‘from you’, ‘not from you’, or ‘Mulsaq’ (consociated). In cases of doubt in filiation they would resort to the idol of Hubal, with a hundred-camel gift, for the arrow caster. Only the arrows would then decide the sort of relationship. If the arrow showed (from you), then it was decided that the child belonged to the tribe; if it showed (from others), he would then be regarded as an ally, but if (consociated) appeared, the person would retain his position but with no lineage or alliance contract. [Muhadrat Tareekh Al-Umam Al-Islamiyah 1/56; Ibn Hisham 1/152,153] This was very much like gambling and arrow-shafting whereby they used to divide the meat of the camels they slaughtered according to this tradition. Moreover, they used to have a deep conviction in the tidings of soothsayers, diviners and astrologers. A soothsayer used to traffic in the business of foretelling future events and claim knowledge of private secrets and having jinn subordinates who would communicate the news to him. Some soothsayers claimed that they could uncover the unknown by means of a granted power, while other diviners boasted they could divulge the secrets through a cause-and-effect-inductive process that would lead to detecting a stolen commodity, location of a theft, a stray animal, and the like. The astrologer belonged to a third category who used to observe the stars and calculate their movements and orbits whereby he would foretell the future. [Mirqat Al-Mafateeh 2/2,3] Lending credence to this news constituted a clue to their conviction that attached special significance to the movements of particular stars with regard to rainfall. [Muslim with An-Nawawi 1/59] The belief in signs as betokening future events, was, of course common among the Arabians. Some days and months and particular animals were regarded as ominous. They also believed that the soul of a murdered person would fly in the wilderness and would never rest at rest until revenge was taken. Superstition was rampant. Should a deer or bird, when released, turn right then what they embarked on would be regarded auspicious, otherwise they would get pessimistic and withhold from pursuing it. [Bukhari with footnotes of Ahmad Ali Saharanpuri 2/851,857] People of pre-Islamic period practsed devotion to the Holy Sanctuary, circumambulation, observance of pilgrimage, the vigil on ‘Arafah and offering sacrifices. Mulsim authors claim the Quraysh would refrain from going to ‘Arafah with the crowd, instead they would stop short at Muzdalifah. They would not eat dried yoghurt or cooked fat, nor would they enter a tent made of camel hair or seek shade unless in a house of adobe bricks, so long as they were committed to the intention of pilgrimage. They also, out of a deeply-rooted misconception, denied pilgrims, other than Makkans, access to the food they had brought when they wanted to make pilgrimage or lesser pilgrimage. They ordered pilgrims coming from outside Makkah to circumambulate Al-Ka‘bah in Quraysh uniform clothes, but if they could not afford them, men were to do so in a state of nudity, and women with only some piece of cloth to hide their groins. Allâh says in this concern: “O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying [and going round (the Tawaf of) the Ka‘bah]. (7:31) If men or women were generous enough to go round Al-Ka‘bah in their clothes, they had to discard them after circumambulation for good. (Bukhari 1/226; Ibn Hisham 1/202) It was before [Hubal] that ‘Abd-al-Muttalib shuffled the divination arrows [in order to find out which of his ten children he should sacrifice in fulfilment of a vow he had sworn], and the arrows pointed to his son ‘Abdullah, the father of the Prophet. Muhammad’s father’s name was “Abdullah”. Had there been no “Allah” in pre-Islamic Arab, there could be no Abdullah or slave of Allah in Arabia. When ‘Abd al-Mutallib is described as having prayed to Allah while consulting Hubal’s arrow, it is simply that the sources baulk at depicting the Prophet’s grandfather as a genuine pagan, not that Allah and Hubal were alternative names of the same god11 Among their idols, the Quraysh also had Isif and Na’ilah. On being transformed into petrified form, they were placed by the Ka’bah in order that people might see them and be warned. Finally, as their origin became remote and, therefore, forgotten, and idol worship came into vogue, they were worshipped with the other idols. One of them stood close to the Ka’bah while the other was placed by Zamzam. Later, the Quraysh moved the one which stood close to the Ka’bah to the side of the other by Zamzam where they sacrificed to both. Said [abu-al-Mundhir: The Quraysh] had another idol [called] Manaf. They were wont to call their children ‘Abd-Manaf, after it. The menstruating women were not allowed to come near the idols or to touch them. Among those idols, too, was dhu-al-Khalasah. It was a carved niece of white quartz with something in the form of a crown upon its head. It stood in Tahalah, between Mecca and San’a, at a distance of seven nights’ journey from Mecca. Its custody was in the hands of the banu-Umamah of the Bahilah ihn-A’sur. The Khath’am, the Bajilah, and the Azd of al-Sarah, as well as those Arab sub-tribes of the Hawazin who lived in their vicinity and those Arabs residing in Tabalah, were wont to venerate it and come to it with sacrifice. A certain man said: “O dhu-al-Khalasah, wert the one wronged, Thy father the one murdered and buried, Thou wouldst not have forbidden the killing of the enemy.” This he said when his father was murdered, and he sought to avenge him. He, therefore, went to dhu-al-Khalasah and shuffled the divination arrows, but they resulted in a negative message forbidding him to seek revenge. Thereupon he said those verses. Some people, however, ascribe the incident to Imru’-al Qays ibn-Hujr al-Kindi. Khidash ibn-Zuhayr al-‘Amiri refers to dhu-al-Khalasah in verses which he addressed to ‘Ath’ath ibn-Wahshi al-Khatli’ami concerning a covenant contracted between them hut violated by the latter. He said: “I reminded him of the covenant that existed between us twain, And of the age-long friendship which both of us shared; That our witness was God and the White Quartz Idol of Tabalah, And the oath of al-Nu’man when he embraced the faith of Christ.” When the Apostle of God captured Mecca and the Arabs embraced Islam, among the delegates who came to pay their homage was Jarir ibn-‘Abdullah[16]. He came to the Apostle and embraced Islam before him. Thereupon the Apostle addressed him saying, “O Jarir! Wilt thou not rid me of dhu-al-Khalasah?” Jarir replied, “Yea.” So the Apostle dispatched him to destroy it. He set out until he got to the banu-Abmas[17] of the Bajilah [tribe] and with them he proceeded to dhu-al-Khalasah. There he was met by the Khath’am and the Bahilah, who resisted him and attempted to defend dhu-al-Khalasah. He, therefore, fought them and killed a hundred men of the Bahilah, its custodians, and many of the Khath’am[15]; while of the banu-Qubafah ibn-‘Amir ibn-Khath’am[18] he killed two hundred. having defeated them and forced them into flight, he demolished the building which stood over dhu-al-Khalasah and set it on fire. A certain woman of the banu-Khath’am thereupon said: “The banu-Umamah, each wielding his spear, Were slaughtered at al-Wahyab, their abode; They came to defend their shrine, only to find Lions with brandished swords clamoring for blood. The women of the Khath’am were, then, humiliated By the men of the Abmas, and abased.” We have been told that the Apostle of God once said, “This world shall not pass away until the buttocks of the women of Daws[20] wiggle [again] around dhu-al-Khalasah and they worship it as they were wont to do [before Islam][21].” Narrated Qais: Jarir said “Allah’s Apostle said to me. “Won’t you relieve me from Dhul-Khalasa?” I replied. “Yes. (I will relieve you).” So I proceeded along with one-hundred and fifty cavalry from Ahmas tribe who were skillful in riding horses. I used not to sit firm over horses. so I informed the Prophet of that. and he stroke my chest with his hand till I saw the marks of his hand over my chest and he said. O Allah! Make him firm and one who guides others and is guided (on the right path).’ Since then I have never fallen from a horse. Dhul-l—Khulasa was a house in Yemen belonging to the tribe of Khatham and Bajaila. and in it there were idols which were worshipped. and it was called Al-Ka’ba.” Jarir went there. burnt it with fire and dismantled it. When Jarir reached Yemen. there was a man who used to foretell and give good omens by casting arrows of divination. Someone said to him. “The messenger of Allah’s Apostle is present here and if he should get hold of you. he would chop off your neck.” One day while he was using them (i.e. arrows of divination). Jarir stopped there and said to him. “Break them (i.e. the arrows) and testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah. or else I will chop off your neck.” So the man broke those arrows and testified that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah. Then Jarir sent a man called Abu Artata from the tribe of Ahmas to the Prophet to convey the good news (of destroying Dhu-l-Khalasa). So when the messenger reached the Prophet. he said. “O Allah’s Apostle! By Him Who sent you with the Truth. I did not leave it till it was like a scabby camel.” Then the Prophet blessed the horses of Ahmas and their men five times. Volume 5. Book 59. Number 643 The Religion and Society of Abraham The religion of Abraham belongs to the mythological period before the Mosaic concept of the abstract God acting in history had come about. All the references to Abraham’s God are in the form of El, such as El Shaddai, God of the Mountain sometimes also referred to as the Almighty in the heavens suggesting an astral deity, and the rituals such as dividing the animal sacrifice are of an older kind, consistent with El and the older semitic deities rather than revealed monotheism. There is thus no valid substance to the claim that the monotheism of Abraham preceded the polythesitic deities of pre-Islamic Arab society or that the Ka’aba was founded by Abraham as the house of the one God. Abraham is said in the Bible to have made a journey from Ur of the Chaldees to Harran. These were the Southern and Northern centers of worship of the ancient Moon God, Nannar or Sin. When Woolley12,13 excavated the Royal Tombs at Ur, he was surprised to find a ‘ram in a thicket’ echoing Abraham’s sacrificial offer of Isaac and the ‘scapegoat’. Many of Abraham’s relatives and ancestors lived in the vicinity of Harran. Several key names in Abraham’s family, Terah (compare Yerah Moon God of Canaan), Laban, Sarah and Milcah are all derived from worship of the Moon Deity14 The deification of Ab-ram in the earliest documents is a synonym for Ab-Sin (Briffault R76v3:108). Benjaminites were nomads on the outskirts of Mari around 1760 BC who had specific associations with Harran15,16. The names Abi-ram (Abraham) Yasmah-El (Ishmael) Yaqob-El (Jacob), a name also shared by a Hyksos chief and El-Laban (Laban) all appear at Mari. The root mlk denoting melech king or in its sacrificial form Moloch is also found. Another word at Mari in this time which will come to have significance in Islam is umma or “mother unit” of the nomadic tribes17,18. Jacob’s fourfold blessing is also of ‘the deep’ and ‘the breasts and womb’, hinting at the ancient ‘mother’ as well as the ‘father’ god and El Shaddai of the mountains and heavens: blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb (Gen 49:25 ) Associated with this cultural complex is an older form of marriage called the beena marriage, associated with the matriarchs at the founding of Old Testament myth. The episodes concerning Laban in Genesis, hint at a matrilineal society in which partners are subject to the wife’s family and are expected to do service in dwelling with them for years at a time. The seven years Jacob spent with Laban for each wife indicates the line of Laban was matrilocal and matrilineal in a way which gave power to the brothers of the mother. Moving to the family of the wife is consistent with the injunction in Genesis to “leave your father and mother and cleave unto your wife” and with Jewish marriage practice to go into the wife’s tent. In such a society child-support is achieved at least partly by immediate relatives of the mother, in which uncles figure prominently thus compensating for their lack of their own paternity uncertainty by a commensurate investment in their sisters’ children with whom they share a significant genetic bond. Arameans are any people belonging to a confederacy of tribes that migrated from the Arabian Peninsula to the Fertile Crescent in the 2nd millennium BC. The Britannica notes that among them were the biblical matriarchs Leah and Rachel, wives of Jacob. They formed principalities around and including Damascus. Aramaic language and culture spread through international trade, reaching a cultural peak during the 9th–8th centuries BC. Aramaic became the universal language of commerce, culture, and government throughout the fertile crescent and remained so to the time of Yeshua and in some places to the 7th century. Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic and Akkadian all have a common origin in Afro-Asiatic. Aramaic script emerged in turn from Phoenician and old Canaanite phonetic. Family tree of the tribes of Israel illustrates a careful attempt to resolve dissonance between matrilineal and patrilineal paradigms, involving cousin or even half-sister marriage. Names like Terah and Laban are associated with the moon god, who presided at both Ur and Harran, the two towns spanning Abraham’s migration (Briffault). Abraham takes both a wife Sarah who gives birth to Isaac, and a slave concubine, Hagar who is sent away with Ishmael. Jacob is also polygynous with two wives and a slave concubine of each given to them by Laban with whom he also sires children in their mistresses stead. Nancy Jay in “Throughout Your Generations Forever”19, draws attention to the schism between such societies probably originating in Canaanite planter cultures and the patriarchal traditions of shepherding tribes illustrated in Jacob’s departure and many successive biblical invocations against the Queen of Heaven and her ways. The division between these two cultures cuts directly through the Gordian knot of paternity uncertainty discussed earlier. Despite the characterization of the Jews as archetypally patriarchal, the era of the patriarchs is noted for its strong independent women. The prominence and independence of Sarah ‘the queen’ as well as Rebecca, Rachel and Leah is notable. Briffault (v1 372) comments: “the Jewish rabbis themselves, at a comparatively late date acknowledged that the four matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah had occupied a more important position than the three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. According to Robinson Smith20 the tribe of Levi was originally metronymous (matrilineal), being the tribe of Leah.” This matrilineal element still persists in Jewish descent coming through the mother, reflected in Genesis 2:24: ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.’ It was the matriarch Rebecca who ordered Jacob to trick Isaac with a fleece, to steal hairy Esau’s blessing as firstborn: “Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.” She did so because Esau had ‘married out’, taking two Hittite wives, Judith and Bashemath. It is Rebecca who sends Jacob to Laban: “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran.” The moment he arrives, a cousin marriage is arranged with Rachel. Having served seven years with the matrilineal kin for the love of Rachel, Laban tricks Jacob into also marrying Leah, because the first-born daughter should proceed the younger in marriage, causing him to tarry another ‘week’ of seven years. In an ironic tilt at the matriarchy, when Jacob escapes Laban’s clutches as mother’s brother, to return as he promised to his father’s line, it is Rachel who hides under her menstrual skirts Laban’s stolen teraphim, suggested to be tokens of land and lineage – “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?” In Nuzi documents, possession of the ‘house gods’ are considered title to estate21. The entire myth of mutual deceit indicates a transfer from matriliny to patriliny in the name of El: (Gen 28:13). (Gen 15:5). Jacob had made his pact with El at Bethel when he erected a standing stone he had slept over, just as the Arabians used three stones for a pot stand and the fourth for God, both rituals uniting Earth and Heaven. Thus too the Ka’aba, as God’s house, stands as a baetyl in the Arabic bedouin tradition. Moreover, the name Luz which means a ‘place of refuge’ became the central sanctuary for the amphictiony of the twelve tribes of Israel22. Notice also that Jacob’s belief in this God is conditional on the deities performance in real life, just as the polytheists of Arabia worshipped the deities for the karmic efficacy: Jay makes a penetrating analysis of the transition between matrilineal and patrilineal lines of descent, in which sacrifice, or forgone sacrifice, and the paternal blessing were a way of recognizing the more ephemeral male line of descent through the father to the blessed son. The theme of the ‘barren’ woman in Sarah and Rachel is likewise significant, both in terms of close relative infertility, and the female line of descent it implies. “Israelite tradition did not deny descent from women and consequently faced the dilemma: How is a pure and eternal patriline to be maintained if descent from women is not denied? Endogamy appears to be a solution; marriage to a woman of the same patrilineage ensures the offsprings’ patrilineage membership, even if it is figured through the mother. Close agnatic endogamy (marriage within the patriline) is extremely rare, except in Semitic traditions. In a way reminiscent of the Patriarchs, throughout the Arab world, families have preferred men to marry their father’s brother’s daughters. The descent line of the Patriarchs continued only through endogamy: Isaac and Jacob (but not Ishmael) married endogamously in cousin marriages. Joseph married exogamously but his sons were adopted by Jacob, correcting this, and other, irregularities of their descent”. “The ‘Elohist E’s account states that Sarah was a half sister of Abraham, having the same father but a different mother. Such a marriage would be impossible in any regular patrilineal descent system. Unless we reject E’s account (thereby making the Patriarchs liars) we must see here a recognition of descent from women so pronounced as to be almost matrilineal, for if Abraham and Sarah had the same father but different mothers, it is only as their mothers’ offspring that their marriage was not incestuous … In Hurrian society the bonds of marriage were strongest and most solemn when the wife had simultaneously the juridical status of a sister, regardless of actual blood ties…. The practice was apparently a reflection of the underlying fratriarchal system, and it gave the adoptive brother greater authority than was granted the husband … The patriarchal narratives tell the story of the resolution of this descent conflict, a resolution in which sacrifice plays a crucial role”. Centrally Abraham’s covenant with God is sexually reproductive: And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly…. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. … It involves circumcision of the penis as a sacrificial token of male fertility: This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; Idol with bull’s head and phallus – Palestine23,Timna Phallic teraphim and ‘Nehustan’ brazen serpent from Midianite period.24 Testifying was likewise, for Abraham, swearing by the testis (L. testis testicle, witness) and hence the entire Old and New Testaments: “And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, … Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. (Gen 24:2). Malamat25 comments that the unusual genealogy of Nahor in Gen 22:20-24 suggests that Abraham was originally one of the wandering sons traditionally listed as children of concubines (Ishmael etc.) in the Old Testament as opposed to the blessed sons (Isaac, Jacob). The children of Israel are the wanderers from Aram-Naharaim on the upper Harbur. Such pastoral migrations were noted at Mari. El and the Deities of Canaan Central to the Semitic notion of deity is El, the old fatherly creator god and his consort, Athirat or Asherah. “Both were primordial beings, they had been there always.” El, whose name simply meant ‘god’ was the creator and procreator, overseer of conception, who sired the gods, thus being also called ‘Bull El’ in continuity with the ancient bull god of fertility. Asherah and El thus form a creation hieros-gamos of male and female, representing the bull and the earth goddess we see emerging from the ancient continuum at Catal Huyuk. El is supposed to have gone out to sea and asked two Goddesses, one presumably being Athirat and the other possibly Anath to choose between being his spouses and being his daughters. They chose the former. Their offspring are Shaher and Shalem, the morning and evening stars, from which Lucifer, the light-bearer, takes his name. Many of the archetypes we now perceive in Yahweh have their origin in El. He is an original creator god – the ‘Creator of Created things’, which definitely includes fertility, but may also include the creation of Heaven and Earth as with the Mesopotamian Marduk and Tiamat, whose own mythology may be partly derived from the older Canaanite myths. El was the proberbial old man who is both a father and judge. He was a kingly and kindly figure, benevolent but not uninvolved. He was the god of decrees and the father of the reigning king. “It was his responsibility to ensure that equilibrium was preserved among all the conflicting and competing powers within it.” He thus was respected by the other Gods – “Your decree El is wise, your wisdom is everlasting.” “It was not for nothing that El was called ‘the kindly and compassionate’ – a design strangely reminiscent of ‘Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate’ in Islam. Not that El was inccapable of anger: transgressions in the community … could provoke him – and then he would prompt neighbouring powers to invade and conquer. To avert such calamities the king had to perform rites of expiation and offer sacrifices” (Cohn 1993 119). Asherah (Gray) Asherah, the Semitic name of the Great Goddess, whose origin differs from Astarte, was “in wisdom the Mistress of the Gods”, called by the Sumerians Ashnan “the strength of all things”, a “kindly and beautiful maiden.” The Canaanites called her “She who gives birth to the Gods” and as the “Lady who traverses the Sea” she is Goddess of both the Sea and Moon. In the Old Testament she is identified with her sacred groves. Although Canaanite mythology varies from city to city, the discovery of extensive records at Ras Shamra of the city of Ugarit, gives us a uniquely detailed view of Canaanite Gods and Goddesses, dating from the author Elimelek around 1370 BC. Kings traditionally ruled as intermediaries of the Gods in maintaining the fertility of the land. Despite siring the Gods and Goddesses, El and Asherah, no longer remain the only key players in the cosmic drama. As with Sumerian and many other mythologies a cosmic struggle for supremacy arises in which mortal combat occurs. This weaves themes both of maintaining the cosmic order against the turbulent waters of chaos and the barren season of death and of combat associated with new deities arising from social and political change. In the Canaanite myth, a new and possibly Akkadian outsider, whose name is Ba’al Haddad or Lord enters the situation in hated competition with Asherah and her children by El. He is a young, warlike god of wind and thunderstorms and thus fertility itself. Unlike El, he is not judicious, frequently figuring in situations from which he must be saved. In this respect he displays a significant parallel to Dumuzi (Tammuz) among the Mesopotamians, which will prove to be of significance. He also has the hideous attribute of devouring his own children, consistent with infanticide practices of several semitic patron gods. Initially Ba’al and Anat are members of El’s court. Ba’al attacks El by surprise and castrates him, assuming the power of his fertility. In effect, Ba’al becomes the central intermediary of paternal cosmic order … “it is Ba’al’s responsibility to ensure El’s benevolent intention is realized”, but he does not replace the primal creative power of El. El, who loves all the Gods, now calls on his children as chaos gods to avenge his displacement. His son Yamm, Lord of the Sea and the mythical ocean of chaos lying beyond the ordered world, terrorizes the gods into giving up Baal. But Ba’al refuses and conquers Yamm, Ba’al now emerging as the God who overcomes the waters of chaos. Mot, the next offspring, who is Lord of the Underworld and the barren season then defeats Ba’al, enraging Ba’al’s consort Anath, who ironically in the Ugarit form of the myth enters the fray as a Death Goddess upholding the paternal order. When Mot refuses to revive Ba’al, Anath kills and dismembers him, scattering his remains over the land. Baal, now revived, undertakes a full-scale war against all the other gods, who are now referred to as the “Sons of Asherah,” and is victorious. The death of Mot is conceived in a seven year cycle as representing the end of seven years of drought and famine. In her role of Goddess of War and Death , Anath’s lust for blood is unbounded: “Anat kills the people living in valleys, in cities and on the seashore and in the land of sunrise, until the cut off heads of soldiers were reaching to her belt and she was wading up to her waist in blood. Violently she smites and gloats, Anat cuts them down and gazes; her liver exhaults in mirth … for she plunges her knees in the blood of soldiers, her loins in the gore of warriors, till she has had her fill of slaughtering in the house, of cleaving among the tables.” After which, she, the Progenetress of Nations washed her hands of the blood of the slain, in dew and rain supplied by her brother Ba’al.” (Walker 29, Cohn 1993 126) “Anath was fertilized by the blood of men, rather than semen, because her worship dated all the way back to the neolithic, when fatherhood was unknown and blood was considered the only substance which could transmit life. Hecatombs of [100] men seem to have been sacrificed to Anath when her image was reddened with rouge and henna for the occasion. Like the Lady of the Serpent Skirt, Anath hung the shorn penises of her victims on her goatskin apron or aegis.” “Anath’s capacity to curse and kill made even the Heavenly Father afraid of her. When El seemed reluctant to do her bidding, she threatened to smash his head and cover his grey hair and beard with gore. He hastily gave her everything she asked, saying ‘Whoever hinders thee will be crushed’ ” (Walker 30). In the mythical cycle, “Mot too is [now] revived and once again challenges Baal to single combat. In the midst of the fighting, however, the sun-goddess, Spsi (Shapash), intervenes, advising Mot that no further combat is needed because El is now on the side of Baal. El, always patriarchal and judicious, has discerned that Baal in his defeat and resurrection has manifested a new form of order; as a patriarchal deity El must uphold this new order. The decree is made that Baal will rule during the seasons of fertility and Mot during the seasons of sterility and drought.” – Grollier There are many implications of this mythical cycle that underly the events of the Bible and overshadow and cast the die for the Christian heritage (Grollier Multimedia Encyclopedia 1993): * Firstly: “the myth forms a watershed for the understanding of myth and history throughout the Near East. “Egyptian, Hittite, Hurrian, and Ugaritic myths are present in this cycle. Moreover, Hesiod clearly made use of some of these mythological elements in his Theogony; Baal, Yamm, and Mot are directly related to Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.” * Secondly: “although the Old Testament contains a polemic against Baal, Asherah, and Astarte, some of the elements and practices of the Hebrews are best understood within the context of Canaanite mythology.” * Thirdly: Anath as the death twin of Mari Lady of Birth, and the destroyer of the dying and reviving Mot plays a central, if concealed role in the crucifixion psychodrama. “Anath annually cast her death-curse anathema on the Canaanite god”, fulfilling Mot’s slaying of Ba’al and his destruction in turn by her. Mot stood for the barren season that slew its own fertile twin Aleyin, the son of Ba’al. “In typical sacred-king style Mot-Aleyin was the son of the virgin Anath and also the bridegroom of his own mother. Like Jesus the Lamb of God, Aleyin said ‘I am the lamb which is made ready with pure wheat to be sacrificed in expiation.’ ” (Walker 31 [Larousse]). “After Aleyin’s death, Anath resurrects him and sacrifices Mot, telling him he has been forsaken by his heavenly father El.” This is precisely the same father to whom Jesus cried ” ‘Eloi Eloi lama sabaschthani’ – El El why hast thou forsaken me? … and some said ‘Behold he calleth for Elias’ and one ran and filled a sponge with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink saying, ‘Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down’. And Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost.” (Walker 31, Mark 15:34 “The sacred drama included a moment when Anath broke Mot’s reed scepter, to signify his castration, again foreshadowing a detail of the Christian Gospels. … Naturally the god-killing Anath was much diabolized in patriarchial legends. Abyssinian Christians called her Aynat “the evil eye of earth”. They said she was an old witch destroyed by Jesus, who commanded that she must be burned and her ashes scattered on the wind.” (Walker 31) St. Paul’s excommunication curse “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha derives from the more ancient curse of Anath: Ana-tithenai: to set up, dedicate [a curse], maranatha: Our Lord [bridegroom], come. Another pertinent deity, because of his relationship to Sin, or Nannar, the God of Abraham is Yarikh the moon god. ‘The illuminator of myriads (of stars)’, ‘lamp of heaven’, possibly also the crescent moon and ‘lord of the sicle’ and thereby the father of the Kotharat. He is patron of the city Qart-Abilim. Like Sin, he is a dedicated courtier. After sunset he embraces Nikkal-and-Ib (Ningal) and becomes determined to marry her. He refuses the daughters of Baal and presents a lavish brideprice to Nikkal-and-Ib’s family and the two are wed. Baal-Hadad’s creatures devour his handmaidens, so he sends them to El. El tells them to go into the wilderness and there birth horned buffalo, which will distract Baal-Hadad. Nikkal-and-Ib ‘great lady and clear/bright/fruit’ or ‘Great goddess of fruit’. She is possibly the daughter of Dagon of Tuttul, or else of Khirkhib. She is romanced by Yarikh and marries him after Yarikh aranges a brideprice with Khirkhib and pays it to her parents. Kotharat (was thought to be Kathirat) ‘skillful’. They are a group of goddesses associated with conception and childbirth. ‘…The swallow-like daughters of the crescent moon.’ They are also associated with the new moon. They attend Daniel for seven days to aid in the conception of Aqhat and recieve his sacrifice. Jewish and Christian influences From the 4th century AD, Christian bishops made notable conversions of the Kings of Himyar , Aksum and of Ethiopia generally. Narjan, an ancient pagan pilgrimage spot in a fertile valley on the trade route became a Christian stronghold. Medina became a centre of Jewish influence. Christianity and Judaism entered into competition in Arabia, encouraged by the Persians. In 522, King Dhu Nawas Yusaf “Lord of Curls” became the last elected Himyar king, descendent of a Jewish hero, who made war on the Christians. He offered the citizens of Naryan the choice of Jewry or death. When they refused he burned them all in a great trench. Afterwards Narjan as named “the trench”. In response the Ethiopians overcame them and Abraha made San’a a Christian pilgrimage point which rivalled Mecca. This led to an expeditionary force of Christians to try to destroy the Ka’aba. In turn Persia invaded and for a short time the country became a Persian satrapy. This confused situation laid the seeds for the emergence of Islam. Muhammad left Mecca under a cloud, because the Meccans remained faithful to al-Uzza and their iconic deities and rejectied his exclusive monotheism which branded their deities false icons, but his brand of Abrahamic monotheism struck a stronger chord in Medina, and although he was derided by the Jews there for his religion, and turned from bowing to Jerusalem to Mecca as the nexus of God’s dwelling, even in spite of the genocide of the Jewish men after the siege of Medina, it was the greater attrraction of monotheism in the environment of Medina which made the growth of Islam possible. Patricia Crone (1987) has pointed out that Muhammad, in combining the monotheism which had already found a natural ground swell in Medina with a strong strategic emphasis on tribal law guaranteed the sweeping popularity of the religion. This however means that large sections of the Quran and Sharia are simply recitations of tribal law of the 6th-9th century AD and not the revealed word of al-Lah. Moreover recent finds of old Quranic writings in Yemen26, see also27, or28 with overlayed redactions confirm that like the Bible, the Quran is a collection of anectodal sayings later compiled into a canonical version and not a text revealed in one clear rendition by God. Gerd Puin who has researched these, comments: “My idea is that the Koran is a kind of cocktail of texts that were not all understood even at the time of Muhammad. Many of them may even be a hundred years older than Islam itself. Even within the Islamic traditions there is a huge body of contradictory information, including a significant Christian substrate; one can derive a whole Islamic anti-history from them if one wants. The Qur’an claims for itself that it is ‘mubeen,’ or clear, but if you look at it, you will notice that every fifth sentence or so simply doesn’t make sense. Many Muslims will tell you otherwise, of course, but the fact is that a fifth of the Qur’anic text is just incomprehensible. This is what has caused the traditional anxiety regarding translation. If the Qur’an is not comprehensible, if it can’t even be understood in Arabic, then it’s not translatable into any language. That is why Muslims are afraid. Since the Qur’an claims repeatedly to be clear but is not—there is an obvious and serious contradiction. Something else must be going on.” Here are follow some Islamic commentaries on this phase: The migration of the Jews from Palestine to Arabia passed through two phases: first, as a result of the pressure to which they were exposed, the destruction of the their temple, and taking most of them as captives to Babylon, at the hand of the King Bukhtanassar. In the year B.C. 587 some Jews left Palestine for Hijaz and settled in the northern areas whereof. The second phase started with the Roman occupation of Palestine under the leadership of Roman Buts in 70 A.D. This resulted in a tidal wave of Jewish migration into Hijaz, and Yathrib, Khaibar and Taima’, in particular. Here, they made proselytes of several tribes, built forts and castles, and lived in villages. Judaism managed to play an important role in the pre-Islam political life. When Islam dawned on that land, there had already been several famous Jewish tribes — Khabeer, Al-Mustaliq, An-Nadeer, Quraizah and Qainuqa‘. In some versions, the Jewish tribes counted as many as twenty. [Qalb Jazeerat Al-Arab, p.151] Judaism was introduced into Yemen by someone called As‘ad Abi Karb. He had gone to fight in Yathrib and there he embraced Judaism and then went back taking with him two rabbis from Bani Quraizah to instruct the people of Yemen in this new religion. Judaism found a fertile soil there to propagate and gain adherents. After his death, his son Yusuf Dhu Nawas rose to power, attacked the Christian community in Najran and ordered them to embrace Judaism. When they refused, he ordered that a pit of fire be dug and all the Christians indiscriminately be dropped to burn therein. Estimates say that between 20-40 thousand Christians were killed in that human massacre. The Qur’ân related part of that story in Al-Buruj (zodiacal signs) Chapter. [Tafheem-ul-Qur’an 6/297; Ibn Hisham 1/20-36] Christianity had first made its appearance in Arabia following the entry of the Abyssinian (Ethiopian) and Roman colonists into that country. The Abyssinian (Ethiopian) colonization forces in league with Christian missions entered Yemen as a retaliatory reaction for the iniquities of Dhu Nawas, and started vehemently to propagate their faith ardently. They even built a church and called it Yemeni Al-Ka‘bah with the aim of directing the Arab pilgrimage caravans towards Yemen, and then made an attempt to demolish the Sacred House in Makkah. Allâh, the Almighty, however did punish them and made an example of them – here and hereafter. [Tafheem-ul-Qur’an 6/297; Ibn Hisham 1/20-36] Briffault, Robert 1927 The Mothers George Allen Unwin, London. Browning, Ian 1974 Petra, Chatto & Windus, London. Crone, Patricia 1987 Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam Princeton University Press p. 231 Doe, Brian 1971 Southern Arabia, Thames and Hudson, London. Driver, G. R. 1956 Canaanite Myths and Legends, T & T Clark, Edinburgh. Glueck, Nelson 1966 Deities and Dolphins, Cassel, London. Green, Tamara 1992 The City of the Moon God, E.J. Brill, Leiden. Negev, Abraham 1986 Nabatean Archaeology Today, NY Univ. Pr., New York. Pritchard, James ed. 1974 Solomon and Sheba, Phaidon, N.Y. Walker, Barbara 1983 The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, Harper & Row, S. F. 1. Faris Nabih 1952 (trans) al-Kabali “The Book of Idols” Princeton Univ. Pr 2. E. Rice, Easter definitions, Doubleday, 1978 3. Rufus C. Camphausen, ‘The Ka’bah at Mecca’, Bres (Holland) No.139, 1989. 4. N.J. Dawood, trans. (5th ed., Harmondsworth, 1990), The Koran, p. 1. 5. P. Masson-Oursel and Louise Morin, ‘Mythology of Ancient Persia’, in New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology (2nd ed., London, 1968), p. 323. 6. Georges Roux (3rd ed., Harmondsworth, 1992), Ancient Iraq, p. 420 7. Cyrus H. Gordon (1961), ‘Canaanite Mythology’, in S.N. Kramer (ed.), Mythologies of the Ancient World, pp. 196-7. 8. Hourani, Albert 1991 A History of the Arab peoples, Belknap press of Harvard University press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1991 p 16, Belknap press of Harvard University, USA 9. Bukhari:V6B60N374 10. Muhammad The Prophet, M. R. M. Abduraheem, p 3-4, 1971 11. Patricia Crone, Meccan Trade And The Rise Of Islam, 1987, Princeton University Press: New Jersey (NJ), pp. 193-194. 12. Woolley, Sir Leonard 1938 Ur of the Chaldees, Pelican Books, London 13. Woolley, Sir Leonard 1954 Excavations at Ur, Ernest Benn, Ltd., London 14. Bright, John 1960 A History of Israel, SCM Press, London p 80, 91) 15. Segal J.B. 1963 The Sabian Mysteries in Vanished Civilizations ed. Edward Bacon, Thames & Hudson, London 16. Segal J.B.1970 Edessa‘The Blessed City’, Clarendon Press, Oxford 17. Malamat, Abraham 1984 Mari and the Early Israelite Experience, Oxford Univ. Pr. Oxford p 31 18. Bright, John 1960 A History of Israel, SCM Press, London p 70 19. Jay, Nancy 1992 Throughout Your Generations Forever, Univ. Chicago Pr., Chicago 20. Smith, W. Robinson 1888 , 1972 The Religion of the Semites, Schoken Books, N.Y. 21. Lerner, Gerda 1986 The Creation of Patriarchy, Oxford University Press, New York p 168 22. Glenn, Menahem G. 1968 The Jewish Quarterly Review, 59/1 p. 73-75 23. Zehren, Eric 1961 The Crescent and the Bull, Sidgwick & Jackson, London 24. Rothenberg, Beno 1972 Timna: Valley of the Biblical Copper Mines, Thames & Hudson, London 25. Malamat, Abraham 1984 Mari and the Early Israelite Experience, Oxford Univ. Pr. Oxford p 54 26. What Is the Koran? (ancient versions of the Koran differ with the current text). Toby Lester, The Atlantic Monthly 283.1 (Jan 1999): p43(1). Taken From Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
Six Benefits of Blue Light Application to the Body Published On February 22, 2019 \| By Robert Ayers \| Technology Blue light is among visible light and an essential element on how the body responds to light and dark alterations. There is massive exposure to blue light due to the current lifestyle and accompanies various benefits to the body. Although other categories such as Ultraviolet and infrared lights impact the body, blue light has more significant effects on the physiology and heartbeat due to skin pigment and reactions from the eye retina. Jaundice in Newborns Newborns have a compound called bilirubin which is a product available in the red blood cells, hemoglobin. The problem of jaundice is newborns results from the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood which requires blue light to act as a catalyst to breakdown the yellow compound. The problem may disappear after a few days, but if not, blue light beaks it down to products that can easily be assimilated. As a powerful antioxidant, blue light can be administered through therapy or from the sun. Blue Light as an Antibacterial There exist two categories of bacteria: gram-positive and gram-negative and have varying adaptability to blue light. Gram-positive sense blue light much faster compared to gram-negative bacteriasimilar to low-oxygen bacteria which have a high sensitivity because of low antioxidant factors. Blue light destroys such kinds of bacteria through reacting with a metal component in the body called porphyrins. The compound generates free radicals that kill bacteria sensitive to blue light. As an Anti-Inflammatory Agent Skin problems such as acne, immune cells, and psoriasis have a significant impact in destroying skin layers hence increasing inflammation and formation of keratinocytes. The high intensity of blue light exposure results in the death of T cells which cause skin inflammation, therefore, treatment of atopic dermatitis and reduction in eczema lesions and itching. Acne is the standard skin inflammatory agent through the impact of skin bacterial also can be corrected through the application of blue light. Reduction of Fatigue and Sleep Problems A study showed that blue light plays a vital role in reducing fatigue and daytime sleeping sickness through specific wavelength exposed to some patients. The general understanding of blue light levels as highlighted at sites like is a critical element in determining the extent of the cure without side effects. Sleeping disorders have a white light enriched with blue light to regulate sleep during the day and improve alertness. Protection of Body Organs from Injuries Small animals such as mice, which were exposed to blue light before oxygen was depleted from their bodies, protected the liver and kidneys from inflammation. Despite blue light being a handful when overexposed, it can also safeguard body cells hence maintain the organs on the absence of the essential components. However, it may accompany various side effects on such instances when applied on humans according to the study. Blue Light as an Antidepressant Blue light therapy, according to the study shows that it can treat depression administered to reduce depression symptoms perceptions. Seasonal Affective Depression can be cured in three weeks for a daily therapy procedure. Blue light, therefore, enhances sleep and reduces depression as well as anxiety on dementia patients. Like this Article? Share it! About The Author
Gilbert de Clare the 8th and last de Clare Earl of Gloucester gilbert de clare.jpgThe 7th Earl of Gloucester, Gilbert, the Red Earl, was born in 1243. He took part of the second Barons War in 1262 which saw the barons rise against King Henry III. He was one of Simon de Montfort’s supporters and took part in the Battle of Lewes. They were turbulent times and although de Montford effectively toppled the Crown it wasn’t long before there was a falling out amongst the barons. This resulted in Gilbert changing sides and fighting on the side of Prince Edward at the Battle of Kenilworth and the Battle of Evesham where de Montfort was killed. When Henry III died whilst Edward I was in Sicily, de Clare found himself Guardian of England. On the home front however, the story remained rather more complicated. Gilbert was married to his first wife in 1253 when he was just ten years old. She was Alice de Lusignan – King Henry III’s niece – a possible reason for the relatively leniency with which Gilbert found himself being treated by Henry III during the baron’s war. Having said that the pair separated in 1267. Apparently Alice had taken a shine to her cousin young Prince Edward who would one day be Edward I. The marriage was annulled in 1285. In 1290 Gilbert married the twenty-two year old Joan of Acre, a daughter of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile (not sure how that works on the laws of consanguinity marrying the daughter of your first wife’s cousin –dispensation was required.) The pair had a son also called Gilbert and three daughters; Eleanor, Margaret and Elizabeth. He died in 1295 and was buried in Tewkesbury Abbey. Gilbert junior was born in 1291 and became the 8th Earl of Gloucester when he was four. Just a reminder here – his grandfather was Edward I who had some seventeen children in total by his two wives. Joan of Acre was born in 1272 whilst Edward was on crusade. He was raised, in part, at court in the household of his grandfather’s second wife Margaret of France. It is sometimes thought that he was in his uncle Prince Edward of Carnarvon’s household. In 1305 there was a dispute that resulted in Edward I cutting his son’s household. The prince wrote to his sister Elizabeth to ask her to write to their step-mother to ask their father to restore two members of his household to him: one was Gilbert de Clare the other was Piers Gaveston. The following year both men were knighted prior to war with Scotland at the so-called Feast of the Swans. However, and you probably shouldn’t be surprised by this, there was a second Gilbert de Clare who was approximately three years older than Prince Edward and it was he who was in the prince’s household. The two Gilberts were cousins – but let’s not get into the genealogy. Unfortunately once Edward of Carnarvon became king our Gilbert became increasingly disgruntled with the king’s relationship with Gaveston and in 1310 became one of the Lords Ordainers seeking to reform the king’s household resulting in Gaveston’s exile from England in 1311 and his death in 1312 when he returned to England – Edward II having announced that Gaveston’s sentence was unlawful and effectively reducing the country to a state of civil war. Gilbert as a royal relation was able to smooth troubled waters between the two groups. He would go on, with the demise of Gaveston to be one of Edward’s loyal supporters. Possibly one of the reasons for his dissatisfaction was that when he inherited his titles at the age of sixteen he was quickly immersed in border warfare serving in border warden roles and as Captain of Scotland. On 24 June 1314 Gilbert was part of his uncle’s army in Scotland at Bannockburn. He was killed. The body was sent back to England with due honour. He was only twenty-three had no children so the de Clare estates were divided between his three sisters who were now co-heiresses. There is a final sting in the tale of this post. In 1308 Gilbert married Maud or Matilda de Burgh, daughter of the Earl of Ulster. The pair did apparently have a son called John in 1312 who did not survive long after his birth. However, when her husband died in 1314 Maud claimed she was pregnant so that the estates of the Earldom of Gloucester could not be split. The law required that everyone wait for a posthumous child to be born. Three years later it was decided that she really couldn’t have been pregnant for twice as long as an elephant and the earldom was broken up between Gilbert’s three sisters. Maud died in 1320 and was buried in Tewkesbury Abbey beside her husband who is pictured in one of the abbey’s stained glass windows as depicted at the start of this post. Brough Castle DSCN0958You can see Brough Castle as you travel into Cumbria through Westmorland along the A685. For years it was a key landmark meaning we ‘were nearly there.” Having said that it was many years before I discovered that the name of the little river that runs past Brough is Swindale Beck – and no that’s the moat in the first photograph rather than the beck. The river runs alongside the flat open space that is very obviously Roman. In fact Brough used to be the Roman fort of Verterae. Unsurprising then that William Rufus chose the site for his own fortifications. DSCN1031From there the tale of Brough Castle is very similar to many others in the region with the perennial seesawing between the English and the Scots. It was a handy stopping off point as well for English monarchs on their way north to administer justice in Carlisle or to do a spot of Scot-bothering. Edward I and Edward II both stayed in Brough; though clearly the Scot-bothering skills of father and son were markedly different. The village of Brough was burned by the Scots in the aftermath of Bannockburn in 1314. CNV00005-5In terms of ownership, the Castle left royal hands in 1204 when King John granted it to Robert de Vipont along with Appleby Castle and shortly after that gave Robert the title Lord of Westmorland – with the right to be held in perpetuity by his heirs which was of key importance to Lady Anne Clifford’s claim to her estates. Robert’s son was a minor when he died so for a while the castle was held by Hubert de Burgh. De Vipont’s grandson, also named Robert died at the Battle of Lewes in 1264 fighting alongside Simon de Montfort against the Crown which was fine until the following year when the monarchy headed up by Henry III (King John’s son) won the Battle of Evesham and demonstrated how underwhelmed he was by people demanding parliaments by seizing Robert de Vipont’s estates even though he was already dead. DSCN1033Leaving aside legal wrangles, reforms and negotiations the estates and title were ultimately returned by the Crown to Robert’s two daughters who were co-heiresses. Their names were Isabella and Idonea. Isabella was the younger. Her husband was Roger de Clifford. Idonea was about nine when her father died and she went on to have two husbands but spent most of her life in Yorkshire. Her son pre-deceased her so when she died and was buried in Roche Abbey her entitlement to the lands and estates of Westmorland reverted to her sister and the de Clifford family. CNV00016-8The Clifford family spent time and money making Brough more secure. They built a tower and a hall block. The Wars of the Roses saw the Ninth Lord Clifford die at Dintingdale the day before the Battle of Towton, Easter 1461, with an arrow in his throat and the flight of his young son and heir into obscurity. During this time the Clifford properties were held by Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick. Once Henry Tudor defeated Richard III the Tenth Lord Clifford came out of hiding and the Cliffords regained their estates. Then in 1521 there was a very merry Christmas party – so merry in fact that Brough Castle caught fire and was ruined. I suppose it makes a change from the Scots burning places down for the owners to do it themselves. CNV00013-8Brough was only restored in 1659 when Lady Anne Clifford came into the inheritance she’d been fighting for most of her life. She rebuilt Clifford’s Tower – only for it to burn down again in 1666 which must have been rather irritating for Lady Anne who didn’t die until ten years later. After that and because Lady Anne’s descendants weren’t as keen on old castles as she was it swiftly returned to being a ruin having been used as a sort of quarry to repair Appleby and Brough Mill at various times. Brough remained in the hands of Lady Anne Clifford’s descendants until 1923. Lord Hothfield handed it over to the Ministry of Works who placed helpful signs on the building: Salter, Mike. (2002) The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria. Malvern: Folly Publications
The Leopard and the Galogalo In this children's book a gullible Leopard makes friends with a wily animal called the Galogalo, and suffers great misfortunes in consequence.Leopard makes friends with a crafty and evil animal called Galogalo. Soon after Galogalo eats all of Leopard's cubs.While trying to take revenge Leopard suffers humiliation and is eventually killed by Galogalo. What happens eventually to Galogalo? It also ends up in the same wicked way in which it had treated everyone else. Weiterführende Links zu "The Leopard and the Galogalo" Versandkostenfreie Lieferung! (eBook-Download) Als Sofort-Download verfügbar 3,49 € • SW8211 Ein Blick ins Buch Andere kauften auch Andere sahen sich auch an
Why Pantomime Is Important 4 min read 4 min read If you haven’t grown up in the UK, you may not be familiar with the particular art of Pantomimes and why Pantomime is important in British tradition. More commonly referred to as ‘Panto’, this theatrical form is passionately devoted to its audience. The sole purpose of Pantos is to make you laugh, dance and sing your heart out. And they deliver. Pantomimes are indeed deeply rooted into British culture, appearing for the first time in the 17th century. Today, Pantos are put on stage at Christmas time and they are often based around fables and fairy-tales. They include cross-dressings, comedy moments and great physicality. Here, we look at why pantomime is important and how it has shaped British culture. Why Pantomime is important Its history It might be surprising to know that Pantomime is not a British invention. Indeed, its first appearance dates all the way back to ancient Rome. Pantomimes were then a production starring only one male dancer. The word ‘pantomime’ comes from the Greek ‘pantomimos’, which meant a dancer who acted all the roles in the story. Because of its solo-based performance, the Roman pantomime is not often considered the real deal. Instead, many recognise its origin in the Italian ‘Commedia dell’Arte’, from the 16th century. It was a form of street theatre, including acrobats and music. One of the most famous characters was Pulcinella, with a ‘big, beak nose, hunchback and the wart on his forehead’. Pulcinella is still a traditional figure of Italian theatre. The Italian ‘Commedia’ arrived in British theatres in the late 1600s. This new form of theatre took the name of ‘Harlequinades’, before becoming the pantomime we all know and love. The connection between pantos and Christmas started in the Victorian era, when the former was performed during the holiday fares. Its long and interesting history is one of the reasons why pantomime is important in theatre studies. Even today, its success is undeniable, and many make the pantomime a Christmas tradition. Cultural identity and Christmas tradition Although it originated in Italy, Pantomime is a strong part of British identity. During the Victorian era, theatre changed from performing without speech, to allowing spoken words. This was the start of Pantomime in England. The art of miming, indeed, started to include witty puns and word play. Together with its physicality, typical of mime performances, this new theatre set the way for Pantomimes. Pantomimes then began to include fairy-tale characters and magical beings. The strangeness and comedic side of the Pantos attracted more and more people, including children. It became a custom for the shows to open on Boxing Day, and families soon made watching Pantomimes a holiday tradition. A tradition that has endured until this very day. Drag Queens and Drag Kings Going back to theatre’s early days, cross-dressing has always been a big part of performances. As women were not originally allowed to play on stage, men played both the male and female part of the story. People were acquainted with seeing men wearing dresses and long hair. As time changed, and women were able to join theatre companies, cross-dressing didn’t stop. Pantomimes are one example of a theatre form that involved gender-swapping in its performances. Men and women alike were wearing each other’s clothes. The creation of a safe space for gender fluid identities is another reason why pantomime is important. Drag has remained today a form of entertainment, with live shows and TV programs (just think at Ru Paul’s Drag Race). But if the Drag Queen was a figure the public had been accustomed to see since the beginning of theatre, Drag Kings appeared for the first time in the 18th century. Women dressed in men clothing were and still are a typical occurrence in Pantomimes. Pantomimes have given a space for both Drag Queens and Drag Kings to perform, and to do it in front of a joyful audience. (Main image (C) Blackpool Grand Theatre – Peter Pan Pantomime UK Productions Ltd.) You might also like Related News Show News Beautiful West End Musicals at The Grand! Five fabulous West End musicals are packing up and taking a trip to the seaside this season to fill Blackpool… 37 Plays \| Free Writing Workshop Top mystery authors of all time Connect Comfort and Uplift Seaside Family Fun is Grand in Blackpool Connect Comfort and Uplift Great Gifts for Men at The Grand
really, real edgood — Grammar Tips Real is an adjective meaning “genuine” or “authentic,” or having a “verifiable existence.” Really is an adverb used to add emphasis and means “in fact,” “genuinely,” or “indeed.” Careful writers do not use real as an adverb: He ran real fast. He ran really fast. Example: He was sure that what he saw was real. Later, he had a hard time persuading anybody that he had really seen it.
6 Early Symptoms of Dementia Dementia is a collection of symptoms occurring due to a variety of brain illnesses that affect one’s thinking, behavior, memory and the ability to perform everyday activities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people living with dementia worldwide is currently estimated at 47 million and is highly likely to increase to 75 million by 2030. What’s more, the WHO estimates that the number of cases of dementia will almost triple by 2050. Short-term memory changes dementia patients short term memory changes One of the early symptoms of dementia is memory loss or subtle memory changes. Namely, the changes may involve a person remembering events from two or more years ago, but if you asked them what they had for breakfast the day before, they wouldn’t be able to recall. Furthermore, they may forget where they left certain items, or why they went to the bathroom or kitchen, and even what they said only a few minutes earlier. This will lead to often repetitiveness, in the sense that a person with dementia will shave twice, tell you a story more than once in the same day or even obsessively start collecting items. Difficulty finding the right words difficulty finding words by dementia patients Struggling to communicate thoughts is another sign of dementia. If a person has difficulty explaining simple notions, or finding the right words to express their thoughts, they’re likely suffering from dementia. Therefore, keep in mind that if you’re talking to a person with dementia, you’ll have to be very patient because it may take longer and will be more difficult for them to explain what they need. Inability to perform everyday tasks Difficulties in doing everyday activities or more complex tasks like balancing a checkbook can be an early symptom of dementia. Also, playing games that have a lot of rules will be quite challenging for a person with dementia. Therefore, if you’ve noticed any of the aforementioned symptoms in your loved ones, maybe it’s time you looked for the best aged care facilities where they’ll feel comfortable and taken care of. They’ll have 24-hour care, they’ll be able to socialize with other seniors and feel at home. Furthermore, you’ll have a peace of mind knowing your loved one is in good hands all day, every day. If a person can no longer interact with other people normally, find the right words or remember faces, they’ll eventually become very confused. Confusion can also arise if a person can’t recall where they left their personal belongings, if they don’t recognize someone they’ve met before, or if they keep forgetting what they should do next during the day. This is also a good reason for you to look for aged care facilities for your loved ones, because they’ll have someone to talk to about their troubles at any given time, and they won’t be in harm’s way, as they’d be at home if they suddenly forgot to turn off the stove and potentially cause a fire hazard
Skip to main content Why does cold fresh air help nausea go away? Cold fresh air can help people ill with nausea feel better. Cold fresh air can help people ill with nausea feel better. (Image credit: klebercordeiro via Getty Images) Imagine you're driving down the highway, enjoying the start of a long road trip, when all of a sudden one of the children in your back seat moans, "I don't feel so good." Your immediate response, besides scrambling for a barf bag, would probably be to crack the windows to let in fresh air. So why does cold air help get rid of nausea? "When trying to understand why fresh, circulating, or cold air seems to help alleviate symptoms of nausea, it's ideal to look at research related to motion sickness," Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Live Science in an email. People experiencing motion sickness often "seek colder temperatures or environments with improved air circulation, or choose options that cool our bodies down, when in fact the actual mechanism behind [nausea] involves a drop in our core body temperature," he said. Related: What's the hottest temperature the human body can endure? The hallmark symptoms of motion sickness are nausea, vomiting and sweating. Lesser known is that when a person gets motion sick, their core body temperature drops. They actually become slightly hypothermic. This phenomenon was first noticed about 150 years ago in sailors suffering from seasickness, but scientists began to study this phenomenon only in the last several decades, according to a study published in 2014 in the journal Temperature Capillaries in the skin dilate during motion sickness, which allows more blood to flow through close to the skin's surface, losing heat to the environment and lowering core body temperature. This process goes hand-in-hand with breaking out into a sweat to further lower their body temperature, which a person may experience as a "cold sweat" since they're slightly hypothermic. When a motion-sick person's temperature drops, their central nervous system, specifically the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates body temperature, tries to counteract the plunge. So although their core temperature is low, a nauseated, motion-sick person may actually feel hot and flushed. This drop in temperature and the body's compensation reaction to it are actually what make a person feel nauseated, Glatter said. Getting cold air or placing a cool compress on the back of the neck or forehead for a few minutes can help reduce the feeling of being hot or flushed because it counteracts the hypothalamus' efforts to raise body temperature, thus easing the feeling of nausea. Experts aren't quite sure why the temperature change associated with motion sickness occurs. One potential reason could be that at a lower temperature, tissues need less oxygen to survive, and it may be more difficult for a person to get enough oxygen when they're ill. However, it's "more likely an adaptive response influenced by poorly understood mechanisms at the cellular level," Glatter said. Similarly, experts also aren't sure why the temperature drop and subsequent compensation to increase body temperature leads to nausea. One theory suggests that both the nausea and temperature change may be a natural way the body defends itself in response to toxins. Nausea often leads to vomiting, which can clear toxins from a person's system. So-called "defensive hypothermia" may also protect against toxins by conserving the person's energy so they can focus on fighting the invader, according to a 2016 review in the journal The Quarterly Review of Biology "If we assume that the 'cold sweats' associated with nausea are a part of natural defense against poisoning or infection, lowering of body temperature after detection of a toxin could be part of an evolutionary approach that results in 'defensive hypothermia,'" Glatter said. According to the 2014 study, evidence that "defensive hypothermia" occurs during toxic shock in human and animal models supports this theory. Originally published on Live Science. Tyler Santora Tyler Santora Tyler Santora is the Health & Science Editor at Fatherly and a Colorado-based freelance science journalist who covers everything related to science, health and the environment, particularly in relation to marginalized communities. They have written for Popular Science, Scientific American, Business Insider and more. Tyler graduated from Oberlin College with a bachelor's degree in biology and New York University with a master's in science journalism.
Document detail Choon Guan Lim, Hannah Loh, Vidhya Renjan, Jason Tan and Daniel Fung (2017) CC In recent decades, there have been concerted efforts to improve mental health services for youths alongside the challenges of rising healthcare costs and increasing demand for mental health needs. One important phenomenon is the shift from traditional clinic-based care to community based mental health services to improve accessibility to services and provide patient-centred care. In this article, we discuss the child and adolescent community mental health efforts within the Asia-Pacific region. Brain Sci.2017,7, 126; doi:10.3390/brainsci7100126 child psychiatry, community mental health, school-based mental health, mental health services, Asia Pacific, Singapore,
%0 Journal Article %J PLoS ONE %D 2013 %T The Tracking of Speech Envelope in the Human Cortex. %A Kubanek, Jan %A Peter Brunner %A Gunduz, Aysegul %A Poeppel, David %A Gerwin Schalk %X Humans are highly adept at processing speech. Recently, it has been shown that slow temporal information in speech (i.e., the envelope of speech) is critical for speech comprehension. Furthermore, it has been found that evoked electric potentials in human cortex are correlated with the speech envelope. However, it has been unclear whether this essential linguistic feature is encoded differentially in specific regions, or whether it is represented throughout the auditory system. To answer this question, we recorded neural data with high temporal resolution directly from the cortex while human subjects listened to a spoken story. We found that the gamma activity in human auditory cortex robustly tracks the speech envelope. The effect is so marked that it is observed during a single presentation of the spoken story to each subject. The effect is stronger in regions situated relatively early in the auditory pathway (belt areas) compared to other regions involved in speech processing, including the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and the posterior inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's region). To further distinguish whether speech envelope is encoded in the auditory system as a phonological (speech-related), or instead as a more general acoustic feature, we also probed the auditory system with a melodic stimulus. We found that belt areas track melody envelope weakly, and as the only region considered. Together, our data provide the first direct electrophysiological evidence that the envelope of speech is robustly tracked in non-primary auditory cortex (belt areas in particular), and suggest that the considered higher-order regions (STG and Broca's region) partake in a more abstract linguistic analysis. %B PLoS ONE %V 8 %P e53398 - %8 01/2013 %G eng %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0053398 %N 1 %R 10.1371/journal.pone.0053398
Bicycling: "Idaho Stop" bill could have fatal consequences Katie Rancik It is midnight on a Sunday. You got off work late and now make the tiresome trip home on lonely city streets. You stop at a red light. There's nobody around -- not for at least a mile. Yet you wait. And wait. The lights are timed, so you wait some more. A bicyclist approaches the intersection to your left. He glances both ways. No need to stop. There's nobody around. The bicycle advances. You continue to wait. If House Bill 2690 had passed on April 20, this would be a common scene. The law, modeled after the "Idaho Stop Bill," would give bicyclists the right to pass through stop signs and red lights after they yield the right-of-way. But according to Jonathan Maus, editor at, members of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance suspended attempts to appeal HB 2690 this year. The proposed bill failed to garner support from Oregon legislators. While a number of bicyclists fight for passage of HB 2690, drivers across the state find numerous reasons to keep cyclists from legally performing these "rolling stops" on busy intersections. First and foremost, the law is unfair. Why should bicyclists have the exclusive privilege to decide when to ride through stop signs and red lights? Drivers must obey all red-light and stop sign laws, regardless of whether or not they yield the right-of-way first. But the proposed law is not only unfair, it is dangerous. According to "Bicycle Accident Statistics" by Anapol Schwartz, bicycle accidents kill an innocent person every six hours; the prospect of treating pertinent stop signs and red lights as mere yellow yield signs is nauseating. Imagine this scene: A bicyclist arrives at an intersection, yet cannot see the oncoming car from the corner of his vision. He feels safe and proceeds through the intersection. The driver maintains his current path, smacking straight into the cyclist. The rider could suffer from broken bones, possible head injury and, most likely, trauma. Passage of this law could potentially cause more than the estimated 662 deaths per year of bicyclists on the road. Schultz says more than half of bicycle-related fatalities happen to children under the age of 16. With this to consider, one must ask what the benefits are of the "Idaho Stop Bill." Proponents of the measure say bicyclists will save time and energy. In order for a bicyclist to exert full speed after a complete stop, he must use an amount of energy that even skilled riders dread. A person who bikes to work, for example, can arrive exhausted and later than necessary, decreasing his production and quality of work. Also, when a bicyclist must adhere to a required yield, he is forced to consciously check for oncoming traffic or pedestrians. Drivers and bicyclists are inherently more aware of their surroundings when forced to stop and look both directions before they continue. However, some drivers today already say that bicyclists often violate traffic laws. It is a rarity to witness the use of hand signals before a turn or the presence of life-saving helmets. Many cyclists already roll through stop signs. So, would HB 2690 have a positive effect? If bicyclists are allowed specific laws for their own convenience, why should automobile drivers not have the same preferential attention? One answer is that autos cause significantly more damage than a bicycle. My concern is that a bicyclist will arrive at a situation in which he deems a yield satisfactory, but cannot see the two-ton vehicle coming toward him in his blind spot. Though it is a pleasure to live and work in such a biker-friendly city as Eugene, statistics and logic suggest that passage of HB 2690 could have fatal consequences. For now, let us sit at this red light together. And wait. Katie Rancik is a journalism student at the University of Oregon. Reach her at
Can you be allergic to the sun? How common is sunlight allergy? Ask the Raffles Medical Group Experts What is sunlight allergy? How common is it? Sunlight allergy, also known as polymorphous light eruptions, usually occurs when itchy red rash appears on the sun-exposed skin. It is not common in Singapore. You should consult a dermatologist if you suspect you have sunlight allergy.
Czech writer Karl Capek coined the term robot more than 100 years ago in his futuristic book, R.U.R Rossum’s Universal Robots. But how did he see robots, and what did he think were the biggest threats to humans and the workforce as a result of their development? And ultimately, have his predictions come true? A little background to the book: R.U.R. Rossum’s Universal Robots The term robota in Czech means drudgery or forced labour. And that gives you a good understanding as to the pretext of the book. In the story, the company, Rossum’s Universal Robots, has created robots to work faster and for a lower cost than human labour. But these robots are not what we would expect or think of as robots today. This is because the robots are not made of metal and electronic circuits, but they are organic creatures that are the products of chemical research and experiments. And, although they resemble humans, they only appear to be so. They have been developed to be simplified creatures without thoughts, feelings, or desires. The purpose of the robots according to the son of the owner of the company, Rossum Jr, being to free humans from hard work so that we can spend our time on our interests and dreams. With such interests and opinions being what divides us from other biological beings- including the robots in the story. What does the book predict? The fear for humans of becoming irrelevant is the main theme of the book, and this fear exists even today. After the book’s prologue, it takes us 10 years into the future where the robots have begun to become disgruntled and apparently short circuit, whereas others seem to have become aware of their situation and purpose. And, as the book goes on, the robots create a global union encouraging each other to rise up and free themselves from the drudgery of forced labour, and to do it by exterminating the human race. Put simply, the story pitched a worst-case scenario of the development of robots, and one that still persists in popular culture today with numerous other movies, television series and books following similar themes. February 11, 1938: BBC airs the 1st science fiction television program – an adaptation of Karel Čapek’s Rossum’s Universal Robots. © BBC How did things really turn out? Right now, technology is at an advanced stage where robots are doing many useful things for people. Even though the word “robot” came from friction. By the 1970s, robots already started to become useful, especially in the automotive industry. Today, we have duality of the concept of robots. On the one hand, it appears as if technology is making people irrelevant. However, on the other hand, technology is aiding us in almost every aspect of our daily lives. While the book was right in predicting the fear in people regarding the loss of jobs. However, despite the high degree of automation and robots, we generally still have low unemployment. One example is that very few people work in agriculture today compared to just 100 years ago, but it did not and has not created mass unemployment. People simply got different jobs. Tough work on the fields turned into more comfortable, intellectually rewarding and higher value employment. And, ultimately, this is where the book was wrong in its predictions. In Conclusion As mentioned, the word robot means drudgery and forced labour in Czech, and like the outcome in the book R.U.R Rossum’s Universal Robots, it has created fear and negative meaning in society that robots will one day take our jobs and potentially seek to exterminate us. However, the truth is that robots and automation have actually made our lives much easier and more rewarding. Technology has never made human work obsolete, it has only changed what work we do, creating jobs that were unthinkable just a few decades before. Today these new jobs are as AI developers and social influencers. Therefore, the question we have to ask is not if robots will take our jobs, but… What will the future of work be? What do you think? Let us know. Filed under: Leave a comment
15 million Ukrainian are displaced by Russia's war. Millions miss a meal or two each day. Help us change that! Click to donate today! Bible Commentaries Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments Judges 21 Verses 1-25 Judges 21:4 . Built there an altar, in Mizpeh. This altar had long existed. Exodus 38:1. Altars were erected in many places: Samuel, David, and Elijah officiated at those altars. Yea, more; the Lord’s anger was appeased at those altars, and fire descended from heaven to denote the acceptance of the sacrifices. The altar at the sanctuary was for the regular oblations, but was never designed to supersede the extraordinary occasions of the nation. Judges 21:8 . None from Jabesh-gilead. The tribes would keep their oath against citizens or delinquents in war, but not their oath with the Lord against idolaters! The inhabitants being Joseph’s descendants, would not arm against the favourite brother of their father. Judges 21:12 . Four hundred virgins, known by their ornaments and dress. The Lacedemonians were remarkable for distinguishing all orders of persons by dress; and this custom still prevails in the east, though with numerous variations. Judges 21:19 . Behold, there is a feast to the Lord in Shiloh. The feast of tabernacles, when the people rejoiced with sacred songs. Those elders were so very religious that they would not break their oath; they only gave advice how it might be violated with impunity. In the preseding chapter we have seen the sad effects of wickedness, contumacy, and civil war. The tribe of Benjamin, which filled fourteen cities and villages, contained a population of nearly two hundred thousand persons, besides Jabesh-gilead, and the forty thousand of Israel who fell. Surely, when in arms, brothers are the worst of foes. Benjamin had no pity on Israel in his days of victory; and Israel in return had no pity on Benjamin. How impetuous are human passions when excited by the ardour of battle, and by the sight of blood. To give quarter to a vanquished foe was not the law of war in that age, and would to God it had been only that age. Real courage is never divested of humanity: to vanquish and to spare are indications of a great and generous soul. During the battle, the crime was equal on both sides. When the vanquished fly, retaining their arms, they are pursued with slaughter. But those who cast away their arms, and on their knees beg for life, it is cruelty, nay, it is murder, to give them the stroke of death. The man who does this is not a hero, and he must expect a similar visitation in return. We see farther, that the stronger passions of man turn as the tide. Israel had carried his vengeance on his brother far beyond his first intentions. Now he weeps for his brother; but tears are unable to restore him to life. Strong passions, excess of punishment, and rash oaths, are sure to be followed with humiliating reflections. Let us ever hold the reins of passion by reason; for strong passions when directed by wisdom may be attended with honour, not with shame. We see also the great regard which the ancients paid to an oath of the Lord. Whether right or wrong, rash or prudent, they considered it as inviolable; and that no man, no nation would be safe, if an oath were left to the decisions of interest. It is an adage, that rash vows are better broken than kept: it would be better however for every man, before he breaks an oath, to consult the safety of his conscience. What we should principally learn from the errors of Israel is, to vow with prudence, and to perform with fidelity. The smiting of any city or tribe which came not up to war, it would seem, was another breach of the oath Israel had made in Shiloh. And alas, Jabesh- gilead, of the tribe of Joseph, would not arm against his brother Benjamin. This was a breach of the national covenant, and very often acted upon. But as so much blood had been spilt, it would have been better to have said, sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. Israel, impressed with sorrow for the loss of one tribe, next proceeds to provide wives for the six hundred of their brethren who had escaped the common carnage. The four hundred virgins of Jabesh were disposed of in fair marriage, and without scruple; and to husbands who had now large tracts of land. But the two hundred remaining men, were directed by the elders to catch virgins in the dance at a festival in Shiloh, while they were singing and playing sacred songs in their approach to the house of God. This was a singular step, but an act of necessity, by no means to be imitated in future life. There were many things lamentable in it. It forced the women’s affections, it deprived the parents of their right in the disposal of their daughters, and it estranged them to a distance, where they could not console their parents in old age. But withal it was done by the advice of the magistrates, and it did the captives no wrong in point of landed property; otherwise it had been an action worthy of death. The rape of the Sabine women under Romulus, differs widely from this case. They were allured to a festival by a stratagem; and the elders of their country being totally ignorant of the crime, they armed to avenge their wrongs. Copyright Statement These files are public domain. Text Courtesy of Used by Permission. Bibliographical Information Sutcliffe, Joseph. "Commentary on Judges 21". Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments. 1835.
Cyber Security Our website contains links to partner sites. If you click from our site to the partner's site and purchase their services there, we will receive a commission for mediation (Find out more information). This form of cooperation does not affect the objectivity of our reviews. With each purchase made through links from our site, you support our editorial office so that we can create quality and useful content in the future. Thank you. The rise of Internet security threats and data protection efforts The rising world of digital technology indicates that we are making progress in all areas. Nevertheless, the advancements come with several threats that pose many challenges. Cyber threat is a major issue that many countries and individuals are facing nowadays, and there is a need to address this issue. There is a need to counter the rise of internet security threats and data protection efforts. We have explored some essential practices of internet security threats and how one can improve his online security. Internet or cyber security is a term people use to refer to different techniques of protecting the integrity of programs, networks, or data from unauthorized access or attack. Importance of Internet security or cyber security It doesn’t matter whether cyber security is on a national, organizational, or individual level; it helps protect against several issues, including theft of electronic data, hardware, and software. Besides this, the method utilized can help ensure IT-based services function without any misdirection or disruption. Knowing how vital internet security is can help one understand the reason why it is among the growing industry in the IT sector. Types of Internet Security Threats Although most internet security jobs focus on preventing service outages, data breaches, and other threats, everyone is responsible for staying alert. Furthermore, one needs to know what is expected to stay protected against the increasing rise in internet security. I will share some of these security threats and how one can mitigate the attacks. Phishing is a process where someone tries to get access to information, acting as a legitimate enquirer. An individual or organization can fish for information using several fake communication channels, including emails and social media platforms. They might try gaining access to the login credentials or accessing some personal information. Nowadays, it is a widespread practice and has become so complex that it is hard to spot them. Attackers can spoof an email address, create bogus websites that capture sensitive data, or masquerade as authentic entities on a smartphone. In such a situation, there are several ways of dealing with it. Firstly, one must ensure to get IT equipment installed and updated with the latest security feature. Furthermore, be suspicious of calls and emails that look odd. For instance, an email warning from someone of a password breach. In most situations, phishing and malware scams work hand in hand. Malware is a malicious software that performs an attack on a server or device that runs or downloads it. It causes data corruption and can bring down a whole system on a large scale. Like phishing, the malware tries to deceive the users into clicking a link or installing a program. These programs can replicate themselves, hijack system resources, track keystrokes, block access, and perform other compromising activities. I have different steps to help deal with malware and prevent potential internet threats. Firstly, I start by installing and updating anti-malware software if I don’t have any. In addition, I can back my important files and store them in a safe location. I ensure I only open software and files that I trust. Furthermore, I inspect correspondence and content to detect any features that look different. It’s a different type of malware that fundamentally locks any files, scrambling the files in a way that I cannot access them. In most situations, the attacker will demand ransom from the individual to decrypt the file or data. Ransomware is among the biggest internet security threat the world is currently facing. When I face a ransomware attack, I often feel helpless as we have nothing to do on our end. Because of this, I became at the mercy of the attacker. However, prevention is always the best way of dealing with a ransomware attack. The first thing to do to avoid a ransomware attack is to install an antivirus. In addition, I have to keep it updated while setting the device to only authorized users. If I become a victim of such an attack, I usually alert the IT department and disconnect from the affected machine. Internet Security best Practice for 2022 Understanding the internet security threat is only a step to protecting data. However, I need to brace myself with the latest practices to help deal with any potential attack. I will share some ways to stay safe when I find myself online. Keep the application and system updated. Criminals and hackers often exploit weaknesses in operating systems, software, and browsers to perpetuate their internet attacks. Providers regularly patch products to remove any vulnerabilities. Therefore, I will install any update to avoid such a threat. Avoid programs, attachments, devices, and links from unidentified sources Internet threats often mimic authentic correspondence in most situations. Therefore, whenever I receive links from unidentified sources, I ensure I don’t open them immediately. 5/5 - (1 vote) Similar Posts Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published.
All cases (briefly) All cases (full description) • Case "What is Bitcoin?" Case "What is Bitcoin?"10-11 Level Рейтинг кейса 0 USD 15.0 Checkout or continue shopping Description Specification More and more people purchase goods using the Internet. A lot of new payment systems emerged in order to make the Internet commerce and transactions easy, convenient and safe. Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency and a payment system that works without a central bank or administration. But, how does it work? What are ups and downs of the cryptocurrency? And, how do we deal with the emerging digital payment opportunities? Let's answer these questions in our case-lesson "Bitcoin" and find a lot of interesting and useful information about the digital payment systems. You go through such school subjects as economics, math, law, computer science, history, and geography. You also get such skills as critical thinking, analytical thinking, the ability to learn, self-control, goal-setting, prioritization, personal responsibility, critical thinking, working with technology, the ability to filter information, the ability to earn and spend money, the ability to make business plans, and the ability to operate in conditions of uncertainty.
Monday, April 19, 2021 The Passing Of The Greatest Generation Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip While I do give people the benefit of the doubt, I sometimes wonder if people really know enough history to truly appreciate the sacrifices of others. As I watched the funeral of Great Britain's Prince Philip on television this weekend, I couldn't help wonder if people understand the significance of his passing. No, not so much for who he was, though his life of loyalty to his wife and nation is one that many would serve well to emulate, but more for the passing of his generation. We forget that by World War I, America and Great Britain had extremely close ties. That's especially true when it came to foreign trade. After the first World War, Britain was already having it tough while paying off the debt that it accrued to fight World War I from 1914 to 1919. So when the Stock Market crashed in 1929 in the United States, so did the Stock Market in Great Britain. As a result, the Great Depression that we felt here was also felt in Great Britain and other parts of the world. For Britain, its imports dropped by half, and its currency, the Pound, dropped in worth by more than 25%. The result was skyrocketing unemployment. The worse to be hit were coal mining, iron and steel industries, and shipbuilding. It is said that unlike how everyone in America was adversely affected during the Great Depression, that wasn't the case in Great Britain where the lower classes were hit the hardest. Because of that, and the fact that building materials were cheap at the time, the British government was actually able to focus on rebuilding its slums. And like the work programs started in the United States by President Franklin Roosevelt, the job of rebuilding slums in England provided needed jobs. Jobs that many were more than willing to take. For Great Britain, the Great Depression was a time for suffering and a time for rebuilding. I believe it was also a time, as was the case in the United States, that prepared our peoples for World War II. And in the case of Great Britain, they were fighting in World War II for over two years before we got involved. My personal belief is that people are placed in the times that we live in for a reason. The generation which is now known to history as the "Greatest Generation" was born after World War I. Many grew up in the Great Depression and would fight in World War II. My own belief is that the Great Depression prepared them for the hard work, toil, and sacrifice of World War II. My grandmother used to say, "A man feels better about himself when he's working." The ill-effects of the Great Depression on British and American families could be seen on the forlorn faces in the bread lines in England just as they could in the United States. And yes, we forget about the countless numbers of poor children who wandered the streets. Because of those hard years, a time when they did in fact survive the lack of food, clothing, and many other essentials that so many today sadly take for granted, that generation was ready to take any job and work in whatever industry needed. Thus, they were prepared for the war effort. No, not only as a mission to defeat the Nazi war machine and the threat that it imposed -- but also as an opportunity to regain a sense of worth which the Great Depression had stole from everyone. They are truly our Greatest Generation because they were raised during the Great Depression and went on to fight and endure the hardship of World War II. By September of 1939, Great Britain was at war with Germany. And even with the looming threat of a German invasion, the British people stood fast and fought on. Here's a bit of trivia for my readers. At one point, the British government urged the Queen Mother to seek safety and leave England for Canada with her daughters. She refused. In fact, she is noted as saying, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave." Here's more. As the British rallied to the cause, then-Princess Elizabeth did her part. While the King and Queen initially refused to allow her to enlist, in fact noting that no female member of the Royal Family had ever joined the military, then-Princess Elizabeth did go on to join the British Army's Women's Auxiliary Territory Service (ATS). The ATS was very similar to our Women's Army Corps (WACs), and she registered as inductee No. 230873. The future Queen of Great Britain enlisted under the name Elizabeth Windsor. And as with others in the Women's Auxiliary Territory Service (ATS) during the war, her assignment was to serve in a support function. And while many of the ATS women served as anti-aircraft gunners, radio operators, and drivers, Queen Elizabeth II was a mechanic. As for what that did for the war effort, it's said her enlisting in the military was an incredible boost to the morale of the British people during those bleak days when bombs rained on London and destruction and despair were everywhere. So yes, with the passing of Great Britain's Prince Philip, we should all note the loss of those around the world who lived through the hard times of the great worldwide economic depression of the 1920s and 1930s, only to sacrifice so much to win World War II. But let's also remember that they then went on to recognize, fight, and defeat the Communist threat of dictatorial world domination. And frankly, we can all thank God that there were those who were stronger than the minority, those vital to our existence, those who were absolutely unassailable, especially when they are compared to those weak and timid souls who are so willing to forfeit their liberties to be enslaved by Nazi fascism and Marxist totalitarianism. Yes indeed. We really need to appreciate that generation and mourn their loss. After all, we owe them so much. Tom Correa No comments: Post a Comment Thank you for your comment.
Artificial Intelligence and the Blockchain How AI Can Change the Blockchain? • Energy Consumption • Scalability • Security • Privacy • Efficiency • Hardware • Lack of Talent • Data Gates How the Blockchain can Change AI? In the previous section, we quickly touched upon the effects that AI might eventually have on the blockchain. Now instead, we will make the opposite exercise understanding what impact can the blockchain have on the development of machine learning systems. More in details, blockchain could: • Help AI Explain Itself • Increase AI Effectiveness • Lower Market Barriers to Entry • Increase Artificial Trust • Reduce Catastrophic Risk Scenarios Blockchain and AI are on two extreme sides of the technology spectrum: one fostering centralized intelligence on closed data platforms, the other promoting decentralized applications in an open-data environment. However, if we find an intelligent way to make them work together, the total positive externalities could be amplified in a blink. There are of course technical and ethical implications arising from the interaction between these two powerful technologies, as for example how do we edit (or even forget) data on a blockchain? Is an editable blockchain the solution? And is an AI-blockchain not just pushing us to become data hoarders? Read the Full Article
The Search for Self-Understanding12.4 All of the personality theories discussed in this text have one thing in common: They are all designed to explain who we are in man’s quest for improved self-understanding. Many focus on the why of personality, such as Freud’s idea of psychosexual stages or Erikson’s crises that continue in different forms throughout our lives. Others focus more on the what, looking only at our present such as the research of trait theorists such as Cattell or Murray. Still others are more concerned about the who, or the internal state of who we can become. Maslow and Roger’s are prime examples of this, arguing that the past is of least important and only the present and future can be changed. In many ways, the individual theories have begun to merge together, however, and while each still holds a basic belief about personality, the specifics of each theory have alternative explanations. While Freud may state that unconscious wishes are driving our behavior, Skinner and others would argue that previous reinforcement, even if not immediately focused on are the driving force. Cognitivists argue that the conscious is the most important, but don’t discount completely the idea of an unconscious awareness. And Humanists, while they don’t address the unconscious directly, do believe that we are sometimes driven by forces that are not accurate in the real world. So what does all of this mean? It means that even though theorist’s original ideas may be set in stone, interpretation, alteration, and manipulation of these theories will continue for a long time. As students, we can read the specific explanations of personality, but it is up to each of us individually to interpret these ideas, throw out what does not make sense, and hold on to the parts that seem to fit. In that sense, each of us may have a slightly different view of how personality develops, how it should be assessed, and how we can use our beliefs to change personality. Trends in Personality Theory As we look back at the timeline of personality theory, we also begin to see some trends in how theorists explained personality and how society sees the world as a whole. In the beginning, biology was the predominant source of understanding. Most early theorists were trained in medicine and the physical sciences and personality was seen from a very biological perspective. Freud seemed to break this trend, providing us with a more psychological view of human nature, perhaps explaining why he is often considered the father of modern psychology. Soon after came the behaviorist’s viewpoint, arguing that personality was more under our control, at least the control that others have over us through reinforcement and conditioning. The humanistic approach arose during time of war and protests in the United States. While people were dealing with their own beliefs about the goodness of man, Maslow and Rogers presented their own theory on the innate good in all of us. It was a positive approach allowing us to forget the past and move toward a brighter tomorrow. Humanism began to fade in the 1980’s, perhaps more so because it was incorporated into other theories than its inherent flaws. It is widely agreed today that unconditional positive regard, a focus on the positive in individuals, and the establishment of a positive relationship are highly correlated with a positive therapeutic outcome. Finally, with the growing trend toward individualism in the U.S., and the belief that we are able to control our own destiny, Cognitivism grew to be a central theme in psychological theory. Kelly, Ellis, and Beck paved the way for understanding how our own perceptions of the world are more important for us individually than the reality of the world. By changing our perceptions, we can see the world, and therefore our place within it, in a completely different manner. If you follow the news, watch television, or sit through any commercials today, you will notice another change taking place within psychology. This growing trend of today seems to be reverting back to biological theory. As more medications are developed and more advanced technologies allow us to do more detailed research on the brain, we are seeing psychology once again from a biological perspective. People are looking for that quick fix and all else being equal, quicker is always better. Why put up with the withdrawal symptoms when we can take a pill or use a patch to help us quit smoking? Why go through months of therapy when a single pill a day can keep the blues away? Even situational disorders such as PTSD and Social Phobia are now being treated with a biological approach. Like any trend and any theory, there are both positive and negative aspects. A positive of this may be the ability to feel better quicker. It may also be seen as a positive since we can now blame genetics rather than our own thoughts or behaviors on those depressive thoughts, anxious behaviors, or sleepless nights. If taking a pill can fix us, why not follow the trend? The negative side of this is becoming more evident every day. We have found that many side effects exist with medication. We have also found that sometimes non-biological treatments actually work better and do not carry the same side-effects. Some questions that are being looked at in terms of today’s trends include: Why do some people respond to medication while others do not? How can we determine when medication is being used when it is not really necessary? Are we over-medicating or seeking out a biological explanation where none exist? What’s Next? As we look at these issues, you will likely find, as you have seen throughout this text, that no single theory can explain every aspect of the complexities of human personality. It is likely that biology plays an important role in much of who we are, and most psychologists agree with this idea. It is also likely that biological approaches will work best for treating specific personality or mental health issues. Now that the trend has come full circle, it is up to us as students of psychology to try to make sense of what we know. This is an ideal time in psychology and the study of personality to begin the process of integration. By looking at what we know, merging what works and minimizing what doesn’t, we can form new hybrid theories in our everlasting search for self-understanding.
coevolutionary free lunches Anthony • Dec 16, 2021 Refers to the general idea that for a fixed class of problems, there can be coevolutionary algorithmscoevolutionary algorithms A part of complexity science that deals directly with nature-inspired evolutionary processes involving interaction in the fitness function. A definition I've used in the past is that these algorith... that perform better than others on all instances of that class. It is an extension of a series of no free lunch theorems initiated by David Wolpert and William Macready, which argue that when it comes to classes of optimization problems, any (reasonable) algorithm performs as well as any other in the sense that any particular algorithm will perform optimally on some instances of the problem class, reasonably well on others, and poorly on still others, so that in the aggregate all algorithms' performance comes out to be the same. There's a lengthy theoretical setup, but that's the gist. No free lunch has become a sort of folklore result, which (in my view) is one of the things that makes coevolutionary free lunch interesting. Elena Popovici and I extended and grounded the theoretical paper of Wolpert and Macready and actually exhibited pseudocode of a free lunch algorithm. Later, Elena and Ezra Winston extended that result to include algorithm mechanisms, something W&M did not consider, landing a paper about it in the Theoretical Computer Science journal. A key construct in these proofs is an algorithm history or trace. We considered best worst-case optimization of a simple test-based problem, with interactive domainsinteractive domains A collection of one or more functions, called metrics, of the form $p\colon X_1\times X_2\times\cdots\times X_n\rightarrow R$, where each $i$ with $1\leq i\leq n$ is a domain role an element $... taking form $p\colon S\times T\rightarrow R$, where $S$ and $R$ are finite, $R$ is totally ordered and higher up the order is better, and the value of $p$ goes to elements of $S$. The solution concept was expected to output a single element of $S$ or a set of singletons of $S$ to be more precise. A history or trace then is a finite sequence $((s_1,t_1),(s_2,t_2),\dots,(s_n,t_n))$ of pairs where no pair ever appears twice, but individual $s_i$ might repeat (similarly for $t_i$), together with the output of $p$ on each pair. We followed W&M in being algorithm agnostic and focused only on the output mechanism, the salient question being: given such a history, what element of $S$ should the algorithm output as its "answer"? Their answer, which is developed in their paper, was a kind of Bayes optimality property, where the expectations are taken with respect to all possible extensions of the problem consistent with the history observed. What Elena and I first observed is that in a fairly wide set of circumstances (sticking with best worst case though), this complicated-sounding condition boiled down to a greedy criterion. In other words, the Bayes optimal way to choose which solution to output, given a history, is along the lines of: output an $s_i$ that has the best worst-case value according to the history among those that have been tested most, unless that best-worst case is the worst value possible, in which case output an arbitrary solution not in the history (or all of them if you're looking for all). What Elena and Ezra showed is that, again in a wide (though more restricted) set of circumstances, the optimal way to choose which solution to interact next–the algorithm mechanism–is to choose the solution you would have output from the history up to that point, and test that one with an arbitrary test that does not create a repeat in the history. These mechanisms can be implemented in a straightforward way. I feel compelled to point out, though, that when you run them, or sit and think about them for a minute, these mechanisms are disappointing. In practice, such an algorithm will repeatedly test the same candidate solution over and over again until it is found to have the worst case value; then it will select an arbitrary new candidate, and repeat. Doing this has nice properties when considered in aggregate over all problems in the problem class, but it's unsatisfactory in practice because it does not explore. Best worst-case is well-known to be a non-montonic solution concept, and thus stymies algorithms or theories that rely on a monotonicity (in my view, convexity condition. Thus, this line of work is important not just because it exhibits provably-optimal algorithms, but also because it fills a theoretical gap.
Edit AllPages RandomNumber topics: [Topic] Simple question, how do you create a random number? – I was going to email someone for the answer but I thought this question might be a good one for other newbies like myself. ; ) – JohnDevor Not exactly a Cocoa question, but if we’re going to be catering to a larger newbie audience as it seems is the trend, then why not… Note that you cannot create true random numbers on a computer because everything a computer does must be procedural (as programmers, we should all know this). So people create pseudo-random number generators to simulate random number choosing that will appear to humans to be truly random. We can use the pseudo-random number methods declared in stdlib.h in the standard C library to get these numbers. These methods are rand() and srand(). Before any calls to rand() are made, you should use srand() (seed random) to help improve the apparent randomness of the results. A typical call looks like the following: This obviously uses the time() function (which is in time.h) to make each seed unique depending on when the function was called in time. Once the generator is seeded, subsequent calls can be made to rand() to retrieve random numbers. rand() returns an int between the range of 0 to RAND_MAX (defined in stdlib.h) which is usually around INT_MAX or whatever that constant is. For random numbers within a certain range, then modulus operator becomes indispensible. Here are some examples of how to use this. rand() % 50; //Gives a number between 0 and 49 inclusive. (rand() % 50)+1; //Gives a number between 1 and 50 inclusive. (rand() % 51)-25; //Gives a number between -25 and 25 inclusive. For more information on rand(), srand(), and related functions, read ‘man 3 rand’ (note: on my machine at least, it will bring up the OpenSSL man page for it’s rand() function, which isn’t what I’ve used here. Just hit q and the C library page will load). Technically you’re wrong about a computer not being able to generate a truely random number. All you would need to do is sample an RF signal and then seed a random number generator with a sampled value. Then you could use feedback to select a differenent Hz to sample :-) You can get that kind of environmental noise randomness in OS X– read from /dev/random or /dev/urandom. man 4 random: To add entropy to the random generation system, open /dev/random for writing and write data that you believe to be somehow random. Ah, but who says that all the gobs of RF noise in the air are truly random. Interesting philosophical question…. is anything truly random at all in the grand scheme of things? It’s all cause and effect… (ie, in an alternate universe exactly like ours, you and your twin in that universe would flip a coin the exact same way and come up with the exact same result every time… in theory). In most cases you can make do with pseudo random numbers. Certain applications such as encryption however require “real” random number. Another application is compression, theoretically it should be impossible to compress large sets of “real” random numbers. Beside adding additional hardware to your computer you can also obtain random numbers from certain websites such as this: As to whether two coins flipped in identical/parallel universes would come up the same… Well acording to quantum theory they may not. Here’s an interesting article (linked from – SaileshAgrawal all gobs of RF noise are not random in a serial sense, but a single sample of an arbitrary frequency used to select the frequency of another sample should be completely random. Now I’m not saying that you are guaranteed a particular distribution, but I highly doubt that there is some binding coherency to the entire electromagnetic spectrum with a temporal order of such magnitude!!!!!! I’d like to point out that the method of getting random numbers within a given range described above is not accurate. Because of the nature of most random number generators, using a modulus (%) greatly decreases the randomness of the numbers. Hence the preferred method is: (rand() / RANDMAX) * 50 //Generates a number between 0 and 50, //Provided that RANDMAX is defined as the maximum number //that rand() can output Note also that you are not restricted to using the built-in rand(). There are numerous other random number generators in existance. Probably the most well known is the MersenneTwister, which is 4 times faster than rand(). More info about it is available at: – OwenAnderson Another note about the sample above. I agree “%” is a very poor way to get a random number, and the test against RANDMAX is much better. However, while the sample: (rand() / RANDMAX) * 50 does generate an integer value between 0 and 50, the distribution is not even across this space. The values 0 - 49 will appear with relatively regular frequency, and the number 50 will show up very, very infrequently. Here’s a sample program: #define MAXVALUE 5 #define ATTEMPTS 10000000 int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) { int i; int values[MAXVALUE+1]; bzero(values, sizeof(values)); for (i = 0; i < ATTEMPTS; i++) { int value = (float)rand() / RAND_MAX * MAXVALUE; values[value] += 1; for (i = 0; i < MAXVALUE + 1; i++) { printf("%d\t%d\n", i, values[i]); return 0; } Here’s the sample results: val frequency 0 2000463 1 2002038 2 1998323 3 1998651 4 2000522 5 3 This is because you will only get your maximum value if rand() returns its maximum value. You might try rounding the value first to even the distribution, like so: #include #include #define MAXVALUE 5 #define ATTEMPTS 10000000 bzero(values, sizeof(values)); int value = rint((float)rand() / RAND_MAX * MAXVALUE); values[value] += 1; return 0; } but that doesn’t work well either: val frequency 0 1000484 1 2000695 2 2000327 3 1998591 4 2000491 5 999412 And anyway, that rounding idea is barking up the wrong tree entirely. Normally you are interested in computing a random number between 0 and some value, so you can make some kind of random decision. For example, let’s say I want a random number between 0 and 5. I do the following: int value = (float)rand() / RAND_MAX * (MAXVALUE + 1); if (value > MAXVALUE) value = 0; This gives me the number between 0 and 5 that I’m looking for, and if for some reason the number 6 appears (rand() happened to return RAND_MAX) I just push it back into range by arbitrarily calling it 0. The full program is: #include #include #define MAXVALUE 5 #define ATTEMPTS 10000000 bzero(values, sizeof(values)); if (value > MAXVALUE) value = 0; values[value] += 1; return 0; } The results are: val frequency 0 1665343 1 1665495 2 1666906 3 1666385 4 1668487 5 1667384 I now get integer numbers between 0 and 5 w/ relatively even distribution, and no chance of a buffer overrun. ScreenSaver programmers can use a handy macro SSRandomIntBetween to do this kind of thing. From ScreenSaverView.h: static inline int SSRandomIntBetween(int a, int b) { int range = b - a < 0 ? b - a - 1 : b - a + 1; int value = (int)(range * ((float)random() / (float) LONG_MAX)); return value == range ? a : a + value; } – MikeTrent Thanks for all of your comments! I thought this was a lot simpler concept before, but now I’ve learned more about this subject, so thanks for your insights. And thank you WikiWiki! Everybody now, “Thank you newbies!” –JohnDevor MikeTrent, I am willing to defend the modulo operator (%). I used your example code, and generated the random numbers with this line: int value = rand() % (MAXVALUE +1); This generated the following output: val frequency 0 1666740 1 1666928 2 1667595 3 1664894 4 1665665 5 1668178 – EnglaBenny I guess I stand corrected. I was just repeating what I read in an old C book. Maybe it was referring to a different rand() implementation than OS X uses. Either way, I still think the RAND_MAX technique is preferable. It is conceivable that the modulus (%) method could break some random functions. On the other hand, there is no way that the RAND_MAX technique could break a function. But it would appear not to make much of a difference, at least on Mac OS X. –OwenAnderson The claim comes from older versions of rand() available on some systems. In these systems the least significant bits (the ones we’re looking at with %) tended to produce less random results, and the solution to that problem was to divide by RAND_MAX. Dig around on Google if you’re interested in the history. Now, it seems to be the case that Darwin’s rand() is better than the “known to be poor” rand() of old. Can you rely on that in the future? Will you ever need to port your code to some other platform? But even more than that, I worry about where my number came from. Say I want to use mod to pick a random number between 0 and 3. I’m only using the last two bits of my value, and that’s creepy. I’ll need to make sure my random generator generates a fairly even distribution when these high bits are ignored. On the other hand, if I divide by RAND_MAX to pick a random number between 0 and 3, I am using all 32 bits of my random value to compute my 2 bit result. That makes me feel better. * Interjection into old stuff - You aren’t using all 32 bits, you’re just favoring most significant bits over least significant bits. In the case of generating a random number between 0 and 3, inclusive, rand() % 4 uses only the bottom two bits. floor((float)rand() / RAND_MAX * 5) uses only the top two bits (ignoring edge cases that make little difference). Those are the only ones that determine what quadrant of the result space rand() falls into. Now think about selecting a number between 0 and 2, inclusive. In the modulus method, each bit is equally important. In the divide-by-RAND_MAX method, the least significant bits are much less important. Any number that starts with 11.. in binary is in the top third of the space, so will result in a ‘2’. Finally, I don’t think any of this really matters to screen saver twinkers and wannabe video game hackers. Do whatever you want. The issue of where random numbers come from matters more to people who are interested in a standard distribution from their generator function. And people who are really serious about it, such as cryptographers, are using other mechanisms for random number generation. – MikeTrent If you modulus by 6, you’re using all the bits in the random number. It’s only powers of 2 that are problems, neh? – KritTer Really? Aren’t you just using the bottom 3 bits? Modulo is the remainder after division, not the division itself. – MikeTrent Yep, and you can’t tell the remainder by looking at the bottom three bits. By analogy, the rule for determining remainder modulo 3 in decimal is to add all the digits together and see if that’s divisible by three. e.g. 18 is, 28 isn’t. Nor is 218, but 318 is. As is 1218. Et cetera. – KritTer Anyone interested in generating random numbers should take a look at NumericalRecipes or Knuth’s seminal works on TheArtOfComputerProgramming Or, check, which has links to a number of good resources. —- The natural follow-up question is whether or not any arbitrary discussion of computer science as pertaining to the determinism of generated values is itself deterministic. rand() % x is not uniformly distributed. random() % x is (assuming (RAND_MAX+1) % x == 0). Check the man page for random(). It specifically states that all bits from it are usable, and that random() & 01 is a valid way to generate a random bit, unlike rand(), whose lower bits are cyclic. – AndresSantiagoPerezBergquist How about the MersenneTwister? It has a period of 2^19937-1! New page [] Old page [] From the WebPage: "”What is Mersenne Twister? Mersenne Twister(MT) is a pseudorandom number generator developped by Makoto Matsumoto and Takuji Nishimura (alphabetical order) during 1996-1997. MT has the following merits: It is designed with consideration on the flaws of various existing generators. The algorithm is coded into a C source downloadable below. Far longer period and far higher order of equidistribution than any other implemented generators. (It is proved that the period is 2^19937-1, and 623-dimensional equidistribution property is assured.) Fast generation. (Although it depends on the system, it is reported that MT is sometimes faster than the standard ANSI-C library in a system with pipeline and cache memory.) Efficient use of the memory. (The implemented C-code mt19937.c consumes only 624 words of working area.)”” I’d like to point out that there are two sets of random functions. srand and rand are the C standard functions, and srandom and random are the BSD-issued functions that the manpages recommend (check man random and man srand). also, there are sranddev and srandomdev, which read a seed value from /dev/random and call srandom with it. and to KevinPerry: those are functions, not methods. A quick test of the method I added to the GeneratingRandomNumber page: driven by int results[6]; results[i] = 0; long r = [DieModel randomLongFrom:1 to:6]; NSLog(@"r[%d] = %d",i+1,results[i]); r[1] = 1667172 r[2] = 1667044 r[3] = 1667503 r[4] = 1665171 r[5] = 1667205 r[6] = 1665905 Mk I eyeball says those look good enough, though it would not be a bad idea to run a few real statistical tests on the output sequence. Still, I am willing to believe the man page on random() - the claim that every bit is usable is a very strong one, and I rather hope they tested it well. – ScottEllsworth The claim that every bit is usable is not equivalent to the claim that you can use the modulo operator to get randomness out. For example, let’s say we have a function called Random() which returns random numbers evenly distributed between 0 and 255. In other words, every call gives you eight bits of randomness, which each bit being usable for anything. So Random() % 2 will give you a perfectly random bit, etc. Now you want a random number from 0 to 254. So you write Random() % 255. But you’re paranoid and run a test and print a histogram and, lo and behold, the number 0 shows up twice as often as every other number in the set! This is because every number maps to itself except for 255, which maps to 0, so you have in effect two 0’s and one of everything else coming out of the generator. This is only a major problem if your range is similar to that of the generator’s actual output range, and it won’t show up at all if your modulus is an even factor of the generator’s max value (plus one). If you try to generate a number from 0 to 2 by doing Random() % 3, you’ll discover that 0 shows up slightly more often, but probably not enough for most purposes. Even so, modulus-mased range reduction is something to be careful of when using random number generators. Don’t use srand(time(NULL)) (or srandom()). Instead, use sranddev() or srandomdev(), which will seed from /dev/random. 17 is the most random number. Randomness is not just about the various frequencies. Consider int suckyrandom(int maxval){ static int lastVal=0; int result=lastVal; if(++lastVal>maxval)lastVal=0; return result; } This will produce values evenly distributed, but is obviously not random. The interesting question is what is the probability that I get x, given that the last value is y (call it p(x,y)). Ideally you want this to be such that p(x,y)=p(x), ie you gain no information from knowing the last value (p(x) being the probability that your generator returns x. The low bits of rand() being cyclic means that they fail this almost completely. I’m a researcher from Cornell working on several projects involving high performance computing. There is a statement on this page that I want to disagree with. There are computer events that are random. Traditionally, applications fall into two categories: deterministic and non-deterministic. Simply put, a deterministic program will always produce the same results each time it is run. Definitions of a non-deterministic program vary, but clearly anything involving the outside world (including human input, network traffic, sensor readings, etc) can cause each program run to produce a different (i.e. random) result. From a single application’s perspective, you need not even have user input to affect the way your program runs. Aspects of the OS such as page faulting can not be determined by your application, but can affect your application nonetheless… sometimes in subtle ways. Typically, such effects are undesirable and when they surface they are known as heisenbugs because they are not always reproducible. You might argue that each time all the conditions fall into place just right the program’s run will be the same… however, the same can potentially be said of the universe we live in and is a non-starter for most mathematicians. I was under the impression that newtonian phyisics is not compatible with the idea of random, and the only “Random” physical event we can observe relates to the distribution of decaying subatomic particles. Everything else falls under the cause-and-effect banner, and so-called random events just have a chain of effect too long and complex to follow or reproduce. I am not educated on the subject and this is just hearsay. So perhaps a definition of the word “Random” might be in order. -Jeremy Jurksztowicz Well, if you want a really unusual number, reseed your generator every time, using the current date and time, the location of all mouse clicks in the past ten minutes, hash of the user’s name, log of the number of characters in the relative path to their home folder from your program, the last ten login dates (in milliseconds since they last launched Safari), the number of preference files updated in the last 27.3 days, and any other information you can get your hands on. (That was kind of fun) Random (physics) = pretty much impossible Random (programming) = does not look like a pattern, and has roughly equal result frequencies. BTW, to avoid the “double-zero” problem of Random() % 254, just recalculate the number if it is 255. And go ahead and call me an ignorant freak (or something else equally insulting), but I think that a random function that “looks good” is almost always good enough unless you actually do have to generate several thousand random numbers in the life span of a program. And yes, I know that sometimes you do. –JediKnil The technique of simply re-calling the generator if it gives something that is out of range is a standard technique which eliminates this problem. Or more efficiently, you can calculate a maximum based on a factor from your modulus, use modulus if the number is under that maximum, and recalculate if it’s over. You lose no randomness by doing this technique. Your list of randomness is incomplete, by the way. There is a lot more than just “perfect” and “good enough for an arcade game”. Probably most importantly, there is cryptographic randomness which falls in the middle, whose criterium is “impractical for an adversary to guess the number stream”. Whether a technique is good enough really depends on what you’re doing with it. Using Random() % 52 to seed a deck of cards when Random() returns numbers from 0 to 63 is going to produce noticeably incorrect results and annoy your players (or allow them to cheat). Using a large portion of the result from rand() (the std C function) for things like positioning is ok, but masking off the bottom bit and using it to figure out a coin flip is going to be distinctly non-random, probably enough to notice for your more attentive players. Using random() in the same situation will be fine, but use random() to generate SSL session keys and you’re sunk.
The Biggest Picture: Uluru Ceremony The Biggest Picture: Uluru Ceremony By Steven & Evan Strong In previous articles addressing the ceremony and global meditation occurring at Uluru on December 21, 2020, we have examined evidence from near and around that huge rock and all over the planet. Augmented by hundreds of ceremonies throughout the planet, the grand conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, which was undeniably supplemented by the Summer Solstice, energised Uluru and literally turned this sacred rock on, forever! But it doesn’t end here, as it went everywhere. It was not just one solitary planet that fell under this twin-planetary spell, there is compelling evidence that the entire solar system was affected in different ways. However, even though in each of six events analysed they are markedly different, one thing never varied, the cause. We will begin our planetary journey at the outer extremity of our solar system. Although now officially de-listed as a planet by the experts, Pluto is still out there, but within days of the conjunction its outer atmosphere became 80% smaller in volume. No scientific explanation has been offered beyond it being either compression or the gas just floated off into space. Nor has anyone suggested what mechanism or event caused this dramatic change in the ‘gas-scape’ of this distant planet. Of itself, if nothing else happened elsewhere, it could be dismissed as a bizarre unrelated natural disaster or due to a meteor impact. However, Neptune’s new visage and possible reversal of rotation is for more dramatic and because it is much closer to the two largest planets in alignment, is to be expected. Originally the gas surface on this planet was uniformly one colour with no variation. At sometime either on that day, or within the next week, the planet ‘created’ two huge spherical shapes somewhat like the coloured ‘eye’ of Jupiter. They are still there, but what really is a conundrum of monumental proportions, is that both ‘eyes’ are rotating in the opposite direction to the way this planet is supposed to rotate. What that means is that both newly acquired spheres, being stationed on the surface, are moving against the flow of the planet, or the entire planet is now spinning in the opposite direction to that which was occurring before December 21. The two Agent Provocateurs and the two Closest Rock Planets Clearly the conjunction of the two largest planets in our solar system, of which Jupiter has legitimate claims to be acting more like a second sun rather than a planet, was the central generation point. But the crucial question is what types of energy and forces were being created. Whatever this was, it is of a quality and impact outside the reach of any current understanding of the laws of science and physics, as those two planets were not behaving ‘normally.’ The closest rock planet to this alignment is Mars, and once again when NASA made their announcement, no explanation was forthcoming. Nor could there be, they are adamant the axis of Mars shifted four inches. Four inches may not sound a lot if pushing a wheelbarrow, but once factoring in the weight of the entire planet, pushing it a solitary millimetre off course requires a massive surge of energy. When it comes to what happened on our home planet, the choices are so many, but first amongst equals has to be the two earthquakes that happened so close to that date. Measuring 9.6 with an aftershock of 9.7, which of itself is reversal in sequence as the leading earthquake always sets the bar, both seismic events are easily the most catastrophic ever measured on this planet. Chile was 9.2 and the 9.1 earthquake in San Francisco brought down virtually every building at the beginning of the twentieth century, and by comparison to what took place twice at Antarctica (never renowned for earthquakes of any magnitude) this seismic event has no precedent. What does resonate is that the top or bottom of Mars shifted, and here on Earth it seems the transition point was identical. It should come as no surprise that at the same time the sun pulsated in solar flares and winds at a level rarely recorded. None of these planetary and solar events are the same, but the timing is and the Grand Conjunction is the catalyst. The Third Release As explained earlier, the quantity and quality of supporting photographs taken at 7:32 December 21 or very soon after was beyond our most optimistic expectations, and because of this, we are serialising the release over the next year. With a planetary and solar backdrop complete, it is appropriate to share another three photographs. The first was taken by Ros in rural N.S.W. and exhibits many similarities to the photograph of a cylindrical shaft of golden light in the sky falling into the sea at Croatia. Yes, the golden glow is not there, but the shape, dimensions and final destination (the Earth) is identical. Just as it was with the intense blue in the sky at Uluru and America, which are at opposite sides of the planet, the same can be said about the two locations of this repeated phenomena. Photo By Ros Mulder Shared by Soraya Danielle (from Jasmina Lakota), 21st Dec. 2020: We had quite a few to choose from the category of electronic discharges, this particular photo is of a flat plain with grey clouds above and an inordinate amount of ‘lightning’ in between. There are no torrential winds, hint of a downpour, steep inclines nor any sign of turbulence. However, the number of simultaneous lightning strikes, during, before and after, is unlike anything I have seen or been photographed. That it happened within days after the ceremony could be just another part in the beginning of a global cleansing process that began at 7:32 Pm at Uluru, or a normal event. On its own a natural explanation has ‘legs,’ but in combination with the eight other photographs posted, and so many more to come, this is what it is-the earth is healing itself from within. The time in this evolving report has come to start focusing on the giver of life, energy and existence, the sun. Outside the incredible surge of solar winds and flares, many photographs were taken of the sun that are just not normal or readily explainable. Again, there are so many to choose from, and in each case something is not quite as it should be. There are reflections/orbs in this photo that are not normal. Undeniably claims of photo-shopping or natural irregularities in the camera’s performance can be claimed, but in doing so there are eight other photographs now presented walking down the same mystical path. They all have to be explained away, and there are so many more like this photo to come. Our suggestion is to put away the scepticism and blinkers and view all these pictures in a combined context. Once doing so it leaves one open to seriously consider a small sampling of the written testimonies that lack a photograph or any empirical proof. Of the hundreds we can choose from, our first selection is of two people we personally know and hold in the very highest regard. Their integrity and honesty is beyond reproach, and because of that what they reported back to us in describing their experiences on that seminal day, can only be true. A Progress Report Because of the Grand Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter the entire solar system was ‘rocking and rolling,’ of that there is no doubt. And right there at the spiritual centre of the Earth, Uluru was flashing and activating. We have photographs, measurements and charts that prove this to be true. From our viewpoint, we made it clear all the way up to the 21st that we held many reservations that anything would eventuate. Nevertheless, it did, and the rock is humming and will continue to increase in activation over the next few years. Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn By Misaochan2, CC BY-SA 4.0 <>, via Wikimedia Commons at No longer is it a matter of if, but now it is all about what comes next. Who will step on to this Mayan road or Hopi “fast flowing river?”(1) What are the conditions of entry, and where do those who fail themselves go next? And it is that intriguing path forward, or backwards, which has now become the primary focus of all our upcoming on-line conferences. (1) Thomas Banyacya Sr. (Hopi Chief), June 8th , 2000. (Shared by Wendy Nickerson, Department Administrator for the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health), “We are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For: Prophecy made by Hopi Elders”, COVID-19 UPDATES – Office of Academic Clinical Affairs, For More Information See: After Uluru …What Comes Next Dec. 21st Uluru 1. While at Uluru and Kata Tjuta, you can learn more about the Anangu people and their past, as well as the strong ties the natural formations have to the culture of the region. The on-site Cultural Centre provides ample opportunity to get to know the unique narratives of the region. Additionally, local Aboriginal tour guides show tourists around the base of Uluru every single day. The natural landmark is thought to have been formed by ancestral beings during the Dreaming. According to the local Aboriginal people, Uluru’s numerous caves and fissures were all formed due to ancestral beings actions in the Dreaming. Still today, ceremonies are held in the sacred caves lining the base. The term Dreaming refers to the time when the land and the people were created by the ancestor spirits. They creates the rivers, hills, rocks, and more, forming everything in the natural world. The ancestors also made particular sites to express to the Aboriginal people which places were to be sacred. 2. I was struck by the opposite coloring of these two shafts of light/dark… as though the light from rural NSW was seen in Croatia, and the darkness from Croatia was seen in rural NSW… Although, you must switch one of the images, top to bottom, for the colors to match almost perfectly… as though this momentary switching of light, traveled right through the Earth, rather than around it. Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published.
#1 humor site on the 'net Baby Bat Early flying lesson away from the cave Baby Bat thanks to Troy Clements Megachiroptera (or mega) bats are medium to large-size bats. Many eat fruit, pollen, or nectar; some eat small land animals, and some eat fish. They have big eyes and excellent eyesight. Microchiroptera (or micro) bats are smaller bats that eat mostly insects. They use echolocation, detecting sound waves to navigate and identify the flying insects they eat. Included in this group is the smallest bat (Kitti’s hog-nosed bat), which weighs less than a penny. Bats are the only mammals that can fly; vampire bats are the only mammals that feed entirely on blood. Vampire bats sleep during the day in total darkness, suspended upside down from the roofs of caves. They typically gather in colonies of about 100, but sometimes live in groups of 1,000 or more. In one year, a 100-bat colony can drink the blood of 25 cows. Vampire: Hemogoblin - Daffynitions joe-ks.com Europe: Next one to bat. - Daffynitions joe-ks.com A full mind is an empty baseball bat. - Branch Rickey The most important thing about batting is getting the bat to hit the ball. - Michael Holding The baby bat Screamed out in fright, 'Turn on the dark, I'm afraid of the light.' - Shel Silverstein Happy Face Sandwich Senior Eye Exam Chubby Free Young Rock Star Restored Beauty Powerplant Swimsuit Models Watermelon Cake Filet Minion Better Singer Texas Basketball Grow Food, Not Lawns Nut Salesman Long Yellow Things Ants Know When Something Is Fake Think Outside Despicable Wood Stove Engineering Flowchart Hunter's Dream Wedding Paddy Field Canal Grow A Boyfriend
19th Ave New York, NY 95822, USA Dr. Gideon Idowu Microplastics and plastic-derived chemical contaminants in Africa: Implication on human health and the loss of aquatic biodiversity Plastic pollution is one of the most fundamental environmental challenges currently confronting Africa. Because of their wide varieties, flexibilities and a very large number of applications, plastics constitute the bulk of solid wastes reaching the natural environment. The unique durability which makes them attractive for the many applications, also causes them to persist in the environment. They only degrade over a long period of time and become tiny plastic particles regarded as ‘microplastics’. Microplastics are ingested by both bottom-dwelling and pelagic organisms in water, and result in blockage of digestive tracts, starvation, internal and external lacerations, as well as the loss of organ and body weight. Microplastics ingestion also causes reduced reproduction, oxidative damage, biotransformation of enzymes, and accumulation of toxic contaminants from surrounding water. Microplastics ingestion is not limited to large water organisms like fish, seabirds, and reptiles. Small invertebrate species such as arthropods, shrimps, molluscs and zooplanktons have also been affected. Microplastics ingested by aquatic organisms have higher toxicological risks, through bioaccumulation and biomagnification across trophic levels. Furthermore, plastic polymers do not come into the environment alone. Numerous other chemical substances are incorporated into them as additives - to serve as plasticizers, colorants, fillers, antioxidants and light stabilizers. These substances leach into the environment during degradation of plastic materials. Of special environmental concern are those additives that have endocrine-disrupting effects on species in the environment. These include phthalates, bisphenols, alkylphenols, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with normal hormonal functions in species and cause effects such as feminization of male organisms, ultimately resulting in reduced species population due to impaired reproduction capabilities. Like animals in the wild, humans exposed to EDCs may suffer hormonal imbalances and consequent reproductive impairments, DNA damage and cancers. Human exposure comes mainly through recreational use of surface waters (e.g. for swimming) and through drinking of water from rivers and streams, a practice that is still rampant in most rural Africa. The overall environmental effect of plastic pollution is a progressive decrease in population of species, an inevitable loss of aquatic biodiversity, and an increased burden of diseases in Africa. While governments across the continent have signed agreements to eradicate plastic pollution, there is yet no commensurate action plan to this intent, due to a lack of compelling scientific evidence to inform needed policy changes. This JWO-funded Africa-wide project is bridging data gap on microplastics and EDCs pollution, and providing evidence of their effects on species, the loss of aquatic biodiversity, as well as the human health exposure risks.
The International Boundary Commission is a permanent international organization headed by two commissioners: a Canadian and an American. In 1924 it distributed to the public its Report, which contained many photographs that were its own work. The report contains no copyright notice. The Commission's web site contains this paragraph: I'm wondering about usability of these photographs in Wikipedia articles. As nearly as I understand it, Wikipedia's policy says works uploaded to Wikipedia that are not in the public domain must be subject to a license allowing anyone to use them subject only to the condition that authorship and copyright ownership must be acknowledged. Here is Wikipedia's policy on this. • Are any claims to copyright forfeited by public distribution without a copyright notice? • Would copyrights have expired? PS: Here is the 512-page report. Postscript on August 23, 2021: The one current answer does not seem to take into account that the U.S. federal government is not the author, but is merely one of the publishers, of this work (the International Boundary Commission is the author) and also does not explain how Canadian law does or does not apply here. That is why I have started a bounty here. 2 Answers 2 Wikipedia, at least the English-language edition of Wikipedia, takes the position that what applies to it is US copyright law. Under that law, anything published in 1924 is now in the public domain, and anything published first in the US, or simultaneously in the US and another country with no copyright notice prior to 1978 (the effective date of the 1976 Copyright Act) was never protected by copyright, but was in the public domain from the date of publication. See "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Beyond that, the statement quotes would seem to be, in effect, a license permitting free but non-commercial use. That alone would not normally permit Wikipedia use, except under a claim of fair use. So Wikipedia use would be based on the date of publication, or the absence of a copyright notice, or both. As a long-term Wikipedia editor, I am confident that the images described would be usable in Wikipedia articles. They might or might not be up-loadable to Wikimedia commons, but I think they would be. The question of US Federal Government authorship is a distraction, this work would be in the public domain if the US Govt had no role in creating it. • The Commission statement is effectively a no-commercial-use license, which isn't acceptable on either Wikipedia or Commons. Fortunately, it doesn't apply to the 1924 Report. – Mark Aug 25, 2021 at 1:44 • @Mark quite correct, my error. I have corrected the answer. But the other factors remain. Aug 25, 2021 at 1:48 Copyright notices were required in 1923 under US law. Under the Berne Convention simultaneously published works get the shortest protection. Also, the US government specificity does not claim copyright in its works. The photos are public domain. • 1 But might Canadian law also affect the matter? Apr 5, 2017 at 21:09 • 2 @ohwilleke : I am skeptical of that statement. If the U.S. federal government is the AUTHOR of a work, then it's in the public domain, but if the U.S. government is the PUBLISHER, it doesn't: The government may buy a copyright and publish a work or it may publish a work with whose copyright owner the government has a contract. Those situations are not the same as the government being the AUTHOR and don't have the same effect. And PRINTING is not the same as publishing: publishing is distribution to the public. Besides, Canadian law may also be involved in this instance. Apr 12, 2017 at 2:05 • 3 @DaleM : You are right that when the U.S. government is the author of a work, there is no copyright. But this is the work of an international organization, not of the U.S. government. That the U.S. government PRINTED it and PUBLISHED it (i.e. distributed it to the public) does not make the government the author, and the International Boundary Commission, as an international organization, is not the same as the U.S. government. And questions about Canadian law may also be involved. Apr 12, 2017 at 2:07 • 2 @ohwilleke US government works are not defined by who printed them but by who prepared them (specifically "a work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties"). It's not clear to me that this would apply here. – phoog Aug 23, 2021 at 21:20 • 2 The rule of the shorter term is optional, and Canada does not follow it with respect to US works. However, I agree with your analysis that it's definitely public domain in the US. – Kevin Aug 24, 2021 at 19:31 Your Answer
C Carole Satyamurti War Photographer by Carole Satyamurti ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti centers around the tragic, comparing poverty to leisure. The poet, Carole Satyamurti, is known for facing pain and suffering head-on in her works of poetry. The words of these poems center around modern warfare, and explicitly reveal the minor details of the effects war has on individual lives. Rather than seeing war as a whole, the author reveals that the details seen by a war photographer reveal that war is individual and personal. War Photographer by Carole Satyamurti ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti presents the horrors of war by the use of a few contrasting images. ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti begins with a description of a firmly edged photo-frame. It reminds the readers of the rigidity of war. Secondly, the poet presents a contrasting image of a few “sun-gilded girls” merrily passing their time in “champagne giggles”. In contrast, the small girl in the war-ridden area is already a mother and constantly fights the odds of life. Moreover, in the third stanza, the photographer describes how that girl died due to the explosion of the first bomb. At last, she points at the caption that tried to describe the inner message of the photograph. According to the person, it falsely presents the actual scenario for creating a mood of optimism. Whereas, “the blood stain on a wall” depicts how the human spirit dies each day due to the brutality of men. You can read the full poem War Photographer here. ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti consists of five stanzas. The first and fifth stanza being the important ones are long in comparison to the other stanzas that present a set of images for creating contrasts throughout the poem. The second and third stanzas are parenthetical. These stanzas are closely associated with the first stanza. Apart from that, it is a free verse poem as there isn’t any specific rhyme scheme in it. The overall poem contains an internal rhythm that sustains the flow of the poem. Moreover, the poet presents the perspective of a war photographer from the first-person point-of-view. Hence, it is also an example of a lyric poem. However, there isn’t any specific metrical scheme in the poem. It contains the mixture of both the iambic meter and the trochaic meter. Apart from that, it is also an example of a dramatic monologue. Literary Devices ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti begins with a metaphor. In the first line, the poet implicitly compares the flexibility of the frame to reassurance. Thereafter, the poet uses asyndeton in the third line of this stanza. The words, “tragic” and “absurd” contain synecdoche. Moreover, there is personification in the line, “Or if the picture’s such as lifts the heart…” In the last line the poet uses irony. Apart from that, the poet uses enjambment throughout the poem. The second stanza begins with a hyperbaton. Thereafter, the phrase, “sun-gilded girls” contains a metaphor. Moreover, there is metonymy in the line, “in champagne giggles”. Here, the poet refers to the cause to signify its effect. In the third stanza, there is an alliteration in “she saw me seeing her”. Here, the repetition of the “s” sound creates an internal rhyming. By “my finger pressed” the poet uses a periphrasis to say that the photographer clicked a photograph. In the fourth stanza, there is a metaphor in “dark scream” and the last line contains an ellipsis. In the last stanza, the caption of the photograph contains irony. The line following it contains a paradox. Moreover, in the last line, the poet uses a simile to compare the arbitrariness of the boundaries between heaven and hell to “a blood stain on a wall.” ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti contains several themes such as the horror of war, ignorance, harsh realism, and appearance vs reality. The most important theme of the poem is the horror of war. The poet incorporates this theme from the perspective of a war photographer. The images depicting the ignorant girls and the girl in her early motherhood creates a contrast. By presenting this contrast, the poet touches on the theme of realism. Moreover, the images described in the last two stanzas present the brutality and horror of war. Apart from that, in the last stanza, the caption describing the victory of the human spirit is nothing but a curtailment of reality for creating a facade. In this way, this section presents the theme of appearance vs reality. Analysis of War Photographer Stanza One The reassurance of the frame is flexible the firmness of the edges can convince you this is how things are In the opening stanza of ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti, the speaker uses intense imagery to reveal what a picture of war can do to the viewer. Upon first glance, the picture is safely inside the frame. To most viewers, the photo is of a different place and perhaps even a different time. Thus, one is not forced to entirely enter into the photo. The speaker reveals that as a person looks at a war photograph, they can think outside the frame of the photo and believe that “people eat, sleep, love normally”. But life is different for the photographer herself. She must “seek out the tragic” and thus live in it. For the one who sees the realities of war first hand, life outside of war is hard to imagine. One might even forget that it exists. Moreover, the speaker mentions the edges of the photo again, implying that “the firmness of the edges” can help a person to live outside of the tragedy of war, keeping the realities safely within the borders of the pictures. However, other pictures are the kind that “lift the heart” and most people tend to look at these pictures and convince themselves that “this is how things are”. The photographer herself, however, knows that photos are only a snapshot in time and could never fully encompass the way things are at any time and place. Stanza Two – as when at ascot once in champagne giggles Here, in ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti, the speaker recalls a picture she took in Ascot. The picture was clearly of some rich, fairly privileged girls. She describes them as wearing silk and giggling in the grass as they sipped champagne. This is a group of girls who represent happiness and perhaps ignorance of the tragedies going on in the world around them. The purpose of this stanza is to reinforce what the speaker said in the previous stanza concerning the viewers’ ability to believe in the truthfulness of the happy photos rather than the tragic ones. The imagery provided here will also contrast with the images the speaker presents throughout the rest of ‘War Photographer’, allowing the readers to understand the irony of the fact that some people get to enjoy wealth and ease while others suffer war and tragedy. Stanza Three -as last week, when I followed a small girl she saw me seeing her; my finger pressed. With this stanza of ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti, the speaker drives her point home by providing a specific instance and revealing that it happened recently. She remembers following “a small girl” as she was “staggering down some devastated street”. The vivid description of the small child allows the reader to enter into the scene and feel as though he is there with the photographer, following the small girl. Moreover, she describes the way her “hip thrust out under a baby’s weight”. This reveals that this small girl was not only so weak that she was staggering, but she walked down a street that could only be described as “devastated”. On top of that, she had to care for a baby when she was only a child herself. The photographer looks at the girl and takes the picture just as the girl turns to look at her. This subtle description of the act of taking this picture allows the readers to enter into the photographer’s reality. However, she cannot do much to help the child. She is simply there to report and take pictures of life there. The readers, then, can understand that there is so much more to the realities happening behind the pictures they see. They will see only a photo of an impoverished child caring for a baby. They do not know how it feels to see that child first hand and to know that the child has seen you, and yet be able to do nothing to help save for spreading awareness of the situation through the photos taken. The description of this child sharply contrasts the previous stanza, allowing the reader to juxtapose the two situations and understand the harsh reality that some starve while others drink champagne. Stanza Four At the corner, the first bomb of the morning began to run… With this stanza of ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti, the speaker continues to describe the small child who held the baby. The fact that the explosive device is described as “the first bomb of the morning” suggests that there have been numerous bombs before this one and that many more would follow. ‘War Photographer’ becomes all the more shocking, however, when the child drops the baby she was carrying and flees for her own life with a scream that seemed too loud for the mouth from which it came. This also reflects the contrast between this stanza and the second, suggesting that when it comes down to it, human nature, by instinct, will cause one to take care of himself first and foremost. This offers more insight into the reason some can enjoy riches while others starve. Stanza Five The picture showed the little mother arbitrary as a blood stain on a wall. With the final stanza of ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti, the photographer reveals the way pictures can be deceiving. While she saw the child first hand, looked into her eyes, heard her scream, and watched her run, dropping the baby in her arms, the picture she captured did not tell the whole story. In the picture, it looked almost as if the child was smiling. Moreover, the caption reveals that the photographer played a role in the deception of the public. Whether she wrote the caption herself or simply allowed it to be published, she knew that the realities of life for this young child were not truthfully reflected through the photo. The caption said that “even in hell the human spirit triumphs over all”. This gives readers the false idea that the child was happy. This allows the readers to believe that even though the war was going on and people were starving and dying, the people could still be happy. This, the photographer knows, is untrue. However, it is apparently what the public wanted to hear, and therefore what the photographer published. The last three lines, however, reveal that the photographer is aware of the deception of her photos, and wants to proclaim the truth. She explains that “hell” does not have specific boundaries like the edges of the photo. Rather, they are “arbitrary as a blood stain on a wall”. This ending reveals that pain and suffering are arbitrary, or senseless. It is not fair that some people get to sunbathe and drink champagne while others scream and run in terror as bombs go off around them. This reveals the injustice that goes on in a world in which small, innocent babies are casualties of war. By the end of ‘War Photographer’, the speaker successfully reveals that which the media fails to reveal. She proclaims the truth about war, that it is painful, ugly, and personal. She reveals the injustice of a world that turns its back on the suffering, willing themselves to believe in the pictures that reveal happiness. Her words bring conviction for those who have been content to keep the tragic pictures within the borders of the picture without concerning themselves with the tragedies of others. ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti presents an overview of society from the perspective of a war photographer. Being a sociologist, Carole Satyamurti showcases the condition of women in the third world countries by contrasting it with the frolicking beauties of the first world countries. The element of war in the poem presents another angle to see the condition of the modern world. The bomb blasts not in the place where the giggling ladies are high on champagne. It blasts in the region where the small girl entered into motherhood recently, lives. Hence, from this image, it becomes clear that the poet refers to the countries that are economically backward as well as suffering from the raging war. The war not only destroys people’s lives but also breaks the backbone of the economy. As an effect, the war is a cause for those countries’ backwardness. Similar Poetry Like ‘War Photographer’ by Carole Satyamurti, here is a list of a few poems that similarly talks about the effects of war on innocent lives and on the socio-economic condition as a whole. You can read about 10 of the Best War Poems here. Discover the Essential Secrets of Poetry Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry, brought to you by the experts Allisa Corfman Poetry Expert Notify of Inline Feedbacks View all comments Discover and learn about the greatest poetry, straight to your inbox Start Your Perfect Poetry Journey The Best-Kept Secrets of Poetry Discover and learn about the greatest poetry ever straight to your inbox Share via Copy link Powered by Social Snap
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At Large December 10, 2020 Chandra Noyes The History and Evolving Beauty of Chess Sets Created: Thu, 12/10/2020 - 13:59 Author: chandra Though the popularity of chess has seen a major uptick lately, the strategic game is no passing fad. A current shortage of chess sets resulting from the combination of the hit Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit and much of the world seeking new hobbies while staying at home speaks to the universal appeal of chess. Having evolved from the Indian game chaturaṅga around the sixth century, the thirty-two pieces and sixty-four squares have made their way to nearly every continent and culture in the intervening centuries. Brought to Europe by Islamic traders in the ninth century, the game became immensely popular in the Middle Ages, where it was adapted to fit European social structures. With the advancement of global trade, a variety of chess sets from distant cultures, in styles and materials that reflected their origins, became available. Part of the fun of chess sets is that they can be made from innumerable materials, and their pieces can take similarly unlimited forms, creating an adaptable format that artisans can tailor to specific beliefs and aesthetics. While the most common sets today are cheaply produced using plastic (and these still perform their duties just as well), there is a rich global history of chess sets worth exploring. 1 of 9 wikimedia commons lewis chessmen Perhaps the most famous and valuable chess set is the Lewis Chessmen hoard, found in 1831 in the far reaches of northern Scotland. The collection of fifty-nine ivory and whales' teeth pieces is believed to have been lost by a Norwegian tradesman in the late-twelfth to early-thirteenth century. In 2019, Sotheby's sold a single rediscovered piece from the hoard for nearly $1 million. 2 of 9 metropolitan museum of art green and brown simple chess set Though its simple forms have a modern look, this ceramic set dates to twelfth-century Iran and is one of the earliest intact sets in the world. Though their forms are abstracted, each piece represents a familiar cultural figure, like the bishop, which is an elephant with hinted-at protruding tusks. 3 of 9 metropolitan museum of art chess set in red and green where figures ride elephants, camels and ships This late-eighteenth to early-nineteenth-century chess set tells the story of imperialism in India. Carved in ivory, one side is British colonizers while the other is native Indian. Both ride elephants and camels, and rooks have taken the form of ships. 4 of 9 metropolitan museum of art chess set in white ivory featuring animals This walrus ivory set shows how chess has reached the far ends of human civilization, including the arctic circle. Reflecting the Eskimo culture found near Franz Josef Land, its figures include animals common to the region. 5 of 9 Philadelphia Museum of Art white chess pieces featuring dragons Chinese craftsman created these sets specifically for western markets in the mid-nineteenth century. The bases of the pieces are formed by a small, freely moving ball within a larger sphere, an impressive feat of carving that captivated collectors. 6 of 9 Image Courtesy of Skinner, Inc. silver chess set in front of blue and white chess board Though part of the beauty of chess is that is accessible to people from all walks of life, chess sets are often luxury items, like this one. Crafted in silver, this elaborate French set from the turn of the twentieth century recently sold for $25,830. 7 of 9 Philadelphia Museum of Art, © Man Ray Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris modern chess pieces Artists and craftsmen from all walks of life have tried their hand at designing chess sets. This birch set designed by Man Ray in 1945 is simple and modern. Perhaps the Dadaist used a similar set to challenge his good friend Marcel Duchamp to a match, who left behind his art career to become a chess master. 8 of 9 Image Courtesy of Skinner, Inc. aluminum chess pieces on a blue chessboard This chess set, in light-weight aluminum designed by Austin E. Cox c. 1962, has a mod feel that would fit right in on the set of The Queen's Gambit. 9 of 9 Image Courtesy of Skinner, Inc. metal chess set that fits together as a square puzzle For some enthusiasts, chess is a way of life, and taking the game on the road is a must. Duchamp himself designed a pocket-sized set. Franco Rocco's brass set from the 1970s, Scaccomatto, doubles as a complex puzzle and compact, elegant set.
Better Indoor Air: What are the 5 types of ventilation? Today’s post lets you learn five types of ventilation. Knowing this is essential for you to take good care of your dryer machine. So, are you aware of what kind of ventilation you got in your homes and properties? Heads up and keep reading, interesting Dryer 101 facts ahead! ventilation system Ventilation 101: What type do I have? Ever wonder why a professional San Diego dryer vent cleaning is always worth paying? It is because of the skills and knowledge they possess. It is why experts like the San Diego cleaners do the job fast and efficiently. Once they see your dryer, they know what to do right away. As a homeowner, you also need to be aware of your equipment’s parts, form, and function. 1- Natural Ventilation natural ventilationStart with the basics. First, natural ventilation. These are your doors and windows that let natural airflow in and out of a room. In the US, natural ventilation suits the semi-humid to humid areas. During winter, natural ventilation may not be suitable to use. So, next will introduce you to ventilation. 2- Spot ventilation spot ventDuring the seasons with mild weather, indoors lack enough natural ventilation. An exhaust fan is one example of spot ventilation. An exhaust fan helps control natural air. If air compression and temperature are low during the autumn or winter seasons, turning the exhaust fan will be helpful. This system is more useful in kitchens and bathrooms where moisture is more prominent. 3- Exhaust Ventilation Systems exhaust ventExhaust vent systems, like the exhaust fans, control air pressure, and temperature. Large buildings find exhaust vents most useful. Extensive infrastructure requires a complex system that connects the vents for every floor or every room. If you need to ventilate a massive conference hall, an office space, or a theater, you need more than just small spot ventilation. Also, cold weathered regions are where exhaust vents find their use. Exhaust vents are usually found along the roof and walls. It uses air infiltrates to help outdoor air leak through the vents making the air temperature more friendly and comfortable indoors. 4- Supply Ventilation Systems supply vent systemSupply vents are more useful among very humid regions or places with mixed or semi-arid weather. As you see in the photo, the Supply vent’s main source of air is the outdoors. It uses a central fan that supplies the air pressure going to many parts of the home. Thus, it is called a supply vent. Got it? This type of vents has a more systematized structure. Not only that, the tubes and vent holes bring the air in and filter pollutants out. It also functions as ventilation for fireplaces and appliances like your dryer or HVACs. 5- Energy Recovery Vent Systems energy recovery vent systemAmong the types mentioned in this article, energy recovery vents are the most costly. The reason is that energy recovery vents use complex ductwork that involves electrical wirings and dryer vent tubes mingled together. The ductwork has more function to it than form. Homes located among regions with mixed climate need vent systems that will cater to freeze, hot weather, appliance energy consumption, dryer and heater exhaust, and clean indoor air. Sounds a lot to take in, right? This is also why this type of vents needs expert installers, thus also making it expensive. With ductwork that needs to connect various tubes and wires, a professional vent installer needs to have proficiency in electrical writings. Cleaning the energy recovery vents also needs professional cleaners to maintain and clean the system. Messing with the wires and tubes may only cause more chaos than relief if not appropriately handled. Contact Info Get Directions Scroll to Top
Fastener Educational Videos Fastener video Fastener Educational Videos helps you to appreciate the effort that goes into making a simple fastener product. Forging and forming fasteners and rolling threads or taping are important methods of fastener manufacturing. Hot forging fastener Video Courtesy of Non-Standard Socket Screw Ltd Cold-formed fastener production Video Two Die Thread Rolling Video Flat Die Thread Rolling Video Thread rolling other methods Screw methods There are four methods used to produce screw threads. The technique chosen for any one application is selected based on constraints; time, money, the degree of precision required, availability of equipment, what equipment based upon the volumes to be produced. Generally, specific thread-generating processes fall along a line from turned toolroom-made screws to mass-produced parts; thread rolling is the dominant method, all other methods historically based. Cut threads are weaker than Rolled threads, rolled threads can have an up to 20% in tensile strength and increase fatigue and wear resistance.
Supporters wave signs during a Make America Great Again rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, U.S., March 10, 2018. Joshua Roberts / Reuters Humans, like other primates, are tribal animals. We need to belong to groups, which is why we love clubs and teams. Once people connect with a group, their identities can become powerfully bound to it. They will seek to benefit members of their group even when they gain nothing personally. They will penalize outsiders, seemingly gratuitously. They will sacrifice, and even kill and die, for their group. This may seem like common sense. And yet the power of tribalism rarely factors into high-level discussions of politics and international affairs, especially in the United States. In seeking to explain global politics, U.S. analysts and policymakers usually focus on the role of ideology and economics and tend to see nation-states as the most important units of organization. In doing so, they underestimate the role that group identification plays in shaping human behavior. They also overlook the fact that, in many places, the identities that matter most—the ones people will lay down their lives for—are not national but ethnic, regional, religious, sectarian, or clan-based. A recurring failure to grasp this truth has contributed to some of the worst debacles of U.S. foreign policy in the past 50 years: most obviously in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also in Vietnam. This blindness to the power of tribalism affects not only how Americans see the rest of the world but also how they understand their own society. It’s easy for people in developed countries, especially cosmopolitan elites, to imagine that they live in a post-tribal world. The very term “tribe” seems to denote something primitive and backward, far removed from the sophistication of the West, where people have supposedly shed atavistic impulses in favor of capitalistic individualism and democratic citizenship. But tribalism remains a powerful force everywhere; indeed, in recent years, it has begun to tear at the fabric of liberal democracies in the developed world, and even at the postwar liberal international order. To truly understand today’s world and where it is heading, one must acknowledge the power of tribalism. Failing to do so will only make it stronger. basic instinct The human instinct to identify with a group is almost certainly hard-wired, and experimental evidence has repeatedly confirmed how early in life it presents itself. In one recent study, a team of psychology researchers randomly assigned a group of children between the ages of four and six to either a red group or a blue one and asked them to put on T-shirts of the corresponding color. They were then shown edited computer images of other children, half of whom appeared to be wearing red T-shirts and half of whom appeared to wearing blue, and asked for their reactions. Even though they knew absolutely nothing about the children in the photos, the subjects consistently reported that they liked the children who appeared to be members of their own group better, chose to hypothetically allocate more resources to them, and displayed strong subconscious preferences for them. In addition, when told stories about the children in the photos, these boys and girls exhibited systematic memory distortion, tending to remember the positive actions of in-group members and the negative actions of out-group members. Without “any supporting social information whatsoever,” the researchers concluded, the children’s perception of other kids was “pervasively distorted by mere membership in a social group.” Seeing group members prosper seems to activate our brains’ “reward centers” even if we receive no benefit ourselves. Neurological studies confirm that group identity can even produce physical sensations of satisfaction. Seeing group members prosper seems to activate our brains’ “reward centers” even if we receive no benefit ourselves. Under certain circumstances, our reward centers can also be activated when we see members of an out-group failing or suffering. Mina Cikara, a psychologist who runs Harvard’s Intergroup Neuroscience Lab, has noted that this is especially true when one group fears or envies another—when, for example, “there’s a long history of rivalry and not liking each other.” This is the dark side of the tribal instinct. Group bonding, the neuroscientist Ian Robertson has written, increases oxytocin levels, which spurs “a greater tendency to demonize and de-humanize the out-group” and which physiologically “anesthetizes” the empathy one might otherwise feel for a suffering person. Such effects appear early in life. Consider two recent studies about the in-group and out-group attitudes of Arab and Jewish children in Israel. In the first, Jewish children were asked to draw both a “typical Jewish” man and a “typical Arab” man. The researchers found that even among Jewish preschoolers, Arabs were portrayed more negatively and as “significantly more aggressive” than Jews. In the second study, Arab high school students in Israel were asked for their reactions to fictitious incidents involving the accidental death (unrelated to war or intercommunal violence) of either an Arab or a Jewish child—for example, a death caused by electrocution or a biking accident. More than 60 percent of the subjects expressed sadness about the death of the Arab child, whereas only five percent expressed sadness about the death of the Jewish child. Indeed, almost 70 percent said they felt “happy” or “very happy” about the Jewish child’s death. identity over ideology Insight into the potency of group identity has rarely shaped elite American opinion on international affairs. U.S. policymakers tend to view the world in terms of territorial nation-states engaged in political or ideological struggle: capitalism versus communism, democracy versus authoritarianism, “the free world” versus “the axis of evil.” Such thinking often blinds them to the power of more primal group identities—a blindness that has repeatedly led Washington into blunders overseas. The Vietnam War was arguably the most humiliating military defeat in U.S. history. To many observers at the time, it seemed unthinkable that a superpower could lose to what U.S. President Lyndon Johnson called “a piddling, pissant little country”—or, more accurately, to half of that country. It’s now well known that U.S. policymakers, viewing Vietnam through a strictly Cold War lens, underestimated the extent to which Vietnamese people in both the North and the South were motivated by a quest for national independence, as opposed to an ideological commitment to Marxism. But even today, most Americans don’t understand the ethnic dimension of Vietnamese nationalism. U.S. policymakers saw North Vietnam’s communist regime as China’s pawn—merely “a stalking horse for Beijing in Southeast Asia,” as the military expert Jeffrey Record put it. This was a mistake of staggering proportions. Hanoi accepted military and economic support from Beijing, but it was mostly an alliance of convenience. After all, for over a thousand years, most Vietnamese people had feared and hated China. Every Vietnamese child learned of the heroic exploits of his or her ancestors who had fought and died to free their country from China, which conquered Vietnam in 111 BC and then colonized it for a millennium. In 1997, Robert McNamara, who had served as U.S. secretary of defense during the Vietnam War, met Nguyen Co Thach, the former foreign minister of Vietnam. “Mr. McNamara,” he later recalled Thach saying, You must never have read a history book. If you’d had, you’d know we weren’t pawns of the Chinese. . . . Don’t you understand that we have been fighting the Chinese for 1,000 years? We were fighting for our independence. And we would fight to the last man. . . . And no amount of bombing, no amount of U.S. pressure would ever have stopped us. Indeed, just a few years after U.S. forces withdrew from Vietnam, the country was at war with China. Washington also missed another ethnic dimension of the conflict. Vietnam had a “market-dominant minority,” a term I coined in 2003 to describe outsider ethnic minorities that hold vastly disproportionate amounts of a nation’s wealth. In Vietnam, a deeply resented Chinese minority known as the Hoa made up just one percent of the population but historically controlled as much as 80 percent of the country’s commerce and industry. In other words, most of Vietnam’s capitalists were not ethnic Vietnamese. Rather, they were members of the despised Hoa—a fact that Vietnam’s communist leaders deliberately played up and exaggerated, claiming that “ethnic Chinese control 100 percent of South Vietnam’s domestic wholesale trade” and calling Cholon, an area with a predominantly ethnic Chinese population, “the capitalist heart beating within socialist Vietnam’s body.” A man reaches up to touch a name upon the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington U.S., November 10, 2017. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters Because U.S. policymakers completely missed the ethnic side of the conflict, they failed to see that virtually every pro-capitalist step they took in Vietnam helped turn the local population against the United States. Washington’s wartime policies intensified the wealth and power of the ethnic Chinese minority, who, as middlemen, handled most of the U.S. military’s supplies, provisions, and logistics (as well as Vietnam’s brothels and black markets). In effect, the regimes that Washington installed in Saigon were asking the South Vietnamese to fight and die—and kill their northern brethren—in order to keep the ethnic Chinese rich. If the United States had actively wanted to undermine its own objectives, it could hardly have come up with a better formula. pashtun power Blunders of the sort that Washington made in Vietnam are part of a pattern in U.S. foreign policy. After the 9/11 attacks, the United States sent troops to Afghanistan to root out al Qaeda and overthrow the Taliban. Washington viewed its mission entirely through the lens of “the war on terror,” fixating on the role of Islamic fundamentalism—and yet again missing the central importance of ethnic identity. Afghanistan is home to a complex web of ethnic and tribal groups with a long history of rivalry and mutual animosity. For more than 200 years, the largest ethnic group, the Pashtuns, dominated the country. But the fall of the country’s Pashtun monarchy in 1973, the 1979 Soviet invasion, and the subsequent years of civil war upended Pashtun dominance. In 1992, a coalition controlled by ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks seized control. A few years later, the Taliban emerged against this background. The Taliban is not only an Islamist movement but also an ethnic movement. Pashtuns founded the group, lead it, and make up the vast majority of its members. Threats to Pashtun dominance spurred the Taliban’s ascent and have given the group its staying power. A Pashtun demonstrator jumps on a burning effigy of British Prime Minister Tony Blair after a peaceful gathering in Peshawar, Pakistan, on October 12, 2001. Adrees Latif / Reuters U.S. policymakers and strategists paid almost no attention to these ethnic realities. In October 2001, when the United States invaded and toppled the Taliban government in just 75 days, it joined forces with the Northern Alliance, led by Tajik and Uzbek warlords and widely viewed as anti-Pashtun. The Americans then set up a government that many Pashtuns believed marginalized them. Although Hamid Karzai, whom Washington handpicked to lead Afghanistan, was a Pashtun, Tajiks headed most of the key ministries in his government. In the new, U.S.-supported Afghan National Army, Tajiks made up 70 percent of the army’s battalion commanders, even though only 27 percent of Afghans are Tajik. As Tajiks appeared to grow wealthy while U.S. air strikes pounded predominantly Pashtun regions, a bitter saying spread among Afghan Pashtuns: “They get the dollars, and we get the bullets.” Although many Pashtuns loathed the Taliban, few were willing to support a government they viewed as subordinating their interests to those of their deeply resented ethnic rivals. Seventeen years after the United States invaded Afghanistan, the Taliban still controls large parts of the country, and the longest war in American history drags on. Today, many American academics and policy elites are aware of the ethnic complexities of Afghanistan. Unfortunately, this recognition of the centrality of group identity came far too late, and it still fails to meaningfully inform U.S. policy. stuff happens Underestimating the political power of group identity also helped doom the U.S. war in Iraq. The architects and supporters of the 2003 U.S. invasion failed to see (or actively minimized) the depth of the divisions among Iraq’s Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds, as well as the central importance of tribal and clan loyalties in Iraqi society. They also missed something much more specific: the existence of a market-dominant minority. Sunnis had dominated Iraq for centuries, first under Ottoman rule, then under the British, who governed indirectly through Sunni elites, and then, most egregiously, under Saddam Hussein, who was himself a Sunni. Saddam favored Sunnis, especially those who belonged to his own clan, and ruthlessly persecuted the country’s Shiites and Kurds. On the eve of the U.S. invasion, the roughly 15 percent of Iraqis who were Sunni Arabs dominated the country economically, politically, and militarily. By contrast, Shiites composed the vast majority of the country’s urban and rural poor. The result of the surge of U.S. forces into Iraq in 2007 provides evidence that had Washington been more attentive to the importance of group identities in Iraq, the initial invasion and occupation could have turned out very differently. At the time, a small number of critics (including me) warned that under these conditions, rapid democratization in Iraq could be profoundly destabilizing. In 2003, I cautioned that elections could well produce not a unified Iraq but a vengeful Shiite-dominated government that would exclude and retaliate against Sunnis, an outcome that would further fuel the rise of intensely anti-American fundamentalist movements. Unfortunately, that precise scenario unfolded: instead of bringing peace and prosperity to Iraq, democracy led to sectarian warfare, eventually giving rise to the so-called Islamic State (also known as ISIS), an extremist Sunni movement as devoted to killing Shiite “apostates” as it is to killing Western “infidels.” The result of the surge of U.S. forces into Iraq in 2007 provides evidence that had Washington been more attentive to the importance of group identities in Iraq, the initial invasion and occupation could have turned out very differently. The influx of 20,000 additional troops was important, but the surge helped stabilize Iraq only because it was accompanied by a 180-degree shift in the U.S. approach to the local population. For the first time during the Iraq war, the U.S. military educated itself about the country’s complex sectarian and ethnic dynamics—recognizing, in the words of U.S. Brigadier General John Allen, that “tribal society makes up the tectonic plates in Iraq on which everything rests.” By forging alliances between Shiite and Sunni sheiks and by pitting moderates against extremists, the U.S. military achieved dramatic successes, including a precipitous decline in sectarian violence and in casualties among Iraqis and U.S. troops alike. the trump tribe Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq may seem worlds away from the United States, but Americans are not immune to the forces of tribal politics that have ravaged those countries. Americans tend to think of democracy as a unifying force. But as Iraq has illustrated, and as Americans are now learning firsthand, democracy under certain conditions can actually catalyze group conflict. In recent years, the United States has begun to display destructive political dynamics much more typical of developing and non-Western countries: the rise of ethnonationalist movements, eroding trust in institutions and electoral outcomes, hate-mongering demagoguery, a popular backlash against both “the establishment” and outsider minorities, and, above all, the transformation of democracy into an engine of zero-sum political tribalism. These developments are due in part to a massive demographic transformation. For the first time in U.S. history, whites are on the verge of losing their status as the country’s majority. To varying degrees, minorities in the United States have long felt vulnerable and under threat; today, whites also feel that way. A 2011 study showed that more than half of white Americans believe that “whites have replaced blacks as the ‘primary victims of discrimination.’” When groups feel threatened, they retreat into tribalism. They close ranks and become more insular, more defensive, more focused on us versus them. In the case of the shrinking white majority, these reactions have combined into a backlash, raising tensions in an already polarized social climate in which every group—whites, blacks, Latinos, and Asians; Christians, Jews, and Muslims; straight people and gay people; liberals and conservatives; men and women—feels attacked, bullied, persecuted, and discriminated against. But there’s another reason these new tribalistic pathologies are emerging today. Historically, the United States has never had a market-dominant minority. On the contrary, for most of its history, the country has been dominated economically, politically, and culturally by a relatively unified white majority—a stable, if invidious, state of affairs. But in recent years, something has changed. Owing in part to record levels of economic inequality and to stark declines in geographic and social mobility, white Americans are now more intensely split along class lines than they have been in generations. As a result, the United States may be seeing the emergence of its own version of a market-dominant minority: the much-discussed group often referred to as “coastal elites.” To be sure, “coastal elites” is a misleading term—a caricature, in some ways. The group’s members are neither all coastal nor all elite, at least in the sense of being wealthy. Still, with some important caveats, American coastal elites bear a strong resemblance to the market-dominant minorities of the developing world. Wealth in the United States is concentrated in the hands of a relatively small number of people, most of whom live on the coasts. This minority dominates key sectors of the economy, including Wall Street, the media, and Silicon Valley. Although coastal elites do not belong to any one ethnicity, they are culturally distinct, often sharing cosmopolitan values such as secularism, multiculturalism, toleration of sexual minorities, and pro-immigrant and progressive politics. Like other market-dominant minorities, U.S. coastal elites are extremely insular, interacting and intermarrying primarily among themselves, living in the same communities, and attending the same schools. Moreover, they are viewed by many middle Americans as indifferent or even hostile to the country’s interests. What happened in the 2016 U.S. presidential election is exactly what I would have predicted would happen in a developing country holding elections in the presence of a deeply resented market-dominant minority: the rise of a populist movement in which demagogic voices called on “real” Americans to, in Donald Trump’s words, “take our country back.” Of course, unlike most backlashes against market-dominant minorities in the developing world, Trump’s populism is not anti-rich. On the contrary, Trump himself is a self-proclaimed billionaire, leading many to wonder how he could have “conned” his antiestablishment base into supporting a member of the superrich whose policies will make the superrich even richer. In terms of taste, sensibilities, and values, Trump is actually similar to some members of the white working class. The answer lies in tribalism. For some, Trump’s appeal is racial: as a candidate and as president, Trump has made many statements that either explicitly or in a coded fashion appeal to some white voters’ racial biases. But that’s not the whole picture. In terms of taste, sensibilities, and values, Trump is actually similar to some members of the white working class. The tribal instinct is all about identification, and many voters in Trump’s base identify with him at a gut level. They identify with the way he talks and the way he dresses. They identify with the way he shoots from the hip—even (perhaps especially) when he gets caught making mistakes, exaggerating, or lying. And they identify with the way he comes under attack by liberal commentators—coastal elites, for the most part—for not being politically correct, for not being feminist enough, for not reading enough books, and for gorging on fast food. In the United States, being antiestablishment is not the same as being anti-rich. The country’s have-nots don’t hate wealth: many of them want it, or want their children to have a shot at it, even if they think the system is rigged against them. Poor, working-class, and middle-class Americans of all ethnicities hunger for the old-fashioned American dream. When the American dream eludes them—even when it mocks them—they would sooner turn on the establishment, or on the law, or on immigrants and other outsiders, or even on reason, than turn on the dream itself. stemming the tribal tide Political tribalism is fracturing the United States, transforming the country into a place where people from one tribe see others not just as the opposition but also as immoral, evil, and un-American. If a way out exists, it will have to address both economics and culture. For tens of millions of working-class Americans, the traditional paths to wealth and success have been cut off. The economist Raj Chetty has shown that during the past 50 years, an American child’s chances of outearning his or her parents have fallen from roughly 90 percent to 50 percent. A recent study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that “43 percent of Americans raised at the bottom of the income ladder remain stuck there as adults, and 70 percent never make it to the middle.” Moreover, to an extent that American elites may not realize, their own status has become hereditary. More than ever before, achieving wealth in the United States requires an elite education and social capital, and most lower-income families can’t compete in those areas. Political tribalism thrives under conditions of economic insecurity and lack of opportunity. For hundreds of years, economic opportunity and upward mobility helped the United States integrate vastly different peoples more successfully than any other nation. The collapse of upward mobility in the United States should be viewed as a national emergency. But U.S. citizens will also need to collectively fashion a national identity capable of resonating with and holding together Americans of all sorts—old and young, immigrant and native born, urban and rural, rich and poor, descendants of slaves as well as descendants of slave owners. A first step would be to start bridging the chasm of mutual ignorance and disdain separating the coasts and the heartland. One idea would be a public service program that would encourage or require young Americans to spend a year after high school in another community, far from their own, not “helping” members of another group but interacting with people with whom they would normally never cross paths, ideally working together toward a common end. Increasing tribalism is not only an American problem, however. Variants of intolerant tribal populism are erupting all across Europe, eroding support for supranational entities such as the European Union and even threatening the liberal international order. Brexit, for example, was a populist backlash against elites in London and Brussels perceived by many as controlling the United Kingdom from afar and being out of touch with “real” Britons—the “true owners” of the land, many of whom see immigrants as a threat. Internationally, as in the United States, unity will come not by default but only through hard work, courageous leadership, and collective will. Cosmopolitan elites can do their part by acknowledging that they themselves are part of a highly exclusionary and judgmental tribe, often more tolerant of difference in principle than in practice, inadvertently contributing to rancor and division. You are reading a free article. Subscribe to Foreign Affairs to get unlimited access. Subscribe Now
B2B platform for R&D and prototyping. Outsource tests. Hire interim experts. Buy, rent or lease assets. The website of I.revitalise uses cookies to improve your user experience. Yarn Evenness Measurement of Multifilament Yarn Operator: Always included This technique uses a Zellweger Üster tester 4 system Typically, 1000 metres of yarn is used to determine mass deviations along the yarn and is graphically represented in a mass diagram. By using a fourier transformation on the mass diagram periodicities can be observed, which can be traced back to processing parameters. In some cases this leads to revealing flaws in the spinning process. An example where this analysis could be very helpful; if a decrease in mass is seen every 100 meters, and a melt pump revolves once every 100 meters. A defect in the melt pump could very well be the reason of the periodically decrease in mass.
Pool Chemistry: The Secret to Swimming Pool Science //Pool Chemistry: The Secret to Swimming Pool Science Pool Chemistry: The Secret to Swimming Pool Science I can’t believe that it has taken me this long to write a blog about one of the biggest roles that water has played in my life: the water in swimming pools. I was a competitive swimmer for 15 years, a lifeguard for 6 years and a swim coach for 4 years. I’ve seen and smelled my fair share of swimming pools. Just like your drinking water there are rules and regulations about swimming pools that are designed to keep you healthy. The CDC (Centers for Disease control) recommends that free chlorine should be 1-3 ppm (parts per million) and the pH should be 7.2-7.8. Other sources further recommend that the total alkalinity should be 80-120 ppm and the calcium hardness between 200-400 ppm. Why are there such specifics about pool water? One of the first things you notice when you visit a pool is how it looks. A well maintained pool will have transparent water that allows you to see clearly to the bottom. I’ve swam in some pools where you have to feel your way to the wall or lift your head out of the water to figure out where you are. Cloudy water can be caused from an improper balance of chemicals or filtration problems. For an outdoor pool, the sun or too much rain can quickly cause an imbalance in chemicals. In addition, outdoor pools face all sorts of other obstacles like birds, pollen and sunscreen. Cloudy water is also caused by poor filtration. The water should be going through a filtration system. Some pools use a reverse osmosis system to reduce the amount of calcium in the water that tends to accumulate over time. Using a reverse osmosis system allows the vast majority of water to be reutilized. Score! Another sense that you notice before ever going in the water is the smell of a pool. A well-maintained pool shouldn’t have any smell. The pool smell comes from chloramines. Chloramines are formed because of an interaction with compounds like sweat and urine. Most pools that I have been to have a pool rule of showering before entering. The shower cuts down on the compounds that can cause chloramine formation. Adding more chlorine reduces the chloramines and thus the pool smell. Similarly, when there isn’t enough chlorine in the pool, our eyes and skin get irritated. The pH is too low and chlorine needs added to raise it closer to the pH of human tears, 7.4. Both of those things that we’ve been taught to mean that there is too much chlorine in the pool actually means there is too little chlorine in the water. Swimming pool water requires careful monitoring and adjusting of chemicals to ensure your health and safety. This is very similar to a municipal water system although the complexity and end water chemistry is a little different. So, before you dive into that refreshing pool, take a moment to appreciate the clean and odorless water and the chemistry that is making the water look so inviting. By \|2019-01-25T13:21:05-05:00September 5th, 2017\|Uncategorized\|Comments Off on Pool Chemistry: The Secret to Swimming Pool Science
Skip to content Waxes give cosmetic products a pleasant texture and feel while protecting the skin and hair. What is wax? Initially, wax is a substance that resembles beeswax. It’s usually a thick and oily substance, sometimes solid at room temperature, sometimes spreadable. There are many types of waxes, which can be of animal, mineral or plant origin. Here, we’ll focus on the many vegetable waxes that Lush uses, such as rapeseed, rose, sunflower or candelilla wax, to name a few. Different plants, different processes, different waxes The processes for obtaining vegetable wax are quite different depending on the plant's species and the desired texture and properties. Here are some examples: • Acids - Candelilla wax is infamous for being extracted from a succulent plant with sulfuric acid, a very dangerous material. Luckily, Lush creative buyers have found a supplier that has pioneered a new technique with the less harmful citric acid. • Hydrogenation - This process is frequently used in the vegetable oil industry, improving textures and shelf life. The transformation can range from the slight thickening of an oil, to its solidification into a wax. Soy wax is a good example of this. • Solvents - Take rose absolute. Like all absolutes, it is produced by soaking the raw material (rose petals) in a solvent such as ethanol. This results in a waxy paste called concrete which is ‘washed’ again with solvents to separate the wax from the fragrant rose oil. The oil is called absolute and is sold separately. The remaining wax has a faint scent and retains some of the plant’s properties, which is ideal for cosmetic use. What are the benefits of waxes in cosmetics? Benefits will depend on the type of wax but, as a general rule, they give our products a nice texture and shine. They sit lightly on the skin and hair to protect them, giving lustre and softness. Some waxes will be very fine to the touch and hardly felt, others will provide a strong conditioning sensation. Where does Lush get them from? Each wax has its very own story! To find out more, browse your Lush product’s list of ingredients and click on the ones you are interested in. This should take you to a page full of details. Homepage - Wax Copyright © 1995–2022 Lush Retail Ltd.
View cart 0 Common Signs and Symptoms of Gonorrhea What are the symptoms of gonorrhea? Gonorrhea is usually asymptomatic in men and women. Possible genital gonorrhea symptoms include: • Itching • Swelling or redness of the genitals • Abnormal discharge • Tenderness • Frequent urination • General discomfort in the affected area Women infected with gonorrhea rarely notice symptoms at all or mistake them for a urinary tract infection. In addition to the symptoms above, women may also experience: • A yellowish vaginal discharge • Abdominal and/or pelvic pain • Increased vaginal bleeding or discharge between periods • Pain during sexual intercourse Oral and anal gonorrhea are also typically asymptomatic. An oral infection may resemble a sore throat while an anal infection can cause discharge, bleeding, soreness, itching and painful bowel movements. What is gonorrhea? Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is also known as ‘the drip’ or ‘the clap’. The CDC estimates that there are 820,000 new gonorrheal infections every year. Who is at risk of a gonorrhea infection? Every sexually active person is at risk of gonorrhea, but roughly 70% of infections are among persons between the ages of 15 and 24. Men who have sex with men are at higher risk of infection. How is gonorrhea transmitted? Gonorrhea infects mucous membranes and is transmitted through sexual contact with an infected partner. This includes oral and anal sex, both of which can spread the infection from one site to another (genital infection can be passed to a partners throat or anus). What is the incubation period of gonorrhea? The incubation period for gonorrhea is two to six days, but it can take up to 30 days for symptoms to appear after initial infection. If you know you have been exposed to gonorrhea, you can take your first test after seven days. What are the long-term consequences of an untreated infection? Untreated gonorrhea can spread into the bloodstream and joints of an infected person. In rare cases, gonorrhea can spread to the bloodstream and cause arthritis, heart valve damage, or inflammation of the lining of the brain or spinal cord. This is called a disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) and can be life threatening if left untreated. Gonorrhea can also cause epididymitis in men, which can lead to infertility. In women, it can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause infertility, internal abscesses and chronic pelvic pain. How does gonorrhea impact pregnancy and expectant mothers? Pregnant women infected with gonorrhea are more likely to have a premature delivery or stillbirth. The infection can passed to the baby during childbirth, resulting in blindness, joint infection and potentially life-threatening blood infection. If an infant is infected with gonorrhea from the cervix during delivery, symptoms will typically appear in 2-5 days. Read more about STDs and pregnancy here. How can I prevent a gonorrhea infection? Next to abstinence, consistent use of condoms and dental dams is the best way to lower the risk of a gonorrhea infection. Always use a new condom for sex acts in different locations or with new partners. Limiting the number of sexual partners also greatly reduces the risk of infection. Who should test for gonorrhea? Every sexually active person should test for gonorrhea after every new partner, following unprotected sex or every 6-12 months. In addition to the genital test, any person practicing oral or anal sex should also receive regular extragenital testing. How is a gonorrhea test administered? A genital gonorrhea test uses a urine sample for men and a swab for women. Extragenital (oral and anal) gonorrhea tests use a swab of the affected area. Is gonorrhea curable? Gonorrhea is curable with antibiotics if treated early. The antibiotics will relieve symptoms and clear the infection but will not undo or repair any permanent damage caused by the infection. Antibiotic-resistant or super gonorrhea is a developing global concern. Untreated infections spread to new locations on different partners and increase bacterial resistance to the antibiotics normally used to treat infection. The amount of a specific antibiotic required to treat the infection increases as gonorrhea develops resistance, eventually forcing the use of new antibiotics. Gonorrhea is currently resistant to all of the antibiotics that have been used for treatment in the past except for cephalosporins. How is gonorrhea treated? Gonorrhea is treated with an injection antibiotic (ceftriaxone) followed by a course of oral antibiotics (azithromycin). Azithromycin helps to prevent the development of antibiotic resistant strains of gonorrhea. If symptoms remain several days after completing treatment, follow up with the prescribing doctor. Is a gonorrhea reinfection possible? Reinfection is possible after treatment for anyone who comes into sexual contact with an infected person. It is important to tell your partner if you have an infection so that they can be tested and treated. This will also help protect both parties from reinfection following treatment. If you test positive, instruction will be provided on how to obtain a free telemedicine consultation with a physician in your state. This physician may be able to prescribe treatment for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea or Trich. Depending on the infection, you may also need to retest after treatment to confirm the infection is gone. 3 Test box Order the myLAB Box at home Gonorrhea Test
Forward head posture and its effects on health and the craniomandibular complex The effect of posture on health is becoming more evident. “Spinal pain, headache, cranio-mandibular-joint effects, mood, blood pressure, pulse and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture. One of the most common postural problems is the forward head posture (FHP). Since we live in a forward facing world, the repetitive use of computers, TV, video games, trauma, compromised occlusal plane and even backpacks have forced the body to adapt to a forward head posture. It is the repetition of forward head movements combined with poor ergonomic postures and/or trauma that causes the body to adapt to forward head posture. A review of literature substantiates that "For every inch of forward head posture, it can increase the weight of the head by and additional 10 pounds." It's not uncommon to have TMD patients walk into my office supporting a 10-12 lb head that has migrated 3 inches forward of their shoulders. It isn't difficult to recognize prior to any palpation that their cervical muscles are in a losing battle attempting to isometrically restrain 40-42 pounds against the unrelenting forces of gravity. weight of the head is more like a bowling ball than a golf ball, so holding it forward, out of alignment, puts a strain on your neck and upper back muscles. The result can be muscle fatigue and all to often an aching neck. Head forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Because the neck and shoulders have to carry this weight all day is an isometric contraction, this causes neck muscles to loose blood , get damaged, fatigue, strain, cause pain, burning and fibromyalgia. When spinal tissues are subject to a significant load for a sustained period of time, they deform and undergo remodeling changes that could become permanent. It also has been noted that forward head posture may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity. These breath related effects are primarily due to the loss of the cervical lordosis which blocks the action of the hyoid muscles, especially the inferior hyoid responsible for helping the first rib during inhalation. Proper rib lifting action by the hyoids and anterior scalenes is essential for complete aeration of the lungs. Head Posture and Cranio-mandibular posture The relationship of the mandible to the cranio-maxillary complex, the temporomandibular joints, the atlas and the cervical and thoracic vertebrae are orthopedic in nature. In addition the shoulders, clavicles and sternum are all affected during the action of mastication and swallowing. Many of theses structure either share the same neuro-muscular system or have close commonalities. Patients with deep bites, retruded lower jaws (Class II mal-occlusion), deficient vertical dimension, narrow introral arches typically present with a forward head posture and a variety of symptoms related to TMJD. Often seen as a structurally subtle body segment, the neck is burdened with challenging task of supporting and moving the human head. Because of tension and poor postural relationship of the craniomandibular complex and habits inherent in today's workplace and society it comes as no surprise that associated neuromuscular disorders rank high as the most common pain generators. Correction of the upper cervical area and the mandibular relation to the cranio-maxillary complex is key to stoping and reversing degenerative joint disease and pain from headaches, breathing abnormalities, TMJ dysfunction and other postural effects. Any loss of function sets off reactions within the body's open, dynamic system which manifests as structural abnormalities throughout the entire body.
Older males make better fathers says new research on beetles Researchers at the University of Exeter found that older male burying beetles make better fathers than their younger counterparts. The study found that mature males, who had little chance of reproducing again, invested more effort in both mating and in parental care than younger males. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London – B, considered how the likelihood of paternity influenced the way that males cared for young. Older males were good fathers and looked after the young even when they were unsure whether the offspring were theirs. Younger males, who had a higher chance of reproducing again, tended to care less for offspring, particularly when they were uncertain of their paternity. The survival and performance of the offspring remained the same regardless of the level of care provided by the males. This is because when the father stopped pulling his weight, the mother took up the slack and provided the additional care necessary to produce successful offspring. Dr Megan Head from the University of Exeter said: “Our research shows that age has a direct impact on the level of parental care given by male burying beetles. If their chances of reproducing again were high, we found that males had to make a trade-off between the likelihood of paternity and the level of paternal care they would give. We found that younger males who were uncertain of their paternity were likely to make the worst fathers.” Male perception of paternity was manipulated in the study by allowing the odours of competitor males to linger in the mating chamber. Males mating in an environment filled with the odours of other males had lower assurance of paternity than males that mated with females in an environment that did not smell of other males. Parental care was measured by the amount of time males spent with offspring. Burying beetles have surprisingly complex parental care, which is similar in form to that provided by birds, such as robins or blackbirds; offspring beg to be fed by touching parents, who respond by regurgitating partially digested food. The results of the study support the hypothesis that in species with paternal care, fathers are expected to balance investment in future reproduction with care for current offspring to maximise their lifetime reproductive success. The results suggest females should prefer to mate with older males as they work harder and care less about infidelity. Share this
The United States is definitely experiencing a critical moment when it comes to immigration. On the one hand, despite current shortages in the labour force due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there are many Americans as well as policy leaders who believe that immigrants take jobs away from native born U.S. citizens. The issue with illegal immigration has also distorted some Americans idea of how migration works, and the ability to differentiate this type of travelling from legal pathways—such as employment based visa programs. To this extent, we can see that there are many narratives in circulation today when it comes to immigrant mobility and the U.S. economy. In this post, we will take a closer look at these issues, to distinguish some of the facts from fiction, and also to more closely investigate the concept of real “immigrant mobility”. Harvard Business Review (HBR) occasionally touches on U.S. immigration when it comes to gaining a better understanding of the U.S. economy and on a recent podcast episode investigated where immigrants are actually ending up in the U.S. labour force and also generational differences between immigrants. The research that went into this podcast comes from two prominent Economics professors, Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan who were featured on the podcast. To listen to the full length recording, please see the link attached. First off, the researchers make a clear distinction that immigrants that are first generation, meaning they have come to the United States as the firsts of their family and likely don’t speak native English have a persistent effort in earning, but usually don’t earn as much as their native U.S. counterparts. Barriers usually persist with first generation immigrants, and it can be difficult to get ahead. However, through looking at millions of U.S. Census records, the researchers determined that something vastly different happens with immigrant children, or second generation immigrants in that they basically catch up to their U.S. citizen counterparts in terms of income.[1] One of the reasons that second generation immigrants tend to fare well is that they are also more foot-loose as compared to native born U.S. citizens. This is an interesting concept that helps to dispel the myth that immigrants are simply taking jobs away from U.S. citizens. In their research, the two professors were able to understand that U.S. citizens and families who have lived in a state or region for decades also have children who tend to stay closer to home. Note that closer to home might also mean moving to a nearby city where one was raised. This means that the kind of life that some U.S. citizen children have is very rooted to where they grew up and the regional distinctions and culture they are used to. And we know this is extremely true from a cultural perspective, even with the advent of remote work. However, immigrant children are more willing to relocate, often not rooted to one area of the United States in the same way U.S. citizens are, which ultimately explains how demand for some jobs ends up being high paid work for these non-citizens, especially in terms of revitalizing restaurants and retail in suburban towns in the interior of the country. Thus we can see that immigrant mobility is not really about displacing U.S. workers, and if anything immigrants who start businesses or revitalize a dying business tend to then offer new jobs for whoever can satisfy their demand in that immediate setting. Overall, based on the research put out by HBR and the U.S. Census, immigrants greater ability to move all over the U.S. is a leading reason for having similar incomes to native born U.S. citizens, especially in the second generation.
RNA may be the messenger molecule that conveys information from the genome and allows the production of biomolecules required for life in a responsive and regulated way RNA may be the messenger molecule that conveys information from the genome and allows the production of biomolecules required for life in a responsive and regulated way. RNA biology are common and found in association with both rare, single gene disorders, but also more common, chronic diseases. Fortunately, complexity also brings opportunity. The presence of many regulatory steps also offers multiple levels of potential therapeutic intervention which can be exploited. In this review, I will put together the precise factors of which coding RNAs could be governed, indicate potential means of intervention at each stage, and outline with examples some of the progress that has been made in this area. Finally, I will outline some of the remaining challenges with the delivery of RNA-based therapeutics but indicate why there are reasons for optimism. studies, such as reactivation of the gene, usually silenced by methylation, to promote tumor suppression in breast, ovarian, and cervical cell lines (Huisman et al., 2015), they have not yet reached prominence in the medical center. Therapeutic Modification of Splicing RNA splicing is usually controlled by a complex interplay between ribonucleoprotein complexes and sequence elements in the pre-mRNA. The splicing process consists of two phosphodiester transfer reactions; the first being an interaction between the 5 splice site and Saccharin 1-methylimidazole the branch site, and the second comprising cleavage at the 3 splice site, and joining of the released exons. This occurs due to the action of a family of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) named U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6, which together with a battery of approximately 80 other ancillary proteins form the core spliceosome and orchestrate the splicing process (Will and Luhrmann, 2011). The spliceosome is usually a dynamic machine that undergoes structural remodeling and conformational switch to bring about the excision of introns and the joining of introns (Makarov et al., 2002). This machinery is necessary but sometimes not sufficient for splice site usage to occur; 98% of the genome produces multiple RNA transcripts in an activity termed choice splicing (Skillet et al., 2008). The complete nature of transcripts produced under different circumstances is under Saccharin 1-methylimidazole tight temporal and spatial regulation. That is facilitated with the combinatorial control of some splice site activators and inhibitor protein that jointly determine if confirmed splicing event takes place in confirmed situation. Serine Arginine wealthy protein (SRSF) splicing elements usually (however, not solely) promote splice site use, whereas heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) generally (however, not solely) promote splice site silencing, aswell as having assignments in nuclear export and various other areas Mouse monoclonal antibody to ATP Citrate Lyase. ATP citrate lyase is the primary enzyme responsible for the synthesis of cytosolic acetyl-CoA inmany tissues. The enzyme is a tetramer (relative molecular weight approximately 440,000) ofapparently identical subunits. It catalyzes the formation of acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate fromcitrate and CoA with a concomitant hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and phosphate. The product,acetyl-CoA, serves several important biosynthetic pathways, including lipogenesis andcholesterogenesis. In nervous tissue, ATP citrate-lyase may be involved in the biosynthesis ofacetylcholine. Two transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been identified for thisgene of RNA fat burning capacity (Smith and Valcarcel, 2000; Cartegni et al., 2002). Splicing flaws can occur from single bottom pair changes towards the primary and regulatory series elements, but can occur from insertion or deletion occasions and frameshifts also, or from activation of Saccharin 1-methylimidazole cryptic splice sites by various other sequence changes. Likewise, changes taking place in exon and intron splicing enhancer and silencer components can elicit dysregulation of splicing patterns of particular genes (Blencowe, 2000). Dysregulation from the splicing regulatory equipment by cellular tension continues to be reported in more technical phenotypes such as for example mobile senescence (Holly et al., 2013; Latorre et al., 2017) and changed global choice splicing profiles certainly are a essential characteristics of several complicated diseases such as for example dementia, cancers and type 2 diabetes (Tollervey et al., 2011; Berson et al., 2012; Cnop et al., 2014; Like et al., 2015; Lu et al., 2015). The intricacy of splicing legislation offers several factors of potential involvement. Moderation from the Primary Spliceosome The global dysregulation of splicing patterns that take place in complicated disease could be attended to by concentrating on the primary spliceosome. There are many substances of bacterial origins that affect the function from the SF3B element of the U2 snRNP, that are displaying guarantee as anti-cancer agencies by leading to stalling of the cell cycle in the G1/S or G2/M checkpoints (Nakajima et al., 1996). Although these methods show promise, to day most remain some distance from your medical center. Moderation of Splicing Rules It may be possible Saccharin 1-methylimidazole to globally restore splicing patterns by focusing on the splicing regulatory proteins themselves. This could be carried out at the level of mRNA manifestation, or at the level of activation or cellular localization. Splicing factor manifestation has recently been described to be negatively controlled in the mRNA level in senescent main human being dermal fibroblasts from the constitutive activation of the ERK and AKT pathways. Targeted inhibition of either ERK or AKT, as well as gene knock down of their effector genes and was associated with repair of splicing element manifestation and rescue.
Renowned as the largest art gallery in the world, the Prado houses sculptures, drawings, coins, and other works of art—but it is its incomparable collection of paintings which had drawn fame worldwide. Included in its store of more than 8,600 paintings are works by members of the Italian, Flemish, Spanish, French, Dutch, and German schools. Albrecht Dürer, Anton van Dyck, Correggio,El Greco, Goya, Hieronymous Bosch, José de Ribera, Lucas Cranach, Nicolas Poussin, Pieter Brueghel, Rafael, Rembrandt, Rogier van der Veyden, Rubens, Sandro Botticelli,Tiepolo,Tintoretto,Tiziano,Velázquez,and nearly every other master painter from the 12th to the 20th century is represented in the Prado’s magnificient collection.The history of the museum began during the reign of Charles III, but it did not really concretize as an institution until the reign of Fernando VII, under whom the Royal Museum of Painting and Sculpture was founded in 1819.With the disapearance of the Spanish monarchy, the museum became national property and was renamed the Prado Museum. Only a tenth of the Prado’s immense collection of works are normally on show.Architect Rafael Moneo (Pritzker Prize in 1996) has designed a plan to join the existing neo- classical building with two nearby historical buildings, the cloister of the San Jerónimo church and a 17th-century palace, by buried passageways. The Prado Museum Santiago Alcolea Blanch 408pp./ 319il./ 31 x 26 cm./ Clothbound 9788434311756 Castellano 9788434311763 English
Immune recognition of self and non-self explored in new study ASUs Biodesign Institute Unless you are an identical twin, you probably aren’t often mistaken for someone else. Likewise, our own sense of self as distinct from all other humans is deeply ingrained since early childhood. The immune system, however, faces far greater challenges in distinguishing self from non-self. Should this complex surveillance network fail to identify a foreign intruder, like a bacterium or virus, the result may be serious, unchecked disease. Under certain circumstances, however, the immune system can become over-vigilant, identifying our own tissues as foreign and targeting them for destruction, resulting in autoimmune disease. Autoimmune responses are also associated with some cancers. In a new study, Arizona State University researcher Joshua LaBaer and his colleagues explore components of the immune system known as autoantibodies. While they have been implicated as central players in a range of serious autoimmune diseases, the study observes that autoantibodies are also found in healthy individuals. This fact may make the diagnostic use of autoantibodies as sentinels of autoimmune disease more challenging, hence the importance of such investigations. An improved awareness of the pervasiveness and role of autoantibodies in human health and disease may ultimately help in the design of better diagnostics and therapeutics against a range of illnesses. “Historically, we looked for autoantibodies present only in disease, but we’ve always been intrigued because our healthy controls always had autoantibodies too,” LaBaer says. “So, we decided to see if any of these “healthy autoantibodies” were common in healthy people and sure enough many of them were. Knowing about these will help us avoid confusion in future studies.” Dr. LaBaer is the executive director of ASU’s Biodesign Institute as well as the director of the Biodesign Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics. The research findings appear in the current issue of the journal Cell Reports. Biological civil war Autoimmune diseases are a widespread phenomenon, affecting roughly 23 million Americans. Researchers have identified more than 80 autoimmune diseases, including both common ailments like type 1 diabetes, lupus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as more obscure ailments, which often prove challenging to properly diagnose. Nearly 80% of autoimmune diseases occur in women, for reasons researchers are still trying to puzzle out. Science has much to learn about the underlying mechanisms responsible for autoimmune reactions. Often such illnesses arise following infections. Two primary components of the so-called adaptive immune system also play important roles in autoimmunity. These are the are white blood cells or lymphocytes, known as T cells and B cells. Lymphocytes are crucial for maintaining health and are essential to survival. These sentries, ceaselessly patrolling the bloodstream, are alerted by the presence of foreign entities known as antigens. T cells guard against infection from pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi. They can also attack and destroy cancerous cells. B cells secrete proteins known as antibodies that either disrupt interactions or target infected cells so that other cells can come in to destroy them. Antibodies operate by binding with pathogens or foreign substances, including toxins, and neutralizing their harmful effects. If an antibody binds with a virus, for example, it may prevent the intruder from entering a normal cell to cause infection. B cells can also recruit other specialized immune cells to migrate to the sites of infected cells and help destroy them. The immune system’s defensive arsenal is exquisitely sensitive to foreign proteins, peptides, enzyme complexes, RNA and DNA. When these are encountered, B cells can swing into action, producing antibodies directed against these foreign entities. Mutinous immunity The immune system, however, faces a formidable challenge. B and T cells must be able to accurately target threats to the body while remaining harmless to host cells and tissues. Immune cells are not born with this knowledge, they learn it over a matter of weeks, receiving training in a kind of biological classroom, where they undergo two rounds of careful screening. The B and T cells that successfully graduate from their training sessions exhibit two kinds of immune tolerance, central immune tolerance, which develops in the bone marrow and peripheral immune tolerance, which matures in the lymph nodes. After their training, cells displaying immune tolerance, a kind of non-aggression pact with healthy tissues—are preserved in the body for future use. Immune cells that flunk out of their training and present a risk of autoimmunity are sequestered or destroyed. Yet sometimes, pathogens or cancers can produce antigens that bear such a close resemblance in terms of sequence or structure to features found in normal tissues in the body that the host tissues are mistaken for disease antigens and targeted by antibodies. Such features are known as self-antigens and the antibodies produced to target them are known as autoantibodies. The mistaken targeting of self-antigens due to their similarities with disease antigens is known as molecular mimicry and is implicated in many autoimmune disorders, from rheumatoid arthritis to multiple sclerosis. Scavenger hunt for antibodies The new study explores common autoantibodies—those occurring in healthy individuals. Though these common autoantibodies don’t appear to cause disease, they nevertheless appear in as many as 40% of the people tested. It is likely that at least some of these common autoantibodies have been mistakenly identified as disease antibodies. The researchers performed a meta-analysis of 9 datasets. The tool of choice for exploring the common autoantibodies is a device known as a protein microarray. Here, thousands of individual proteins are affixed to a glass slide. When a sample of blood is spread over the microarray, antibodies, (in this case, autoantibodies) bind with specific protein antigens. The microarrays were subjected to two rounds of screening. In the first round, 182 blood samples from healthy individuals were screened against 7,653 human proteins. In the second round, 90 blood samples were screened against 1,666 human proteinsThe experiments identified a total of 77 common autoantibodies. The blood samples came from healthy individuals of both sexes, ranging in age from infancy to 84 years old. The results showed that the number of autoantibodies increased from birth up to the age of adolescence and then plateaued. Further, the number of autoantibodies detected was the same regardless of sex, a surprising outcome given the large disparity between men and women in the prevalence of autoimmune disease. Another underlying enigma is why common autoantibodies fail to produce autoimmune disease. Although such antibodies appear to have evaded the screening process leading to immune tolerance, their occurrence in the body remains benign. It is believed that autoimmune pathology requires autoantibodies to bind and form complexes with autoantigens, and this may be blocked in the case of common autoantibodies. Future research promises to unlock many more secrets concerning the nature of autoantibodies. The current study examined less than half of all human proteins. Most likely, additional common autoantibodies remain to be uncovered. You May Also Like
Ancient Earth Trading Co. - (866) 327-8401 Museum 3.7 in. 6 Serrated Basilosaurus Tooth Fossil Whale Western Sahara More Views Museum 3.7 in. 6 Serrated Basilosaurus Tooth Fossil Whale Western Sahara Availability: Out of stock Basilosaurus (Zygorhiza sp. or Dorudon sp.?) Late Eocene Period - 38 to 33 millions years ago Dakhla, Western Sahara (Morocco) Tooth : 3.7 x 2.2 inches / 9.4 x 5.6 cm A true MONSTER TOOTH! Presented here is an example of the incredibly rare 6 serrated Basilosaurus (most likely this is a Dorudon sp. tooth). Have only ever seen 3 teeth with 6 serrations like this. During the Late Eocene Period, 38 to 33 million years ago, gigantic primitive whales measuring up to 85 feet long ruled the seas. These huge Archaeocetes, or ancient whales possessed huge skulls up to five feet in length (about as large as a T. rex skull.) This prehistoric whale was most likely carnivorous, feeding on mollusks and small fish in warm seas around the world. These whales were the largest predators on the planet at the time. These Basilosaurid teeth are as of yet, undescribed formally, and thus the distinguishment between if this is a true Basilosaurus (Zygorhiza) or Dorudon still remains unclear. Commonly these are found with the Megalodon ancestor, Carcharocles sokolovi - the Megatooth Shark. Many times the teeth are broken and require some repair or restoration, we specifically choose teeth with minimal restoration, if any. This tooth has some minor repairs to the enamel where it was missing a small section and has been stabilized and matched to the enamel coloration. The present specimen is a superb, gorgeous tooth exhibiting the giant serrations (the largest of any tooth in the fossil record) for which archaeocete teeth are famous. This very rare tooth displays a beautiful dark orange-red color with cream roots, a feature unique to the finds from the Western Sahara.
Drama Game: Not What It Seems Drama Activity Not What It SeemsType: Creativity Purpose: A fun simple game to help kids thing creatively and out-of-the-box. 1. On a small table place a variety of objects. The objects can be anything that the kids can easily pick up. (A paperclip, a fork, a plastic cup, a shoe, a comb, a book, an envelope, etc.) 2. Have the students stand in a circle around the table. 3. Explain that the students are to go up one at a time, pick up an object and use it in a way that it’s not normally used. (i.e. A plastic cup becomes a tiny hat, or a fork becomes a comb, etc.) For the first round they are not to use any words. Continue until everyone has had a chance. It’s OK if an object is being used twice, as long as it’s not being used in the same way. 4. For the second round, allow the kids to say one line as they use the object. 5. For a third round (and for older students) consider allowing two players into the circle, each grab an object and begin a short scene. Have a comment or suggestion? Leave it below! One thought on “Drama Game: Not What It Seems 1. Vinod Kumar K says: Here’s a variation to this game: After every student has had a chance with one object, have them try out combinations of two or more objects to communicate something. For example, the combination of a comb and a ball could represent a knife and an apple. The game then becomes more competitive where each student is trying to use more objects and showing their creativity. Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published.
Skip to main content The effects of video game therapy on balance and attention in chronic ambulatory traumatic brain injury: an exploratory study Patients with traumatic brain injury often have balance and attentive disorders. Video game therapy (VGT) has been proposed as a new intervention to improve mobility and attention through a reward-learning approach. In this pilot randomized, controlled trial, we tested the effects of VGT, compared with a balance platform therapy (BPT), on balance, mobility and selective attention in chronic traumatic brain injury patients. We enrolled chronic traumatic brain injury patients (n = 21) that randomly received VGT or BPT for 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks. The clinical outcome measures included: i) the Community Balance & Mobility Scale (CB&M); ii) the Unified Balance Scale (UBS); iii) the Timed Up and Go test (TUG); iv) static balance and v) selective visual attention evaluation (Go/Nogo task). Both groups improved in CB&M scores, but only the VGT group increased on the UBS and TUG with a between-group significance (p < 0.05). Selective attention improved significantly in the VGT group (p < 0.01). Video game therapy is an option for the management of chronic traumatic brain injury patients to ameliorate balance and attention deficits. Trial registration NCT01883830, April 5 2013. Peer Review reports Postural instability, due to failures in the complex interactions between the sensory, motor and musculoskeletal systems, is very common in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and persists in one third of survivors years after the trauma [1]. Balance impairment can limit the activities of daily living and active participation in a social life. Similarly, attention deficits are TBI sequelae that affect 39–62% of TBI survivors [2] and might interfere with a person’s ability to safely complete motor tasks and learn new activities [3]. Selective attention is pivotal for everyday life to enhance the stimuli that are relevant and suppress the representation of stimuli that are distracting. Thus far, balance outcomes have been tested using different modalities [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Balance and postural stability improved after conventional physiotherapy based on motor learning principles specifically tailored for treating postural and coordination dysfunctions in an open trial performed with patients with mild-to-moderate TBI [4]. Focusing on specific gait therapies, body weight-support training on a treadmill (BWSTT) was not found to be superior to overground walking [5] or different robotic devices [6]. Other approaches that have been explored include the use of a biofeedback device to improve perception of external perturbations [7], vestibular rehabilitation [8] or a combination of cerebellar intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) and physiotherapy [9]. Nevertheless, this state-of-the-art work in balance rehabilitation in TBI cannot be translated into useful evidence-based recommendations, and the use of new interventions such as virtual reality (VR) has been encouraged [10]. In recent years, VR technologies have begun to be used as a treatment tool in rehabilitation given their low-cost, high portability, off-the-shelf nature and ability to deliver engaging, high-repetitive, task-oriented, standardized, active learning therapies [11, 12]. Moreover, VR-based rehabilitation typically provides augmented feedback during training that can contribute to learning motor skills [13]. Virtual reality also increases patient attention and motivation, which are essential components of learning [14]. Indeed, it has been hypothesized that VR efficacy relies on virtual reward-based learning through a dopaminergic facilitation of cortical and subcortical networks [15]. Motivation and rewards can affect attentional processes in healthy subjects [16, 17] and patients with hemispatial neglect [18]. More recently, gaming consoles (e.g., Nintendo Wii, Xbox Kinect) have been introduced in clinical and research settings as a low-cost means of delivering VR training. With Xbox Kinect, patients can see their movement in real time, and the feedback results are more accurate and realistic compared with other devices with external controllers. Moreover, gaming therapy can be delivered at home, promoting self-management strategies to improve motor function and long-term outcomes [19]. There is limited evidence supporting the use of VR rehabilitation on balance and mobility in TBI survivors [20]. The first attempts were made by Sveistrup et al. [21] and Thornton et al. [22]. These authors used the IREX system for balance training. Sveistrup et al. found balance improvements both in VR and conventional exercise groups [21], and Thornton et al. reported greater enthusiasm after VR therapy by TBI patients and caregivers compared with controls [22]. In the past few years, video game therapy (VGT) has been tested in subacute TBI patients undergoing multidisciplinary rehabilitation with positive effects on balance [23] and in chronic TBI patients using customized games [24]. However, the aforementioned studies did not explore the hypothesis that VGT would ameliorate attention through reward-based learning, in addition to motor function. The aims of this exploratory study were to test the effects of a commercially available VGT on balance and selective attention in ambulatory chronic TBI patients compared to a standardized balance platform training (BPT). We hypothesized that the VGT, and in particular “action video games,” would improve selective visual attention more so than BPT. In a previous study, video games were shown to improve a patient’s ability to focus on a target and to ignore distracting information not present in BPT [25]. In action video games, players constantly receive feedback about the accuracy of their predictions, which is a fundamental step in engaging the reward system [26]. Video game therapy can improve executive attention components such as control of the automatic response, control of goal-directed behavior and the ability to inhibit irrelevant stimuli [25]. Those cognitive components are part of a “top-down” attentional control mechanism that directs attention in a controlled manner that depends on our personal goals and expectations. Our hypothesis is that VGT would activate those cognitive components of learning more so than BPT, leading to an improvement in balance and attention in a convenience sample of TBI patients. This exploratory, randomized, controlled study (NCT01883830; April 5 2013) was approved by the Ferrara University Hospital Ethics Committee (Ferrara, Italy), and all subjects signed a consent form prior to participating in any procedures. The subjects were enrolled from patients discharged at home (former patients included in the clinic database) or those patients receiving multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation at Ferrara University Hospital. During the multidisciplinary rehabilitation, physical, cognitive, behavioral and vocational therapy were delivered according to the abilities and needs of each patient. However, to reduce possible confounding effects on our measures (balance and selective attention), no additional specific training, except for the research study, was administered for balance and attention. The inclusion criteria included: (i) an age between 18 and 70 years; (ii) a diagnosis of chronic TBI (>12 months); (iii) a balance deficit identified by a Community Balance & Mobility Scale (CB&M) score < 65. The exclusion criteria included: (i) the presence of other neurological diseases; (ii) severe cognitive Levels of Cognitive Functioning (LCF) < 6 or behavioral disorders; (iii) reliance on the use of walking aids. Patients were randomized according to block randomization and allocated into two groups: VGT or BPT. Each patient received three 1-h sessions per week over the course of 6 weeks. Video game therapy Video game therapy was delivered with a video game console (X-Box 360 Kinect, Microsoft, Inc., Redmond, WA). Pre-selected games were chosen from “Kinect Adventures” and “Kinect Sports” that encompassed a wide range of motor activities in a standing position. Specifically, balance and mobility-related motor tasks, such as side stepping, lateral weight shifting, jumping, walking (lateral, forward and backward) and arm goal reaching were trained. During the first session, a list of games was tested according to the patients’ characteristics, desires and functional level. In the following sessions, games were proposed with a block practice approach. Within each game, progression proceeded over time according to the patients’ abilities and successes. Video game therapy provided different types of feedback: visual and augmented (knowledge of both results and performance). Patients exercised for 2–5 min during each game with a rest period if necessary. During the sessions, the patients were carefully supervised by a physiotherapist who monitored the safety of the patients (e.g., risk of falls, impulsive reactions) and provided external feedback. Balance platform therapy Balance/rebalancing, postural stability and weight-shifting exercises with and without visual feedback were administered using a balance platform (Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., Shirley, NY) that had been tested previously in multiple sclerosis patients [27]. Each task was trained for about 2 min, and the patients were provided with a rest period between the tasks if necessary. During the first session, the tasks were performed at an “entry level,” and the exercise progression was adjusted over time according to the patients’ functional level (intermediate and difficult level). Balance platform therapy offered visual feedback and knowledge of performance (augmented feedback). The physiotherapist, as during VGT, provided additional external feedback. Outcome measures Clinical, posturographic and cognitive tests were assessed pre- and post-treatment. We selected balance measures that explored a broad range of motor tasks (both static and dynamic), were suitable for assessing ambulatory patients and were less susceptible to a ceiling effect [28,29,30]. We assessed balance and mobility using the CB&M. This 13-item scale measures challenging motor tasks necessary for mobility in the community. The tasks have components of speed, precision and accuracy such as tandem walking, running, walking while looking laterally, backward walking and descending stairs [28, 29]. Furthermore, we administered the Unified Balance Scale (UBS) to assess each patient’s ability to maintain his or her balance, either statically or while performing functional movement. This 27-item scale derives from three well-established balance scales (Berg Balance Scale, Tinetti Scales and Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale) that address five balance domains: quite stance, anticipatory postural adjustments, sensory orientation, external perturbations and stability in gait [30]. We also administered the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, which measures mobility. We gave patients verbal instructions to stand up from a chair, walk 3 m, cross a line marked on the floor, turn around, walk back and sit down [31]. Selective visual attention (Go/Nogo task) The Go/Nogo task was taken from a German standard battery used to test attentional functions [32]. This task consists of five types of stimuli: two of them are target stimuli in which the patients were required to press a button, as quickly as possible, if one of the two defined targets is presented. This test measures the selective attention as the time of reaction and the impulsivity as the number of false alarms (a button press when the patient viewed a non-target stimulus). Static balance In this test, patients were asked to step on the central region of the force plate, always facing in the same direction, and to assume an up-right posture with their arms lying alongside their legs and the lateral malleoli distance equal to the iliac spine distance. The patients were asked to either keep their eyes open (looking straight ahead at a 3 m distant visual reference) or closed. For each condition, three 90-s trial were recorded, and we allowed a 5-min break between trials. The eyes opened (EO) condition reflected a highly automatic activity, and the eyes closed (EC) condition detected sensory integration deficits [33]. The x and y positions of the center of pressure (COP) of the subjects were calculated from forces and moments measured by the force platform. Parameters related to postural sway and balance were calculated from the COP trajectory during each trial, namely the anteroposterior (AP), mediolateral (ML) and total path lengths and the sway speed. Statistical analysis We compared baseline characteristics between the groups to assess the quality of randomization. Pre-post effects within groups were investigated using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test, and between-groups differences were explored using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 13.1 software (College Station, TX: StataCorp LP). Significance was recognized for p < 0.05. We enrolled 21 ambulatory chronic TBI patients (17 males, 4 females) with a median age of 36 (12 IQR) years; one patient dropped out for personal reasons. The cohort’s median duration since TBI was 4 years (7 IQR). The study flow diagram is shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 figure 1 The study CONSORT flow diagram The clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients are summarized in Table 1. The two groups were similar in demographic and clinical characteristics except for time since TBI (p = 0.02). Table 1 Sample characteristics (reported as median and IQR) Balance and mobility clinical tests For the CB&M, we found a significant treatment effect in both groups. Conversely, TUG and UBS outcomes improved only in the VGT group. Between-group differences were highlighted with respect to TUG and UBS improvements (p < 0.05). Static balance No significant effects after training in AP, ML and total path length or sway speed were found. However, a trend of improvement in the EO condition was noted in the VGT group. Go/Nogo task Selective attention improved significantly in VGT group (p < 0.01). Impulsivity was reduced after both treatments (−0.6 ± 1.2 false answers in the VGT group and −0.5 ± 1.5 false answers in the BPT group) but not significantly. The results are summarized in Table 2. Table 2 Results (reported as median and IQR) No adverse effects were reported during the training periods. We performed a sample size calculation using the UBS improvements before and after the treatments. We estimated an effect size of 0.84 (d Cohen). Therefore, 48 patients (24 for group) would be required for a study with a power of 80% and an alpha of 5% (allocation ratio 1:1) in a future study. This exploratory study is the first to use the Xbox Kinect in chronic ambulatory TBI patients for balance and attention training. Chronic TBI patients are usually discharged to their homes when they reach a functional plateau; they accordingly do not receive any form of rehabilitation, even if postural instability and mobility deficits are often reported [34]. However, our results confirmed previous studies [21, 24, 35] that revealed how even in a chronic phase TBI survivors can improve their mobility and dynamic balance with a therapy based on use-dependent neuroplasticity principles [36]. Our primary findings are that dynamic balance and overall mobility improved after training; moreover, selective attention resulted increased, revealing a significant cognitive engagement during VGT. We investigated balance using validated clinical tests and posturographic assessments. The CB&M scores, which evaluated each patient’s ability to perform highly challenging balance and mobility tasks, were significantly improved after both treatments. However, only in VGT group were the gains clinically significant (8 vs 0.5 points). This finding is likely due to the fact that VGT trains patients in more challenging and dynamic motor tasks, such as side stepping, reaching high and low, lateral weight shifting and jumping. Mobility, measured by the TUG test, was significantly increased only in the VGT group. We noted differences in mobility between the groups. Moreover, 58% of patients exceeded the minimally detectable change (MDC) set at 2.9 s [37]. Similarly, the UBS that explored both static and dynamic balance was significantly improved in the VGT group, with differences between the groups. This new balance outcome measure covers all of the relevant aspects of balance, exhibits good psychometric properties and avoids the well-known ceiling effect characteristic of other balance scales [38]. Additionally, the UBS was more suitable for detecting differences among the groups compared with the CB&M. In terms of postural sway, our sample swayed more in the EC condition, which is consistent with the visual deprivation that underlines these patients’ sensory integration deficits [39]. After VGT, a slight but not statistically significant improvement was noted in the EO condition. The lack of improvement in static balance is consistent with the fact that it is not considered a predictor of mobility in TBI survivors measured as COP displacement in quiet standing [40]. Furthermore, VGT trains complex movements that require more acceleration, coordination and precision than standing tasks. For this reason, VGT, compared with BPT, appears to ameliorate dynamic rather than static balance domains. Examining other trials that use video games in TBI survivors [23, 24], Cutberth et al. found balance improvements after subacute TBI patients trained with a Nintendo Wii Fit balance board during multidisciplinary rehabilitation. These authors did not highlight any differences compared with standard therapy, which might be due to the fact that their sample was in a spontaneous phase of recovery or that multiple modes of therapy (VR + inpatient rehabilitation) were delivered [23]. In a subacute phase, it is logical that Nintendo Wii Fit—which permits more active guidance by physiotherapists—is more appropriate. In a chronic phase, training with Xbox Kinect can be introduced. Ustinova et al. proposed a Kinect-based customizable therapy for differing ranges of impairments that vary from mild to moderate in TBI severity [24]. In terms of attention assessment, our findings suggest that VGT can improve selective attention measured with the Go/Nogo task. This result is consistent with previous studies that highlighted how video game feedback is capable of improving visual selective attention in habitual players [41]. Video games increase information processing procedures to provide either an adequate response for stimulus processing (e.g., an increase in visual acuity [42] or contrast sensitivity [43] or to enhance top-down attentional control as an ability to strategically allocate one’s attention [44]). Attentional control implies some skills related to executive functions such as goal-directed behavior, strategic allocation of one’s attention, error monitoring and cognitive flexibility [45]. Game benefits might reflect shifts in strategy rather than changes in more basic cognitive capacities [46]. Our results confirm some previous studies [26] that showed that action video games resulted in different effects in a patient’s selective attention compared with other “non-action” games (strategic or role-playing games). In our study, VGT was associated with a higher perception, higher attentional capture and a higher motor-load than BPT. In addition, video games had an influence on the reward system. Consequently, the involved reward system represents a key step in learning and cognitive processing [47]. Increased attention can help motor skill learning and functional recovery in TBI survivors and can partially explain the functional gains obtained by our cohort of patients who received VGT. This exploratory study presents several limitations: our finding cannot be generalized to the entire TBI population. Specifically, Xbox Kinect, like other gaming devices, was developed for a healthy population and is not adjustable for people with cognitive and sensory-motor impairments. Furthermore, TBI survivors with extended frontal damage may not benefit from a reward-based learning delivered by VR. Additionally, the therapist was not blinded to the treatments received, which may represent a potential source of bias. Also, the VGT and BPT groups were significantly different at baseline with respect to the time since TBI (2 vs 8 years). We also have to consider that patients with an higher chronicity may have developed more compensatory strategies over time, rendering them less susceptible to modification with the rehabilitative interventions. Finally, five of the 20 patients were receiving multidisciplinary rehabilitation, even in a chronic phase, and the multiple interventions could mask specific effects of VGT or BPT. However, we decided to include chronic TBI patients even if they were undergoing rehabilitation given the preliminary nature of this trial and the difficulty of recruiting members of this particular population. In future studies, it will be important to evaluate the effect of video games on other attention components (e.g., divided attention) and other executive functions such as working memory and flexibility, which are often impaired in people with TBI [48]. Such an evaluation can help to predict performance after VGT [49], either in the early or later phases of learning. It would also be helpful to use an adaptive video game characterized by a progressive increase in attentional and executive loads in order to make the intervention more effective, even for the most compromised patients. Ambulatory chronic TBI patients appeared to benefit from 6 weeks of VGT in terms of dynamic balance, mobility and selective attention. However, these promising results were obtained from a small sample of convenience. Additional studies with more homogeneous and larger samples are required to confirm and better explore the role of video games on motor learning after TBI. Balance platform therapy Community Balance & Mobility Scale Center of pressure Eyes closed Eyes opened Traumatic brain injury Timed Up and Go Unified balance scale Video game therapy Virtual reality 1. Walker WC, Pickett TC. Motor impairment after severe traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal multicenter study. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2007;44:975–82. Article PubMed Google Scholar 2. 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CAS Article PubMed Google Scholar 48. Stuss DT, Levine B. Adult clinical neuropsychology: lessons from studies of the frontal lobes. Annu Rev Psychol. 2002;53:401–33. Article PubMed Google Scholar 49. O'Neil RL, Skeel RL, Ustinova KI. Cognitive ability predicts motor learning on a virtual reality game in patients with TBI. NeuroRehabilitation. 2013;33:667–80. PubMed Google Scholar Download references Thanks to: i) Sonia Ghilardelli, Silvia Milan and Giuseppe Lallo for their help during data collection; ii) Carlotta Martinuzzi, Marco Da Roit, Laura Di Marco Pizzongolo, Roberta Benasciutti and Antonella Bergonzoni for their support during the trial. ASC and CP were supported by ER Grant 1786/2012. Availability of data and materials The datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Authors’ contributions SS, CP, AS and NB participated to the study design; CP, ASC and GG performed most of the clinical tests. SS, GS, AS and NB drafted the manuscript. SS performed the statistical analysis. All of the authors read and approved the final manuscript. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Consent for publication Not applicable. Ethics approval and consent to participate The study has been approved by the Ferrara University Hospital Ethics Committee, and all subjects signed a consent form prior to participating in any of the procedures. Publisher’s Note Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Correspondence to Sofia Straudi. Rights and permissions Reprints and Permissions About this article Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark Cite this article Straudi, S., Severini, G., Sabbagh Charabati, A. et al. The effects of video game therapy on balance and attention in chronic ambulatory traumatic brain injury: an exploratory study. BMC Neurol 17, 86 (2017). Download citation • Received: • Accepted: • Published: • DOI: • Gaming • Traumatic brain injury • Balance • Attention deficit • Mobility
Page images lween the one and the other. If, for example, one offers to sell a certain article for one hundred dollars, and the other, not having yet received the offer, should on his part propose to give two hundred dollars, the proposal to give the greater sum necessarily implies an assent to take it for a less, and the contract is complete at the lowest sum. ART. 1802.- But a consent to give any thing else, although of a greater value than that contained in the offer, or to give the same or a larger sum at a different term of payment, does not imply an assent to the offer, and there is in that case no obligation. Art. 1803. — The obligation of a contract not being complele, until the acceptance, or in cases where it is implied by law, until the circumstances, which raise such implication, are known to the party proposing; he may therefore revoke his offer or proposition before such acceptance, but not without allowing such reasonable time as from the terms of his offer he has given, or from the circumstances of the case he may be supposed to have intended to give to the party, to communicate his delermination. ART. 1804. - If the party, making the offer, die before it is accepted, or he to whom it is made, die before he has given his assent, the representatives of neither party are bound, nor can they bind the survivor. But if the contract be accepted before the death of the party offering it, although he had no notice of it, the obligation is complete; but if the representatives assent to an acceptance of the surviving party in the first instance, or the survivor assent to an acceptance made by the representatives in the second instance, then it becomes a new contract between the representatives and the surviving party. ART. 1805.-The proposition as well as the assent to a contract may be express or implied; Express, when evinced by words, either written or spoken; Implied, when it is manifested by actions, even by silence or by inaction, in cases in which they can from circumstances be supposed to mean, or by legal presumption are directed to be considered as, evidence of an , assent. ART. 1806.-Express consent must be given in a language understood by the party who accepts, and the words by which it is conveyed must be in themselves unequivocal : if they may mean different things, they give rise to error, which, as is hereinafter provided, destroys the effect of a contract. ART. 1807.-Even when words are unequivocal and expressive of assent, they are not always obligatory, when from the context, if in writing, or from what in speech is equivalent to it, the words which immediately precede, or follow, it appears that the party did not intend to obligate himself. ART. 1808.-Unequivocal words, expressive of mere intent, do not make an obligation. ART. 1809.—A positive promise, that, from the manner in which it is made, shows that there was no serious intent to contract, creates no obligation. ART. 1810.-Actions without words, either written or spoken, are presumptive evidence of a contract, whea they are done under circumstances that naturally imply a consent to such contract. To receive goods from a merchant without any express promise, and to use them, implies a contract to pay the value. If an offer is made of an article in deposit, and the article is received, the contract of deposit is complete. If a mandate is acted on, the mandatary is bound in the same manner as if he had accepted in writing. In all those cases and others of the like nature, all the conditions, which he, who gives or proposes, annexed to the delivery or the acceptance of the proposition, are also presumed to have been accepted by the act of receiving. If the merchant, in delivering the goods, declare that they must be paid for by a certain time, if the depositor designate how the deposit is to be kept, or the mandatary in what manner his commission is to be executed, he who receives and acts is obligated to the performance of all these conditions. ART. 1811.- Silence and inaction are also, under some circumstances, the means of showing an assent that creates an obligation; if, after the termination of a lease, the lessee continue in possession, and the lessor be inactive and silent, a complete mutual obligation for con-: tinuing the lease, is created by the act of occupancy of the lenant on the one side, and the inaction and silence of the lessor on the other. ART. 1812.-Where the law does not create a legal presumption of proposition, acceptance or consent from certain facts, then, as in the case of other simple presumptions, it must be left to the discretion of the judge, whether assent is to be implied from them or not. What defects of Consent will invalidate a Contract. ART. 1813.—Consent being the concurrence of intention in two or more persons, with regard to a matter understood by all, reciprocally communicated, and resulting in each party from a free and deliberate exercise of the will, it follows that there is no consent, not only where the intent has not been mutually communicated or implied, as is provided in the preceding paragraph, but also where it has been produced by Fraud ; Of Error, its Division and Effects. ART. 1814.-Error, as applied to contracts, is of two kinds : 1. Error of fact; 2. Error of law. ART. 1815.—That is called error of fact, which proceeds either from ignorance of that which really exists, or from a mistaken belief in the existence of that which has none. ART. 1816.—He is under an error of law, who is truly informed of the existence of facts, but who draws from them erroneous conclusions of law. ART. 1817.-Errors may exist as to all the circumstances and facts which relate to a contract, but it is not every error that will invalidate it. To have that effect, the error niust be in some point, which was a principal cause for making the contract, and it may be either as to the motive for making the contract, to the person with whom it is made, or to the subject matter of the contract itself. Of Error in the Motive. ART. 1818.— The reality of the cause is a kind of precedent condition to the contract, without which the consent would not have been given, because the motive being that which determines the will, if there be no such cause where one was supposed to exist, or if it be falsely represented, there can be no valid consent. ART. 1819.-The error in the cause of a contract to have the effect of invalidating it, must be on the principal cause, when there are several; this principal cause is called the motive, and means that consideration without which the contract would not have been made. ART. 1820.-No error in the molive can invalidate a contract, unless the other party was apprized that it was the principal cause of the agreement, or unless from the nature of the transaction it must be presumed that he knew it. ART. 1821.-But wherever the motive is apparent, although not made an express condition, if the error bears on that motive, the contract is void. A promise to give a certain sum to bear the expenses of a marriage, which the party supposes to have taken place, is not obligatory, if there be no marriage. ART. 1822.– Thus too, if a suit be brought on an obligation purporting to have been made by the ancestor of the defendant, and, supposing it to be true, the defendant enters into a compromise or promise to pay, the compromise or promise are void, if it should be afterwards discovered that the obligation was forged. ART. 1823.-In the same manner a compromise of a suit, and any obligation made in consequence of il, is void, if, at the time, but unknown to the parties, the suit be finally decided. But if the decision be not final, but subject to appeal or revision, the compromise is valid: Art. 1824.—A compromise also is yoid, where one of the parties is ignorant of the existence of a paper, which, being afterwards discovered, shows that the other had no right, and this, whether the other party knew the existence of the paper or not. ART. 1825.—But if the compromise be of all differences'generally, and there were other subjects of dispule, besides that in which the error existed, of sufficient importance to raise a presumption that, even if the error had been discovered, the compromise would still have been made, then such error shall not invalidate the contract. « PreviousContinue »
Ways To Help The Environment As A Teen Written By: Noa Gillespie How Teens Can Help the Environment By: Noa Gillespie Humans have affected the environment in many ways: pollution, overpopulation, deforestation, and burning fossil fuels. Significant changes like this have affected our environment. There are easy things you can do to help our environment. You can start by just knowing what to recycle, compost, and throw in the garbage. Things like styrofoam, glass, diapers, and kitchen grease go into the trash. Plastic containers, empty bottles, clean cardboard, paper, and metal should be recycled. And anything like yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper go into compost. You can think of doing to help the environment by turning off lights when you’re not in the room, making sure not to leave water running, saving resources/reusing, etc. There are always ways to contribute to the environment, no matter where you are. In “what happens when the wrong things go into recycling” on the Vogel Disposal Service website, “Recycling can have a big effect, Recycling conserves resources and protects the environment. So when in doubt about where you should put your trash, throw it in the garbage. If garbage ends up in recycling, it causes the salability of processed recyclable loads to decrease. If an entire load of recyclable materials reaches the buyer but is contaminated by just one thing, the entire shipment will be turned away. “ I created a survey asking students at CPM what things they do or could do to help the environment and a majority of the people said that picking up trash or not littering was something they could do. This is always a good idea since many animals die from littering. But some people put in that they do some other form of transportation rather than driving a car. For example, one student said, “My family and I also walk or ride bikes a lot instead of driving.“ In “How Littering Really Affects the Environment” on the Texas Disposal System website, “While 19.9% of litter on land comes from unsecured items in the back of trucks or trash receptacles, the vast majority of litter originates intentionally. Keep America Beautiful found that 76% of roadway litter comes from motorists and pedestrians.” Over one million animals die a year due to littering, mostly marine animals including dolphins, turtles, fish, and whales are harmed by littering. There are easy things that you can do like throwing away stuff where it belongs. You can also try going to a park or beach with a group of friends and picking up trash for a few hours. Some parks you can go to near you are Edmonds City Park, Sierra Park, and Marina Beach Park. These little things can help. Not everything has to be big and very important to help.
Publication Date Spring 4-22-2019 College of Arts and Sciences; Helms School of Government Government: Pre-Law; History Separation of Church and State, Liberty of Conscience, Thomas Jefferson, Supreme Court Interpretation First Amendment \| Intellectual History \| United States History The symbolic concept of separation between church and state defines the relationship between government and religion. While Jefferson did not author the phrase, the third President of the United States promoted the philosophy of a wall of separation between church and state in his letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802. Jefferson’s support for a wall of separation stemmed from a strong belief in liberty of conscience and relied heavily upon the conviction to protect religious liberty. Through an analysis on the contextual history of the phrase, the original intent and application of separation of church and state becomes evident. By examining Jefferson’s original intent behind the concept of a wall of separation, a proper interpretation of this philosophy will demonstrate appropriate protection for both religion and government. Later paraphrased “separation of church and state,” this political concept has been misconstrued from Jefferson’s original meaning. Recent Supreme Court interpretations have misinterpreted the concept as freedom from religion, instead of freedom of religion.The Supreme Court has mistakenly categorized the wall of separation as a summary of the First Amendment and cited Jefferson’s phrase as judicial precedent in numerous cases, resulting in a misrepresentation of Jefferson’s concepts. This misrepresentation subsequently affected the judicial rulings of succeeding courts.
Osteopathy And The Natural Approach To Health Care The country where they live determines the definition and extent of their practice. Osteopaths are often able to provide advice, nutrition, and postural support related to health. Today, some osteopathic doctors can practice all aspects of medicine. Osteopath massage can be used to prevent and treat certain health conditions. It involves the stretching and massaging of the muscles and joints of patients. Osteopathy is a medical specialty that is based on the belief that a person's health is directly related to the functioning of their muscles, bones, and ligaments. The osteopaths use a variety of techniques and believe that their skills and treatments encourage self-healing. An osteopath won't use drugs or surgery to treat a condition. Osteopathy: Everything you need to know Image Source: Google Most patients of an osteopath will suffer from pain in their back, neck, shoulder, or other conditions that affect muscles and joints. These treatments will also include headaches, and focus on cranial osteopathy. Many osteopaths claim that this type of healing can be beneficial for patients suffering from asthma or other digestive problems. Osteopaths treat both young and old, as well as office workers and manual workers. They also treat women during pregnancy, children, and athletes, men, and women. A variety of conditions can be treated by Osteopaths, such as neck and back pain, postural problems, injuries from sports or driving, and arthritic issues. Osteopathy practitioners believe that the past medical history of patients, including illnesses and traumas, is recorded in the body's structure. Osteopaths have a highly developed sense of touch that allows them to feel the "living anatomy" of patients. This could include fluid flow throughout the body, the texture and movements of tissues, and the overall structure of the body.
NFTs and E-Commerce: What Should You Know? NFTs are virtually everywhere. Artists, collectors, and domain buyers/sellers are using their skills to generate a cryptocurrency income. However, as the popularity increases, so does the NFT marketplace. This has caused spillover into other industries including fashion, video games, and e-commerce. While it isn't as common to sell NFTs in a store, signs are showing it could be the next big thing for brands to offer their customers. What is an NFT and How Do They Work? The first step to investing in making an NFT for your brand is to understand what they are and the terminology that comes with it. • • Blockchain: a system that keeps records of cryptocurrency transactions. The information is shared across computer networks. • • Cryptocurrency: the digital currency used to buy items online, including NFTs. There are different types such as Bitcoin, Ether, and Polygon. • • NFT: a non-fungible token. This is a digital asset on the blockchain with an ID code and metadata to identify each unique piece. It can only be traded using cryptocurrencies. In the most basic explanation of how NFTs work, when someone uses cryptocurrency to buy something from the NFT marketplace, they're buying a unique digital asset. It doesn't work like an auction or a store because there's no tangible item to take home. Instead, the buyer gets a digital file to download and exclusive ownership rights. Sometimes they can represent tangible items, but the NFT itself is not. Photo by: Olya Kobruseva via Pexels.com Brand Success While most major retail outlets currently don't accept cryptocurrencies, some brands have seen success with adding NFTs to their product catalog. Dolce & Gabbana sold a dress titled "Glass Suit" for 351.384 ETH (about $1 million), which was accompanied by a physical suit tailored to the buyer's measurements. It was part of a nine-piece collaboration with UNXD titled "Collezione Genesi." It includes two versions of the same dress, several men's pieces, a tiara, and two crowns. Pepsi has created its own line of NFTs titled "Mic Drop." These NFTs consist of digital images featuring microphones with different hair, accessories, and backgrounds. The most expensive is worth 19,999.999 ETH ($22,102,798.89), however, most of the NFTs purchased are roughly 0.17WETH ($195.18). While not a brand perse, it's still worth mentioning that in March of last year, Kings of Leon was the first band to release an album as an NFT. The band earned over $2 million from their new album "When You See Yourself." The NFT came with six "Golden Ticket" auctions, which grants the owner four front-row seats to one show from every Kings of Leon tour for life. These are just a small sample, many more big brands have been dipping their toes into the NFT market. Photo by: Pixabay via Pexels.com Could NFTs Become More Common in E-Commerce? Considering people spent over $44.2 billion in cryptocurrencies last year, it's safe to say that the crypto boom is strong. NFTs are a product that perfectly combines the convenience of shopping from home with the instant gratification of buying and receiving immediately. According to Vogue Business, 21% of people said NFTs would be the most exciting innovative feature a brand could offer. With Shopify stating that 40% of brands want a way for customers to interact with them, NFTs might just be the solution to that. They offer a sense of exclusivity. If brands are looking for new methods of building loyalty, then perhaps NFTs would be the way to go. NFTs are also a great way to expand a digital product line and don't have to cost a fortune. Many free to low-cost NFTs are available on the market. It would also be a great way to generate first-party data with the iOS14 update. Photo by: Mikael Blomkvist via Pexels.com What to Consider When Offering NFTs There are some key factors to consider before joining the NFT market. Copyright law is one of the main factors when it comes to selling online goods. Remember to read up on what is and isn't allowed when distributing something. Copying another artist's work – or plagiarising it for that matter – is a huge taboo. Data protection and privacy are two hot topics in today's online world. It's important to review and refine your brand's protection and privacy practices before offering NFTs. Environmental stability is another major concern. Remember, NFTs are bought with cryptocurrency that must be mined on the blockchain. To make a lot of crypto, you need powerful servers working around the clock. This is an issue since the mining energy consumption has grown to be similar to the levels consumed by countries like Finland. However, some crypto companies are working to either lower their footprint or become carbon-neutral. At this point in time, the value of cryptocurrencies have decreased significantly, and NFTs have lost quite a bit of value. However, before claiming the NFT market is totally worthless, experts suggest this decline is temporary, and this mass selloff is the perfect time for people to buy in before NFTs regain value. While Kingstar Media doesn't work directly with cryptocurrencies or NFTs, we do have the capabilities to strategize an advertising plan to advertise them. If you would like to get started, feel free to contact us at info@kingstarmedia.com.
Red-bellied Woodpecker A red-bellied woodpecker pair at a nest cavity. Note the red belly on the female. Red-bellied woodpeckers are abundant in St. Augustine year-round. We have had the pleasure of seeing a nesting pair behind our house when we first moved here. They have a red patch of feathers on their belly, but it is hard to see when observing. It was named the red-bellied woodpecker back when birds were identified by killing them first and then holding them in your hand. These birds like insects and travel up and down the trunks and branches of trees looking for something to eat. They also eat seeds and nuts which makes it possible to attract them to your backyard by offering peanuts and shelled sunflower seeds. They nest in the holes of dead trees. This is why it is important to leave dead trees stand if they are not a detriment. Males have a red stripe from their back to their beak. The red stripe on females does not extend over their head to the beak. A female red-bellied woodpecker peeking out of a nest cavity. Red-bellied Woodpeckers on a pine tree in St. Augustine, Florida A juvenile red-bellied woodpecker. A female red-bellied woodpecker at a feeder. A red-bellied woodpecker feeding its young. Note the red belly. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
How does the french health pass work ? Recently, there was a big debate here in France about whether we should have a health pass or not. A health pass (passe sanitaire) is a document that proves that you have been either vaccinated against or tested negative for COVID-19, and allows you to attend large events that were previously forbidden. Last week, the national assembly voted in favor of such a system, and starting june the 9th, these passes will be mandatory for all gatherings with over a thousand attendees. In the official announcement, on on the government's website, they say that citizens will have to present the pass either as a printed document, or a code in the french government's TousAntiCovid mobile application. And they pretend that depending on who scans the code, they will have access to a different set of information about it: • The authorities and airline companies' personnel will have access to all the information in the pass, including the certificate date, its type (vaccination or test), and in the case of a test, the result. • Event organizers will have access only to the name and birth date of the subject, and whether the entry to the event was validated or not, based on the restrictions for the specific event. Nothing else. They will not be able to know whether the document is a PCR screening test result, or a vaccination certificate, for instance. How can this work ? If you think about it from a technical point of view, this seems a little hard to implement securely. Would you store the information in the pass itself, or in a database ? If you put it in the code, then how would you store the certificate's date so that it can be used by event organizers to validate the entry to an event, but not accessed directly ? If you put it in a database, the implementation is easier, but you end up with a huge centralised database containing identifying information, test results, and vaccination records, which sounds risky, and would probably cause public outcry. Now, the underwhelming moment: the actual implementation does not really address this issue. All the information is stored in clear text in the pass, and I made an open-source scanner that can read all the information in the pass, including the pieces that are supposed to be accessible only to the authorities and airline companies. When they said that event organizers cannot access all the information, they probably just meant are not supposed to. Technical details Here is what a test certificate looks like: My test result My negative COVID-19 screening test, with the sanitary pass codes. As you can see, there are two barcodes in two different formats: • A QR code containing the text • A Data Matrix containing the same information, but without the link: DC04 FR03 AHP1 1E69 1E69 B2 01 FR F0 OPHIR \x1D F1 LOJKINE \x1D F2 16 04 1994 F3 M F4 945006 \x1D F5 N F6 24 04 2021 09 29 \x1F 7N6GCZR3FHC3JL2WYDE4LQ3GHG7TJAK3U6RLBPZJYHK43KJDJA32RUZTXG2LVDKNVYXFL6YPP2TPWMVGPB3H7MNZUTE7X3GN3RZHCUY (whitespaces added for legibility). The data is in the 2D-DOC format, for which we can find a specification in french on the website of the National Secured Titles Agency. This specification explains how to parse the code, and gives us the list of fields: Screening Vaccination First name Last name Birth Date SexBirth Date Analysis codeName of the disease Analysis resultProphylactic agent Vaccine maker Rank of the last vaccination state (1st or 2nd dose) Total expected number of doses Date and time of the testDate of the last vaccination state Vaccination state In order to prevent the data in the certificate from being falsified, these fields are followed by a base32-encoded signature, to be checked using the ECDSA algorithm. The list of accepted public keys can be found in the official TousAntiCovid application, so I added them to my implementation. While studying the format and its implementation, I found and reported a security vulnerability in TousAntiCovid, but that's a story for another time. (Follow me on twitter) If you want more details about the data format, my beautiful TypeScript implementation of it is on github. So, at this point, we have implemented a reader for the code, and everyone can now check everyone else's code, and have access to all the fields in it. But starting from that, can we implement what seemed to be the initial goal stated in the government's document ? Preventing event organizers from seeing too much data Ideally, I would want to be able to let organizers validate my presence to their events, but not sending them a single bit of information they do not need. As we've seen, it's not possible if we just present the QR codes on our test and vaccination certificates. So what can we do about it ? We need an intermediary. If I could have something between me and the event organizer, trusted by both of us, that could on one side check my QR code, and on the other side validate my attendance to the organizer, I wouldn't need to show my entire certificate directly to the organizer. So that's what I built. My test result Sanipasse checks your pass, but doesn't store it. Only a boolean is sent to the event organizer: whether you will attend or not. I built a small open-source website, where you can create new events, specify a list of invitees (with their first and last names), and send them a validation link. From that link, they can confirm their attendance, but only if they have a valid health pass. From a technical point of view, it's a SvelteKit isomorphic web application, which uses the same code on the frontend and the backend to check the sanitary passes. In the backend, it has a small SQL database which stores no personal information: just the list of invitees and their status. The security of such an application is quite critical, so I tried to keep it as simple and small as possible. I don't have the means to run a bug bounty, but if you like information security, come and white hack me ! If you find something and disclose it responsibly, I'll credit you in the about page.
About PHP ? P.H.P is a general purpose scripting language devoted towards web-development. It is widely used language and can be embedded within HTML codes. Developers can use this open source, server side language to create various websites, whether they are web applications, dynamic websites or static websites. PHP makes project easier to manage. PHP generally abbreviated as"Hypertext Pre-processor." Basically there are two types of web pages :- 1. Static Web Pages:- Static websites consist of a fixed number of pre-rendered web pages. It doesn't reflect any changes in user action.Static web pages are usually built independently, without connecting to a database. 2. Dynamic Web Pages:- Dynamic webpages generates pages in real-time. The flexibility of the content and structure makes is possible to what a user experience based on their request or the browser they use. Dynamic websites generate and display content based on the actions taken by a user. Difference between static and dynamic web pages. Static Web Pages Dynamic Web Pages Pre-built content is same every time the page is loaded. Content is generated quickly and changes regularly. It uses the HTML code for developing a website.It sends exactly the same response for every request. It uses the server side languages such as PHP,SERVLET, JSP, and ASP.NET etc. for developing a application. The content is only changed when someone publishes and updates the file (sends it to the web server). The page contains "server-side" code which allows the server to generate the unique content when the page is loaded. Note: Rasmus Lerdorf is known as father of PHP. He created PHP in 1995.
Fluid Leaks Team BlueStar Inspections It has happened to most vehicle owners. You notice a mysterious puddle under your vehicle and quickly go into panic mode not knowing what the fluid is or how serious the leak may be. Knowing how to identify the different types and locations of fluids in your vehicle will help you determine how serious a leak is, and how soon it should be evaluated. There are many different fluids in your vehicle including engine oil, engine coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, washer fluid, and gasoline. Many vehicles also have power steering fluid, differential fluid, and transfer case fluid. Some motor and transmission mounts contain hydraulic fluid. Shock absorbers and struts also contain hydraulic fluid. It is possible for all of these fluids to leak. Air conditioning systems can leak refrigerant oil in addition to Freon, and when operating properly will also leak water. A battery may leak since it contains a mixture of water and sulfuric acid. Some of these fluids may leak while you are driving, others may leak while the vehicle sits, some may leak while driving and sitting, some leaks are common, and some are rare. All fluids have certain characteristics which can help you identify them when they begin to leak. These characteristics include color, consistency, smell, and location. The purpose of this article is to help you understand the different possible types of fluid your vehicle is equipped with, develop a general understanding of what their characteristics are, be informed of components that frequently leak, and recognize a leak before it becomes a huge issue. Engine oil is the most common leak. An engine oil leak can adversely affect the oil level, and if left unchecked can cause engine damage. New engine oil has a yellowish golden color, while older oil can be dark brown to black. Used engine oil often smells slightly gassy. Components that frequently leak engine oil include engine component gaskets (valve cover, oil pan, intake manifold, timing cover), crankshaft and camshaft seals, oil filter, oil cooler and lines, and the drain plug gasket. You may notice your vehicle doesn’t drip oil, but rather seeps oil slowly from various parts of the engine. Oil seepage is common in higher mileage vehicles, and you usually don’t lose enough oil between changes to adversely affect the engine. Just keep an eye on seeps, and get them looked at as soon as they turn into wet components, active drips, hanging drops, or puddles. Coolant is probably the second most common leak. Coolant, also known as antifreeze, can be green, blue, red, bright orange, or pink. It has a bit of a sticky, slimy, viscous feel to it, and generally has a sweet smell. Coolant regulates the temperature in your engine. Left unchecked, a coolant leak can lead to your engine overheating and your vehicle dying on the side of the road. Another reason to have coolant leaks fixed as soon as possible is because coolant is extremely toxic to pets. Coolant leaks generally happen at the front area of the vehicle, but may also occur on the floor under the dash, and at the rear of vehicles equipped with a rear heating system. Components that frequently leak coolant include the radiator, radiator hoses, heater hoses, water pump, thermostat housing, and heater core. Automatic transmission fluid has a light red color when it is in new condition and a dark red or dark brownish color when it gets older. It is a little thicker and has an almost oil-like feel. It has an odor and may smell slightly burnt if it is older and dark brown. Some manual transmission equipped vehicles use automatic transmission fluid, but most use gear oil or manufacturer specific fluid. Transmission fluid serves as a lubricant so transmission gears shift smoothly and correctly. The fluid also serves as a coolant in the transmission. If your vehicle gets low on transmission fluid, you run the risk of damaging the transmission. Look for transmission fluid leaks near the front or middle of the vehicle. Transmission fluid leaks commonly come from the transmission component gaskets (pan, side cover, case), seals (axle, shift shaft, output shaft, front pump), cooler lines, and cooler. Brake fluid is a hydraulic fluid and is clear to yellowish in color, has a medium viscosity, and a slightly oily feel. Brake fluid has a dull, mechanical smell. If you suspect you have a brake fluid leak it should be diagnosed with certainty, even if you need to take it to a repair shop. A brake fluid leak could possibly result in brake failure. This is not something you want to happen as you are cruising down a hill going 60 MPH. Fortunately, in most modern vehicles, brake fluid leaks are rare. If you do have one, you will usually find it near any of the wheels or in the area directly in front of the brake pedal under the hood near the firewall. Windshield washer fluid is usually blue, but sometimes green, orange, or pink. It is thin and feels almost like water. Washer fluid has a slightly sweet smell similar to a mix of coolant and window cleaner. Check the windshield washer fluid reservoir, tubes, and rubber hoses that carry fluid to the sprayers for any leaks. This is not a serious leak. However, it does become a problem when you splash through a muddy puddle and can no longer see, or when you drive through a plague of insects and their guts are splattered all over your windshield. Gas leaks are easy to identify because of the smell. Leaks in the fuel system are the most common cause of vehicle fires making it vital to have them taken care of immediately. If you find a puddle of gas near the rear of your vehicle, you may have a leaking gas tank. Fuel can leak into the engine compartment, underneath the vehicle along fuel lines, and wherever the fuel tank is located. Fuel leaks are not common, but some components that could leak include fuel injector O-rings, fuel hoses, fuel lines, the fuel pressure regulator, and the fuel tank. In a hydraulic power steering system, a drop in your power steering fluid level will result in a whining or growling noise and a loss of power steering assist or stiff steering. Some vehicles actually use a red automatic transmission fluid as the power steering fluid, while other vehicles use a power steering fluid specified by the manufacturer. It is generally slightly yellowish and has a medium thickness. It has very little smell, but a keen nose will detect a dull, mechanical scent. Check your owner’s manual to find out what your vehicle uses for power steering fluid. Your vehicle’s steering system is towards the front of the vehicle, so you will find evidence of power steering leaks there. Common sources for a power steering fluid leak include the power steering pump, hoses connecting the power steering system, and the steering gear. Four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicles may develop leaks from differentials and the transfer case. The transfer case and differentials may be filled with gear lubricant or manufacturer specific fluid. Gear lubricant is light brown to dark brown depending on the amount of use it has had. It is a heavier, thicker oil and has a pungent odor. A differential or transfer case may leak from seals and gaskets. The transfer case is usually mounted at the center of the vehicle, and the differentials are at the front and rear of the vehicle. Some motor and transmission mounts contain hydraulic fluid which improves the dampening effect of drivetrain vibrations and noises. These mounts can eventually fail due to age and stress and will leak hydraulic fluid. Motor and transmission mounts are often overlooked, and a quick inspection will tell you if they are leaking. Eventually, when the fluid completely leaks out they will stop leaking, and you will notice excessive vibration and noise transfer through the steering wheel. Motor and transmission mount fluid is generally yellowish or clear with a slight mechanical odor. Struts and shock absorbers contain hydraulic fluid which helps cushion the ride while you are driving. As these components age, they will eventually leak and lose their effectiveness which will cause a rough ride and cupped tire tread. The fluid in shocks and struts is usually yellowish to clear and has the consistency of light oil. It will generally have a slight mechanical odor. This leak will flow down the outside of the component directly beneath the strut or shock and is easily verified when visually inspected. Imagine it is blistering hot and you have had your vehicle’s air conditioning running full blast all day. As you walk towards your vehicle, you notice a steady drip of liquid coming from underneath the passenger dash area onto the ground. You touch it, smell it, look at it, and it appears to be water. This is one leak that is normal. It is in fact just water condensation coming from the air conditioning evaporator drain tube and nothing to worry about. Air conditioning systems may also leak refrigerant oil, which will generally show up as an oily residue seep possibly coming from the air conditioning compressor, component fittings, seals, or crimp connections on hoses. The battery in your vehicle is filled with a sulfuric acid and water mixture. Lead acid batteries can leak. However, unless they are physically damaged or over-charged, vehicle batteries typically should not leak. When a battery does leak, it is usually through the cell caps on the top of the battery, or due to damage to the battery case. Battery acid is clear like water and should not be touched. It is highly toxic and corrosive, and leaks will leave a trail of corrosion wherever the fluid touches. As a vehicle gets older, it will eventually develop fluid leaks and leave ominous spots or puddles on the ground. The good news is you can improve your ability to decipher those mysterious spots, which will help you determine whether the fluid leak is harmless or a serious problem needing to be fixed. It is important to be aware of where you typically park and watch for evidence of leaks. Place cardboard under your vehicle so you can analyze the color, consistency, smell, and location of the leak. Remember, fluid seeps are generally not a concern, but they should be watched. If your vehicle shows evidence of a leak and you cannot tell for sure what it is or where it is coming from, have an ASE certified technician inspect the leak and accurately diagnose the issue.
COVID-19 vaccination FAQs COVID-19 spring booster The latest advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on 21 February 2022 recommends that individuals aged 12 and over who are immunosuppressed should be given a spring booster dose. This includes people undergoing chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients, and people diagnosed with leukaemia or lymphoma. As a minimum, 3 months should have elapsed since your previous COVID-19 vaccination dose. This is being advised as a precautionary measure to increase immunity levels and provide a better vaccine response, based on studies and experience with other vaccines. You can get your vaccine by: You might need proof of your current diagnosis or treatment which can be a letter from your specialist team. Contact your specialist team if you don't have a letter which describes your cancer diagnosis or treatment. Further information about the COVID-19 vaccine can be found on the NHS website Treatment for COVID-19 If you are currently living with cancer or have had cancer treatment in the last 12 months, you might need treatment if they test positive for coronavirus. These treatments can stop you from getting seriously ill and need to be given quickly after you start to have symptoms. 1. You should keep lateral flow tests at home. 2. You must keep lateral flow test kits at home so you can get tested quickly if you have any coronavirus symptoms. 3. You won't be automatically sent tests but you can request them on GOV.UK or by calling 119 if you don't have any. 4. You can use any lateral flow tests supplied by the Government. Tests bought from a shop (including pharmacies) cannot currently be registered via GOV.UK or 119. 5. You should take a test if you think you have coronavirus. 6. If you have coronavirus symptoms you should take a lateral flow test immediately, even if your symptoms are mild. 7. You must report your result on the COVID-19 reporting website or by calling 119 and provide your NHS number and postcode correctly. 8. If your test is negative but you still have symptoms, you should take another test on each of the next 2 days (3 tests in total over 3 days). 9. If a test confirms that you have coronavirus call your GP, 111 or specialist team 10. Following a positive test, most eligible patients will be contacted by the NHS to assess symptoms and discuss treatments. 11. However, the NHS cannot identify and contact all patients, and this applies to you. 12. Once you receive a positive test result, immediately contact your GP, 111 or your specialist cancer team. They will be able to make a referral. 13. Once you are referred, the NHS will contact you about treatments that may be available to you. You will be asked about medication you are taking, including vitamins. They will then advise which treatment, if any, is suitable, and make any necessary arrangements. You can find out more information on the NHS coronavirus treatments website. Last updated: June 2022
Companies have a maturity model for a variety of reasons. However, some use maturity as a mechanism to control or measure the value of their data. Other companies use maturity as a way to compare performance over time. In short, it can be seen as a statistical measurement of how important a key attribute is to the company. This article will focus on the latter use of maturity to track business performance. The maturity model looks closely at three attributes of data: historical data, future predictions, and current trends. Each attribute is assigned a weight depending on its importance. When data sets are combined with other models, the results can provide valuable insights. The model considers the effect of key attributes on the overall average. The idea is that higher weights reflect the more important attributes in a data set. One way to think of the model is that attributes are ranked higher in relation to importance if they are supported by recent evidence. So, the data must be relatively recent or it will not pass the test of time. The last three attributes to include in the model are predicted from current trends. This can be done by finding out what key attributes are correlated with one another in order to calculate their average effects. Maturity models can be applied to all types of data. However, there are some limitations to its use. The first limitation is that it cannot deal with large data sets. It works best with smaller, shorter data sets. In addition, this method cannot deal with unknown or fuzzy relationships. Read More: 4 Stress-Free Ways To Help Students Learn Virtually Data sources for a Maturity Model should be limited to internal company data. A common practice is to use former employees, former clients, or industry partners. This increases the likelihood that the model will identify relationships. However, there are many potential sources of non-internal data and even these sources have limitations. Another limitation of Maturity Model is its inability to deal with changing market conditions. When markets change, companies must update their models to keep up with the new dynamics. However, with internal company data, this is usually not an issue. The other drawback to using Maturity Model is that it only deals with basic, aggregated data and it may not be able to predict trends or changes in pricing due to imperfect sampling. When evaluating whether to use Maturity Model, you must also take into consideration the time required to collect relevant data. You should not use Maturity Model if your data collection and analysis time are not sufficient. Also, if you plan on applying this model to multiple dimensions, then you need to have an easy way to collect data and manage data according to individual data points. As a conclusion, Maturity Model is a useful tool when developing a strategy for improving the quality and accuracy of the key performance indicators for your company. But before using it, you should first analyze the current framework in place to get an accurate picture of the problems your organization is facing. Then use Maturity Model to identify the issues related to the key metrics. Finally, develop a set of metrics that will guide you in your strategies implementation. To make the most out of the Maturity Model, you should first have a company-wide view of its operational performance. To do this, you should start by collecting performance from all functional areas of your company. Next, you should evaluate the key metrics based on the collected data. Based on this information, you can create a plan for your company’s improvement. Create a plan by identifying which elements should be evaluated regularly. Then make a list of the key areas that must be further evaluated using Maturity Model. After developing a list of areas to evaluate, you should then develop a test plan. By doing this, you can determine the plan’s validity as well as its feasibility. Always make sure that you have a reliable Maturity Model in place before implementing the plan. If you make any mistakes in the development of your strategy, you might encounter difficulties in carrying out the strategies that you want to implement. So ensure that the Maturity Model that you are using is solid and well tested. It is also important to consider your company’s long-term goals and objectives. This way, you can determine whether or not the Maturity Model that you are using is the right one for your company.
Dr. Thomas W. McGovern February 28, 2022 Are we there yet? Like kids in the back seat during a long family trip, we have each been asking that question regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. But to answer the question, we have to define what “there” means? If we mean the way things were before 2020, then we are not there yet, but maybe we can see it from where we are. The omicron surge was much more intense in speed and numbers than the prior COVID-19 surges our country has seen. Fortunately, this variant attaches to lung tissue 10 times less effectively than previous SARS-CoV-2 versions and has caused predominantly upper respiratory infections instead of pneumonia. How will we know when the pandemic is over? Since “pandemic” refers to an infection growing exponentially and spreading globally, only a global entity such as the World Health Organization can declare it over — as they declared it begun nearly two years ago on March 11, 2020. What the numbers say How will we know when it is over in the United States? In one sense, socially, it will be over for us when we don’t have to change our pre-2020 behavior for masks, testing, distancing or vaccination requirements to participate in various activities. Even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reduced masking recommendations, and states and municipalities known for more onerous restrictions are lifting their mask mandates in public places and even in some schools. In another sense, it will be over when hospitalization numbers are similar to pre-2020 for a given time of year, and in an even better sense, when excess deaths are no longer occurring. We aren’t there yet. Hospitalizations and new COVID-19 hospital admissions are rapidly dropping and haven’t been this low since before the delta variant surge. Deaths are dropping but are still quite high. Even though omicron had a 65% reduction in hospitalization, 83% lower ICU admission rate and 75% to 91% reduced fatality rate compared to delta, the number of deaths during the omicron wave have exceeded the summer/fall delta wave because omicron is so much more infectious. Omicron multiplies 70 times faster than the delta variant in upper airways and is 3-4 times more transmissible. Those dying of COVID are overwhelmingly unvaccinated. Fatality rates were 0.5/100,000 persons per week among fully vaccinated persons compared to 9.7 for unvaccinated persons — a 95% reduction in risk of death in those who had been vaccinated. Perhaps the pandemic will be over when a certain percentage of the population has immunity to SARS-CoV-2 so that exponential growth of infection can no longer recur because so many people are protected. Currently, this number is about 75% of Americans. If you have been vaccinated or infected, and if you don’t have a high-risk condition, the end of the pandemic is closer for you than for others. We must remain humble that a new variant could emerge at any time, just as variants of influenza have continued to emerge since the 1918-19 flu pandemic. Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you,” and infectious disease experts are saying, “COVID-19, you will always have with you,” just as we will always have influenza with us. But as more people develop immunity, COVID-19 will likely become a seasonal infection dangerous to progressively smaller slices of our population. Protection from the virus As the omicron surge resolves, most people who have been staying away from Mass should consider returning. Your parish and your fellow parishioners want you and need you. God created us as social beings, and to some extent, we whither without that contact. There are now excellent treatments for high-risk individuals who get infected, and there is strong protection for those who have received three doses of an mRNA vaccine. Is it too late to benefit from vaccination if you have not been vaccinated? No. First, COVID-19 will keep circulating, and people will keep dying from it. As mentioned above, your risk of death decreases significantly (95% with omicron) if you do meet the current variant, and vaccination will most likely provide protection against the next variant. While we don’t know what the next variant will look like, researchers produced an engineered “super-virus” with 20 different spike-protein mutations. Previously infected individuals were unable to neutralize that virus, while vaccinated individuals could neutralize it. What if you’ve already been infected and not vaccinated? Your risk of a subsequent poor outcome from a second infection — estimated as a 50% risk within two years — is cut in half with a subsequent single dose of mRNA vaccine. Additionally, your neutralizing antibody levels are 10-55 times higher if you have received three vaccine doses or been infected and vaccinated compared to someone previously infected but not vaccinated. Previous infection provides about 85-90% protection against death against infection with the omicron variant. However, previously infected patients during the delta variant surge were 5 times more likely to test positive for COVID when hospitalized with respiratory illness than those who had been vaccinated. Current evidence suggests that the protection provided by two doses of mRNA vaccine are similar to that provided by a prior COVID-19 infection, and a three-dose series has been equated to prior infection plus one dose of mRNA vaccine. More than one dose of mRNA vaccine after COVID infection does not seem to provide an added benefit. Is it too late to get vaccinated? So why should someone consider getting vaccinated at this point if they have played the respiratory version of that old playground game Red Rover and avoided getting metaphorically tackled in the past two years? Two reasons. First, significant reduction in risk of hospitalization and death as discussed above. Second, what’s known as “long COVID.” About 10% of young adults under 35 and about 30% of all adult survivors develop symptoms lasting more than two months after recovery from acute COVID or lasting beyond three months from the start of infection. Symptoms include loss of taste or smell, hair loss, memory problems, rapid heart beat or difficulty breathing. One stunning study in the U.K. using functional MRI to check brain function and volume found that there was a pattern of gray matter loss in five areas of the brains of adults who recovered from COVID compared to those who did not have COVID. Areas affected were involved in memory, taste and smell. Fortunately, vaccinated individuals who become infected do not develop long COVID. What about childhood vaccination? The U.K. has recommended that only children 5-11 years old with comorbidities should get vaccinated, but in the United States, the CDC is recommending that all children be vaccinated. After speaking to pediatricians and infectious disease physicians, it seems that the benefits for children under 12 getting vaccinated include reducing the rare but alarmingly severe, multi-system inflammatory syndrome. Certainly, children with high-risk co-morbidities and those living with fragile adults with comorbidities should consider being vaccinated to reduce spreading infection to them. And yes, a difficult-to-perform study has been completed that demonstrates that vaccinated individuals who become infected are less likely to transmit infection to others. Also, myocarditis risk is lower in vaccinated young adults and children than in COVID infection itself. Finally, if children are vaccinated, their immune systems will be better prepared to meet future variants, and their low risk of death will be even lower. Schools and parishes As far as masking goes, the omicron variant is so contagious that masks are likely protecting no one except those wearing tightly fitting N95 or KN95 type masks. No longer are they protecting others from the wearers; they are just protecting the wearer. According to two public health and infectious disease specialists to whom I have spoken, at this point in the pandemic, masking children in schools, as well as testing and tracing in schools, are probably producing negligible benefits that must be weighed against the potential social and educational harms of masking. Finally, when will it be safe to receive the precious blood from the chalice again? It depends how you define “safe.” There has always been a risk of infection of various types from drinking from a common cup, and there always will be. Such risk (pre-COVID) is apparently reduced by 90% by wiping the cup after each communicant. If the omicron numbers decrease to where COVID numbers were in June 2021, then receiving Communion in the cup — or kissing the crucifix on Good Friday — will likely be no more risky than they were during Lent in years before 2020. On Feb. 25, the CDC gave us wonderful news in posting a new section called Community Transmission where they noted that wearing masks indoors is no longer recommended for most Americans. Each county is color coded green, yellow or orange based on the combination of three criteria: new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days. This is good news, because it is based primarily on those with severe illness. Masks have been symbolic of the pandemic’s restrictions on living a normal life, and the removal of masking is likely to have positive effects in our lives and serve as a signal that the pandemic is coming to an end. Dr. Thomas W. McGovern, M.D., is a Mohs surgeon in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who previously worked in vaccine research and now co-hosts “Doctor, Doctor “on EWTN Radio and podcast. 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Money Smarts Blog Go green without going broke with this simple formula Jun 1, 2021 \|\| IHMVCU man who knows who easy it is to recycle Go green, people say. It will be easy, they say. Well, as it turns out, “they” are right for once. Going green doesn’t have to be a difficult task and doesn’t have to drain your wallet. Don’t believe me? It’s as simple as R + D + T = G: Remember to Recycle, Ditch the Disposables and Turn it off/down for a Greener life. Find out how much you can save and how much the planet will benefit with this simple formula below. Remember to recycle: The first step to going green is easy, and it doesn’t cost you anything! It may take some time, but mother nature thanks you. Here’s how you get started: When you go through your disposables at home, make sure you’re only recycling items that have the this symbol: as these 3 arrows let you know that it’s safe to put in the recycling bin. It’s critical to pay attention to because if you try to recycle something that’s not recyclable, it can contaminate any item it touches. For example, if you gather items like pop cans and put them in a plastic bag then throw it straight into the recycling, it breaks every recycling 101 rule. It may seem like a clever idea at the time; however the bags jam the equipment, blow away from landfills and can’t be recycled. So, in the end, you do more harm than good. Something else to pay attention to is your local recycling policy. It’s different for every area, and can typically be found on your city website. For example, in Moline, IL your items must be separated by different plastics and mixtures of fiber. Examples of items with different fibers are cardboard, newspapers, text books and brown paper bags. To make it easier on yourself, find your local policy and keep your recyclables separated at home. Davenport and Bettendorf, IA are all in on recycling, and offer a single stream program. That means all recyclables can go into one cart without the need to separate paper and containers. With a system that easy, there’s no excuse NOT to recycle. But keep in mind that plastic bags of any kind are still a no-no, even with a single stream system. Ditch the disposable: Goodbye disposable products, and hello reusable! By making a minor change in your lifestyle, like ditching products that are made to be thrown away, you can make a huge impact. The simplest and most cost-efficient options I found were e-newspapers, reusable water bottles and replacing your disposable razor. Let’s start with newspapers. If you’re used to getting a newspaper sent to your home every day, consider how much paper you’re throwing away (or hopefully recycling). A greener and much cheaper version of that same newspaper can be found digitally. For example, getting the Quad City Times delivered to your home everyday costs $25.00 a month. If you got a digital copy you’d only be spending $10.99 a month on that same product. That’s almost a $170 difference for the whole year! Reusable water bottles are another way to kick the plastic to the curb (just kidding, recycling bin). It’s said that in the U.S, people open 1,000 water bottles every second and put 60 million plastic water bottles in the trash each year. Don’t be one of the 60 million contributing to more plastic waste, and buy a reusable water bottle. Not only will mother nature be happy, so will your wallet. I’m sure it’s tired of being used at 7/11 for a $2.50 bottle of Smart Water every day. Onto something a little sharper, razors (see what I did there?). I know people love their disposable razors, but have you ever considered how much plastic you’re throwing away? Or how much money you spend on them? For the cheapest disposable razors at Target, it’s $1.99 for 12. For $8.00 a month with the Dollar Shave Club, you could get a nicer handle and 4 blades every. Single. Month. No more polluting the earth, you save money AND get a cleaner shave. And guys, beards are totally in, but the key is a well-kept beard. You’re welcome. Turn it off/down: Water and energy are two things people forget about when they think of “going green”. But most of these lifestyle changes are the cheapest and easiest to accomplish. The simplest way is to plug your bigger electronics into a power strip, and make sure it gets turned off every night. Even though the TV or gaming system may be off, it’s still sucking energy from the outlet. If the power strip it’s plugged into is turned off, you’re saving energy and money. I call that a win, win. Another way to save on energy is to buy a programmable thermostat. At your local Home Depot, these can range from $24.00 - $250 (just depends on how many features you want). And I mean, if you’re not at home during the day, why does the AC need to be on? When you set up a programmable thermostat you can make sure the air conditioning turns itself on before you get home and off when you leave for work. Perks of owning this nifty gadget is that it remembers your preferences, so you won’t have to manually set it every time. It also saves you 10-12% on heating and up to 15% on cooling your home. In other words, this “smart” thermostat just made you greener and more cost efficient. If saving energy doesn’t sound achievable, what about water? A low-flow shower head helps you save water without messing with the water pressure and you’ll see a difference in your water bill. This is because a typical shower head uses 3-4 gallons of water per minute and low-flow versions only use about 1.5 gallons of water per minute. This alone could save you roughly $80/year on your water bill. Who knew going green could benefit everyone? So, remember, R + D + T = G. When you remember to recycle, ditch your disposables and turn it off/down, you’ll be on your way to a greener earth and more green in your wallet. And now it’s in an easy to memorize formula! If you’re still not convinced that going green will save you money, check out our How Much Am I Spending calculator. Then you can easily compare how much you’re currently spending vs how much you would spend given the green changes above. Close Window Close Window Third Party Disclaimer Continue to: Thanks for signing up! Subscribe to our mailing list What's your age range? What financial services are you interested in? What would you like to know more about? What are you saving for? Are you an IHMVCU member? Please also send me. . . * Everything but your first name and email is optional
Many people experience pain in the ribs of the back at some point. The pain may be sharp or dull and mild or severe. Mild injuries can cause pain in this area and may improve over time, with or without treatment. However, this pain can sometimes indicate a more serious medical condition that requires specialist care. This is more likely if the pain is intense or there are other symptoms. This article looks at some common causes of pain in the back of the ribs, as well as the associated symptoms and typical treatments. An older man stood outside holding his back due to back rib pain.Share on Pinterest Nes/Getty Images Injuries can cause back rib pain. Common rib-related injuries include: If pain after an injury is lasting or severe, the cause may be a broken rib. To diagnose this injury, a doctor may use an X-ray or MRI. Treatment options vary. Many people with broken ribs just need rest and pain relief medication. Surgical intervention is sometimes necessary, but only in severe cases. An intercostal muscle strain is an injury to the muscles between the ribs. A strain occurs when these muscles tear, often due to strenuous physical activity. Common symptoms of an intercostal muscle strain include: • sharp, severe pain in the upper back or ribs • stiffness and tension in the upper back muscles • spasms in the intercostal muscles To treat this type of strain, doctors often recommend pain medication and physical therapy. Costochondritis is inflammation of the cartilage that holds the ribs together. It is a common condition, particularly in adults aged 40–50, and it causes pain in the chest wall, sometimes at the back of the ribs. The pain may be strong and sharp, and it may get worse when the person takes a deep breath. It may also worsen with movement. Treatment may involve: • heat therapy • local or oral pain medications • capsaicin cream • physical therapy For many people with costochondritis, the issue improves in a few weeks. However, because the symptoms can be similar to those of a heart condition, it is vital to speak with a doctor. Preexisting conditions, such as osteoporosis, can weaken the ribs so that they break more easily, often during less intensive activities. Osteoporosis causes the bones to lose the minerals that they need to stay strong. With a low mineral density, bones can fracture spontaneously or when the person is coughing. It is a common condition in older adults, especially in females. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 12.6% of adults over 50 had osteoporosis in 2017–2018. The figure for females only was 19.6%. The symptoms of osteoporosis include soreness and pain. Healthcare professionals often diagnose the issue with X-rays. They may also test a person’s kidney and thyroid function. Some treatment options for osteoporosis include: • doing gentle strength training • reducing alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, if applicable • taking calcium and vitamin D3 supplements • taking medications that reduce the risk of fractures Fibromyalgia causes widespread pain in the muscles and bones. People may also have specific tender points. Researchers are unsure what causes it, but it is more common in females than in males. Beyond the pain, fibromyalgia often occurs with: Because fibromyalgia has such diverse symptoms, doctors may recommend a variety of interventions, including: Gallstones are hardened deposits in the gallbladder. They sometimes cause no symptoms, but they can also move and block the ducts of the gallbladder, leading to problems. Gallstones can cause pain, especially when they block ducts. The classic presentation is pain in the upper right part of the stomach, under or around the ribs. Some people also feel the pain in their back, such as between their shoulder blades. The pain may be intense, though it is mild for some people. It usually develops shortly after a meal and lasts for a few hours. A person may also have nausea and vomiting or jaundice. This yellowing of the eyes and skin signals that the gallstones are affecting the liver. It may also cause dark urine. A blocked gallbladder duct can become a medical emergency. Anyone with gallstones should receive prompt medical attention for any intense abdominal pain, especially if there is jaundice. A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood vessel in a lung is blocked, often by a blood clot. A person may initially notice pain and swelling in one leg when the clot blocks a blood vessel there. If the clot breaks loose, it can travel to the lungs. Pulmonary embolisms are serious and relatively common. Research shows that they are responsible for around 100,000 deaths per year in the United States, and this figure is rising. Aside from pain in the back of the ribs, a pulmonary embolism can cause the following symptoms: • coughing, which may bring up blood • sweating • headaches and lightheadedness • shortness of breath • rapid breathing • anxiety • an irregular heartbeat A pulmonary embolism is a life threatening emergency that requires immediate treatment. Typically, treatment involves blood thinning medication, which makes it harder for clots to form. A person who cannot tolerate this approach receives a different medication that prevents the blood from clotting. Certain health conditions that affect the lungs can also cause back rib pain. For example, pleurisy, or inflammation of the lining of the lungs, can cause pain in the chest, shoulders, and back ribs. Researchers know that several underlying issues can cause pleurisy. For this reason, the treatments are varied. Lung cancer can also cause pain in the chest and ribs. It is life threatening and a leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. Other symptoms of lung cancer include coughing, which may bring up blood, and shortness of breath. The best course of treatment depends on the cancer’s type and stage, as well as factors specific to each individual. A person may need to undergo surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. A person should contact a doctor about back rib pain if: • The pain worsens. • It remains after a few days of home treatment. • It limits the ability to move. • It occurs with a fever, chills, vomiting, nausea, or other symptoms. People who think that they may have gallstones should call a healthcare professional and ask if their symptoms are signs of an emergency. But anyone with intense gallstone pain should go to an emergency room. In general, seek emergency treatment if: • The pain is so severe that it limits the ability to function. • It occurs with jaundice. • It occurs with trouble breathing, shortness of breath, or chest pain. • The person feels very sick. • Any symptoms rapidly worsen over several hours. Minor injuries can cause pain in the back ribs. These injuries are not usually dangerous, and they often heal on their own. However, this pain can also stem from a more serious health condition. This is especially likely if the pain is very intense, comes on suddenly, with no clear cause, or occurs with other symptoms. Prompt treatment can prevent serious complications and death. Anyone with persistent or severe back rib pain should contact a healthcare professional.
How loud does it hurt? Professor pushes alternative pain scale Image: Pain scale The Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale is similar to other scales, aimed at helping patients characterize their level of pain on a 1-to-10 scale.DVCIPM GAINESVILLE, Fla. — How bad does it hurt? The standard method for gauging pain looks for a 1-to-10 rating, but it turns out that one person's 3 may well be another person's 5. And that can make a difference for how the pain is treated. University of Florida psychologist Linda Bartoshuk has a different idea: Try comparing your pain to the loudest sound you've heard, or the brightest light. Is it more like a telephone dial tone, or a train whistle? A night light, or sunlight? "Do you really think that everybody has the same '10' on the scale?" Bartoshuk asked this week during a presentation at the ScienceWriters2013 conference in Gainesville. How sensations rate Over the years, Bartoshuk has focused on how to translate subjective sensations into objective data — not just for pain, but for taste as well. Starting in the 1990s, she documented how some people have tongues that are more densely packed with fungiform papillae, the little bumps that contain a person's taste buds. Those folks, dubbed "supertasters," appear to experience tastes more intensely than the rest of us. Other factors can affect how people's taste buds work: During the Gainesville talk, Bartoshuk passed out little circles of filter paper treated with a chemical substance called 6-n-propylthiouracil, or PROP. Some people appear to be genetically suited to get a strong bitter taste from PROP, while others taste hardly a thing. (I'm in the latter category.) Image: Bartoshuk The University of Florida's Linda Bartoshuk studies the mysteries of taste and smell - and applies her findings to the perception of pain as well.UFHealth When Bartoshuk asked supertasters to compare the sweetness of Coca-Cola to the loudness of a sound, the average supertaster went with a 90-decibel train whistle. In contrast, people who didn't have the super sense of taste compared the Coke to an 80-decibel telephone dial tone. A jump of 10 decibels translates into double the loudness; thus, there was a significant, predictable difference in how the two groups perceived taste. "Supertasters live in a neon taste world, compared to the pastel taste worlds of others," Bartoshuk said. Comparing men and women That led her to wonder whether a similar technique could be applied to gauging pain. She drew up a scale that threw out the traditional "1-to-10," and went instead with a variety of cross-modal experiences — for example, the softness of a whisper, the brightness of full sunlight, or the strongest sensation of any kind ever experienced. The experiment found that women tend to have a higher-ranging scale for pain than men do. A man might put a knee injury on the top of the scale, and compare it to the sun's brightness. In contrast, a woman might say the pain of childbirth was more intense than sunlight. Generally speaking, the male pain scale went from 1 to 10, while the female scale went to 12. Bartoshuk says that suggests that a man's "4" might be equivalent to a woman's "3" when it comes to pain. Does that make a difference? It could: One emergency-room study found that when patients rated their pain as less than 4, they never received painkillers. Over the past few years, Bartoshuk and other researchers have been debating whether it's worth tweaking pain measurement scales. Some experts say that the 1-to-10 scale seems to be working well enough, and there's no need to change. Others say that visual ways of gauging pain — for example, by pointing to a spot on a line — work better. In July, U.S. and Australian researchers reported that the method Bartoshuk favors, known as the general Labeled Magnitude Scale, "has great potential and can be feasibly used to measure pain intensity clinically." They said the method is particularly valuable for rating pain that goes up to 10 and then gets even worse. So how would you rate these methods for gauging pain and other sensations? On a scale of 1 to 10, of course. More about the science of pain: Alan Boyle is's science editor as well as president of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. CASW and the National Association of Science Writers presented the ScienceWriters2013 conference in Gainesville, in cooperation with the University of Florida. Bartoshuk's talk was part of CASW's New Horizons in Science briefings
Translations (translations) Czech English French German Italian Polish Russian Spanish Select language • Česky • English • Deutsch The first written reference about Strašecí dates back to the years between 1334 and 1343. Shortly thereafter the village was promoted to a small town. The emergence of Strašecí can be related to the period of John of Luxembourg reign when there were many settlements established in the Křivoklátsko region, establishments being based on the law of emphyteusis. This theory is supported by the spacious, regularly-shaped town square’s plan of a medieval origin. History Nové Strašecí Strašecí lost all its rights during the restless 15th century, so the oldest known privileges were not granted to the town by Ladislaus Jaigello until 1480; they were extended later in 1503. In the older privilege Strašecí was referred to as a small town, whereas in 1503, the king mentions the promotion of Strašecí to a town. From the very beginning, the village was a part of Křivoklát dominion belonging to the king; therefore it was subordinated to the royal chamber. For this reason Nové Strašecí is sometimes referred to as a chamber town. However, sheriff of Křivoklát was the one to apply the right of nobility and judgement. Strašecí remained a part of this dominion until the second half of 17th century when king pledged the dominion on long-term basis and sold afterwards. At the turn of the 16th century, craftsmen and merchants were allowed to settle down in Strašecí according to the town privilege. There were also markets held weekly and big annual fairs twice a year; the town was allowed to seal with a green wax, beer could be brewed and sold in the town. The butchers and salt traders were allowed to keep their earnings. In 1533, a great fire destroyed Strašecí and the town had to be rebuilt. However, it was probably built in the place of former homesteads, therefore there is no way to be sure of the appearance of the original medieval town without proper archaeological research. There was no town archive preserved until 17th century; the oldest town book begins with the year 1610. The 16th century destruction of the town is confirmed also by the fact that a new name was given – from the times of the great fire the town is called Nové Strašecí (nové = new). At the turn of the 17th century, townsmen got into many disputes with bishop as they favoured a non-Catholic religion. Because of these conflicts the town lost its privileges for a certain period of time. Thirty Year’s War meant a catastrophe for the town; the worst of all was the great fire in 1639 started by the Swedes. The population of five hundred fairly decreased and the numbers of abandoned homesteads grew. In 1685 the king sold the Křivoklát dominion to Wallenstein family who became a new suzerainty to population of Strašecí. They were replaced by the Fürstenberks later. Until the mid 19th century, Nové Strašecí remained an unimportant town granted with minor privileges; it had a rural character with certain proportion of crafts. There were two fires worth mentioning, in 1811 and 1812, after which the town hall and the church were rebuilt and many houses had to be reconstructed. After 1850, there was a district created in Strašecí which later subordinated to the Slaný county; only judicial and educational districts remained in Strašecí. At those times there was population of 2.200. In this period of time, various societies and associations flourished, such as the Reader’s Club (1864), fire brigade, a youth sports organization Sokol (1869) or museum association (1894). In 1860s, the Buštěhrad Railway was built which made it much easier and faster to get to Prague and other surrounding towns; however, the railway did not improve the transport connection between Strašecí and the district town Slaný. No significant events happened in the area during the traumatic years of WWI and WWII, not even during the euphoria of the years 1918 and 1945 or in the calm period of the First Republic. From 1949 to 1960 there was independent Metropolitan District Council in the town; later Strašecí was subordinated to the Rakovník Metropolitan District Council. History Nové Strašecí
Most Popular Monuments of Tamil Nadu • Post last modified:16 September 2021 • Reading time:8 mins read The monuments of Tamil Nadu attract tourists from all over the world and are considered the architectural gems in the southern area of India. Most of the ancient buildings have been constructed by following Dravidian architectural style. These monuments reflect a unique style which is evident from their design of the walls and the ceilings which have been decorated with intricate and delicate sculptures. Lots of ancient monuments such as Madras War Cemetery, Bharathiyar Illam, Rippon Building, Vivekananda Illam, Thirumalai Nayak Mahal and the Rock Fort temple are present in the major cities of the state. The monuments of Tamil Nadu can be classified into two categories, historical monuments and religious monuments. Monuments of Tamil Nadu 1. Fort St. George 2. Kailasanath Temple 3. Padmanabhapuram Palace 4. Meenakshi Temple 5. Mahabalipuram Rathas 6. Vivekananda Rock 7. Brihadisvara Temple Fort St. George Fort St. George was the first British fortress in India. The construction of the fort at Chennai saw a spurt in settlements and construction activity around the place. The later day Madras/Chennai city evolved around the same fort. Fort St. George has the distinction of being the oldest English fort on the East Coast of India. Constructed between 1640 and 1653 and subsequently reconstructed in the year 1783, Fort St. George was once a town, complete with named streets, alleys and roads. Kailasanath Temple Kanchipuram is a pilgrimage city. A former Pallava capital (7th – 9th century), Kanchipuram is filled with temples dating from the 8th – 17th centuries. These temples are the perfect study of the evolutionary changes that the South Indian architecture underwent while different reigns made their impressions on them. Among the oldest temples in the temple city of Kanchipuram is Kailasanath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. An epitome of an early structural temple, Kailasanath Temple reflects the rapidly emerging South Indian style: gopuras, pilastered walls, a pyramidal shikhara, and a perimeter wall enclosing the complex. Padmanabhapuram Palace The Padmanabhapuram Palace is one of the most magnificent monuments of Tamilnadu. It is situated in Kanyakumari district, 15 km from Nagercoil and 55 km South-West of Thiruvananthapuram. The Padmanabhapuram palace was the seat of power of the rulers of Travancore. The palace is known for its planning and military architecture and remained the center of power till 1790, when the capital was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram. The main attractions of the Padmanabhapuram Palace are its sheer aesthetic beauty, murals, innovative designs and time tested wooden carvings. Meenakshi Temple The Meenakshi temple complex is one of the largest in India. The presiding deity at the Meenakshi temple at Madurai, the Athens of South India, is Goddess Meenakshi. The nucleus of the temple is older than the Madurai city. The Meenakshi temple complex is spread over an area of about 6 hectares. Mahabalipuram Rathas Mahabalipuram is a temple town that is situated along the Coromandel Coast 55 kilometers off Chennai, the capital of Tamil nadu. The place is famous for its Ratha temples that are a part of the famous shore temple complex. The Pallava king Narsimha built the magnificent ‘Ratha’ cave temples of Mahabalipuram. These 7th century temples are regarded the pioneer of an entirely revolutionary style of architecture that came to be known as Dravidian architecture style. These ‘Ratha’ temples of Mahabalipuram are commonly called the Pancha Pandava Ratha. These temples are considered pioneer of the Dravidian monolith era and mark the point of transition between the earlier tradition of rock-carved temples and the later tradition of freestanding stone structures. There are actually eight Rathas at Mahabalipuram out of which five are named after the five Pandavas of Mahabharata and one after Draupadi. The five rathas that can be seen are Dharmaraja Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Arjuna Ratha, Draupadi Ratha and Nakul Sahadeva Ratha. Vivekananda Rock Vivekananda Rock Memorial is built on the legendary Vivekanad Rock that juts out of the convergence of the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. About 400 mts offshore the two rocky islands became the seat of enlightenment for Swami Vivekananda, an Indian philosopher and social reformer. It is believed that in the year 1892, Swami Vivekananda swam across the sea and meditated on this isolated rock island, imparting spiritual charisma to him. Brihadisvara Temple The Brihadisvara temple is one of the most ancient and the most celebrated Hindu temple in the world. The temple is located in the city of Thanjavur that is also known as Tanjore, in the Indian province of Tamil nadu. The UNESCO has adjudged this thousand years old temple a “World Heritage Site”. Brihadisvara is the most illustrious and a brilliant example of the Dravidian style temple architecture. The building that carries the main sanctum is known as the ‘Periya Kovil’. This stands amidst fortified walls that were probably added in the 16th century. Leave a Reply
Similarities in Capital & Money Markets Both money and capital markets are key components of international finance markets. Both markets allow investors to buy debt securities, which are financial products that an actor purchases and the issuer promises to pay back, such as bonds. Capital markets also sell other types of securities and money markets specializes in short-term debt. Capital Markets Capital markets are any financial market or exchange that trades in financial products, such as stocks -- the main equity security -- and bonds -- the main debt security -- as well as other products, such as futures and options contracts. Video of the Day Money Market The money market focuses on short-term debt. Short-term debt means financial products -- bonds, loans, promissory notes -- that the issuer will pay back within 52 weeks. Much of the debt traded on capital markets has even shorter periods, like overnight bank loans or Treasury bills that mature in a matter of weeks. Both types of markets move billions of dollars a day, making them extremely important in the global economy. Businesses and governments rely on both markets to raise money to pay for operations or expand activities. Furthermore, both markets are largely intangible. Most of the trading occurs through computerized trading platforms, not in physical market places or exchanges. While the floor of the New York Stock Exchange is the icon of the capital market, the number of traders on its floor decrease every year and the CEO of NASDAQ has called it a relic. Capital markets trade in both debt and equity, which is ownership investment, such as stocks. While both capital markets and the money market restrict who can trade directly, the money market is the near exclusive realm of very large institutions, banks and governments, while individuals can gain access to capital markets by opening a brokerage account.
How CBD Can Help Nanotechnology Ahead CBD, also known as cannabidiol, helps nanocapsules cross the blood-brain barrier in the fight against “central nervous system diseases”. This information sounds like a science fiction movie, but it really is the reality of fighting diseases that damage the nervous system. In this blog we explore the possibilities of CBD and nanotechnology for the future. What Is The Blood-Brain Barrier Exactly? Everybody knows that when something bad happens to your brain, it directly has a major impact on your well-being. That’s why our brain is located separately from the rest of our body. And the blood-brain barrier comes in place for protection. Important substances for the brain can cross this barrier, such as oxygen and nutrients. At the same time, substances are being removed, like CO2. But a lot of substances can’t cross this barrier from the blood to the brain. In this way the head stays clean and our gray matter stays well protected. cbd and nanotechnology CBD And Nanotechnology Can Reach The Blood-Brain Barrier Nanotechnology is about technological solutions on a very small scale, in which CBD could help. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. In the medical field they are looking for ways to cure diseases, including disorders caused by the central nervous system. Our brain is like a control room and it’s a part of the central nervous system. If we manage to get at the controls ourselves, a lot of diseases could be eradicated. To do so, they want to use nanocapsules. These capsules can deliver the medicine at exactly the right places in the brain. But in order to do that, the capsules need to cross the blood-brain barrier. CBD and nanaotechnology Give our SupMedi CBD Oil a try! CBD And Nanotechnology Make The Brain Accessible Now it appears that CBD, from the ancient cannabisplant, can help the nanotechnology. This substance is also embedded in our CBD oil and CBD tablets. The outside of the nanocapsules, which consist of a fat-like substance, are covered with a little layer of CBD. By adding the CBD to these capsules, six times as much capsules were able to arrive in the brain. In this way, CBD can get the medical science a step closer. Do you suffer from medical complaints? Please read here what CBD can do for you. Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30865462 CBD chocolate CBD 24/7 Chocolates600 mg CBD The CBD E-book! Download free
The Endocannabinoid System in Pediatric Inflammatory and Immune Diseases. ijms-logo“Endocannabinoid system consists of cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptors, their endogenous ligands, and the enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation. CB2, to a great extent, and CB1, to a lesser extent, are involved in regulating the immune response. They also regulate the inflammatory processes by inhibiting pro-inflammatory mediator release and immune cell proliferation. This review provides an overview on the role of the endocannabinoid system with a major focus on cannabinoid receptors in the pathogenesis and onset of inflammatory and autoimmune pediatric diseases, such as immune thrombocytopenia, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, obesity, neuroinflammatory diseases, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. These disorders have a high social impact and represent a burden for the healthcare system, hence the importance of individuating more innovative and effective treatments. The endocannabinoid system could address this need, representing a possible new diagnostic marker and therapeutic target.” Cannabis May Cure Celiac Disease Evidence suggests that there is a natural plant treatment that can mitigate or even cure celiac disease: cannabis. Fortunately, marijuana may be able to help. “Altered Expression of Type-1 and Type-2 Cannabinoid Receptors in Celiac Disease” ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM: A multi-facet therapeutic target. Image result for Curr Clin Pharmacol. The cannabinoid receptor type 2 Q63R variant increases the risk of celiac disease: implication for a novel molecular biomarker and future therapeutic intervention. “Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the small bowel that occurs with the ingestion of gluten, found in several grains products. Although HLA-DQ2 variant is required for the gluten-derived peptide gliadin presentation by antigen-presenting cells to T-cells, non-HLA genetic factors account for the majority of heritable risk. Several genome-wide association studies have identified susceptibility loci for CD on chromosome 1. Cells of the immune system express the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2), a plasma-membrane receptor activated by both endogenous and exogenouscannabinoids. Consistent data evidence that CB2 is linked to a variety of immune functional events and that, in the course of an inflammatory process, an increased number of receptors becomes available for activation. The cannabinoid receptor type 2 gene (CNR2; GeneID1269) maps on 1p36.11. In order to investigate the possible involvement of CB2 in CD establishment, immunohistochemistry toward CB2 receptor and CD4+ cells in small bowel biopsies from celiac children and association analysis, through TaqMan assay, of a CNR2 common missense variant, rs35761398 (CAA/CGG), resulting in the aminoacidic substitution of Glutamine at codon 63 with Arginine (Q63R), in a cohort of 327 South Italian children have been performed. We observed in this study that CB2 is up-regulated in CD small bowel biopsies and CNR2 rs35761398 is significantly associated with CD (χ(2) = 37.064; d.f. 1; p = 1.14 × 10(-9)). Our findings suggest a role of CB2 in CD. The Q63R variant, increasing more than six-fold the risk for CD susceptibility, might eventually represent a novel molecular biomarker for CD risk stratification. Indeed, we provide here further evidence that CB2 receptor plays a critical role in autoimmunity susceptibility and indicates that it represents a molecular target to pharmacologically modulate the immune components in CD.” “The endocannabinoid system is upregulated in both human inflammatory bowel diseases and experimental models of colitis. In this study, we investigated whether this upregulation is a marker also of celiac disease-induced atrophy. The levels of the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor, of the endocannabinoids, anandamide, and 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG), and of the anti-inflammatory mediator palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) were analyzed in bioptic samples from the duodenal mucosa of celiac patients at first diagnosis assessed by the determination of antiendomysial antibodies and histological examination. Samples were analyzed during the active phase of atrophy and after remission and compared to control samples from non-celiac patients. The levels of anandamide and PEA were significantly elevated (approx. 2- and 1.8-fold, respectively) in active celiac patients and so were those of CB(1) receptors. Anandamide levels returned to normal after remission with a gluten-free diet. We also analyzed endocannabinoid and PEA levels in the jejunum of rats 2, 3, and 7 days after treatment with methotrexate, which causes inflammatory features (assessed by histopathological analyses and myeloperoxidase activity) similar to those of celiac patients. In both muscle/serosa and mucosa layers, the levels of anandamide, 2-AG, and PEA peaked 3 days after treatment and returned to basal levels at remission, 7 days after treatment. Thus, intestinal endocannabinoid levels peak with atrophy and regress with remission in both celiac patients and methotrexate-treated rats. The latter might be used as a model to study the role of the endocannabinoid system in celiac disease.” Abnormal anandamide metabolism in celiac disease. “The endocannabinoid system has been extensively investigated in experimental colitis and inflammatory bowel disease, but not in celiac disease, where only a single study showed increased levels of the major endocannabinoid anandamide in the atrophic mucosa. On this basis, we aimed to investigate anandamide metabolism in celiac disease by analyzing transcript levels (through quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction), protein concentration (through immunoblotting) and activity (through radioassays) of enzymes responsible for anandamide synthesis (N-acylphosphatidyl-ethanolamine specific phospholipase D, NAPE-PLD) and degradation (fatty acid amide hydrolase, FAAH) in the duodenal mucosa of untreated celiac patients, celiac patients on a gluten-free diet for at least 12 months and control subjects. Also, treated celiac biopsies cultured ex vivo with peptic-tryptic digest of gliadin were investigated. Our in vivo experiments showed that mucosal NAPE-PLD expression and activity are higher in untreated celiac patients than treated celiac patients and controls, with no significant difference between the latter two groups. In keeping with the in vivo data, the ex vivo activity of NAPE-PLD was significantly enhanced by incubation of peptic-tryptic digest of gliadin with treated celiac biopsies. On the contrary, in vivo mucosal FAAH expression and activity did not change in the three groups of patients, and accordingly, mucosal FAAH activity was not influenced by treatment with peptic-tryptic digest of gliadin. In conclusion, our findings provide a possible pathophysiological explanation for the increased anandamide concentration previously shown in active celiac mucosa.” “Anandamide (AEA) is the prominent member of the endocannabinoid family and its biological action is mediated through the binding to both type-1 (CB1) and type-2 (CB2) cannabinoid receptors (CBR). The presence of AEA and CBR in the gastrointestinal tract highlighted their pathophysiological role in several gut diseases, including celiac disease. Here, we aimed to investigate the expression of CBR at transcriptional and translational levels in the duodenal mucosa of untreated celiac patients, celiac patients on a gluten-free diet for at least 12 months and control subjects. Also biopsies from treated celiac patients cultured ex vivo with peptic-tryptic digest of gliadin were investigated. Our data show higher levels of both CB1 and CB2 receptors during active disease and normal CBR levels in treated celiac patients. In conclusion, we demonstrate an up-regulation of CB1 and CB2 mRNA and protein expression, that points to the therapeutic potential of targeting CBR in patients with celiac disease. In conclusion, our findings together with those published in a previous study, suggest that an abnormal modulation of the endocannabinoid system, both at CBR and AEA levels, may be implicated in the pathogenesis of celiac disease. Further studies are needed to ascertain whether targeting these changes might have a therapeutic role, at least in those patients who are no longer responsive to gluten-free diet.” More Evidence Pot Treats Auto-Immune Diseases “Researchers at the University of South Carolina have another clue as to why patients with auto-immune diseases like multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritisCrohn’s and celiac disease sometimes respond to medical marijuana therapies, according to Science World Reports. The main active ingredient in pot, THC, regulates gene expression in immune cells, effectively switching off runaway inflammation at the DNA level. The researchers used mice cells in vivo and the results suggest that “THC activates the expression of a subset of genes while suppressing the expression of another subset of genes.” The net result is less inflammatory response, which can severely damage and kill cells. Autoimmune diseases involve an abnormal immune response of the body, causing immune cells to attack healthy cells instead of pathogens. Autoimmune diseases — a collection of about 80 diseases — are the 10th leading cause of death of women in all age groups up to 65 years old. Despite the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis, providers remain under attack across America. California senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein currently support the war on pot patients and providers. The Drug Policy Alliance has started a new campaign today to help citizens lobby Senators to defund the war on medical marijuana.” The endocannabinoid system and its therapeutic exploitation. Image result for Nat Rev Drug Discov.
Can Wood Chips Be Used As Mulch Can Wood Chips BE USed As Mulch? +[Are They Worth It?] Are you wondering if wood chips can be used as mulch? You are in the right place. Yes, wood chips can be used as mulch. It’s one of the best organic mulch available. They help retain water, suppress weeds, and provide nutrients to your plants. Additionally, you can use them to create walkways, stop soil erosion and enrich your compost. They’re better than regular mulch. But this is not all you need to know. There are other factors concerning the use of wood chips, like whether their use is safe for the environment and our gardens. Also, I’ll address how long it takes the wood chips to decompose. So, it’ll help if you read this article to the end. Also Check – Wood Chips In Potting Soil? – Good Or Bad? Can Wood Chips Be Used As Mulch? Yes, wood chips can be used as mulch. It’s one of the organic mulches. They provide the soil with shade and block water from evaporating, helping retain moisture. Wood chips also control soil temperatures and weeds. Additionally, once wood chips decompose, they release additional nutrients, which benefits the plants. They also help improve the soil texture. However, fresh wood chips consume nitrogen from the soil, thus competing with the plants. So, they should sit for one year before putting them in the garden. Nonetheless, you can use the new wood chips to mulch plants with established root systems so that they can be in a position to resist competition for nitrogen. It explains why they make the best mulches for trees, shrubs, and various perennial crops. Are Wood Chips A Good Mulch? Wood chips are among the best mulches on the globe. You can opt to use them since they have better water retention capacities. Hence, there’s less need for constant watering of your plants, and the soil’s moisture level is kept constant. Additionally, they help maintain soil temperatures, control weeds and stop soil erosion. Woods chips have a slow breaking down process that contributes to improving the soil quality of your garden. During decomposition, the wood chips release nutrients into the ground. Also, the process helps to improve the soil texture during microbial activity. It’s, however, significant for you to understand that some plants might perform better than others when using wood chips as mulch. Trees and shrubs thrive well when using wood chips as mulches. However, they might not be the best mulch option for vegetables and other annual crops. What Can I Do With Chipper Wood Chips? There are several uses of chipper wood chips in your garden, such as: • Wood Chip Mulch You can use chipper wood chips as mulch around plants in your garden. Wood chips eventually decompose and help to improve the soil texture. The mulch also helps regulate soil temperature and suppress weed. Additionally, they shade the soil, thus preventing water evaporation and helping to maintain water levels. • Wood Chip Walkways One use of the chipper wood chips is to make walkways between raised planter beds. A depth of 6 inches of wood chips compress it into a firm layer but still retain sufficient spring, making it comfortable to stand on for long periods. The chips help create a barrier between your shoes and the ground when working in your garden. They’ll keep your boots mud-free after it rains or you’ve watered the plants. Moreover, it helps retard weeds’ growth. The walkways create a natural-looking, weed-free path to connect different areas of your garden. It’s easier to form curves and level surfaces using wood chips. Nonetheless, be careful when walking on these paths when wearing open-weave shoes because of the splinters from fresh chips. Also, it would be best if you topped up the walkway with fresh chips yearly as they decompose. • Add Wood Chips To Your Compost Wood chips add a lot of carbon to your compost pile. Remember wood takes a long time to decompose? Well, make your chips fine to hasten the process. Also, ensure you add sufficient nitrogen-rich scraps not to throw the composting process out of balance. • Soil Erosion Solution Wood chips offer a soil erosion solution by forming a barrier where your garden is eroding from wind and heavy rains. You can till wood chips into the soil to build up low areas of the garden. The chips then soak up the water and hold in place the ground. Can I Use Fresh Wood Chips As Mulch? It’s not advisable to use fresh wood chips as mulch. The main reason is that, unlike the decomposed wood chips, the fresh ones consume a good amount of nitrogen from the soil. Nitrogen gas is very crucial for the growth of many plants. It’s advisable to let wood chips sit in the garden for one year to facilitate the process of decomposition. The main reason is to ensure that the plants have better chances of thriving as it helps to reduce nitrogen consumption. Therefore, let it decompose over time to ensure it won’t compete with the plants for nitrogen. Some of the signs you can identify when the wood chips are consuming the nitrogen in the soil include yellowing and dropping the leaves. It means that you have to take action before the condition of the plants worsens. So, if you’ve applied the fresh wood chips, it’s essential to remove them before they destroy the plants. Hence, it’s essential not to use these chips until they are at least one year old. Waiting provides you with the best mulch material for your plants. What Is The Availability Of Wood Chips For Mulching? Wood chips are readily available in large amounts in the local recycling centers. It’s possible to get them in bulk for free or at a very cheap price in these locations. Which Is Better: Mulch Or Wood Chips? Wood chips are bulky and oversized compared to the mulch. Hence, wood chips provide a more neat cover than mulch. It also makes it possible for them to last longer in the garden. Moreover, wood chips have better water retention capability than mulch and help moderate the soil temperature. Wood chips are more economical than mulch as they have a very slow breaking down process. It, therefore, means wood chips can last longer in your garden than most of the mulching options. So, you won’t have to keep incurring the cost of replenishing them. Also, wood chips are readily available. You can obtain them at no cost from most local recycling centers or even make them yourself. If you need to source quickly for a surface cover at a low cost, wood chips are a great option, unlike other organic mulches that take time to make. Wood chips compromise materials of different sizes, and hence they’re more compaction resistant as they allow water to infiltrate than mulch. Moreover, the different materials, including bark, leaves, and wood in the chippings, offer diverse soil microorganism selections. As a result, the wood chips are more resistant to ecological stresses and provide a healthy environment for your plants. However, mulch has an improved nutritional value than wood chips. Additionally, it provides better insulation for the plants’ roots. How Long Does It Take Wood Mulch To Decompose? The wood chips start decomposing in a concise duration of three months. After using them as mulch, they have a slow process of breaking down, explaining why they can cover your garden for a long time. Once they decompose, they turn into compost which is still significant to the plants and the soil. It would be best to understand that wood chips have a higher decomposition rate in summer. The main reason is that the pile’s center accumulates heat that triggers the decomposition process. You can slow down the decomposition process by turning the pile. Are Wood Chips Suitable For The Environment? Wood chips are suitable for the environment. Their source is natural resources. Also, wood chips benefit the environment because the waste wood helps in farming instead of accumulating in landfills. What Wood Chips Are Bad For The Garden? There are some trees whose wood chips might introduce allelochemicals into the soil. These chemicals inhibit seed germination and also kill certain plant species. Trees whose wood chips you should avoid include black walnut, eucalyptus, and the tree of heaven. What’s the closing line, therefore? Wood chips can be used as mulch. They have high water retention, thus facilitating the growth of plants in your garden and the cooling of the soil. Wood chips also have a slow breaking down process, thus making them economical in the sense that you don’t have to keep replenishing them. You’re warned against using fresh wood chips to mulch your garden because it consumes nitrogen crucial for plant growth. It’s important to let the wood chips sit for one year in the garden before using them. Moreover, it’s essential to be cautious about the type of trees you acquire the wood chips from. Leave a Comment Your email address will not be published.
short essay 214 This is for Microbiolgoy course Please read the articles on Microbial Ecology (uploaded in ‘Modules’ and/or in ‘Files’) Climate Change Microbiology’ ‘Global Change Microbiology’ ‘Microorganisms and Climate Change’ ‘The Urgent Need for Microbiology Literacy in Society’ Write a short essay (150 – 200 words) and discuss with your colleagues on the following question: What role do microorganisms have in the global change? It is important that you engage in a discussion with at least two of your colleagues. ( This part I will post my colleagues discussion after submitting my discussion)
Q&A: What is Online Advertising? Online advertising is the advertising of goods and services, including websites, on the web, and the online and offline delivery of products and services. The term online advertising was first coined in 2000 by a Canadian blogger named Mark Zuckerburg. Today, online advertising is widely used across many industries. In fact, more than a billion websites use it in some way, while around half of all businesses use it on a daily basis. The biggest online advertising companies, Google and Facebook, employ thousands of online advertising experts. For example, they employ about a thousand digital ad agencies to run their online advertising campaigns, which they pay for by advertising on their own websites. There are other online advertising businesses, including eBay, Microsoft, and Uber, that also employ thousands or even hundreds of ad agencies, as well as third-party service providers. A recent survey found that around 75% of US households use online advertising at least occasionally. The top five brands using online advertising include Coca-Cola, Amazon, Walmart, Apple, and Starbucks. The average household spends $1,079 per year on online advertising. Online advertising has grown dramatically in the past decade. It’s now worth about $6 billion a year, up from around $2 billion in the late 1990s. For every dollar spent online, one online ad is seen on more than 1,200 websites. That’s an increase of about 10 times over the past few years. In 2018, the total number of online ads was around $3.3 trillion, and more than $2.4 trillion of that is spent online. A key question for marketers is how to target their online campaigns to different groups of people, or target ads to different audiences. This can be difficult because many of the online advertising platforms rely on different algorithms that may or may not work. These algorithms often use different terms to identify you based on your age, gender, location, education level, and so on. The problem is that there’s a lot of overlap in the ways that people use these terms, making it difficult to target ads for the same group of people. To make matters worse, there’s no easy way to determine which websites or advertising platforms are using the terms that best target your interests. There’s a good chance that many people in your target demographic will be viewing ads that have the same keywords as the ones that are being used by other websites or platforms. It can be hard to predict which of these terms is the most likely to help you get more sales, but you can do some pretty good work by combining the two. For that reason, you’ll want to consider how you use the terms you’re interested in to determine what ads will be most effective for you. This is why it’s important to know which online advertising sites and advertising platforms you should be targeting. You can also ask yourself which keywords to target in your search. You’ll want some of the more common terms that people are likely to use, such as: The internet: This term refers to the web pages that are hosted on the internet.
So often the middle school years are considered awful. Reasons for this can vary, but most adults associate that time in their lives with a sense of precariousness, and for some, even extreme anxiety. When stating during conversation that I am a middle school teacher, it often is met with ‘oh, you must be a saint’ to work with that aged person! The impression of a middle school setting seems to be a place that is by nature “out of control”, due to its unpredictability and/or the assumption of predictably badly behaved students. There is the idea that middle school consists of apathetic and grumpy young people who stumble and struggle through this tumultuous time of life and that those typical interactions constantly are fraught with pure defiance and adversarial relationships. So, why would someone want to be a middle school educator? It is true that a large group of 10 – 13-year-olds together in one building often is a recipe for bullying, low self-esteem, resulting in a purely punitive environment. However, in a small middle school setting, such as CELC Middle School, the wonder and magnificence of this time of life is brought forth. When students are engaged and challenged, it presents such a powerful opportunity to make the very best of the time of life of such a changeable person. These years are for personal discovery, when a person makes choices and real-life decisions that affect who one is becoming. We regularly behold the potential, and all young people benefit – it happens each day, right before our very eyes! The brains of early adolescents are full of grey matter and the power to learn. Basically, the middle school brain is like a super-fast race car with terrible brakes, being driven by a student driver. Our job as educators is to help our students become experts at driving their own super-powered brains by developing neural connections in their prefrontal cortex – the area of the brain responsible for organizational thinking and emotional regulation. This can be found: A small middle school setting is designed to purposefully allow a young person the chance to pause and reflect, to learn to communicate, to relate with one another in conscious and meaningful ways. Such a powerful, magical, and unique time of life is important to capture and to nurture. Being engaged and happy at school is key. A solid and inspired middle school experience truly makes a difference to one’s future. Middle school is a time of life to pay attention to, as it is full of possibility. When tapped, it offers an almost unlimited source of potential toward one’s growth and development. Sure, there are ups and downs. Yet when a student is given time and attention, has a voice, and is a valued member of a learning community, such as what happens at a place like CELC Middle School, real transformation occurs. And guess what? It is pure joy to witness and be part of a student’s life during this part of the journey. CELC Middle School is a unique experientially based middle school in Branford, CT, promoting learner-centered robust academics combined with out-of-the-classroom experiences, 5th – 8th grade (selected 4th-graders). Limited openings are available now for the 2021-2022 academic year. Contact [email protected] or call 203.433.4658 for more information.
Teen Deaths Ages 15-19 in Michigan Change Indicator (i) Select Table Type: • Detailed • Sort / Rank Why This Indicator Matters Child and teen death rates from all causes, such as accidents, illnesses, homicide and suicide, can reveal underlying issues and inequities within communities, such as neighborhood safety, access to healthcare or exposure to environmental toxins. show more Data Provided By Definitions: The three-year average number of deaths to teens ages 15-19, and the rate is per 100,000 youth ages 15-19. An * indicates the average count for the three-year period was fewer than 2, so no rate is listed. Rates are suppressed to maintain reliability. County-level data and data for the cities of Detroit and Flint for 2008-2015 were corrected on 2/5/2019. Data for 2016 were revised on 2/25/2019.
Phalaenopsis Is 1 Orchid Genus Easier To Grow Than Others Information On Phalaenopsis Phalaenopsis do not require special lighting or temperatures. They are widely available in supermarkets, florist shops, and garden centers due to their similar comfort range. Joe Dixler, president and CEO of the Illinois Orchid Society, says that “they are straightforward.” Phalaenopsis are often called moth orchids due to their large side petals that look like the insect. They bear their flowers along a single stem that arcs above broad fleshy leaves. These orchids have a unique sculptural appearance that is attractive to interior designers. Today’s growers are constantly creating new hybrids that feature striped, swirled, or spotted blooms in various colors, including white, yellow, pink, and fuchsia. Phalaenopsis are known as the starter orchid. Wilda Kintop was given two Phalaenopsis as a birthday gift in 1978. She now has 800 orchids, which includes about 20 Phalaenopsis. Phalaenopsis, which are native to the Pacific islands, live in the rain forest in the role of epiphytes. They cling with their roots to trees high above the forest floor. Moth orchid This is a sign that moth orchids require great drainage. They cannot stand in the water, so they should be kept in a chunky bark mixture, not potting soil. This will ensure that their roots get plenty of air. Hausermann suggests watering a moth orchid once a week or every 10 days. If you pick up the pot, it will seem light. The best time to water your plants is in the morning so that they can dry and drain properly. Hausermann suggests that Phalaenopsis can be heavy feeders, so make sure to give them fertilizer for orchids labeled 15-5-5 and 30-10-10, almost every watering. To flush out any fertilizer, use plain water every fourth to fifth time. Dixler suggests that you water the plant by placing the pot in a large bowl of water rather than pouring water on top. Leave it for about five minutes before removing it. He says that most orchid owners are overwater. Moth orchids can withstand low light conditions and even indoors for a while. Hausermann advises, “When it’s in bloom, place it where you will enjoy it.” They can last several months. After the blooms have faded, trim the stem to the crown where the leaves join it. Because the sun is too bright in a south window, it would be too harsh for the plant. If the plant has the right light and fertilizer, it will likely rebloom if it experiences cooler nights and shorter days. Midwinter is when a new stalk of flower will be produced, and it will usually bloom. Dry indoor air can affect Phalaenopsis, just like people. Kintop recommends placing the plant in a dish of stone, with water, on top. This will create a small zone of higher humidity around your plant. Kintop prefers to keep her moth orchids indoors, as they can be easily moved outdoors in the summer. She notes that they would thrive in the shade of trees in their rainforest habitat. Repot the plant with fresh bark mix once a year if the plant isn’t blooming. The bark mix eventually begins to break down and can choke the roots of orchids. Hausermann states that most Phalaenopsis today are hybrids. There are many more on the market, and there are still thousands. Many of these hybrids are imported from Asia as tissue cultures. The Hausermanns are orchid specialists and have been growing their own orchids in their greenhouses since 1920. New hybrids are being tested in a locked greenhouse: Otto Debs, yellow, with delicate spots and white center; Alice Ainsworth; a delicate shell pink; Pepper Wild; a pale purple-spotted type. Phalaenopsis blooms in greenhouses from December to February and continues to bloom for at least three months. The sight of so many orchids can be quite exhilarating. You can also have the same beauty in your living space if you choose to grow Phalaenopsis. As orchid collectors call the many hybrids of the Phalaenopsis genus, these Phals are among the easiest to care for and most popular with beginners. The plant has low-growing, elongated round leaves rising from a central crown and producing long, arching flower sprays. Colors in various hybrids may range from pink, yellow, peach, and red to green and white. They make excellent cut flowers, as well. Because they are epiphytic in the wild (meaning they attach to trees or otherwise grow above the ground), Phals need an extremely well-drained potting mixture, such as a mix of medium-sized fir bark, perlite, and sphagnum moss. They prefer low light — shade outdoors in summer — and warm temperatures indoors, with humidity enhanced by placing plants on plastic grids or pebbles above trays of water. Phalaenopsis orchids seem to grow rather slowly, but eventually, they overflow their pots. When roots and stems begin to hang down the sides, it’s time for a new container. Many orchids need a larger pot with a fresh growing medium; others are ready to divide. To report, first, loosen the entwining roots from the old pot. Then follow these steps: Cut off dead or injured portions. Leave the orchid as one big plant. Chose a pot large enough to allow 3 to 4 inches of new growth. Repot in fir bark, tree fern, or orchid potting mix. Stake or anchor the orchid to the pot and water. Encourage new growth by moistening when the medium begins to dry. Also, apply an orchid fertilizer every two weeks from March through October, monthly during the rest of the year. Previous articleChamaedorea seifrizii Growing Tips And Characteristics Next articleCast Iron Plant Is 1 Carefree Houseplant That Grows In Any Soil Comments are closed.
What if everything you bought was priced around water consumption! From a discussion around a roundtable on potential of creating disruptive startups around the Triple Bottom-line (Social, Environmental & Economic). What about a marketplace aggregator that connects every product and service around the world and prices the consumption around water? When a country imports or exports any product or service it is actually importing or exporting water! So for example when China says it’s importing thousand of tons of milk powder or UK exporting fruit or Denmark flowers, it’s water that is actually getting saved or spent! With the era of “Peak Water”, water is the new oil. Every neighborhood from California to Bangalore is either importing water or rationalizing usage. Water is probably the most imported commodity that is being utilized on a scale like never before. What if everything you bought was priced around water consumption!Prof. Arjen Hoekstra at the University if Twente, is pioneering work in the the consumption of water across supplychains. This is very interesting work. Globalization of Water: Sharing the Planet’s Freshwater Resources Arjen Y. HoekstraAshok K. Chaplain “Why a Water Footprint Network? The interest in the concept of the water footprint and the accompanying methods and tools is overwhelming. This interest is rooted in the recognition that human impacts on freshwater systems can ultimately be linked to human consumption and that issues like water shortages and pollution can be better understood and addressed by considering production and supply chains as a whole” What if every product or service that a consumer, business or government bought was “Priced” based on the price of water traded locally in that country? This would create a global index for water and not the product itself, opening new vistas for investment by consumers, mainstream finance and products that leverage their supplychains around water consumption and the price of water in the local country of consumption of the product or service. This would also lead to Triple Bottom-line and impact; 1. Accounting standard around Water 2. Product pricing around local water pricing and supplychain utility of water and energy 3. Investments in water re-cycling to reduce costs and prices 4. Water gets traded like Oil/Other Commodities 5. Open new asset classes across the supplychain to consumer Bonds/Equity 6.Create a competitive advantages on the consumption of water, rather the labor or energy Thus a marketplace that links all products and services around water becomes the new mechanism for product and service pricing in real-time based on local water patters. So a product where water is more scare and thus expensive to create a product or service is priced into the product and where the consumption take place the actual cost is added and thus determining the real-price. Screen Shot 2014-02-06 at 2.42.19 PM After all in this era and time, water is the new oil and marketplaces are eating industries. Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
Extreme Temperature Diary-October 25, 2018/ Topic: Confirmation Bias Confirmation Bias Today I’m going to address yet another psychological reason why so many among the vast, colorful quilt of human society deny that there is human induced climate change. Let’s define confirmation bias: From Science Daily: From Wikipedia: “In certain situations, this tendency can bias people’s conclusions. Explanations for the observed biases include wishful thinking and the limited human capacity to process information. Another explanation is that people show confirmation bias because they are weighing up the costs of being wrong, rather than investigating in a neutral, scientific way. However, even scientists can be prone to confirmation bias.[2] I must admit that the old Climate Guy was guilty of having confirmation bias when I got angry enough to start cataloguing counts of record temperatures beginning on 1/1/2000 to help confirm to my coworkers that I had the correct “view” that anthropogenic global warming was occurring. My confirmation bias did become fact, though, after about ten years of patience. It turned out there was a 2 to 1 ratio of record daily high temperatures to lows during the decade of the 2000s for the United States. Good science can start out by an individual with a preconception tracking a statistic; but becomes bad science if any trend, once established, gets twisted in denial. True science will eventually squeeze out facts like the Earth being round or not being the center of the Universe. What if false graphs and charts are used, though, to try to confirm that carbon pollution is not warming the planet? Some highly intelligent scientists to this day just can’t come around to the “belief” that man can greatly influence if not destroy the environment of the Earth. I’ve known them. Two main founders of the Weather Channel, one a highly successful businessman, John Coleman now deceased; and the other who purports to be a climate science denialist, Joe D’Aleo, have shown confirmation bias. This is not to write that these two highly respected individuals weren’t great to be around at diners or bad, unfriendly human beings, just flawed because of basic human psychology. The day that Joe was let go from The Weather Channel during the 1980s he gave me a swag TWC ice scraper fighting some tears in the parking lot, which I have kept as a memento of good times. I’ll always remember that moment since, despite facing an awful personal change in Joe’s life, he was able to say goodbye to another human being, and yours truly at the time who was just a lowly meteorology technician. Let’s look at the case of Dr. Joe D’Aleo from Wikipedia: D’Aleo has become a leading figure[according to whom?] in the debate over man-made climate change.[citation needed] After hacked emails by and to Phil Jones, director of the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia (UEA), were made public in November 2009,[16] D’Aleo was a major participant in the resulting controversy.[citation needed][17][18] In 2008, D’Aleo published a list titled “12 Facts about Global Climate Change That You Won’t Read in the Popular Press”,[19] including the following claims: I’ve known Joe to write articles stating that most surface temperature observations are flawed due to encroaching urban heat island effects on most stations. I can assure all reading that all are calibrated to rigorous standards, and that city effects can’t be increasing significantly enough to affect my own record findings or more broadly NOAA climate reports based on surface temperature averages. Back in the decade of the 2000s the first statistical twist for denying that global warming was occurring that I knew of coming from Joe was the “station instrument flaw” excuse. More from Wikipedia: In a December 2009 article, D’Aleo wrote that “The Climategate whistleblower proved what those of us dealing with data for decades know to be the case — namely, data was being manipulated. The IPCC and their supported scientists have worked to remove the pesky Medieval Warm Period, the Little Ice Age, and the period emailer Tom Wigley referred to as the ‘warm 1940s blip,’ and to pump up the recent warm cycle.” While much attention had been paid to “the emails dealing with Michael Mann’s hockey stick and other proxy attempts,” and especially “to the email about the ‘trick’ and the effort to ‘hide the decline,’” D’Aleo wrote that he was in fact “more concerned about the coordinated effort to manipulate instrumental data… to produce an exaggerated warming that would point to man’s influence.”[20] D’Aleo asserted in a January 2010 report with E. Michael Smith that, in addition to the “deceptions” of the CRU, researchers at the National Climate Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina, and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) at Columbia University in New York City had also manipulated climate data, in order to claim that 2005 was the warmest year on record. “When the differences between the warmest year in history and the tenth warmest year is less than three quarters of a degree, it becomes silly to rely on such comparisons,” said D’Aleo, who called the claimed manipulation a “scientific travesty” committed by activist scientists to promote a global-warming agenda.[8][21][18] Also in 2010, D’Aleo and Anthony Watts published a book-length report entitled Surface Temperature Records: Policy Driven Deception? In the report, which they described as “a work in progress,” they analyzed worldwide temperature records and concluded with the claim that the systematic manipulation and exaggeration of instrumental temperature data by leading meteorological institutions makes it impossible to say whether or not there was a significant amount of global warming in the 20th century.[17] Think of a scene that people typically envision of a scientist boiling a chemical in a beaker. Let’s say that if the fluid changes to a red color from an outside stimulus that the scientist’s theory or “scientific view” is confirmed. Now let’s say that if the fluid in question changes to a blue color that the scientist’s theory is shattered. If the scientist is really a true scientist he will state that his prior theory is wrong and press on developing different hypotheses to better explain what he is seeing in nature. Now let’s write that this scientist can’t come to terms with the fluid turning blue, not wanting to embarrass himself due to prior false writings and suppositions made in public. This scientist, after all, is a flawed human being as are all of us. This scientist might blame the beaker’s materials for turning the fluid blue. Perhaps he might say or write that there is something in the air giving the experiment his unexpected results. The scientist because of confirmation bias just can’t come to admit that he was in error. As far as global warming goes Joe D’Aleo has been looking for excuses to deny climate science for years, unfortunately, due to psychological confirmation bias. In my own case if there was a better world in which there was no global warming after starting my record count study on 1/1/2000 when would I have given up the ghost, admitting that there was no clear trend towards warmth; and therefore, no way that CO2 was not warming the planet detrimentally? Would I have manipulated my stat files? I hope not. I think that I would have just slinked off into my little hole after a decade or so by 2010, admitting that I was wrong. That’s the problem here. It’s not often that we as adults of any stripe can quickly change a view based on a false presupposed belief that contradicts what we think is natural law, or even when science encroaches upon spiritual facets of our makeup. Both Joe D’Aleo and John Coleman come from an older generation than mine. I find that it is much easier for my generation and those younger to come to terms with current climate science. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time to allow for all individuals of every generation to wrap their noodles around what is seen in nature, which is increased global warming, go through the five stages of grief, then act in consensus unison. We as a planet must act now. So, I have come to the conclusion that contrary voices, while not being muted because of freedom of speech, must be ignored for the sake of civilization. Can Joe and others live with themselves not admitting that they were wrong? By their denial delaying action can they live with themselves perhaps knowing deep down that they have been complicit with wrongdoers, which are some individuals in companies like Exxon? Will their brains become warped to psychologically justify any prior articles and papers, which is the very definition of confirmation bias? As we see the planet’s temperature continue to rise through the 2020s we will see how many peel off the denial camp. For some who want to retain good legacies for posterity I hope it is not to late for a change of heart. As the evening progresses I will add a few weather and climate articles from Thursday: Officially we have already had 10 category 5 tropical cyclones in 2018. This is consistent with the predicted effects of climate change. Urgent action is needed now to reduce current GHG levels New map: See how countries are facing devastating impacts of -fueled : The Climate Guy Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published.
In 1999 the U.S. Institute of Medicine released what would become a touchstone report, To Err is Human, which estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die in hospitals each year due to medical errors that could have been prevented. It brought the idea of building a safer health system to the forefront of the public’s mind. Since then, improving health care outcomes has become a central goal in everything from clinical training and research studies to government initiatives and political debate. Clinicians, hospitals, professional organizations, and researchers have made significant strides over the last decade and a half in improving patient safety. In many ways, patients today are safer than ever before. However, multiple independent reports have found that medical errors are still a pervasive problem, with recent research suggesting that preventable medical error is responsible for 3%–5% of hospital deaths, or 21,000–35,000 preventable deaths in the U.S. alone. While these figures continue to be scrutinized and improved, it’s clear that there is more to be done to make patients safer. Looking at surgery as an example, our research suggests that the road ahead for improving patient safety will look different from the road behind. We propose that older approaches to advancing surgical safety, focused on technical and structural improvements, have passed their peak; attention must now turn to innovations in how people enact their work “on the ground,” or how they organize in real time for reliable surgical performance. Similar to how improvements in smartphones have shifted from increasing processor speed or screen resolution to focusing on better user experience, innovation in surgery has to shift from the technical or structural aspects to emphasizing how people, processes, and practices come together in the pursuit of patient safety. Waves of Innovation in Surgical Quality and Safety Nearly 65 million surgical operations were performed last year in the U.S., resulting in an estimated 200,000 deaths from complications or other post-operative issues. Ongoing innovation is of tantamount importance to improving these patient outcomes, and over the past several decades, we have observed three distinct waves of surgical improvement: Technical advancements. The first wave of innovation centered around enhancements in surgical technique. Increasingly available high-quality surgical instruments, greater knowledge of potential complications, and widespread sharing of best practices made surgery more effective and efficient. At the same time, training techniques, including the use of high-fidelity patient simulators and surgical skills labs, enabled less experienced surgeons to refine their technical prowess with less risk to patients. Arguably the biggest technical advance in surgery has been the advent of laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgery, which allows surgeons to perform complex operations through tiny skin incisions. Older procedures required cutting large openings to operate on a patient (e.g., making a 4-6” incision in the abdomen to remove a gall bladder or repair a hernia). But in the 1980s surgeons began perfecting minimally invasive surgical techniques, where instruments can be inserted through much smaller incisions. Surgeons can now perform nearly every abdominal or thoracic operation using a high-resolution camera and specialized instruments through incisions less than ½ inch long. These smaller incisions typically lower the risk of infection and reduce recovery times, enhancing patient safety. Technical advances have greatly reduced patient morbidity and mortality. However, as the surgical community continues to innovate and refine safe surgical practices, the benefits of continued technical improvements may be much more incremental, thereby having less impact on improving safety. In other words, the largest gains in patient safety (and reductions in mortality) may have already been realized now that these minimally invasive techniques are in wide use. Of course, there are still many efforts to further improve surgical technology, including the use of 3D imaging and higher-resolution cameras to improve laparoscopic tools, or employing surgical robots to enable more precise procedures. However, the patient benefits of these advances have not been as clearly defined or demonstrated (especially relative to their extremely high cost). As we display in the figure below, we may have thus reached a flattening of the patient mortality curve regarding technical advancements. Standardizing procedures. A second wave of surgical innovation – inspired in large part by To Err is Human – has focused on structural improvements to make patient care more consistent. The logic was rooted in the idea that if hospitals could only do to patient care what Henry Ford did to automobile production – standardization – then patients would see drastic improvements in safety. Hospitals began identifying key processes that needed to be conducted the same way every time (such as the preparation and insertion of a central venous catheter), and set up reward and punishment systems for compliance, including standard quality metrics to evaluate provider performance. One key standardizing innovation was the implementation of the checklist, used by providers to help recall and document the steps for best performing a complex procedure. Instead of relying on each individual care provider to develop their own approach to performing certain procedures, checklists formalized a standard order of operation. The checklist, created from research evidence and providers’ best practices, routinizes the tasks involved in a given procedure so that it is performed and documented the same way every time. Research has shown that the systematic use of checklists by medical care teams has yielded significant reductions in patient mortality and other adverse outcomes, such as infections. These structural improvements addressed many problems of patient safety, but over time they have also seen their utility diminish somewhat. Although enacting standard procedures works consistently in settings such as manufacturing, the complexity and case-by-case nature of providing patient care seems to have pushed the medical community to the point of diminishing returns with process compliance, checklists, and quality measurement. For example, the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) aimed to improve adherence to protocols for reducing surgical infections, blood clots, and heart attacks, through checklists and other interventions. But while adherence rates increased, there was little evidence of improved patient outcomes. High Reliability Organizing: The Third Wave Our research points to a new wave of innovation in patient safety where significant strides are still being (and have yet to be) made: improvements in how health care providers organize for highly reliable performance. High reliability organizing rests on the notion that in order to achieve high performance – especially under trying conditions – we have to pay attention to how individuals interact with one another and organize their day-to-day work. Contrary to technical or structural innovations that aim to reduce variation and dictate one way of operating, organizing emphasizes the varying actions that can affect patient safety. Indeed, pursuing a perfectly standardized system ignores the fact that each patient is different. High reliability organizing recognizes that over-standardizing can also increase risks. Therefore making patients safer involves standardizing when possible, but also embracing variation, instead of simplifying patients into one category, and honing practices for responding to a range of encounters. Organizing for high reliability involves attending to not only the culture of a surgical team or health care organization (i.e., their shared values and beliefs), but also to the actual behaviors, practices, and interactions that unfold between people as they care for patients and manage the organization. For years, surgeons have sought to reduce the rates of surgical complications – errors or unusual events that occur during or after surgery – in order to lower patient mortality. However, some of our research has found that hospitals with high mortality rates and those with low mortality rates actually have very similar rates of surgical complications. This means that differences in mortality cannot be simply attributed to reducing the rates of complications. Instead, it seems that health care providers in certain hospitals are better able to recognize and “rescue” patients from these complications, which may be driving the lower mortality rates. In other words, it isn’t only about standardizing or improving techniques to reduce complications, but it is also about how health care providers organize their work so that they recognize when something is going wrong (before it has already gone wrong) and can adapt to rescue patients. As renowned author and surgeon Atul Gawande summarized, “This is what distinguished the great from the mediocre. They didn’t fail less. They rescued more.” In most instances, deaths after surgery are the culmination of a cascade of events, beginning with an initial “seminal” complication (such as a leak after colon surgery), followed by escalation of care (where the patient must return to the operating room or be transferred to an intensive care unit) and additional “domino” complications (such as pneumonia or kidney failure), that ultimately lead to the patient’s death. This “failure to rescue” – when a health care team fails to recognize and treat these complications – represents a significant opportunity for improving patient safety through better organizing. This failure to rescue is driven by elements of the broader hospital environment (e.g., the systems or structures in place for guiding care), by characteristics of individual providers (such as their knowledge, awareness, and attention), and by the micro-system of post-operation patient care (i.e., the culture and shared practices of nurses, physicians, and other staff in a particular hospital ward or intensive care unit where the patient is being treated). However, previous research in this area has focused almost exclusively on factors in the first category. But continuing to improve on patient safety requires focusing more on the micro-system level, where teams of clinicians (nurses, technicians, administrators, surgeons, and physicians) are coordinating to rescue patients after complications, and where interpersonal dynamics, such as whether people are comfortable speaking up about potential errors, matter greatly. This is why our colleagues at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Armstrong Institute developed a comprehensive unit-based safety program comprehensive unit-based safety program (CUSP) to train frontline clinical team members in better teamwork, knowledge sharing, learning, and communication. It has already yielded significant gains in patient safety (for instance, leading to a 33% reduction in surgical site infections among colorectal surgery teams). Similarly, a 2016 study by Timothy Vogus and Dawn Iacobucci at Vanderbilt University analyzed the reliability-enhancing work practices and organizing efforts of 1,685 nurses across 95 units in 10 hospitals. They found that more mindful organizing processes among nurses in a unit (e.g., being attentive to mistakes and how to learn from them, and relying on the team’s pool of expertise, rather than hierarchical leaders, to resolve issues) was associated with significantly fewer medication errors and patient falls in that unit. Identifying future levers for improving health care and patient safety will require a stronger focus on how people, process, and practice come together in patient care, rather than solely on technical or structural innovations. For instance, the PERFECT (Perioperative Enhancement of Rescue by Fostering Engagement, Communication, and Teamwork) Initiative at the University of Michigan seeks to “build the ideal rescue system” by shedding light on how health care organizations can better organize their efforts to sense, cope with, and respond to the unexpected. This more effective organizing, both at the bedside and among health care leaders, makes people more aware of risks, harmful deviations, and errors earlier, allowing them respond more quickly and appropriately, ultimately reducing harm to patients. Safe and highly reliable patient care is the ultimate target of any improvement effort. However, we must recognize that patient safety is a dynamic, moving target, and our approaches for reaching it must continue to evolve to keep pace.
English Vocabulary in Use Pre-Int-Full-web September 15, 2017 \| Author: edi_nkj \| Category: Word, Noun, Adverb, Part Of Speech, Linguistics Share Embed Donate Short Description Study unit 1 Learning vocabulary A Using this book It’s a good idea to have a routine when you use this book [something you do often and usually in the same way]. For example: • a weekly routine when you study a new unit for at least [not less than] 30–45 minutes; • a daily routine when you revise that unit [study it again]. You may only need to revise for five or ten minutes each time. Over to you Write your answers. 1 How often can you spend at least half an hour or forty-five minutes on a unit? 2 How often can you revise? How much time can you spend when you revise? Where will you do it? Studying a new unit When you are studying a unit for the first time, you need to be active when you are learning. • With a new word or phrase, say it aloud [speak it so you can hear it], and repeat it to yourself silently [in your head, not speaking]. If you have the CD-ROM that goes with the book, use it to check the pronunciation. • Use a highlighter pen to mark words you think are important or difficult. • Write down new words and phrases in your notebook. (See Unit 2 for more information.) • Always try to write an example sentence for new words. You can choose an example from this book or a dictionary, but an example from your own life will often help you to remember a word, e.g. I shared a flat with an Australian girl when I was in London last year. • Do exercises in pencil, then you can rub them out (using a rubber) and do them again later. This is a good way to revise vocabulary. Over to you Write your answers. 1 Which of these things do you do now when you are learning vocabulary? 2 What will you do in the future? Revising a unit When you are revising a unit one or two days later, it is also important to be as active as possible. • Test yourself, e.g. look at a word and cover the meaning. Can you remember what the meaning is? If you can’t, check the meaning, then come back to the word in five minutes’ time and test yourself again. • Look at what you wrote in your notebook when you first studied the unit. Is there any new information you want to add, e.g. something about the pronunciation, or a common word partner? (See Unit 2.) • Diagrams may help you to organise some of the vocabulary differently, and help you to remember it. 8 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate Who took my pen? Let’s take a break now. Over to you Study unit Write your answers. 1 Do you revise vocabulary that you study? If so, how often? take I took notes during the lecture. What size shoes do you take? 2 Will you try to revise more often in the future? If so, will you use some of the ideas above? Expanding* your vocabulary • When you learn a word, e.g. dirty, think of synonyms (syn) [words with a similar meaning] or opposites (opp) in your language. Look them up in a bilingual dictionary to find the English words, then look up the English words in an English dictionary to check the meaning. From this, you will find that the opposite of dirty is clean, and you may also find filthy [very dirty]. making something bigger Using this method, find opposites for the words in bold. 1 My room is very clean. opp dirty 2 It’s a permanent job. opp 3 He was kind to all of his animals. opp 4 Babies have very soft, smooth skin. opp 5 Where’s the entrance? opp 6 Was the bird dead? opp 7 Did they accept the invitation? opp • Building word families (see Units 69–71) will also help to expand your vocabulary. From a noun, verb or adjective, you can often find related words in the dictionary with a similar meaning. So, you can often learn two or three words, and not just one, e.g. argue v = have an angry discussion; n = argument. Use a dictionary to find the related parts of speech for the words in bold. 1 She gave me some advice. verb advise 2 We mustn’t argue. noun 3 I will have to revise this unit. noun 4 Is there a choice? verb 5 I want to expand my vocabulary. noun 6 The two boys are very different. noun verb 7 They need to communicate more. noun adj • Try to read and listen to English as much as possible. The more you read and listen, the more you will learn. When you read, try to: – Highlight or underline interesting new words – Highlight words if they are familiar but you can’t remember the meaning. • There is a lot of spoken English on the Internet which you can play again and again. Try to make a note of interesting words and look up the meaning. Over to you Now choose a unit that interests you. Study the left-hand page, then do the exercises in pencil. Wait for at least 24 hours, revise the unit, then answer these questions. 1 How many answers did you get right the first time? 2 How many answers did you get right the second time? English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate Study unit 2 Keeping a vocabulary notebook A What do you do? This is what some students do. I write down new English words and phrases in my notebook, and next to each one I write a Spanish translation. I usually write down if a word is a noun, verb, adjective, and so on. rafael cup saucer mug I sometimes write a word in phonemics because English pronunciation is very difficult for me. But my notebook is a mess [nothing is in a good order; syn untidy]. I like to draw pictures. I sometimes make a note of new words in my notebook, but I often forget [don’t remember]. I usually write a translation, and sometimes I write example sentences as well. I’ve got a notebook. I don’t use it much but when I do, I try and list words by topic, so I put all the animals together, and all the clothes words together, and so on. I find it’s easier to remember the words this way. I note down new words and phrases. Sometimes I translate them into Polish, and sometimes I write an explanation [a description of what something means] in English if it is not difficult. For example: kitten a very young cat Tips for your notebook A tip is a piece of advice to help you. Here are some tips for your notebook. • Put words from one topic in the same place, e.g. food in one place, clothes in another, etc. Don’t mix them up [put them together with no order]. You can also have grammar topics, • • e.g. ‘uncountable nouns’, or a page for words that all have a connection, e.g. words and phrases that were all in a story you read in English. Some words and phrases will go in more than one topic. If you can’t find a topic for a new word or phrase, e.g. useful or in particular, put them in a different place in your notebook, e.g. a page for each day or each week, or perhaps one page for every English lesson you have. Write the date clearly at the top, e.g. Monday 14th May. When you write down new vocabulary, write a translation if it is necessary [you need it; opp unnecessary], but also write the meaning in English if it is possible, or draw pictures. If possible, add synonyms, opposites, other parts of speech, etc. (See Unit 1.) awful adj = terrible (syn dreadful) enjoy v = like something and get pleasure from it n = enjoyment adj = enjoyable Example sentences help you with the grammar of a word, or with word partners (collocations). I enjoy living in a big city. (NOT I enjoy to live in a big city.) (See Units 87–8.) I spent two weeks in Rome. (NOT I passed two weeks in Rome. You spend time in a place.) (See Unit 74.) Remember, words often have more than one meaning that you need to know, e.g. a tip is also money that you give, for example, to a waiter for serving you in a restaurant. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate Study unit 3 Using a dictionary A What dictionaries do I need? A bilingual dictionary [using two languages] is easy for you to understand, and quick and easy to use. A dictionary in English will give you reading practice in English and many more examples of how words are used. If possible, use both. These are good dictionaries in English for your level, and most of them are available online: Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary Oxford Wordpower Dictionary Longman Active Study Dictionary Macmillan Essential Dictionary Information in dictionaries If you look up a word [find a word in a dictionary] using the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary, the information is shown like this: pronunciation using phonemic symbols (see page 247) part of speech (= noun) a definition explains the meaning fixed phrases using the word are shown in bold (see Units 75–6) fun1 /fʌn/ noun [u] 1 enjoyment or pleasure, or something that gives you enjoyment or pleasure. She’s great fun to be with. Have fun! (= enjoy yourself) It’s no fun having to work late every night. 2 for fun/for the fun of it for pleasure and not for any other reason 3 make fun of sb/sth to make a joke about someone or something in an unkind way. The other children at school used to make fun of his hair. [U] tells you that fun is uncountable (see Unit 86) examples are in italics bold italics show common word partners (see Unit 74) Correct the spelling mistakes. Use a dictionary to check your answers. 1 allways always 6 confortable 2 realy 7 accomodation 3 unfortunatly 8 beautifull 4 expecially 9 unbeleivable 5 cloths 10 neccesary In the word island /ˈaɪlənd/, the letter ‘s’ is silent (not pronounced). Use your dictionary to find the silent letters in these words. 1 knee 2 comb 3 castle 4 salmon 5 receipt Defining words ‘Defining words’ are words that dictionaries use when they define [explain] the words in the dictionary. Some of these are quite common. emphasise [give something more attention and importance], e.g. My teacher has always emphasised the importance of writing down new words in a notebook. relating to or connected to/with [having a relationship with someone or something], e.g. musical is connected with / related to music amount [how much there is of something], e.g. £5 million is a large amount of money. official [done by the government or someone in authority], e.g. A passport is an official document. behave [do or say things in a particular way], e.g. People can behave strangely when they’re nervous. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 3 3.3 Study unit Complete the dictionary definitions using words from the box. connected with emphasise relating to behave official amount industrial /ɪnˈdʌstriəl/ 1 adjective connected with industry sum /sʌm/ noun [C] an of money pretend /prɪˈtend/ verb [I,T] to as if something is true when it is not certificate /səˈtɪfɪkət/ noun [C] an document that gives details to show something is true 5 not at all /nɒt ət ɔːl/ used instead of ‘no’ or ‘not’ to what you are saying: I’m not at all happy about it 6 legal /ˈliːgəl/ adjective the law 1 2 3 4 Using a dictionary • When you use a dictionary to check the meaning of a word, put a tick (✓) next to it. Each time you return to a page with a tick, see [find out] if you remember the word. • When you meet a new word or phrase in a text, first try to guess the meaning [try to think of the meaning when you don’t know it]. Then, use a dictionary to see if your guess was correct. • Don’t just read the dictionary definition. Example phrases and sentences show you how a word or phrase is used, and they help you to understand the meaning more clearly. • If you look up a word in a bilingual dictionary and get two or three different translations, check these words in an English dictionary to see which translation is the best one for the situation. • Remember that many words have more than one meaning. The first meaning in the dictionary is not always the one you want. You may need to read through the different meanings. Answer the questions, and use an English dictionary to check the answers. 1 What does puppy mean? It’s a very young dog. 2 Is the correct spelling organize or organise? 3 What part of speech is extremely? 4 What kind of noun is advice? 5 What preposition follows the verb rely? 6 Look up friend, and then the words in bold that are often used with it. Can you complete these phrases? She’s an friend; he’s my friend; you friends with people. Match the sentences on the right with the different meanings of post on the left. post1 /pəʊst/ noun 1 SYSTEM [no plural] UK (US mail) the system for sending letters, parcels, etc Your letter is in the post. I’m sending the documents by post. 2 LETTERS [u] UK (US mail) letters, parcels, etc that you send or receive Has the post arrived/come yet? 3 JOB [c] formal a job a part-time post a teaching post 4 POLE [c] a long, vertical piece of wood or metal ﬁxed into the ground at one end I found the dog tied to a post. 1 2 3 4 He’s applied for a post overseas. Did you send the cheque by post? I tied the flag to a post. We haven’t had any post yet. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate Study unit 4 English language words A Parts of speech I have a brown leather chair by the window, and I often sit there in the morning to read the paper. In the sentence above, I is a pronoun; chair, window, morning and paper are all nouns; have, sit and read are verbs; brown and leather are adjectives; often is an adverb; by is a preposition; the is a definite article; a is an indefinite article; and is a conjunction or link word. Here are two more examples: We saw an elephant at the zoo yesterday. Elephant and zoo are nouns; saw is a verb; at is a preposition; an is an indefinite article; the is a definite article. It was a cold night, so I walked quickly. Was and walked are verbs; cold is an adjective; night is a noun; quickly is an adverb; so is a link word. Grammar When you are learning vocabulary, you need to know certain things about different words; for example, if nouns are countable, e.g. books, apples, chairs; or uncountable, e.g. information (NOT informations), advice (NOT advices). (See Unit 86.) With verbs, you need to know if they are regular, e.g. work, live, etc; or irregular, e.g. go/went, take/took. You will also need to learn the grammar of phrasal verbs, e.g. take something off, wake up. (See Units 79–80.) You also need to learn certain groups of words as phrases, e.g. at the moment, never mind, see you later. (See Units 75–6.) Word building In the word uncomfortable, un- is a prefix, and -able is a suffix. Other common prefixes include in- and dis-, e.g. incorrect and dislike. Common suffixes include -ment and -ive, e.g. improvement and attractive. (See Units 69–71.) Pronunciation Dictionaries show the pronunciation of a word using phonemic symbols, e.g. book /bʊk/, before /bɪˈfɔː/, cinema /ˈsɪnəmə/. Every word has one or more syllables, e.g. book has one syllable, before has two syllables, cinema has three syllables. It is important to know which syllable to stress, e.g. on before it is the second syllable (beˈfore), on cinema it is the first syllable (ˈcinema). The vertical mark ˈ shows where the stressed syllable begins. Punctuation Every sentence must begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop. Some sentences have a comma, which often shows a pause [when you stop reading or speaking for a short time] in a long sentence. Did you also know that a question must end with a question mark? English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 5 A Country, nationality and language Who speaks what where? country Mandarin (and Cantonese) (South) Korea Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabian Swiss-German, French, Italian the UK (United Kingdom) the USA (United States of America) the UK (England, Scotland,Wales and Northern Ireland) I come from Argentina, so I’m Argentinian and my first language is Spanish. The capital is Buenos Aires, which has a population of more than 10 million people. Common mistakes He’s English. (NOT He’s english); We ate French food. (NOT We ate France food.) I went to the USA. (NOT I went to USA.) I also visited the UK. (NOT I also visited UK.) Parts of the world The continents in the world are Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Australia [Australia and New Zealand] and Antarctica. We also use these terms for different parts of the world: the Middle East (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia), the Far East (e.g. Thailand, Japan), the Caribbean (e.g. Jamaica, Barbados), Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland). The people When we are talking about people from a particular country, we add ‘s’ to nationalities ending in ‘-i’ or ‘-(i)an’, but we need the definite article (the) for most others. Brazilians/Russians Thais/Israelis are … The British / The French The Swiss / The Japanese are … With both groups we can also use the word ‘people’, e.g. Brazilian people, British people, etc. 16 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 6 A The physical world The KruberaVoronja Cave Did you know … 2 1 Two thirds of the surface of the Earth is covered in water. ❍ El Azizia in Libya is the hottest place in the world, where 3 temperatures of over 57 °C (57 degrees Celsius) have been recorded. ❍ The coldest place on earth is probably Vostok in Antarctica, which reached a temperature of minus 89 °C. The Krubera-Voronja Cave near the Black Sea coast in Georgia, is the deepest cave in the world. It is over 2000 metres deep. ❍ The Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal is the longest canal in the world. It is 1,794 kilometres long. The highest waterfall in the world is the Salto Angel Falls in Venezuela. It is 993 metres high. ❍ The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world, covering 40% of the South American continent. ❍ The Pacific is the largest ocean in the world, and is nearly twice the size of the Atlantic Ocean. 1 2 the top or outside part the planet we live on Beijing-Hangshou Grand Canal more than The Salto Angel Waterfall Language help Cover can mean that something is over something else, e.g. The surface was covered in water; The ground was covered with snow. Cover can also refer to the size of something, e.g. The Amazon rainforest covers 40% of South America, or the distance you travel, e.g. We covered ten miles in one day. Geography Switzerland consists of [is made or formed from] three main geographical regions [areas in a country or the world]: The Swiss Plateau, The Jura, and The Alps. Switzerland is a land of contrasts [big differences], with completely different landscapes [the appearance of an area of land]. The climate [weather conditions] can also change within a very short distance. For example, Ascona in the south has an almost Mediterranean climate, but the Dufour Peak in Valais has a very cold climate. The distance between the two is just 70 kilometres. P ra Ju ss i e w Bern h S e au te a l Lake Geneva Geneva e Th Lake Constance St Gallen Zurich ps Al English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate north north-west south-east south 7 A Weather Weather conditions Notice that it is very common to form adjectives by adding -y. the sun is shining the wind is blowing the cold it’s snowing wet it’s raining There are common word partners to describe weather conditions: It was very cloudy this morning, but the sun came out after lunch. [appeared] The accident happened in thick fog. [bad fog] We had some heavy rain at the weekend. [a lot of rain; opp light rain] There was a strong wind when we were on the boat. [a lot of wind] The wind has blown all the apples off the tree. It rained in the morning, but the sky was clear by lunchtime. [no clouds] It’s been extremely cold today. [very; also extremely hot/windy] Rain and storms For heavy rain we often use the verb pour, e.g. pour with rain. For short periods of light or heavy rain, we use the noun shower. A storm is heavy rain with strong winds. It poured with rain this afternoon. Look, it’s really pouring (with rain) now. We had a couple of heavy/light showers this morning. A period of hot weather sometimes ends with a thunderstorm. First it becomes very humid [the air feels very warm and wet], then you hear thunder and see lightning, and it’s followed by heavy rain. 40 degrees Celsius boiling [very hot] 10 degrees below zero not very warm (also cool) cold (also chilly) freezing [very cold] how hot or cold it is Language help Cool can either mean slightly cold in a negative way, e.g. We’ve had a cool summer; or slightly cold in a pleasant way, e.g. The water in the pool was lovely and cool. Mild is often used in a positive way to describe weather that is not as cold as usual, e.g. It’s been a mild winter. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 8 A Animals and insects Pets and farm animals In the UK, many people keep pets [animals that live with people]. The most common are dogs and cats, but people also keep birds, e.g. parrots, that are usually in a cage. Children sometimes keep mice (sing mouse) and rabbits. Some people keep more unusual animals as pets, e.g. frogs, snakes and spiders. donkey rabbit mouse snake Farms in the UK may have sheep, pigs, cows, horses, donkeys, chickens, goats and a bull. Wild animals The pictures show a number of wild animals [animals that normally live in natural conditions]. If you are lucky, you may see these animals in the wild [living free], but you will probably see them in a zoo. Some of these animals, for example tigers, are now quite rare [not often seen or found]. It is important that we protect [keep safe] these endangered animals. monkey leopard camel Insects wings Sea creatures Many different creatures [living things, e.g. animals] live in the sea. whale dolphin English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 9 A The body and movement Parts of the body The outer part of the body is covered in skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. forehead cheek lips elbow breast waist wrist knee heel Movements with your mouth, face and head People breathe through their nose or mouth. You breathe in and out about 12–15 times a minute. People smile when they’re happy, and sometimes smile at people to be polite. People laugh at things which are funny. People sometimes cry if they’re very unhappy, or receive bad news. People in some countries nod their head [move it up and down] to mean ‘yes’, and shake their head [move it from side to side] for ‘no’. People often yawn when they’re tired, and sometimes when they’re bored. Common expressions shake hands with someone comb your hair fold your arms 24 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate blow your nose wave to somebody 10 A Describing appearance Describing beauty Your appearance is the way you look, and we sometimes use different words to talk about beauty in men and women. WOMEN can be attractive or good-looking [nice to look at], and we often use pretty [attractive] to describe a girl. We use beautiful or gorgeous for women who are very attractive. MEN can be attractive and good-looking, but also handsome. If men are very attractive, we can say they are gorgeous or very good-looking, but not usually beautiful. Tom has become quite handsome. Sammy was very pretty when she was younger. Bella looks gorgeous in that dress. They’re a very good-looking couple. Language help The opposite of beautiful is ugly, but it is not very polite to describe someone as ugly; ordinary [not special or different] is more polite. It also isn’t polite to say that someone is fat; overweight is more polite. Size We can talk about a person’s height [how tall or short they are] and their weight [how heavy they are], e.g. I’m roughly [about; syn approximately] one metre eighty (tall), and I weigh just under eighty kilograms. If someone is not tall or short, you can describe them as medium height. If a person is very similar to most other people in height and weight, you can say they are average. A: How tall is Kiki? B: Medium height, I’d say. blonde (or blond) A: Is Marco quite big? B: No, about average. Common mistakes Remember that ‘hair’ is uncountable, e.g. She’s got straight hair. (NOT She’s got straight hairs.) Also: She’s got long black hair. (NOT She’s got a long black hair.) Talking about someone’s appearance What does Carla’s boyfriend look like? [Can you describe his appearance?] He’s blond, and quite good-looking. Is he tall? Er, tallish [quite tall], but he’s got broad shoulders [wide; opp narrow]. He looks very athletic [strong, healthy and often good at sports]. I think he does a lot of sport. A: Is he quite smart? [clean, tidy and stylish] B: Yeah, he dresses quite well. [the clothes he wears are quite nice] A: B: A: B: Language help We can use the suffix -ish at the end of some adjectives to mean ‘quite’, e.g. She’s got longish hair, and at the end of some numbers to mean ‘more or less’, e.g. He’s twentyish. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 11 A Describing character What are you like? Describe your character 1 Put a circle round the number that describes you. For example, in the ﬁrst line 1 = very positive, 3 = not very positive or negative, 5 = very negative. I think I’m very positive2. I’m quite a negative person. I’m quite unreliable. I’m quite conﬁdent . I’m quite shy5. I’m hard-working6. I’m quite lazy. I have a good sense of humour7. 1 I’m usually quite serious8. I’m usually quite patient9. I’m quite impatient. I’m usually reliable . what you are like as a person Common mistakes believe that good things will happen 3 A: What’s he like? (NOT How is can be trusted to do what people expect you to do he like?) 4 feeling sure about yourself and your abilities B: He’s very nice. (NOT He’s 5 not confident, especially about meeting or talking to new people like very nice.) 6 putting a lot of effort into your work and spending a lot of time on it 7 the ability to laugh and understand when something is funny 8 a serious person is quiet and doesn’t laugh very much 9 able to stay calm and not get angry, especially when things take a lot of time 2 Opposites positive generous [happy to give more money or help than is usual] honest [an honest person tells the truth] clever, intelligent [able to learn and understand things quickly] calm [relaxed and not worried or frightened] nervous, anxious Language help We use kind to describe someone who wants to help people a lot, and nice, friendly or pleasant for someone who is happy to talk to people. The opposites are unkind, unfriendly and unpleasant. Describing a friend The first thing I would say about my best friend is that she’s very sensible1. I’ve never known Irma to do anything silly2, and I know I can always trust3 her. She’s also very creative4; she makes things, and she’s a very talented5 artist. I wish6 I had her talent. 1 practical; doesn’t do stupid things not sensible, a bit stupid 3 be sure that she is honest 4 good at thinking of new ideas and using her imagination has a natural ability I would like to have her talent but I haven’t got it. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 12 A Feelings How do you feel? Language help We use emotion and feeling(s) for something which someone feels strongly about, e.g. love, hate or anger. Emotions are part of our character, e.g. Timo is a very emotional person. [shows his feelings easily] Feeling is often plural, e.g. She doesn’t like talking about her feelings. Well, obviously I’m very proud1 of my son’s success, but I’m a bit disappointed2 that the local paper hasn’t shown more interest in the story. The politicians seem confused3 about what to do, so I’m not hopeful4 that things will improve. 3 feeling good because you (or someone you know) has done something well 2 unhappy because someone or something was not as good as you hoped, or because something did not happen not able to think clearly or understand something feeling positive about a future situation I think Tom ended the relationship because his girlfriend was getting jealous8, but now he’s quite upset9. We were curious5 to see what all the noise was about, but I felt anxious6 when I saw how angry the men were, and really scared7 when they started coming towards us. 5 wanting to know or learn about something 6 worried 7 afraid; syn frightened unhappy and angry because someone you love seems too interested in another person 9 unhappy because something unpleasant has happened Language help adjective proud jealous curious noun pride jealousy curiosity adjective disappointed confused anxious noun disappointment confusion anxiety The effect of the weather on our feelings Why do people say they feel more cheerful [happy] when the sun shines, and miserable [unhappy] when it’s raining? Why do some people suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder), which makes them feel depressed [unhappy, often for a long time, and without hope for the future] during long dark winters? Can the weather really affect our mood [the way we feel at a particular time], or is it just in our imaginations? The effect of colour on our emotions r u o l o C can have an effect on our mood, but how do specific colours relate to our emotions? 1 e anger2. PINK RED can make us feel energetic , but it can also indicat for3 people. though, is softer and more about maternal love and caring 4 g from stress . GREEN is associated with nature and is good for people sufferin 5 blue can make us BLUE is relaxing and helps us to be creative , but too much dark depressed. 1 wanting to be busy and doing a lot of things being angry 3 looking after someone, especially someone young or old 2 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate feelings of worry caused by difficult situations such as problems at work 5 good at thinking of new ideas or using our imagination 13 A Family and friends Relatives* My father died when I was nine, and so my mother was a widow1 with four young children. She remarried five years later, so now I have a stepfather. As he is not my real father, I call him by his first name, which is Dieter. I’ve got an elder2 brother called Thomas and two younger sisters, Anya and Claudia, who are twins3. We’re a close family4. My mother is an only child5, but I’ve got two uncles on my father’s side. One is married with two children, and the other is married with three children, so altogether I have five cousins. I get on well with6 Uncle Rolf, and he always tells me I’m his favourite nephew. Of his nieces, I think he likes Anya best. Recently my brother Thomas got married. His wife’s name is Sabine, so I now have a sister-in-law7 as well. * members of your family; syn relations 1 a woman whose husband has died 2 older 3 two children born to one mother at the same time a family who like each other and stay together a lot without brothers or sisters 6 have a good relationship with 7 (also mother/brother/son-in-law, etc.) 5 Father Mother Uncle Rolf Sabine Common mistakes It’s more common and more natural to say ‘Thomas’s wife’ (NOT the wife of Thomas) or ‘Anna’s younger sister’ (NOT the younger sister of Anna). Friends My best friend is Florian, an old school friend1. We got to know each other2 when we were in the same class at school. We’ve been mates3 ever since4, and our friendship is very important to both of us. He spends a lot of time with my family, and his current5 girlfriend is actually one of Thomas’s ex-girlfriends. But we all get on really well. 1 someone you have known for a long time met and became friends 3 friends; infml from that time until now the one he has now Language help We use the prefix ex- for a relationship we had in the past but do not have now, e.g. The children stay with my ex-husband at the weekend; I saw an ex-girlfriend of mine yesterday. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 14 A Growing up Ages and stages in the UK birth [the moment a baby is born] Up to 12 months a baby 12 months – 3 years old a toddler 3–12 years old a child: this period is your childhood 13–18 approximately a teenager: during this period you are in your teens an adult 40+ approximately people are middle-aged [in the middle of their lives] 60 or 65 retirement [when people stop work; they are retired] old age (we usually describe people as elderly) Approximate ages I’m in my early twenties. [21–23] My parents are in their mid-fifties. [54–56] My grandmother is in her late seventies. [77–79] My grandfather is nearly/almost eighty. [he’s probably 79] My English teacher’s approximately/roughly thirty. [about 30 / more or less 30] Common mistakes We can say, he’s 30 or he’s 30 years old. (NOT he has 30 or he’s 30 years) Also: a 30-year-old man (NOT a 30-years-old man) Past and present My grandmother’s name was Mary. She’s dead1 now. She died about ten years ago when I was in my teens, but I remember her well. She was brought up2 on a farm in Wales, and her parents were very strict: as a teenager, they didn’t allow3 her to listen to the radio or go to parties in the village. In the end4, she decided to leave home and get a job in Cardiff. At first5 it wasn’t easy, but she managed6 to find work, and she also met the man who became her husband: my grandfather. My mother was born four years later. She had a very different childhood. She grew up in the city, she was allowed to go to parties, and when she was in her teens, her parents let7 her stay out late8. My mum is the same with me. 1 not living; opp alive looked after until you are an adult 3 give permission 4 finally, after a lot of time or thought at the beginning was able (but it was difficult) 7 allowed 8 not go home until late Language help Let and allow have the same meaning. Let is slightly more informal, and allow is often used in the passive. My dad let me drive his car. I was allowed to drive my dad’s car. You’re not allowed to smoke in that room. (NOT It’s not allowed to smoke in that room.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 15 A Romance, marriage and divorce Romance I had my first date1 when I was 16, and it was terrible. I took a girl to the cinema but she didn’t like the film and looked bored all evening; it was a bad start. Then, when I was 17, I went out with2 a girl for three months, but we broke up3 when she met a boy who was two years older than me, and had a car. My first serious relationship4 was when I went to university. I got to know5 Melanie because we were on the same course. At first we were just friends, then we started going out with each other, and after a few months we realised we were in love. We got engaged6 a couple of7 years after we left university and then … 1 a planned romantic meeting had a romantic relationship with 3 the relationship ended 4 important romantic relationship became friends with formally agreed to marry 7 two, perhaps three (bride)groom bride Marriage* … we got married1 the following year. We didn’t want a big ceremony2, so we had the wedding3 in the local church near Melanie’s home with just family and a few friends. Afterwards we had the reception4 in a small hotel nearby, and then went on our honeymoon5 to Greece. * the time when you are married 1 became husband and wife 2 an important public event the ceremony when people get married the wedding party 5 a holiday just after getting married 4 Common mistakes She got to know Darren at university. (NOT She knew Darren at university.) Now they plan to get married. (NOT They plan to get marry; or They plan to married.) She’s getting married to Darren next year. (NOT She’s getting married with Darren next year.) Children Just over three years later Melanie got pregnant, and our first child, Cal, was born just two days after our fourth wedding anniversary1. We had a big celebration2. 1 2 a day that is exactly one or more years after an important event a time when you do something you enjoy because it is a special day Language help adjective engaged pregnant noun engagement pregnancy verb celebrate marry noun celebration marriage Divorce* Things started to go wrong1 when I got a job as manager of a sportswear company. I was working six days a week and I had to do a lot of travelling. It was difficult for Melanie as well. She was working during the week, then at weekends she was often alone / on her own2 with two young children. I felt I couldn’t give up3 my job, and in the end Melanie decided to leave me4. The following year we got divorced5. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate * when a marriage officially ends 1 become a problem without other people 3 stop doing 4 stop living with me 5 the marriage officially ended 2 16 A Daily routines Sleep During the week I usually wake up1 about 7.30 am. If I don’t, my mum wakes me up. I get up2 a few minutes later. In the evenings I go to bed about 10.30 pm, and usually go to sleep3 straight away4. If I have a late night5 I try to have a sleep6 in the afternoon when I get home from college. 1 2 3 stop sleeping get out of bed start sleeping; syn fall asleep 4 5 6 immediately go to bed very late; opp have an early night a short period of sleeping, e.g. half an hour Food I have coffee and cereal for breakfast, then have a light lunch1, maybe a sandwich and an apple, and a snack2 in the afternoon. We have our main meal in the evening. If Mum’s late home from work, she doesn’t bother3 to cook; we just get a takeaway4 instead. One of us has to feed5 the cat as well. 1 2 3 have a small meal a small amount of food you eat between meals doesn’t do something because there is no reason or because it is too much work a meal you buy in a restaurant but eat at home give food Bathroom routines I usually have a shower when I get home from college because my sister, Rosie, and my brother, Marcus, spend so much time in the bathroom in the morning. I only have time to have a wash, clean my teeth (syn brush my teeth) and put on a bit of make-up. In the winter I sometimes have a bath instead of1 a shower. I like to lie in the bath and listen to music. 1 in place of (a shower) Marcus having a shave Rosie putting on make-up Housework* Fortunately1 we’ve got a cleaner2 who does a lot of the housework, and that includes doing my washing3. But I still have to make my bed and do some of my ironing, and I sometimes do the shopping with Mum. * the work of keeping a home clean and tidy happening because of good luck; syn luckily 2 3 a person who cleans washing my clothes Language help When we do the shopping we buy food at the supermarket; when we go shopping, it is a leisure activity and we perhaps buy clothes, DVDs, books, etc. Spare time* On weekdays I usually stay in1 and watch TV in the evening. At the weekend I go out quite a lot with my friends, either to the cinema or just to a café, and I eat out2 once a week. Sometimes friends come round3 and we chat4 about clothes, music and college. * time when you are not working stay at home 2 eat in a restaurant; opp eat in visit me in my home have an informal conversation English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 17 A The place where you live Location* We live on the outskirts of town1, and it’s a very nice location. We used to live in the centre, but we moved2 to our present flat when we had children because there’s more space3 for them to play and it has nice views4. * the place and position of something 1 on the edge of town 2 changed the place where we live 3 4 an area that is empty or not used the things you can see from a place Our flat This is where we live. We rent1 a flat on the second floor. There’s a family in the flat downstairs2, and a young French couple upstairs, on the top floor. It’s a modern block of flats3, and it’s quite good, although the lift4 is small, and there’s no air conditioning5. 1 2 3 4 5 top floor second floor pay money every week/month to use it because it isn’t ours on a lower level of a building a building with a number of flats in it the machine that takes people up or down a floor a system that keeps the air cool Language help Flat is more common in British English; apartment is used in American English but is becoming more common in British English. Apartments are usually in large buildings; flats can be in a large building or part of a larger house. front door first floor ground floor A house in the country My parents own1 a cottage2. It’s a charming3 house and has lots of character4, but like many old buildings, it’s quite dark (opp light), quite difficult to heat5, and it doesn’t have central heating6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 they bought it a small house, that is old and attractive, and usually found in the country pleasant and attractive it is interesting and unusual make warm or hot a system that heats a whole house cottage 40 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 18 A Around the home Different homes When we first got married, we lived in a one-bedroom flat with a small kitchen, a living room and a bathroom. When our first child was born, she had to share our bedroom [use something at the same time as someone else]. Now we live in a four-bedroom house. Our bedroom has an en suite bathroom [a bathroom connected to the bedroom], our two teenage children have their own rooms [they do not have to share], we have a spare room for guests, and another bathroom. Downstairs, there’s a living room, a dining room and a study [a room where people Language help can work]. We’ve also got a lovely big kitchen with a fridge/ We usually talk about a sink freezer, a cooker with two ovens and a dishwasher [a machine in the kitchen, but a for washing dishes]. Next to it, there’s a small utility room (wash)basin in the bathroom. where we keep the washing machine. cupboards kettle microwave Choices* * when you decide between two or more possibilities What do you prefer? Some people like big soft sofas1 with lots of cushions2, some people like firm (opp soft) armchairs. 2 1 4 Do you like a wooden floor3 with a rug4, or a carpet? 3 or blinds? 7 A duvet, or a sheet5 and a blanket6? One pillow7, or two? 5 6 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 19 A Everyday problems There’s something wrong with … We use these expressions when there is a problem with machines and other things we use. There’s something wrong with the TV. [there is a problem with it] The light isn’t working. [isn’t functioning; there is no light] The washing machine isn’t working properly. [it is functioning, but not very well] The coffee machine is out of order. [not in use, broken] Language help We normally use out of order for a machine or system that is in a public building, not in the home, e.g. a drinks machine, a public telephone, a lift. Problems at home I was making myself a cup of coffee yesterday. I dropped1 the first cup on the floor and I had to clear it up2. I then made myself another cup, slipped3 on the wet floor, and spilt4 coffee all over5 my T-shirt. I tried to remove6 it with special washing powder, but it was hopeless7. I’ll have to buy a new T-shirt. 6 7 get it off very bad and impossible to improve This morning I decided to have some toast. I burnt8 the first two pieces, then I discovered we’d run out of9 bread, so I went to work without any breakfast. 1 8 9 cooked something for too long there was no more of something Out and about I was in a bad mood1 because I hadn’t had any breakfast, but things got worse2 when I missed my bus and had to walk. It was raining, so I started running. I fell over3 and hit4 my knee on the ground. And when I got to work, I realised that I’d torn5 my jacket, and I’d left some important notes at home. 1 feeling unhappy became more difficult and unpleasant 3 fell to the ground 4 touch something quickly, usually causing injury 5 (see picture; tear, past tense tore, past participle torn) 2 Common mistakes I left my book at home, or I forgot my book. (NOT I forgot my book at home.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 4, 5 20 A Money Notes and coins In the UK the currency [type of money used] is sterling [pounds]; in America it is the dollar; in much of Europe it’s the euro. Notes e.g. ten pounds, twenty euros a ten-pound note, a twenty-euro note Coins (in the UK) e.g. fifty pence (usually spoken as fifty p), a pound, a fifty-pence piece, but a one-pound coin Managing your money I’ve had a bank account for a few years now, and I make sure my account is always in credit1. I go to the cashpoint once a week, so I always have some cash2 with me, and I check3 my account online once a week to see how much money I’ve got. 1 2 3 having money in the account money in the form of notes and coins look at the details of it Money problems When I went to university, I had to get a bank loan1 to pay my fees2. That meant I had to be careful and make sure I didn’t waste money3, but by the time I finished my degree I owed4 a lot. One good thing is that I don’t have to pay it back until I get a job and I’m earning5 a reasonable amount6 of money. At the moment I’m saving up7 for a new laptop; the one I have is very slow and keeps going wrong. I’d love to have a car as well, but I can’t afford8 it. 1 money you borrow from a bank money you pay to use something, or for a service, e.g. a lawyer’s fee receiving money for the work I do quite a lot; $1 million is a large amount 7 keeping money to buy something in the future 3 8 use it badly don’t have enough money to buy one 4 had to pay back a lot of money to the bank 2 Accommodation* This year I’m renting a flat with three friends of mine. We had to pay one month’s rent as a deposit1, but it’s a nice place, quite good value for money2, and the landlord isn’t charging3 us to use his garage. * places where you live or stay 1 money you pay for something you are going to use, which is then returned to you when you have finished using it 2 good for the amount of money you pay 3 asking someone to pay an amount of money Language help We use rent when we pay to use something for a long period of time, e.g. rent a flat. The noun rent is the amount you pay, e.g. The rent is £400 per month. We use hire when we pay to use something for a short period of time, e.g. I hired a bike for the day. Both verbs are used with cars, e.g. We rented/hired a car when we were on holiday. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 21 A Health Common problems What’s the matter? What you should do 1 A: I’ve got a sore throat and a temperature. B: That sounds like flu. You should see a doctor. A: I’ve cut my arm; it’s bleeding.3 B: Put a bandage4 round it. A: I’ve got a terrible cough.5 B: Go to the chemist and get some cough medicine. [something you take to treat an illness] A: I’ve got a headache. B: Take some tablets6 for the pain. (also pills) A: I feel sick.7 B: Go to the bathroom quickly! Describing pain We can use different words to describe pain. An ache describes pain that is not always strong, but often continues. It is used with certain parts of the body. I’ve got a headache. Simone’s got stomach ache. My dad suffers from [often has the pain of] backache. For other parts of the body we often use pain. I’ve got a pain in my shoulder/foot. Ache can also be a verb to describe pain that continues for some time. By the end of the day my feet were aching. For stronger or more sudden pain, we usually use the verb hurt. My throat hurts when I speak. I hit my leg on the table and it really hurts / it’s very painful. Serious illnesses For serious [bad] illnesses, you will probably go into hospital. A person who stays in hospital is called a patient. Many patients need an operation [when special doctors, called surgeons, cut into the body for medical reasons; also called surgery]. Lung cancer can be caused by smoking. Heart attacks can happen very suddenly. Hepatitis is a disease affecting the liver. Language help Disease is used to talk about more serious medical problems, often affecting certain parts of the body, e.g. heart disease. Illness is used to talk about serious and minor medical problems and those affecting the mind, e.g. mental illness. Disease is not used about a period of illness, e.g. He died after a long illness. (NOT He died after a long disease.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate lungs heart liver 22 A Clothes Smart, stylish and casual I think the woman looks stylish. [wearing nice clothes and looking attractive; also well-dressed] The man is smartly dressed. [clean and tidy and suitable for formal situations] The boy’s clothes are more casual. [comfortable and suitable for informal situations] cap earrings top jumper/sweater necklace collar scarf boots tights button pocket Verbs and phrases used with clothes As soon as I get up, I have a shower and get dressed [put on my clothes]. I don’t eat breakfast. When I get home from work, I usually change into a pair of jeans. I prefer jackets with a zip; it’s easier to undo a zip [open a zip, buttons, etc.] and it’s also much quicker to do it up. I have to wear a suit and tie to work, but I usually take off my tie before lunchtime. [remove it; opp put something on] I think I look good in black because dark colours suit me. [I look good in dark colours; opp bright colours] Common mistakes I like clothes. (NOT I like cloth or cloths.) I like your new trousers. (NOT I like your new trouser.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 23 A Fashion and buying clothes Fashion Which are you? 1 I usually shop with a friend. 2 I always try on clothes before I buy them. 3 I sometimes buy clothes that don’t suit me , just because 4 they’re fashionable . 5 If I buy trousers or a skirt, I buy a shirt or top to go with it at the same time. 6 My wardrobe is full of clothes that I buy and hardly ever wear. 7 I like to buy designer labels , even though they’re more expensive. I like wearing fashionable clothes, but the price has to be 8 reasonable . 9 I never buy clothes just because they’re in fashion . 10 I like to dress in clothes that are casual but still look quite fashionable. 11 I’m always happy with what I’ve got on . Language help buy things in shops put clothes on in a shop to see what they are like 3 look good on me 4 popular at that particular time 5 look good together 6 a large cupboard for keeping clothes in 7 clothes made by famous designers, e.g. Versace, Dolce & Gabbana 8 not expensive 9 fashionable 10 wear a particular type, style or colour of clothes 11 am wearing 2 If two things match, they are a similar colour or type. If two things go with each other, they look good together. Catherine’s bag matches her coat. Catherine’s bag goes with her coat. If something suits you, it looks good on you. If something fits you, it is the right size. In a clothes shop A shop assistant [a person who works in a shop] is serving different customers [helping them to buy things]. SHOP ASSISTANT: CUSTOMER 1: SHOP ASSISTANT: CUSTOMER 2: Can I help you? No, I’m being served, thanks. [another shop assistant is already helping me] Do you need any help? Yes, I’ve just tried on this jacket in a size 12, and it didn’t really fit me; it’s a bit tight. [too small around the body; opp loose/big] Have you got it in a bigger size? We have got a size 14, but not in pink, I’m afraid. Oh, that’s a shame. [that is disappointing; syn that’s a pity] OK. I’ll leave it, thanks. [I have decided not to buy it; opp I’ll take it/them] OK. I’m sorry about that. … Can I help you? Yes, I’m looking for a skirt and this looks nice. [I want to find a skirt] Can I try it on? Yes, of course. The changing rooms are down there. [the place where you can try on clothes] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 24 A Shopping shelves In a supermarket sweets checkout basket How do supermarkets make us1 spend more money? They put fresh2 bread, as it smells lovely, near the entrance3 to make us feel hungry – and hungry shoppers spend more. They also rearrange things and put them in different places; this makes us spend more time in the store and that means spending more money. They put sweets and chocolate near the checkout, so it is easy to add bars of chocolate to our basket or trolley while we are waiting in the queue4. And they put the most expensive items5 on the middle shelves where you are more likely6 to see them. And be careful of special offers7, e.g. three for the price of two. People often buy more than they need and throw away half of it. 1 cause us to do or be something, e.g. I don’t like rain; it makes me depressed. just made/cooked 3 the place where you go into a building 4 a line of people who are waiting for something 5 an item is a single thing 6 If you are likely to do something, you will probably do it. 7 cheaper prices than normal 2 Shopping centres and street markets 3 1 one roof2 and it is convenient . Some people like modern shopping centres because everything is under 5 4 ng you buy, the shop will replace There’s a wide range of shops, and if there is anything wrong with somethi 6 it, or give you a refund . Other people prefer going to street markets because 7 they like the atmosphere you get from the different stalls. Food and clothes are also usually cheaper in street markets. Sometimes you can try to agree a lower price for something you buy in a street market; we call this haggling. Of course, if you don’t like what you buy in a street market, you can’t normally take it back and get a refund. stall 1 large covered shopping areas in one place 3 practical and easy to use 4 different things of the same type exchange it for another one money that is paid back to you when you return something 7 the feeling in a place or situation English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate Food pineapple bunch of grapes mushrooms carrot beans peas Salad A salad is usually a mixture of uncooked ingredients. In Britain it mainly has lettuce, as well as tomato, cucumber, onion, and other things. We often put salad dressing (usually oil and vinegar, or perhaps oil and lemon) on salad. tomato oil Meat, fish and seafood Animal: Meat: cow beef calf [young cow] veal lamb [young sheep] lamb pig pork chicken/hen chicken A person who does not eat meat is a vegetarian. prawns salmon mussels 56 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 26 A Cooking barbecue Ways of cooking food You boil potatoes or rice in a saucepan. You can fry sausages in a frying pan. You grill toast or meat under a grill. You roast meat [using oil] in the oven. You also bake cakes [without oil] in the oven. You barbecue meat and fish on a barbecue. Food which is not cooked is raw. frying pan Preparing and cooking food Peel the potatoes [remove the skin] and boil them. While they’re boiling, chop an onion. [cut it into small pieces] Fry the onion before adding some chopped tomatoes. [putting them together with the onions] Then stir it all for a few minutes. [move it around in a saucepan using a spoon] What does it taste like? Chefs [people who cook food in a restaurant as a job] always taste the food [put a small amount in their mouth to see what it is like] while they are cooking. I don’t like the taste of too much garlic. I tried the soup and it tasted a bit strange. Michel’s food is very tasty. [has a good taste] Indian food is a bit too spicy for me. [with a strong hot flavour] You get ice cream in different flavours. [the type of taste that food or drink has, e.g. vanilla, coffee, strawberry, etc.] Lena said her pasta was horrible [terrible, unpleasant], but I thought it was delicious [fantastic, with a wonderful taste]. Language help We use the word sour to describe the taste of lemons (opp sweet), but usually bitter to describe coffee that is strong and has a sharp unpleasant taste (opp smooth). Strong, dark chocolate can also be described as bitter, but this is not always negative. Are you a good cook? I’m a bit nervous when I cook, so I always follow a recipe [the cooking instructions for a particular dish, e.g. lasagne], and make sure I have all the right ingredients [the different food you need to make a particular meal] before I start. However, I am quite good at making pies, especially apple pie. (Pie is pronounced /paɪ/ like ‘my’.) Common mistakes A person who cooks well is a good cook (NOT a good cooker). The cooker is the large piece of equipment you use for cooking. You could also say that you are good/bad at cooking (NOT good/bad in cooking), e.g. I’m quite good at cooking fish. Also we ‘cook’ a type of food, e.g. I’m cooking some beef, but we ‘make’ a dish, e.g. I’m making dessert. (NOT I’m cooking dessert.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 27 A City life The rush hour* For me, the rush hour is the worst time of day. Everywhere is busy, and everyone seems to be in a hurry1. I usually drive to work, but sometimes I get stuck2 in traffic jams3, and when I get to work I find there’s nowhere to park4 because the car park5 is already full. But if I get the bus, it takes me longer, and that makes the journey very stressful6. When I get home in the evenings I often feel exhausted7 – more from the travelling than from my work. * the time when people travel to and from work want to go somewhere / do something quickly 2 become unable to move or go anywhere 3 long lines of cars that are not moving 4 no place to leave the car 5 place to leave a car 6 causing a lot of worry 7 very tired 1 Common mistakes The situation was stressful, and I was very stressed (NOT I was stressing, or it was stressing). I couldn’t find a car park. OR I couldn’t find a parking space. (NOT I couldn’t find a parking.) The nightlife* One of the advantages of1 living in the city is the nightlife. The town centre is always lively2 in the evening, and there is a wide variety of3 bars, clubs and restaurants to go to. If you are more interested in culture and cultural activities, you can go to the cinema, the theatre, concerts, art galleries, etc. * places to visit in the evening for social reasons 1 the positive things about a situation; opp disadvantages 2 full of activity 3 many different things Advantages and disadvantages Cities always seem crowded1, and they can be dirty (opp clean) and dangerous (opp safe) places to live. Pollution2 is worse in big cities, and so is the crime rate3. I only walk home at night4 if I’m with a friend. When I’m on my own, I get a taxi. Life in cities is also more expensive. Flats cost a lot, and I think you get better value for money5 in a smaller town or village. On the positive side, you get6 a real mix7 of people and nationalities in a big city; that makes life more interesting. I also enjoy the fact that there’s always something going on8 in a big city, so life is never dull9. 1 full of people; opp quiet dirty air and water 3 the number of crimes that happen 4 in the period when it is dark 5 If something is good value for money, you are happy with what you receive for the amount of money you pay. you find / there exists different types 8 happening 9 boring; opp exciting English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 28 A Life in the country tree Surrounded by nature I grew up in the countryside where I was surrounded by nature. As children, we used to play on the banks2 of the river and in the woods3. In the summer we picked4 apples and blackberries; in the autumn we often picked mushrooms. The seasons5 were all different, and I loved the scenery6, the open spaces7, and the fresh air8. I still do. 1 nature was everywhere around me the side of the river 3 groups of trees 4 took them from the tree/plant spring, summer, autumn, winter branches the natural beauty you see around you grass 7 empty areas of land 8 naturally clean air Common mistakes I like being in the countryside. OR I like being surrounded by nature. (NOT I like being in the nature.) Working in the country My uncle owns1 a farm. He keeps2 a few animals, but mostly he grows crops like rice, wheat and potatoes. Farming is a hard life: my uncle is usually up3 at five in the morning, and sometimes his work isn’t finished until sunset4. 1 2 has (something that legally belongs to him) owns and looks after them not in bed when the sun goes down in the evening hill valley farmhouse fence footpath field The disadvantages of country life The worst thing about living in a village1 is that there isn’t much to do in the evening, apart from going to the village pub. The nearest town is eight miles away2, and public transport3 is hopeless4. And, of course, you don’t get5 many shops in a village. 1 a place smaller than a town a distance from a place 3 buses and trains for people to use terrible there aren’t / you don’t find English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 29 A Transport Vehicles Vehicle is the general word for all types of road transport. Travelling around lorry (also called truck) bus/coach driver train driver taxi driver (£) bus fare train fare get / catch / go by get / catch / go by go by bike / cycle / ride a bike get on/off get on/off get on/off get in / out (of) get on/off bus stop / bus station platform / train station taxi rank I go to work by bus. Its only three stops. Common mistakes We got the train to Cardiff, but the journey was terrible. It was a good journey. (NOT It When the bus fares went up last month, my dad started cycling was a good travel.) to work. I got out of the taxi and almost walked away without paying the fare. If there are more flights, airfares should be cheaper. We were going to get the train to Paris, but in the end we decided to fly. Are you happy with public transport?* Where I live buses are not very convenient1; the nearest bus stop is half a mile away2. And when I do get the bus, I often have to wait in a queue3 for about twenty minutes, and then three come along at the same time! * buses and trains for people to use 1 near or easy to use 2 the distance from a place 3 stand in a line People are always complaining about4 the bus service, but where I live it’s good. I’ve got a bus stop round the corner5 and buses run every ten minutes for most of the day, and they’re usually reliable6. I get the train to work. Trains are expensive – a return7 to Oxford is twenty pounds – but I’ve got a season ticket8, and that makes it cheaper. My only real complaint is that if I miss9 my train, I have to wait half an hour for the next one. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate saying they are unhappy / not satisfied with 5 very near 6 you can trust them a ticket for a journey to a place and back a ticket you can use many times within a period of time without paying each time 9 don’t catch (a train or bus) 8 30 A On the road Roads (road) junction traffic lights a bend in the road (this road bends to the right) pedestrian crossing road signs MOTORWAY no overtaking [you can’t pass another car] speed limit inside/ slow lane Finding your way outside/ fast lane Yesterday, I got lost1 on my way to2 the airport. I decided to use side roads and go via3 the village of Pensford, but I took the wrong turning4 just before I got there, and I ended up5 in a supermarket car park. Fortunately I was able to ask someone the way6, and a very kind woman directed7 me to the A38, where I could then follow signs for the airport. 1 didn’t know where I was while I was going to (the airport) 3 go through somewhere to get to a destination 4 corner where one road meets another 5 found myself in a place I didn’t expect to be in 6 ask how to get to a place 7 told me how to get to a place 2 An accident I saw an accident this morning on the main road1 into town. A pedestrian2 – a young boy – stepped off the pavement3 and into the road just as a car was approaching4. The driver braked5, but the car swerved6 and crashed into a parked car7 on the opposite side of the road. Fortunately the driver wasn’t injured but both cars were quite badly damaged. 1 important road a person walking 3 the place where pedestrians walk 4 coming closer 5 put his foot on the brake to stop the car 6 changed direction suddenly and without control 7 a car next to the pavement, not moving 2 Language help You damage a thing [harm or break it] but injure a person [hurt them]. The related nouns are damage and injury, e.g. There was a lot of damage to the bike, but the cyclist only had minor injuries. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 31 A Notices and warnings Notices on a machine that is not working, e.g. vending machine (above) in the window of a hotel; the hotel is full wait in a line on the other side of this notice, e.g. in a bank or post office stay on the right side, e.g. on the underground do not walk on the grass be quiet, an exam is happening now Don’t do this! on a hotel door; leave me to sleep you cannot go in here don’t put a bag down and walk away you cannot go out here do not give food to the animals Take care you don’t hit your head on a low door. Be careful. There’s a step. something that tells you that something bad may happen outside a museum; you can go in free Do this! you cannot leave your car here outside a theatre; all the tickets have been sold English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate be careful, this parcel will break easily 32 A Classroom language Equipment and uses CD player plug ruler rubber a highlighter pen pencil sharpener You use a rubber to rub something out, e.g. writing. You use a ruler to measure something. You use a pencil sharpener to sharpen pencils. You use a highlighter pen to highlight a word. Classroom activities Teachers or students do these things in the classroom. look up a word in a dictionary [find the meaning of a word] borrow someone’s dictionary or rubber [use it and then return it] plug in the CD player [put the plug in the electric socket] turn up the volume on the CD player [increase the volume; make it louder; opp turn (it) down] correct students’ English [give the correct English if students make mistakes] Language help If you lend someone something, you give it to them for a period of time; if you borrow something from someone, you get it from them. Could you lend me your pen? means the same as Could I borrow your pen? Teachers may ask students to do these things in the classroom. I’d like you to work with a partner. [someone else, i.e. another student] Henrique, could you swap places with Lorena? [change seats / sit in each other’s seats] Kim, could you share your book with Petra? [use it together at the same time] Repeat this sentence after me. [say it again] Questions about vocabulary Q: Q: Q: Q: What does tiny mean? How do you pronounce weight? How do you spell bicycle? How do you use the word wow? Q: Could you explain the difference between lend and give? A: A: A: A: It means ‘very small’. It’s pronounced /weɪt/, like wait. B-I-C-Y-C-L-E. We use it to show that we think something is fantastic or surprising, e.g. Wow, look at that car. A: If you lend something to someone, they have to give it back. If you give something to them, they can keep it. Language help verb mean pronounce repeat noun meaning pronunciation repetition verb spell explain use English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate noun spelling explanation use 33 A School education The school system This is the system for state education in most parts of England and Wales. State schools are free and operated by the country. Parents pay to send their children to private schools. Almost all children attend [go to; fml] nursery school for up to 15 hours a week. Everyone starts primary school. Pupils [students at school] go to secondary school. Pupils take/do GCSE exams, in up to ten subjects. Then they can leave school and get a job, or go to a college for vocational [job] training, e.g. hotel management or travel and tourism courses, or they can stay at school for two more years. Pupils take ‘A’ level exams in three or four subjects, and then they can leave school and get a job or go on to university [continue their education at university], or go to a college for further education/training, e.g. teaching or business studies. The school timetable The school day is divided into about 5–7 lessons, and over the course of a week, most pupils do/study about ten subjects, including English, maths, history, science, etc. There’s usually a one-hour lunch break [period of rest between work], and a break in the morning and afternoon as well. Language help In American English the subject is math, but in British English it is maths. The school year is usually divided into three terms [periods of study], with each term being about 13 weeks, although some schools are now having shorter terms and more frequent holidays. At the end of the school year, pupils usually take/do exams before they break up [end classes for the term]. After the summer holidays, they go back [return] for the new school year. School rules In the past schools generally had more rules, and if you broke the rules1, you were punished. At my school, for example, pupils sometimes had to stay behind2 and write an essay. I used to get into trouble3 for wearing lipstick. I remember we had to call the male teachers ‘sir’ and female teachers ‘miss’, and we had to wear a horrible uniform4. Nowadays, the atmosphere5 is more relaxed6: older pupils can often dress7 the way they want – as long as they’re reasonably smart8 – and the teachers are not as strict9. * instructions telling you what you must or must not do 1 6 did something wrong comfortable and informal 2 7 stay in a place when others leave wear clothes 3 8 do something wrong and be punished well dressed and not too casual 4 9 special clothes A strict teacher punishes pupils 5 who do something wrong. the feeling in a place or situation lipstick 72 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 34 A Studying English and taking exams How are they getting on?* This is what Katya, an English teacher, thinks about some of her students. Ayumi has a wide vocabulary [knows a lot of words] and speaks very accurately [without mistakes], but she needs to practise her speaking more in order to become more fluent [able to speak naturally without stopping]. Cesar is quite fluent, but his accent [the way he pronounces words] is not very good. In particular, he has problems with certain consonants. [letters of the alphabet (a–z), which are not the vowels a, e, i, o, u] Emre has no problem making himself understood [saying things in a way people understand], but he needs to increase his vocabulary [make it bigger], because at the moment it’s quite basic [elementary; syn simple]. Olga is always willing to [happy and ready to] experiment with language [try something new to see what it is like]. For that reason she sometimes gets things wrong [makes mistakes], but she learns from her mistakes and she’s making a lot of progress. Andreas is a fantastic language learner. He picks things up [learns things without trying] very quickly, and he has a good ear for language [is good at hearing, repeating and understanding sounds and words]. What progress are they making? Common mistakes We use adjectives with nouns, and adverbs with verbs. He’s a fluent speaker. (NOT He’s a fluently speaker.) She speaks accurately. (NOT She speaks accurate.) I need to speak English well. (NOT I need to speak English good.) Language help You can take or do an exam (NOT make an exam). If you are successful and do well, you pass; if you are not successful and do badly, you fail. Before taking an exam, you revise for the exam [study / prepare for the exam]. Sometimes you can also retake an exam [do it again]. My students are taking the Cambridge First Certificate exam in June, and for some of them it will be hard work1. I think Cesar might fail, but he’s doing his best2, so with a bit of luck he might pass. I expect most of the others to pass. Andreas is a strong candidate3, and I’m sure he’ll get a good grade (syn mark). I think Ayumi and Olga will also do well. At the moment I’m trying to get through4 the coursebook so that we can do some revision5. I think the most important thing is to do some exam preparation6. Today I want the students to do/write an essay7. Most of them still find it difficult to write accurately, so I need to work on that with them. 1 work that requires a lot of effort making as much effort as he can; syn trying his best 3 someone who is taking an exam 4 finish revise for the exam getting ready for the exam 7 a short piece of writing about a particular subject English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 35 A University education Subjects You can do/study these subjects at university but not always at school. medicine (to become a doctor) law (to become a lawyer) engineering (to become an engineer) architecture (to become an architect) economics (to become an economist) psychology (to become a psychologist) business studies (to become a businessman/woman and go into business) Studying at university Some students go to university because they enjoy studying, others just want a qualification1. First, however, you have to get good grades in your final school exams to get a place at many universities. You can then study for / do a degree2. If you complete the course successfully, you get your degree3 and receive a certificate4. In the UK, most degree courses last5 three years, although some take longer, e.g. medicine or law. I’ve got a degree in economics. Teachers at university are usually called lecturers, and most of the teaching is done through lectures6. The most senior lecturers have the title Professor. Students doing arts subjects, e.g. English or history, will spend time working in the library and writing essays7. Students doing science degrees, e.g. physics or chemistry, will probably spend a lot of their time working in a laboratory (infml lab). library 1 something that you get when you are successful in an exam 2 do a course at university 3 (also the word for) a university qualification 4 a document that shows you have completed a course successfully 5 continue for 6 the lecturer talks and the students listen 7 short pieces of writing on a particular subject laboratory (lab) Language help noun qualification success verb qualify succeed (in sth / in doing sth) adjective qualified (un)successful Postgraduate degrees When students are doing their first degree, they are called undergraduates. When they complete their degree, they are graduates. Some graduates go on to do [do something in the future] a Master’s, e.g. in the UK an MA (Master of Arts) or MSc (Master of Science). These are called postgraduate degrees. The longest one is a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) where students do research [make a detailed study of one particular subject] for at least three years. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 36 A Jobs Working with your hands socket pipes [builds or repairs homes] [makes things using wood] [installs and repairs water pipes, etc.] [installs and repairs electrical things, e.g. lights] [repairs cars when there is a problem] Language help When something is damaged or broken, we often use repair or fix. I need someone to fix/repair the computer. Dad repaired/fixed the window for me. With small pieces of equipment we can also use mend; with clothes we often use mend. Could you fix/repair/mend my watch? I’ve mended your trousers for you. Professions job what he/she does designs buildings represents people with legal problems plans the building of roads, bridges, machines, etc. controls the financial situation of people and companies university lecturer teaches in a university, e.g. gives lectures * jobs that need a lot of training and/or education The medical profession These people treat people or animals. [give medicine or medical help] GPs [general practitioners: doctors who don’t work in a hospital], dentists [people who look after your teeth] and vets [animal doctors] all work in a place called a surgery. In hospital there are nurses who look after people, and surgeons who operate on people [open the body to remove or repair a part that is damaged]. The armed forces and the emergency services My son joined the army when he was 18. [became a member of] gun soldier (in the army) sailor (in the navy) pilot (in the air force) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate police officer (in the police force) fireman/ firefighter (in the fire brigade) 37 A Talking about your work What do you do? People can ask what job you do in different ways; you can answer in different ways. A: What do you do? B: I’m a doctor/ hairdresser, etc. A: What’s your job? B: I work in sales / marketing / a bank, etc. A: What do you do for a living? B: I work for Union Bank / Fiat / Sony, etc. What does that involve?* James and Emma are business consultants [people who help others in a particular area]. Their work involves advising people who want to set up [start] a business, especially in health and fitness. James deals with the marketing [does the work in marketing; syn handle], while Emma is responsible for [in control of; syn in charge of] products [things that people make/produce] such as towels, equipment, beauty products, etc. Common mistakes I have a lot of work to do. (NOT I have a lot of works to do.) She advises me. (NOT She advices me.) BUT She gives me advice. (NOT She gives me advise.) My job involves a lot of travel. OR My job involves travelling. (NOT My job involves to travel.) Amy is a manager in a veterinary surgery. She runs [organises or controls] the day-to-day [happening every day] business of the surgery and is in charge of a small team: three receptionists, an accounts manager and a secretary. Her work involves a lot of admin [short for administration] such as buying food, medicine and equipment; she also handles any complaints that customers make [when customers complain / say that something is wrong or is not satisfactory]. * What do you have to do exactly? Pay Most workers are paid [receive money] every month; this is called a salary. Your income is the total amount of money you receive in a year. This might be money from one job; it might be money from two jobs. We can express this in different ways: My income is about £25,000. OR I earn/make about £25,000 a year [every year]. Some of that income you can keep, but some goes to the government; in the UK this is called income tax, e.g. I lose 20% of my income in income tax. Language help A salary is money paid to professional people, e.g. doctors or teachers, and to office workers for the work they do, and is usually paid into a person’s bank account every month. Wages are usually paid for each hour/day/week of work to people who do more physical jobs, e.g. building or cleaning. Conditions* Most people work fixed hours [always the same], e.g. 9 am to 5.30 pm. We often call this a nineto-five job. Other people have to do/work overtime [work extra hours]. Some people get paid for overtime; others don’t. Some people have good working conditions, e.g. nice offices, paid holidays, extra time off [not at work] for a new mother and father when a baby is born, etc. There is also a minimum wage [an amount of money workers receive, and employers cannot pay less than this]. * the situation in which people work or live English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 38 A Making a career Getting a job* When I left school, I applied for1 jobs in different companies, and finally, after sending out lots of CVs2 and having some interviews3, a small company employed me4. I didn’t earn a lot, but the company gave me some training5, which was good. * finding a job 1 wrote a letter of application for 2 a document which describes your education and the jobs you have done 3 a meeting where someone asks you questions to see if you are suitable for a job 4 gave me a job 5 help and advice to learn how to do a job or activity Common mistakes I had some training. (NOT I had a training.) You can also go on / do a training course [a period of organised help and advice, often in a different place] (NOT formation or stage). Promotion I worked hard and soon I was promoted [given a better job with more responsibility]. They also gave me a good pay rise [more money]. It was really good experience [knowledge you get from doing something such as a job], and when my boss left the company a few years later, they gave me an important promotion [a move to a higher job in the company]. Resignation* By my mid-twenties, I was getting a bit bored, and decided I wanted to work abroad [in another country]. So, I quit my job [told the company I was leaving; syn resign] and started looking for jobs in the UK. After a couple of months I got a job in London. At first I liked it, but … * when you say officially you are leaving a job Unemployment* After six months, I got fed up with the job – and I think I was enjoying myself too much to work very hard. Finally, the company sacked me [told me to leave the company; syn gave me the sack], and after that I was unemployed [without a job; syn out of work] for two months. Finally I got a part-time job [working only part of the day or week; opp full-time job] in the kitchen of a restaurant. * when people do not have a job Common mistakes Marek didn’t have a job. (NOT He didn’t have a work.) Success and retirement* I loved the restaurant. I learned how to cook, and two years later I became manager. Three years after that I opened my own restaurant [belonging to me / it was my restaurant]. It was very successful [it did well and made money], and twenty years later, I owned five restaurants, and I was the owner of two hotels. I believe anyone can succeed [be successful] if they work hard enough – and have a little bit of luck. Last year, aged fifty, I retired and went back to Italy. * the time when people stop work, often at 60 or 65 Claudio 82 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 39 A Working in an office Office equipment calendar filing cabinet calculator keyboard (rubbish) bin Office work Josh works for a company which produces1 furniture. He doesn’t work in the factory where the furniture is produced, but in the offices across the road. His job involves2 quite a lot of paperwork3. He types4 letters to different companies, sends out invoices5 to customers and sends emails. He also has to arrange6 visits to other companies, make appointments7 for his boss, and sometimes he shows visitors round the factory. Occasionally he has to attend8 meetings with his boss, but one of Josh’s most important tasks is to organise9 the office party every year. 1 makes includes doing 3 work that uses paper, e.g. reports, forms 4 writes using a keyboard 5 documents showing how much the customer has to pay plan and prepare arrange a time when you meet someone 8 go to; fml 9 plan and arrange Language help verb arrange organise noun arrangement organisation verb attend produce noun attendance production Office problems Josh is having a bad day today. The photocopier has broken down1, the computer isn’t working and the printer has run out of 2 paper. On top of that, two of his colleagues3 are absent4, just when there is loads of 5 work to do. 1 stopped working has no more 3 people you work with not in the office; syn off lots of; infml English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 40 A Running a company A successful business This is the story of a company that has achieved a great deal [a lot] in a short period of time. Language help If you achieve something, you have been successful in something that needed a lot of work and effort. The noun is achievement, e.g. Writing a book has been my greatest achievement. 1 DENHAM FARM BAKERY is a family business, with three different generations (father, son and granddaughter) of the family y currently2 working with a team of 90 employees. The compan 5 4 3 of variety a g was set up in 1991 with the aim of producin 6 bread of the highest quality . The Denham family saw there was 7 a growing demand for organic products in the 1990s, and they 8 soon became experts in the field of organic bread-making. 9 The company is run from a factory in Ilminster, where the bread is 11 across the southbaked daily10 and then delivered to shops 13 12 west of England. The firm has expanded a great deal in the last 20 years, but it still remains a family business. 1 place where bread and cakes are made or sold now, at the moment (NOT actually) 3 started (used about a company or organisation) 4 a plan of what you hope to achieve 5 different types 6 how good or bad something is 7 when more people want to buy something people with skill/knowledge in something organised and controlled 10 every day 11 taken (to shops) 12 company or business 13 become bigger A view of a company 1 Morgan & Stenson are a ﬁrm of accountants . They 2 were formerly Stenson & Son, but were taken over3 by JS Morgan ﬁve years ago. James Morgan 4 took up the position of senior partner, and the company changed its name to Morgan & Stenson. 5 The headquarters of the ﬁrm are in Newcastle, but 6 they have ﬁve other branches in different parts of the north-east of England. James Morgan is a former owner of a football club, 7 with many contacts in the football world, so many of 8 rs. footballe are clients his 9 Last year the company attracted a lot of attention to nts when it became the ﬁrst ﬁrm of accounta advertise on local TV and radio. At the time, James 10 Morgan said it was his ambition to change the 11 image that people have of accountants. people who control a person or company’s money in the past but not now 3 JS Morgan got control of Stenson & Son 4 started in the job 5 the place where the main office is 6 offices that are part of the company people you know people who pay someone for a service 9 caused people to notice it 10 something someone wants to achieve 11 the way that people think of them Language help We usually talk about an ex-wife/boyfriend, etc., but a former president/career/banker, etc. Shops and organisations have customers; lawyers, accountants, etc. have clients. We take up a job or activity, but we set up a company. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 41 A Business and finance Rise and fall These verbs describe trends [movements] in sales [how much you sell], prices, etc. When sales or prices rise / go up / increase, they can do it in different ways: They can rise slightly. [a bit] They can rise gradually. [slowly over a long period] They can rise sharply. [quickly and by a large amount] The opposite can also happen. Prices or sales can fall / go down / decrease slightly, gradually or sharply. If prices don’t rise or fall, they stay the same. We use certain prepositions to say by how much something rises or falls. The price has risen by 10 pence. Sales fell from 8,000 units to 6,500 units. Rise/increase and fall/decrease can also be used as nouns, with certain prepositions. There’s been a gradual rise in prices. We’ve seen a slight increase in profit. There’s been a sharp fall in sales. Profits were £5 million, which is a decrease of 10%. Language help Profit is the money you receive from your business after you have paid all your costs (opp loss). Last year the company made a profit of €2 million but this year they could make a loss. Financial language 1 With the economy now improving, 2 banks are reporting positive signs that 3 the number of loans is increasing. Figures8 published yesterday 9 show that trade between the two countries has now risen for the fifth 10 year in a row . With inﬂation4 expected to rise, there are growing fears5 that interest rates6 could go up by as much as 2%7 next year. Although the value11 of the pound fell slightly against the dollar yesterday, the news that sales rose in the last quarter12 has raised13 hopes that we may be coming out of recession14. 1 the system by which a country’s trade, industry and money are organised something which shows something is happening money that you borrow 4 the rate at which prices increase 5 increasing worries 6 (see language help below) 7 this is spoken as two per cent 3 an amount shown in numbers, e.g. 500 buying and selling between countries 10 one after another with no break 11 the money that something can be sold for 12 (in business) a period of three months 13 increased; you can also raise prices 14 a time when the economy is not successful 9 Language help Interest is what the bank charges you [asks you to pay] when you borrow money from them, and the interest rate is how much you must pay as a percentage, e.g. 5%, 8%, etc. So, if you borrow £100 for a year and the interest rate is 15% a year, you’ll have to pay back £115. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 42 A Sport and leisure swimming costume Sports stick net goalkeeper run, jump, throw, etc. track (in a stadium) motor racing racing driver boxing ring ski slopes pitch (in a stadium) ice hockey ice hockey player ice hockey rink golf course basketball player basketball court on the sea or a lake Language help We play sports such as football, ice hockey, tennis, golf and basketball. I play football in the winter. I play basketball twice a week. We use go with other sports and activities, especially those ending in -ing. I go swimming in the lake during summer. We often go rock climbing in the mountains. We use do with a lot of / a bit of + -ing. I did a bit of sailing in the holidays. I don’t do a lot of running these days. Leisure activities* tent rock climbing going to the gym We often go camping in the summer, and we usually do a bit of rock climbing as well. My best friend does a lot of yoga. She works out in the gym two or three times a week as well. My brother enjoys jogging, and it keeps him fit. [helps his body to stay in good condition] My mum does a bit of jogging as well – just for fun. [because she enjoys it; syn for pleasure] I’m afraid I don’t do any exercise at all. * activities in your free time English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 43 A Competitive sport Winning and losing In football, you can talk about the score [the number of goals a team has] like this: Spain played Poland and they won the game. = Poland lost the game. Spain won 2–0 (spoken as two nil). = Poland lost 2–0. Spain beat Poland (2–0). (NOT Spain won Poland.) = Poland lost (2–0) to Spain. Spain defeated Poland (2–0). = Poland were defeated (2–0) by Spain. Spain and Italy drew 1–1 (spoken as one all) OR It was a 1–1 draw between Spain and Italy. Language help The score at the end of a game is also the result. The final score/result was 2–0. The score at half-time was 1–0. (NOT The result at half-time was 1–0.) Competitions A competition is an organised event in which people try to win something by being the best, the fastest, etc. Individuals, such as tennis players Serena Williams or Rafael Nadal, and teams such as Manchester United, take part in [join with others in] different types of competition. Tennis players and golfers enter tournaments such as the French Open; football and ice hockey teams play in league competitions, where they play against different teams. Many teams also play in cup competitions (similar to tournaments), e.g. the FA Cup or the World Cup, which ends with two teams playing against each other in a final. The winners (opp the losers) are the champions, e.g. Spain became World Cup champions in 2010, and Iker Casillas received the cup as captain of the winning team. Reporting sports events In one of the most incredible races of all time, Jamaican Usain Bolt ran a time of 9.69 seconds to win the Olympic 100 metres final, and break his own world record1. It was an outstanding race, and Bolt was celebrating his victory2 fifteen metres before he reached the finishing line. 1 2 run faster than anyone in the world before when you win a game/race; opp defeat Kim Clijsters won the women’s US Open last night for the second time. She ﬁrst won the championship3 in 2005, but gave up4 tennis in 2007 to have a baby. She returned in 2009, and is the ﬁrst mother to win a grand slam for 29 years. There was a superb race for the Canadian Grand Prix. The winner5, Lewis Hamilton, passed Mark Webber with 20 laps of the race remaining and won by two seconds. He now leads6 the drivers championship with 109 points. an important competition to decide who is the best 4 stopped playing Language help 5 6 the person who wins is in front of others during a competition, e.g. At half-time, Milan are leading 1–0. Superb, incredible and outstanding can describe something or someone that is very good and of a very high quality, e.g. Pelé was a superb footballer. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 44 A Books and films Books I used to hate literature1 at school, but now I read a lot. I started off with fiction2. I read hundreds of novels3, mostly thrillers4 and science fiction5. My favourite author6 is John le Carré. Recently, I’ve started reading quite a lot of biographies7, and even some poetry8. Two of my favourite poets are Antonio Machado and Federico García Lorca. They both wrote poems in the early 20th century. 1 serious and important writing stories about imaginary people and events 3 fiction books 4 exciting stories, often about crime stories about the future someone who writes books 7 stories of a person’s life, written by another person 8 pieces of creative writing in short lines If a film gets good reviews [opinions in a How do you decide which films you are going to see? newspaper or magazine], then If it’s a horror film [a film that makes people frightened, e.g. Dracula], I usually go and see it. I often go and see it. I love horror films. If there’s a big star [a famous actor] in it, then I For me, the film director [the person who tells the actors what to do, e.g. Spielberg] is the most important thing. I always go and see the latest film [the newest, most recent] by directors I really like such as Pedro Almodóvar. I look to see what’s on [what films are being shown at the cinema], and go to anything that I fancy seeing [want to see; infml]. am more likely to see it. I don’t normally go and see films if I don’t recognise the names of the actors [the people who are in films]. I’m not interested in films that are serious or complicated [difficult to understand]; I only go to the cinema for entertainment [things you see or do to enjoy yourself]. I like comedies [films that are funny] and especially romantic comedies [comedies that have a love story]. I’ll go and see anything that Ashton Kutcher is in! Language help noun entertainment review acting directing person entertainer reviewer actor director verb entertain review act direct English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 45 A Music Musical taste* People’s taste in music is different. I like pop music, my brother likes folk music [music written and played in a traditional style], and my dad prefers classical music. Common mistakes Classical music (NOT classic music) My brother and I like going to concerts to see groups perform [play] live [in front of a large group of people, called an audience; pronounced to rhyme with five]. My dad just listens to music at home; he isn’t interested in live performances. When I listen to music I am mostly interested in the tune [the musical notes], but my brother is more interested in the lyrics [the words of a song]. the type of music that you like Musical instruments and musicians cello (cellist) piano (pianist) guitar (guitarist) keyboard (keyboard player) saxophone (saxophonist) drums (drummer) violin (violinist) trumpet (trumpeter) bass guitar (bass guitarist) flute (flautist) People in music A composer is someone who writes music, usually classical music. A songwriter is someone who writes songs, e.g. Paul McCartney, Sting, Chris Martin. A conductor is someone who stands in front of an orchestra [a large group of musicians who play different instruments] and conducts [leads] them. An opera singer is someone who sings opera. [a play in which the words are sung] A ballet dancer is someone who dances in a ballet. A solo artist is someone who sings or plays music but is not part of a group, e.g. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, etc. Famous groups/bands are Coldplay, U2, etc. Making an album When groups record an album [put eight or ten songs onto one CD] or a single [one song on a CD], they do it in a recording studio. Then, when the album comes out [is in the shops for people to buy], it is usually advertised in the media [there are adverts on TV, in newspapers, etc.]. As well as buying CDs, many people also download their favourite tracks [individual songs from an album] or albums from the Internet. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 46 A Special events A fireworks display The Sydney fireworks1 display2 is held3 every year, and more than one million people gather4 at Sydney harbour5 on New Year’s Eve to celebrate6 the new year. All age groups are involved7 in the event. At 9 pm there is ‘Family fireworks’ for families with younger children. After that a large number of boats parade8 around the harbour. Finally, at midnight, there is a spectacular9 fireworks display for almost fifteen minutes in which more than 4,000 kilograms of fireworks light up the night sky. 1 (see picture) a show for people to watch 3 organised 4 come together 5 area of water where ships are kept and are safe from the sea 6 do something enjoyable on a special day 7 included (in an event or activity) 8 move around as part of a group, often to celebrate something (parade is also a noun) 9 looking extremely good or exciting 2 An arts festival The Edinburgh Festival1 is an annual2 event, and is the largest arts festival in the world. It consists of3 at least six different festivals which take place4 in the city and last5 for almost six weeks during August and early September. The most popular6 festival is The Fringe, which has up to7 500 daily performances in dance, music, drama and comedy in 180 places across the city. 1 a number of special events often continuing for several days happening once a year 3 is made of 4 happen continue liked by many people 7 the maximum (is 500) The Chinese Spring Festival The Spring Festival (or Chinese New Year) is the biggest traditional festival in China. It has been celebrated for about 4,000 years, and takes place every year at some point between 21 January and 20 February. On the day before the festival starts, people from all over1 China return to their family homes and gather for a big meal. The next day, many people dress up2, and children receive money from their parents in red envelopes to bring them luck. Another popular custom is to put two-line poems on the gates outside each home. 1 2 everywhere (in China) wear special clothes Language help A custom is something that people usually do. A tradition is a very old custom that has continued for a long time. The adjectives are traditional and customary. It is traditional to give each other presents. It is customary to take your shoes off before you enter a mosque. We went to a traditional Greek wedding (NOT a Greek traditional wedding). English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 47 A Air travel Departure When you arrive at an airport, the departures board will show you the flight numbers (e.g. BA735), departure times (e.g. 08.40), passenger and destinations1. At check-in / the check-in luggage desk, someone will check your ticket and weigh2 your luggage. If it is more than, for example, 20 kilograms, you will have to pay excess baggage3. You can take your hand luggage with you on the aircraft4. You also get your boarding card5 and then you can go through passport control, where someone checks your passport6, and into the departure lounge, where you can buy things in the duty-free shop, e.g. cigarettes and perfume. Shortly before take-off7, you go to the place where you get on the plane, e.g. Gate 3 or Gate 5. When you board the plane8, you can put your hand luggage in a small cupboard above your seat called an overhead locker. You then have to fasten your seat belt. If there are no delays9, the plane moves slowly to the runway10, then it takes off. hand luggage suitcase trolley fastening a seatbelt * when you leave a place, at the start of a journey 1 6 where the flights are going to looks at your passport carefully 2 7 see how heavy something is when the plane takes off / leaves the ground 3 8 pay extra for your luggage get on the plane 4 9 plane when you have to wait longer than expected 5 10 a piece of paper you must show to get the large road that planes use for take-offs and landings on the plane Common mistakes My flight number is BA640. (NOT My fly number is BA640.) I slept the whole flight. (NOT I slept the whole fly.) Arrival* When the plane lands1, there is always an announcement2 from a member of the cabin crew3 telling passengers to wait until the plane completely stops before they stand up. Then you get off the plane and walk through the terminal building4 to the baggage reclaim5. When you’ve got your luggage, you go through customs6 and leave the airport. * when someone or something arrives 1 arrives on the ground 2 spoken information to a group of people 3 the people on the aircraft who look after the passengers the airport building the place where you collect your luggage 6 go through the area where your luggage may be checked to make sure you don’t have anything illegal. 5 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 48 A Hotels and restaurants Hotel facilities and rooms Hotel Le Rouge The hotel is located near The Louvre, Notre Dame and top department stores right in the heart1 of Paris. 2 , Hotel facilities include: room service 4 3 and oning conditi air internet access , parking. 7 6 5 Our choice of single , double or twin8 rooms are all equipped with satellite TV , air conditioning, direct-dial telephone, mini10 bar9, and personal safe . Bathrooms come hair dryer. and shower or bath with a centre staff will bring food and drink to the room 3 use of the Internet 4 a system that keeps the air cool 5 a room for one person a room for two people with one big bed a room for two people with two beds 8 TV with many channels from different countries 9 a small fridge 10 a box to keep money and valuable items in Staying in a hotel Rooms are often available1 during the week, but many hotels are fully booked2 at weekends or during the holidays, so you may need to book a room3 in advance4. When you arrive, you check in at reception5; at the end of your stay6, you check out7. 1 you can find one all the rooms are taken 3 arrange/plan to have a room; syn reserve 4 before you go say you have arrived and get your room key the period of time you spend in a place 7 pay your bill and leave the hotel Going to a restaurant It’s often a good idea to book a table / make a reservation if you go to a restaurant at the weekend. Many restaurants offer three-course meals which include [have as part of the meal] a starter (e.g. soup), main course (e.g. meat or fish) and dessert (e.g. fruit with ice cream). Prices sometimes include 10% service as well [amount of money you pay for being served by the waiter]. If service isn’t included, it’s normal to leave a tip [extra money you give to the waiter/waitress]. Are you ready to order? [Have you decided what to eat?] Yes, I think so. I’d like to start with the spicy prawns, and then I’ll have the fillet steak, with French fries and a mixed salad [lettuce with other vegetables]. How would you like your steak? (Rare, medium or well-done?) Medium, please. And I’d like some mineral water as well. Still or sparkling? Er, sparkling. Common mistakes I’ll have the steak. (NOT I take the steak.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 49 A Sightseeing holidays market Things to see Tourist activities • go sightseeing [visit famous places; also see the sights] We went sightseeing almost every day. I like to see the sights when I visit a place. • do a bit of / a lot of sightseeing I didn’t do a lot of sightseeing in Warsaw. • have a look round [visit a place casually, often on foot] We had a look round the shops. I want to have a look round the museum. • explore [go round a new place to see what is there] We explored the flower market. • go out [leave home / your hotel to go to a social event, e.g. restaurant or theatre] On holiday we went out every night. • get lost [lose one’s way] I got lost three times in London. • have a great/nice/terrible time They had a lovely time in Venice. • buy souvenirs [something you buy or keep to remember a place or holiday] We bought some dolls as souvenirs. Describing places The word place can describe a building, an area, a town, or country, e.g. Bruges is a lovely place [town] and we found a really nice place [hotel] to stay. The guidebooks [books with information about places] say the Alhambra in Granada is magnificent [very good or very beautiful], but it’s always packed [very crowded] with tourists in the summer. São Paulo is a lively place [full of life and activity], and there’s plenty [a lot] to do in the evening. St Petersburg has lots of historic monuments [important places built a long time ago] but the Hermitage Museum was the main attraction for me [something that makes people come to a place or want to do a particular thing]. If you go to Poland, it’s definitely worth visiting Kraków. Language help We use worth + noun/-ing to say that it is a good idea to do something or go somewhere. It’s worth hiring a car if you go to Scotland. Glasgow is worth a visit as well. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 50 A Holidays by the sea The beach rocks sand waves Many people spend their holiday at the coast [the land close to the sea], where there are a lot of seaside resorts [towns by the sea for tourists] and they can go to the beach every day. Generally people prefer beaches that are sandy [with lots of sand], where you can go for a stroll [a casual walk] along the shore [the place where the sea meets the land] in the sunshine [when it is sunny]. On the beach, you also sometimes get a breeze [a nice gentle wind] that blows off the sea. Beach activities playing volleyball Volleyball is a popular beach game and some people enjoy water sports such as surfing, windsurfing or diving. If the sea is calm1, you can go for a swim, but a lot of people just want to lie on the beach and sunbathe and get a nice (sun)tan2. However, there are now worries about the dangers of sunbathing. People who lie in the sun without any protection3 can get sunburn4, and worse still, they are at risk of5 getting skin cancer. Doctors now recommend6 that people do not sit in the sun without using sunscreen7. It may be safer just to sit in the shade8. 1 without waves (does not move very much); opp rough when the skin becomes brown 3 something to keep someone safe 4 when the skin becomes red and very sore 5 if you are at risk of something, there is a danger that something bad may happen to you say what someone should do cream that gives protection from the sun; syns sunblock, sun cream an area where there is no light from the sun, so it is darker and less hot Language help We can go for a walk, a drive (a journey in the car for pleasure), a swim, a coffee [drink some coffee], a drink (often an alcoholic drink, e.g. wine, beer). We can also have a swim, a coffee, a drink. We went for a drive along the coast. I had a coffee at Caffé Nero. Let’s go for a drink tonight. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 51 A Newspapers and television Newspapers Most papers [newspapers] are daily, which means that they come out [appear in shops; syn are published] every day. Some are national [for the whole country], others are regional [for a part of the country]. Some newspapers are published online; these are called e-papers. You can also get mobile editions [you read a newspaper on your phone]. Magazines are usually weekly or monthly. Contents of* newspapers Reports [pieces of writing about news items, written by reporters/journalists, e.g. a report in The Times on/about a crime] Articles [pieces of writing about an important subject, e.g. an article on/about drugs] Headlines [titles written in large letters above reports/articles, e.g. Government loses vote] Reviews [pieces of writing giving an opinion, e.g. a review of a new book] Advertisements or adverts [words and pictures about a product, to make people buy it, e.g. an advert for shampoo] information in Television If you broadcast something, you send it out on TV, radio or the Internet. There are now many broadcasting companies and many programmes. People watch: the news [information about world events] the weather forecast [a description of what the weather will be like in the next few days] documentaries [programmes that give facts about real situations and real people] chat shows [programmes where famous people are asked questions about themselves] a series [a number of programmes that have the same characters or deal with the same subject] soap operas [a regular series of programmes, often two or three times a week, about a group of characters who live in the same area] • reality TV shows [programmes which follow ordinary people or celebrities [famous people] • • • • • • through a number of situations or challenges. Well-known [famous] examples include: Pop Idol, The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing. Language help We usually use channel to talk about television broadcasting, e.g. The news is on Channel 4; and station to talk about radio broadcasting, e.g. A: What station are you listening to? B: Radio 1 – it’s mostly pop music. Media reporting Many newspapers also have online forums where people can leave messages and discuss topics. News is also reported online through podcasts [a radio programme that you Common mistakes It says in the paper / According to the paper … (NOT It’s written in the paper … ) download from the Internet and play on your computer or MP3 player], e.g. Have you heard the latest business podcast on the CNN website? When we refer to something that someone has said or written, we do it in these ways: It said in The Times that the plane crashed in the sea. According to the news on TV last night, the plane crashed in the sea. reporting in newspapers, on TV or the Internet English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 52 A Phoning and texting Starting a phone conversation The call on the left is between two friends: Joe and Rosie. When British people answer the phone at home, they usually just say ‘hello’. The call on the right is a more formal business call. joe: Hello? Is that Joe? joe: Yeah. rosie: Hi. It’s Rosie. paul sharp: Common mistakes We say: Is that Joe? (NOT Are you Joe? or Is it Joe?) Good morning. Chalfont Electronics. Oh, could I speak to Jane Gordon, please? receptionist: Yes. Who’s calling, please? paul sharp: My name is Paul Sharp from Bexel Plastics. receptionist: Right, Mr Sharp. I’m putting you through [I’m connecting you] … (pause) … jane gordon: Hello? paul sharp: Mrs Gordon? jane gordon: Speaking. [Yes, this is Mrs Gordon.] And we say: It’s Rosie. (NOT I am Rosie or Here is Rosie.) Problems on the phone I tried to ring you this morning [phone you] but I think you were on the phone to your mother [using the phone]. I gave her a ring this morning [phoned her], but I couldn’t get through [make contact / speak to her]; the line was engaged [being used, someone was on the phone]. I think I dialled [made a phone call to a particular number] the wrong number (e.g. 451 and not 351) this morning – I got a very angry person on the phone! I left a message (e.g. Please ring me) on Dan’s answerphone as he was out [not there; syn not in], but he never phoned me back [returned my phone call], so I don’t know if he got my message. Phone numbers Q: Q: Q: Q: What’s your home phone number? (also landline) What’s your mobile number? What’s the emergency number for the police, fire or ambulance? What’s the dialling code for the UK when you are phoning from Hungary? A: A: A: A: 603 884 07723 259369 999 0044 Mobile phones and texting Many people use their mobile mostly/mainly [most of the time] for texting [sending short written messages from one phone to another]. Do you text your friends and family all the time? These are common text abbreviations [letters which represent words]. ASAP = as soon as possible CUL8R = see you later BF = boyfriend (GF = girlfriend) IMO = in my opinion [this is what I think] B4 = before OIC = Oh, I see [I understand] 2DAY = today B4N = bye for now [goodbye for now] 2MORO = tomorrow FYI = for your information Y = why U = you PLS = please THX = thanks X = kiss LOL = laughing out loud English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 53 A The computer microphone CD-ROM escape key mouse mat spacebar keyboard memory stick mouse Using a computer After you have switched on [turned on] your computer, you may need to log in/on (opp log out/off) with your username and enter your password [put a special word into the computer that only you know]. If you then double-click on an icon [a small picture on the screen], you can open an application [email, Internet browser, etc.]. Computers can store [keep] large amounts of information, but when you’re working it is important to back up the files you are working on [make an extra copy of the files; syn make a backup], so you don’t lose the files if something goes wrong. open a new document open an existing document save the data in this document To create [make or start] a new document, select NEW from the File menu. You can copy and paste information from one file into another. If you save the document, you can print it out later (OR you can get a hard copy / a printout later). It is also important to save the document in case the computer crashes [suddenly stops working]. Press the Escape key to exit [stop using an application]. FAQs about computers example question • Do you have a PC or a laptop? PC is short for personal computer; a laptop is a small computer that you can carry around. • What hard drive do you have? the part inside the computer that stores large amounts of information (also hard disk) • What operating system are you using? computer software, e.g. Windows or Mac OS, that controls how the computer works • Have you installed any new software? put new programs onto your computer • What software applications are you What software applications are you using? • Do you have anti-virus software? A virus is a program put on a computer to destroy or steal the information on it. Antivirus software is a program to stop a virus entering your computer. frequently asked questions English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 54 A Email and the Internet Using email Think about the way you use email. • How often do you check your email? [look to see if you have any messages] • How many emails do you send a week? Are they all essential? [important /necessary] • How many emails do you get every week? Do you read them immediately? [without waiting] • How quickly do you reply to [answer] the emails you receive? • Do you delete emails regularly? [remove them from your computer often] • Do you get much spam? [emails that you do not want, usually adverts; also called junk mail] • Have you got anti-virus software? [a program that stops a virus entering your computer] • How often do you send or receive attachments? Language help In English an email address may be written as [email protected], but we say it like this: pd at freeserve dot co dot uk. Getting started on the Internet To go on the Internet, you need an ISP (Internet service provider) that will connect [join or link] your computer to the Internet and give you access to [the ability to use] email and other services. When you go online [use the Internet], you can then send and receive emails, or you can browse the Internet [look at websites]; you do this using a browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. Many websites also have links: if you click on a link, it will take you to a different website, or move you from one part of the website to another. Using the Internet Many people now have internet access and internet use is changing all the time. These are common uses. • Students search the Internet [look for information on the Internet; also do an Internet search] to help with their studies. • People download [copy onto their computer; opp upload] information, pictures, music, video clips [small parts of a video recording], etc. • People buy books, clothes and food online, book their holidays online, take out insurance online, etc. People go to a website, select the item [product, e.g. a book] they want and click add to basket/bag. When they have finished shopping they go to checkout and pay for their items, usually with a credit card. • Some people have a personal website to provide news about a particular subject, or just write about events in their life. These are called blogs, and people who write them are bloggers. • Some people just like to spend hours surfing the web. [looking at different websites] • Some people spend a lot of time on social networking sites [places on the Internet where you can have a discussion with other people, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.]. On these sites people post comments [leave messages] to their friends. • Some people do a lot of instant messaging. [send and receive messages in real time] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 55 A Crime Different crimes A crime is an activity that is wrong and not allowed by law. A person who commits a crime is a criminal. theft [stealing something, e.g. a car] steal/take (something) robbery [stealing from a person or place, e.g. a bank] rob (someone, a place) burglary [getting into a building, usually someone’s home, and stealing something] steal something burgle (a place) murder [killing someone] Someone’s stolen/taken my handbag. There’s been another burglary in the area. I don’t know who robbed me. Did you hear about the bank robbery yesterday? Our flat was burgled, but they only took money. Do they know who murdered the boy? Reporting crimes in the media Two women robbed a jeweller’s shop in West London 1 early this morning. They broke in around 7 o’clock and 2 stole jewellery worth over £10,000. The two men attacked3 Mr Crawford while he was walking home yesterday afternoon. Police say the two men hit him in the face several times, then took his money and escaped4 through Bushy Park. Detectives5 arrested6 a man this morning in connection with the murder of shop assistant, Tracey Miles. entered the building using force, e.g. broke a window 2 with a value of 3 4 used physical violence to hurt him left the place to avoid danger; syn got away police officers who try to find information to solve crimes 6 If you arrest someone, you take them to the police station because you believe they committed a crime. That person is then under arrest. Punishment If you commit a crime and the police catch you [find you and arrest you], you will be punished. For minor offences [crimes that are not very important; opp serious], the punishment may only be a fine [money you have to pay], but for serious crimes, you will have to go to court. If you are found guilty [the judge, or a jury of 12 people, decides you committed the crime; opp innocent], you may be sent to prison (syn jail). court * what a person must suffer if they do something wrong English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 56 A Politics Elections in the UK When you vote for someone, you choose them by putting a cross (X) on an official piece of paper (called a secret ballot because no one knows who you vote for), or by putting up your hand. In the UK, a general election is when the people elect1 the next government2. These elections are held3 at least every five years. Each constituency4 elects one person from one political party. That person then becomes the MP (Member of Parliament) for that area, and the political party with the most MPs – there are 650 at the moment – forms the next government. The leader5 of the party in power6 is the prime minister. 1 choose by voting the group of people who control the country 3 organised 4 an area where people vote 5 the person in control 6 in control (of the country) 2 Language help noun politics power person politician adjective political powerful Political policies People usually vote for a political party because they believe in the party’s ideas [think the ideas are good or right], and these ideas become policies [sets of plans and ideas that a political party has agreed on]. VOTE FOR US AND WE WILL … ✓ provide1 free nursery education for all children ✓ provide more4 care2 and support3 for elderly people ✓ reduce5 unemployment ✓ create a fair6 tax7 system Above all8, we will treat9 people as equal10. give something to those who need it (also provide someone with something) 2 looking after people, especially old people 3 help (sometimes in the form of money) 4 old 5 make less; syn cut dealing with everyone in the same way; opp unfair 7 money people must pay the government 8 most importantly 9 behave or deal with someone in a particular way 10 having the same importance; adv equally Language help verb believe in sth reduce noun belief reduction English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 57 A Climate change The problem Many greenhouse gases, e.g. carbon dioxide, methane and ozone, exist1 naturally and are needed to create2 the greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth warm enough to support3 human life. However, the use of fossil fuels, e.g. oil, natural gas and coal, has produced excessive4 amounts of greenhouse gases, and the result5 is global warming: an increase in the average temperature on Earth. Of the 20 warmest years on record6, 19 have occurred7 since 1980. The effects8 of climate change can already be seen in our everyday lives. Summers are getting hotter and winters are getting wetter, so drought9 and ﬂoods10 are becoming more common. With it, animal and plant life is suffering11 – some species will disappear altogether – and certain illnesses, e.g. hay fever, asthma and skin cancer, are becoming more common. To stop global warming from destroying12 our environment13, we need to act now. 1 are real or present make something happen or exist 3 help (human life) to continue 4 more than you want or need 5 something that happens because of something else that has happened 6 If information is on record, it has been written down or kept on a computer. 7 happened; fml a change or result that is caused by something a long time without rain when people do not have enough water 10 when water covers an area that is usually dry, often from too much rain 11 experiencing something which is unpleasant 12 damaging something so badly that it does not exist or cannot be used 13 the air, land and water around us The solution* – or part of it To reduce global warming [make it less], the nations of the world will have to act together [do something to solve a problem; syn take action]. In the meantime, individuals can also help. Six ways to reduce global warming: ’t throw things away ➜ Save ➜ Don e.g. swi cle paper, glass, plastic, – recy etc. so that it can be used again. ➜ Don’t waste water, e.g. turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth. the answer to a problem 1 don’t waste 2 gas and electricity 3 use it badly energy2 tch off lights when you leave a room. Change light bulbs 4 for more energy-efficient ones 4 5 ➜ Drive less and walk more. Plant trees5 because trees reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and so reduce greenhouse gases. working well and not wasting energy put a new tree in the ground English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 58 A War and violence The job of the army These men are soldiers, and they are carrying guns1. They are members of an army, and part of the responsibility of an army is to defend their country from attack2 and to protect the people3. Sometimes this means they have to fight the enemy4. A long period of fighting is called a war, e.g. the First World War, 1914–1918, and during a war there will be a number of battles5. 1 have guns with them stop others who use violence against their country 3 keep them safe 4 the people they are fighting against 5 fights between two armies 2 Language help Violence is when someone tries to hurt or kill someone; the adjective is violent. The violence has increased in recent weeks; There have been a number of violent attacks. Reporting in war Ten people were killed and many more were injured when a bomb exploded in the heart of1 the city. The attack happened just before midday, and destroyed2 several buildings. The army are now searching3 the area where the attack took place4. Most of the attackers escaped5, but the army believe they may still be hiding6 in other parts of the city. During the attack, one soldier was shot7 and later died. It also appears that another soldier is missing8. The number of deaths9 is expected to rise. the centre of damaged them so badly that they don’t exist now; NOT completely damaged 3 trying to find someone or something 4 happened 5 left the place without being caught; syn get away 2 staying in a place where you cannot be seen or found 7 injured by a gun 8 It isn’t known where someone or something is 9 people who are dead / have died Language help Several words in the unit can be used as verbs and nouns with a similar meaning. They’re searching for them. He can’t escape. When did they attack? They’re continuing their search for them. There is no escape. Where did the attack take place? English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 59 A Time Phrases with time We got to the meeting in time. [before the meeting started] My brother is always on time. [not early or late] It’s time (for us) to go. [used to say that something should happen now] Do you have time for a cup of coffee? [have enough time to do something] Call me the next time you’re in London. [on the next occasion] The weather was wonderful the last time we were there. [on the last occasion] Sophie and I arrived at the same time, 9 o’clock exactly. Time prepositions often confused I’ll be here until 4.30. [I won’t leave before 4.30] I’ll be there by 8.15. [not later than 8.15] I’ve worked here for six months. (for + a period of time, e.g. a week, ten days, two years) I’ve worked here since May. (since + a point in time in the past, e.g. last Friday, March, 2001) I worked on a farm during the summer. (this tells you ‘when’) I worked on a farm for a month. (this tells you ‘how long’) (NOT during a month) I’m going back to Brazil in ten days’ time. [ten days from now] (NOT after ten days) Approximate periods of time – past, present and future Past I’ve known Lucia for ages. [for a long time, e.g. many years] I haven’t been to the dentist recently/lately. [e.g. in the last few months] I saw Tom recently. [e.g. a few weeks ago / not long ago] I used to go skiing, but that was a long time ago. [e.g. 5–10 years ago; syn ages ago] My sister went to the zoo the other day. [e.g. a few days ago, perhaps a week] Present I don’t see my brother much these days. [a period including the past and now; syn nowadays] Future This dictionary’s fine for the time being. [for now / the near future – but not for a long time] I’m sure I’ll go to America one day. [in the future but I don’t know when] Counting time There are 60 seconds in a minute; 60 minutes in an hour; 24 hours in a day; 7 days in a week; 2 weeks in a fortnight; 52 weeks in a year; 10 years in a decade; 100 years in a century. Take and last We use take to say how long we need to do something. It takes me half an hour to get to school. We can walk, but it’ll take (us) a long time. We use last to talk about how long something continues, from the beginning to the end. The course lasts for ten weeks. How long does the film last? The battery in my camera didn’t last long. [continue for a long time] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate Cardinal numbers 379 = three hundred and seventy-nine 5,084 = five thousand and eighty-four 2,000,000 = two million 2,860 = two thousand, eight hundred and sixty 470,000 = four hundred and seventy thousand 3,000,000,000 = three billion Language help There is no plural ‘s’ after hundred, thousand, million and billion when they are part of a number. When we are talking generally, they are plural, e.g. thousands of people, millions of insects. Common mistakes With dates, we write them and say them in a different way. th We can write 4 June or June 4 , but say the fourth of June The seventh of April (NOT The seven April); the fourth or June the fourth. question (NOT the four question) We can write 21 May or May 21st, but say the twenty-first of May or May the twenty-first. 1997 = nineteen ninety-seven; 2010 = two thousand and ten or twenty ten Fractions and decimals 1¼ = one and a quarter 1½ = one and a half 1¾ = one and three quarters 1.25 = one point two five 1.5 = one point five 1.75 = one point seven five Percentages 26% is spoken as twenty-six per cent. More than 50% of something is the majority of it, less than 50% of something is the minority: The vast majority of the students (e.g. 95%) agreed with the new plan, only a small minority (e.g. 5%) were unhappy. Calculations There are four basic processes. Notice how they are said when we are working out [trying to calculate] the answer. + = addition – = subtraction x = multiplication ÷ = division e.g. 6 + 4 = 10 (six plus/and four equals/is ten) e.g. 6 – 4 = 2 (six minus four is two) e.g. 6 x 4 = 24 (six multiplied by / times four is twenty-four) e.g. 8 ÷ 2 = 4 (eight divided by two is four) Some people are not very good at adding up numbers [putting numbers together to reach a total], and often get stuck [have a problem] if they have to work out something quite difficult. The easiest way is to use a calculator [a small electronic machine for working out numbers]. Saying ‘0’ ‘0’ can be spoken in different ways in different situations: telephone number: 603449 = six oh three, double four nine OR six zero three, double four nine mathematics: 0.7 = nought point seven; 6.02 = six point oh two OR six point nought two temperature: –10 degrees = ten degrees below zero OR minus ten degrees English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 61 A Distance, dimensions and size Distance: how far … Common mistakes British people buy most things in metres, centimetres and millimetres, but they still often talk about distance using the old system of miles [1 mile = about 1.6 kilometres], yards [1 yard = almost 1 metre], feet [1 foot = 30 centimetres], and inches [1 inch = 2.5 centimetres]. About a mile away. [a mile from here] The nearest one is half a mile. [the one at the shortest distance from here] It’s ten minutes’ walk from here. (NOT ten minutes’ walking.) It’s a long way. (NOT It’s far.) But we can say ‘No, it isn’t far.’ How far’s the post office? It’s just round the corner. [very near] At least [not less than] a couple of miles. [two, perhaps three] About ten minutes’ walk. Is it far? About a hundred yards up/down the road. [further along the road] Yes, it’s (quite) a long way. Dimensions: how long or wide … width length height deep end shallow end Common mistakes Paul is quite tall (NOT quite high). It’s a tall tree/building (NOT a high tree/building). It’s a high mountain (NOT a tall mountain). We can ask about the dimensions like this: What’s the length of the garage? OR How long is the garage? What’s the width of the path? OR How wide is the path? What’s the height of the wall? OR How high is the wall? What’s the depth of the pool? OR How deep is the pool? It’s five metres (long). It’s a metre (wide). It’s two metres (high). It’s three metres (deep). Size: how big or small … We use a range of adjectives to describe the size of something. It was a very thick book – over 500 pages. (opp a thin book) Their living room is huge. [very big; syn enormous; opp a tiny room] We caught a giant crab. [very large or bigger than other similar things] It was a very narrow road for a bus. (opp a wide road) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 62 A Objects, materials, shapes and colour Objects1 and materials2 1 things you can see or touch what something is made of or from 5 8 9 6 11 1 a bell used in hotel receptions 2 a chair an antique [an object that is old and often rare or beautiful] 3 a hat made from a real animal 4 a bone a toy for dogs 5 a flag cloth, e.g. cotton the Italian national flag 6 a shirt it has red stripes 7 a top beautifully soft and stylish 8 a sofa stylish [fashionable and attractive] 9 a ladder light and easy to carry 10 a tissue a soft piece of paper that you use for cleaning your nose 11 a bucket used to clean floors Language help Most of the materials above can be adjectives or nouns, e.g. a cotton shirt, or a shirt made of cotton; a leather sofa, or a sofa made of leather. The exception is wood: a chair made of wood is a wooden chair. Shapes and colours a grey square a round ball a pink star a square box a navy blue circle a green semi-circle a purple heart shoes with pointed toes Language help When we want to say that a shape is ‘almost round’ or a colour is ‘a sort of green’, we can also express this idea with the suffix -ish, e.g. She had a roundish face; He wore a greenish tie. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 63 A Containers and quantities Containers and contents a bowl of sugar a jug of water a bag of shopping a bottle of apple juice a jar of jam a packet of crisps a can of cola a packet of biscuits a box of chocolates a tin of fruit a tube of toothpaste a vase of flowers * the things inside something Language help Just a drop of milk [a very small amount] and no sugar in my coffee, please. I’ve cut three slices of beef; that should be enough for the sandwiches. (Or three pieces of beef) I took my boss a bunch of flowers when I visited her in hospital. I need a sheet of paper. (Or a piece/bit of paper) Carl bought two pairs of trousers and a pair of shoes yesterday. I bought a couple of books. [two, perhaps three] We saw several churches on our way here. [some but not a lot, e.g. between three and eight] I bought half a dozen eggs at the supermarket. [six] There are a dozen students in the class. [twelve] Could I have a spoonful of sugar in my tea? We’ve got plenty of time. [a lot of] The company is now making the toys in large quantities. Language help a carton of orange juice A tin usually has something we eat inside it; a can has something we drink. * the amount or number of something a bar of chocolate three slices of beef two sheets of paper a spoonful of sugar a bunch of keys We can usually use slice when talking about pieces of bread, cakes and meat. We can use bunch to talk about flowers, grapes, bananas and keys. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 64 A Apologies, excuses and thanks Apologies with common replies We can apologise [say sorry] in different ways in different situations. A: I’m (terribly/really) sorry – I’ve forgotten your book. B: Never mind. That’s OK. A: I beg your pardon – I didn’t see you there. I beg your pardon is a more formal apology, often used if you walk into someone. B: That’s all right. (also That’s OK.) A: (I’m) sorry to disturb you. B: Don’t worry. Come on in. I can finish this later. A: (I’m) sorry to keep you waiting – I won’t be long. B: OK. Fine. A: Excuse me, I won’t be a minute. B: OK. Fine. B: That’s all right. I understand. B: Don’t worry. We use this phrase when we interrupt / speak to someone who is busy working. We use this phrase when someone is waiting for us. I won’t be long = I will be with you very soon. We use this phrase when we have to leave a room or go somewhere. A: I must apologise for the noise last night. A: I’m (really) sorry I’m late. Terribly/really makes you sound ‘more sorry’. This is a more formal apology, and it is often used in business letters. Common mistakes I’m sorry I’m late. (NOT I’m sorry for be late. OR I’m sorry to be late.) Excuses We often give an explanation or excuse after an apology. An excuse is a reason for the apology, which may or may not be true. These are excuses students might give for being late for class. I’m sorry I’m late for class … – There was a delay / hold-up on the underground. [when a train, plane, etc. leaves or arrives later than you expect] – I was held up in traffic. [hold up – cause a delay and make someone late – is often used in the passive] – My train was cancelled [the train company decided not to run the train], and I had to wait half an hour for the next one. – I overslept. [slept longer than I planned or wanted to] Thanks and replies These are some common ways of thanking people, with typical replies. A: Thanks (very much). B: Not at all. (also That’s OK.) A: I’ve brought your books. B: Oh, cheers. (infml) A: No problem. (infml) A: I’ll post those letters for you. B: Oh, thank you. That’s very kind of you. [This is polite and slightly more formal.] 134 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 65 A Requests, permission and suggestions Requests and replies A: Could you pass the salt? A: Could you possibly help me? A: Dima, I wonder if you could help me? A: I was wondering if you could lend me some money until tomorrow. B: Sure. / No problem. B: Yes, of course. B: Sure. B: No, I’m afraid I can’t. [I’m sorry but I can’t.] Language help As the requests become bigger it is normal to use longer phrases which sound more polite. Asking permission and replies A: Could I possibly have a look at your magazine? B: Yes, help yourself. A: May/Could I open the window? B: Sure, go ahead. A: Do you mind if I watch TV? B: No, go ahead. Language help When we answer go ahead or help yourself, we are giving someone permission to do the thing they have asked. Suggestions and replies How about going to a club? We could try that new restaurant. I don’t mind. You choose. What shall we do tonight? Why don’t we go and see a film? Let’s go to the café in the square. Do you fancy listening to some music? [do you want to; infml] We can reply with different answers, from positive to negative. Yeah, (that’s a) great idea. That sounds good. Yes, if you like. Yeah, I don’t mind. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate No, I don’t fancy that. Mm, I’d rather do something else. [I would prefer to do something else] 66 A Opinions, agreeing and disagreeing Asking someone for their opinion What do you think of his new book / Tom’s girlfriend? [asking about a specific thing or person] What do you think about global warming / cosmetic surgery? [asking about a general topic] How do you feel about working with the others? Introducing your own opinion Personally, I think Helena was probably right. Personally, I feel that we should increase the price. In my opinion [I think], we need to change the direction of the company. My view/feeling is [my opinion is] that we need to wait a bit longer. Common mistakes Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea. (NOT I think it’s not a good idea.) In my opinion, motorbikes are dangerous. (NOT On my opinion OR In my meaning) In most situations, it is probably easier and more natural to use personally. Giving the opinion of others The newspaper says that his death was not an accident. (NOT It’s written in the newspaper) According to the paper [the paper says], the government didn’t know about it. Agreeing and disagreeing (with someone) I totally agree (with you). [agree completely, 100%] I partly agree (with you). [agree but not completely] I agree (with you) to a certain extent. [partly agree] Common mistakes I agree with you. (NOT I’m agree with you.) Do you agree? (NOT Are you agree?) In British English, it is common to agree with someone before giving a different opinion. That’s true, but I think … I see what you mean, [I understand what you are saying] but … I agree to some extent, but … I think that’s a good point [idea or opinion], but … I take your point [I understand and partly agree with your opinion], but ... Giving a strong opinion I feel very strongly about military service. I think everyone should do it. I think you’re absolutely right/ wrong. [100% correct/wrong] I don’t agree at all. [I completely disagree] I disagree completely. [100% don’t agree] 138 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 67 A Likes, dislikes, attitudes and preferences Likes and dislikes agree I love rock music. I’m really into dance music. [like it very much; infml] I like a lot of pop music. So do I. / Me too. So am I. / Me too. Really? I don’t. Really? I’m not. So do I. / Me too. Do you? I hate it. I quite like salsa and samba. I don’t mind jazz. [it’s OK] So do I. / Me too. Yeah, it’s OK. Oh, I’m not very keen. Oh, I can’t stand it. I’m not very keen on folk music. I can’t stand classical music. [dislike it very much; infml] I hate opera. Neither am I. / Me neither. Neither can I. / Me neither. Really? I love it. Really? I quite like it. So do I. / Me too. Language help Many of these verbs can be followed by a noun or an -ing form, e.g. I love driving, I like singing, I don’t mind work, I dislike driving, I can’t stand getting up early, I hate cold weather. Attitudes and interests My attitude to a lot of things has changed over the years. [how you think or feel about something] I used to like chips. [I liked chips in the past but not now.] I used to play computer games, but now they don’t interest me. [I don’t find them interesting.] I’m very interested in modern architecture, but I used to think it was awful. I used to go swimming a lot, but now I don’t go at all. [at all makes a negative stronger] Mark and I used to have the same interests [things we enjoy doing], but now it seems we have nothing in common. [have no interests that are similar; opp have a lot in common] Common mistakes I’m interested in seeing that. (NOT I’m interest in seeing that; OR I’m interested to see that.) It takes time to get used to [become familiar with] living in a different country. I didn’t like my new glasses at first, but now I’ve got used to them. I found the winters very cold at first, but you get used to it. Which do you, or would you, prefer? A: Which do you prefer in general, tea or coffee? [like more] A: Tonight, we can go to the cinema or the theatre. Which would you prefer? English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate B: Well, I prefer coffee to tea in the morning, but in the afternoon I usually drink tea. B: I think I’d prefer to go to the cinema. (syn I’d rather) 68 A Greetings, farewells and special expressions Greetings* When we are introduced to a stranger [told the name of someone we have never met] in a formal situation, we usually shake hands and say hello, or perhaps hello, nice to meet you. In an informal situation, we usually just say hello or hi. When we greet friends, there are no real rules in Britain. Men may kiss female friends [girls/women] on one cheek [side of the face], on both cheeks, or not at all. Women may kiss male friends and female friends once, twice, or not at all. We usually say things like this: A: Hello. How are you? B: Fine, thanks. How about you? A: Hi. How’s it going? / How are things? (infml) B: Not (so) bad, thanks. And you? * saying hello Farewells* To someone we have just met for the first time we can say Goodbye. Nice to meet you. With friends we can say bye, cheers (infml), take care (infml), or see you (soon/later/ tomorrow, etc.). When we say goodbye to a school or work friend on Friday afternoon we usually say: A: Have a nice weekend. B: Yeah, same to you. (NOT same for you) * saying goodbye Expressions for special situations Excuse me, could I just get past? It’s your exam today, isn’t it? Good luck. Thanks, I’ll need it. Yes, of course. Cheers. Sue found my wallet and my credit cards. Bless you. Achoo! Language help I hear you passed your exam. Congratulations. Oh, thank goodness for that. We use Thank goodness when we are happy that something bad did not happen. A synonym is Thank God (infml), but there are some people who may not like the use of this expression. We can use Goodness on its own to express surprise, e.g. Goodness, is it ten o’clock already? English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 69 A Prefixes: changing meaning With adjectives Prefixes, e.g. un-, dis-, im-, can be added to some adjectives to give the opposite meaning. happy honest [tells the truth] correct [right ✓] legal [allowed by law] Dan used all the milk but said he didn’t; he’s very dishonest. I got eight answers right, but two were incorrect. It’s illegal in the UK to ride a motorbike without a helmet. unOf the prefixes above, un- is the most common, and appears in a number of adjectives. This chair is incredibly uncomfortable. It was unnecessary for them to wait for us. Xerxes – that’s a very unusual name. [different, not common or ordinary] I won the game; it was completely unexpected. [I didn’t think I was going to win] Marsha’s hat is unbelievable. [surprising because it is either very good or very bad] We tried to open the door, but we were unable to get in. [could not] I need to do more exercise; I’m very unfit. [not healthy and not in good condition] Carrick played well, and I thought he was unlucky to lose. They’re unlikely to get here before midday. [They probably won’t get here before midday.] The test was unfair because some of the students had more time to do it than others. [If something is unfair, it does not treat people equally.] Language help Adding a negative prefix does not usually change the pronunciation; the stress stays the same. She was unˈlucky. It’s unbeˈlievable. (NOT She was ˈunlucky. It was ˈunbelievable.) With verbs With some verbs, these prefixes can have particular meanings. dis[the opposite of something] I disagree with the others. [don’t agree / have the same opinion] The plane appeared in the sky, then it disappeared behind a cloud. un[the opposite of an action] opp lock] I couldn’t unlock the door this morning. [open the door using a key; We had to get undressed in the cold. [take off our clothes; opp get dressed] I unpacked the bags. [took everything out of the bags; opp pack] over- [too much] The bank overcharged me. [asked me to pay too much money] mis[do something incorrectly] I misunderstood what he said; I’m afraid my English isn’t very good. I misheard her. I thought she said Rita, not Brita. re- [again] The teacher has asked me to rewrite my essay. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 70 A Suffixes: forming nouns Verb + noun suffix Suffixes are used at the ends of words; they often tell you if a word is a noun, a verb, an adjective or an adverb. Two suffixes which form nouns from verbs are -ion and -ment. invent [produce or design something completely new] discuss [talk about something seriously] translate [change from one language to another] relax [rest, and feel calm and comfortable] improve [get better] govern [control the affairs of a city or country] manage [direct or control a business] develop [grow or change and become more advanced] invention discussion translation relaxation improvement government management development His latest invention is a new board game. Relaxation will help you to sleep better. We had a discussion about politics. The management has to change. I need money for more development. We need an improvement in the weather. Adjective + noun suffix The suffixes -ness and -ity often form nouns from adjectives. weak (opp strong) happy ill [sick, not well] fit [in good condition, usually because of exercise] stupid (opp intelligent, clever) popular [liked by a lot of people] similar [almost the same; opp different] able weakness happiness illness fitness stupidity popularity similarity ability (opp inability) What is his main weakness as a manager? Snowboarding is growing in popularity. I’m frustrated by my inability to use computers. Fortunately it wasn’t a serious illness. There is a similarity between them. Her happiness is all that matters to me. -er, -or and -ist These suffixes can be added to nouns or verbs. They often describe people and jobs. ballet dancer pop singer professional footballer company director translator film actor artist, e.g. Picasso economist scientist Language help Adding a suffix to a verb, adjective or noun may change the position of the main stress, e.g. reˈlax – relaxˈation, ˈstupid – stuˈpidity, ecoˈnomics – eˈconomist. (The ˈ symbol is before the syllable with the main stress.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate Suffixes: forming adjectives Common suffixes that form adjectives include: -able (comfortable), -al (musical), -y (cloudy), -ous (famous) and -ive (attractive). -al Adjectives ending -al are usually formed from nouns, and often mean ‘relating to the noun’, e.g. a musical instrument (from music), a political issue (from politics), an electrical fault (related to electricity), a personal opinion (the opinion of one person). Shichi-Go-San (meaning 7, 5, 3) is an annual ceremony in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls, and threeand five-year-old boys. It is on November 15, but it is not a national1 holiday, so people often have it on the nearest weekend. Seve, five and three are seen as important years in the growth of a child, and the numbers also have cultural significance2 because odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc.) are lucky in Japan. This is one of the special days when the older boys and girls are allowed to wear traditional3 clothes: a kimono for girls and hakama trousers for boys. Now it is quite normal4 for children to wear western-style clothes at this ceremony. The children visit a shrine and are then given special sweets called Chitose-Ame by their parents. 1 2 a holiday for the whole country they are important in Japanese culture 3 4 in a style that has continued for many years usual -able /əbl/ This suffix forms adjectives from nouns and verbs, and the prefix un- often forms the opposite: an enjoyable party [something that you enjoyed] a comfortable chair (opp uncomfortable) a suitable word or phrase [right/correct for a particular situation; opp unsuitable] a reliable service; reliable information [able to be trusted or believed; opp unreliable] fashionable clothes [popular now with many people; opp unfashionable] a reasonable decision or price [fair; not a bad decision or price; opp unreasonable] a sociable person [enjoys being with people; opp unsociable] Sometimes the opposite form is the more common adjective: an unforgettable experience [something that cannot be forgotten] an unbelievable story [something that is very surprising and very difficult to believe] -ful and -less The suffix -ful often means ‘full of’ or ‘having the quality of the noun’, e.g. a colourful room has a lot of colour in it; a helpful person gives a lot of help; a peaceful place is calm and quiet. The opposite meaning is sometimes formed by adding the suffix -less to the noun. a useful machine [having a lot of uses; opp a useless machine] a painful injection [giving pain and being unpleasant; opp a painless injection] a careful driver [drives with care and attention; opp a careless driver] Common mistakes The suffix is -ful (NOT full), so useful and careful (NOT usefull or carefull). English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 72 A Nouns and verbs with the same form Nouns and verbs Many words in English function as a noun and a verb with the same form, and often a similar meaning. When you use these words as nouns, you often need to know which verbs to use with them. She kissed me. She gave me a kiss. He said ‘Hi’ and smiled at me. I dreamt about Ethan. He said ‘Hi’ with a big smile. I had a dream about Ethan. He washed the car. He gave the car a wash. I queued for the bus. I waited/stood in a queue for the bus. I braked. I put on the brakes. I’ll ring them / give them a ring. [phone someone] We often chat / have a chat. [have a friendly conversation; infml] If you don’t know, guess / have a guess. [give an answer without knowing the facts] Have you replied to his email yet? Have you sent him a reply yet? It may help to diet / go on a diet. [eat less in order to lose weight] Can doctors cure this? / Have doctors found a cure for this? OR Is there a cure for this? [make someone with an illness healthy again] A rescue attempt I regret1 going to Three Cliffs Bay. I promised2 my mother not to go there, but I’m not very good at keeping promises. I was swimming near the rocks with friends and I dived off one of the rocks. I thought it was a good dive, but I hit another rock as I entered the water. I hit my head and couldn’t move. One of my friends attempted3 to rescue4 me, but couldn’t reach me; someone else made an attempt to swim out to me. In the end, two of the boys pulled me to safety. I had to go to hospital, but I was lucky: there were several unsuccessful rescue attempts that summer. 1 v + -ing feel sadness for something you did in the past (n regret) 2 v + inf say that you will certainly do something 3 v + inf try to do something 4 v + obj make someone safe when they have been in a dangerous situation; syn save English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 73 A Compound nouns Formation We form compound nouns by putting two words together (or three) to create a new idea. Compound nouns are very common in English. Ice hockey is a game of hockey played on ice. Public transport is transport that can be used by the public. A campsite is a site for camping. [a place used for a special purpose] A babysitter is someone who looks after young children when their parents go out. Income tax is money you pay to the government out of your income. [the total amount of money you receive every year from your work and other places] Your mother tongue is the first language you learn as a child. A travel agent is someone whose job is to make travel arrangements for you. A film-maker is someone who makes films for the cinema or television. A full stop is a punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. A haircut is the act of cutting someone’s hair, e.g. That boy needs a haircut. toothbrush hairdresser wheelchair hairdryer toothpaste DJ (disc jockey) chest of drawers cashpoint crossroads traffic lights One word or two? Some compound nouns are written as one word, e.g. wheelchair; a few are written with a hyphen, e.g. T-shirt; many are written as two words, e.g. credit card, bus stop. Use a dictionary to check if necessary. Pronunciation The main stress is usually on the first part, e.g. ˈhaircut or ˈincome tax, but sometimes it is on the second part, e.g. public ˈtransport, full ˈstop. Use a dictionary to check if necessary. Forming new compounds One part of a compound often forms the basis for a number of compound nouns. airport e.g. Heathrow airline e.g. Lufthansa, KLM aircraft e.g. Airbus A380 bus driver bus stop bus station ID card (identity card) credit card birthday card English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 74 A Word partners What do we mean by word partners? If you want to use a word naturally, you often need to know other words that are commonly used with it. These are called word partners or collocations, and they can be different from language to language. For example: I spent time in Paris. (NOT I passed time in Paris.) I missed the bus. (NOT I lost the bus.) We have children. (NOT We get children.) I made a mistake. (NOT I did a mistake.) It was a serious injury. (also a serious illness) It’s quite likely that we’ll stay here. [we’ll probably stay here] It depends on my parents. (NOT It depends of my parents. See Unit 77.) Language help More word partners can be found in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary for intermediate learners and the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Verbs and nouns There are many verbs and nouns that are often used together. Pavel told me a joke but I can’t remember it. [told me a funny story] I need to lose weight. [become less heavy; opp put on weight] The doctor told my father that he should go on a diet. [eat less in order to lose weight] It’s very difficult to predict the future. [say what will happen in the future] We won the game 2–1, and my brother scored the first goal1. My neighbour’s alarm went off2 in the middle of the night. They fell in love and got married. Now Emily is expecting a baby3. 1 Adjectives and nouns Many adjectives and nouns are often used together. These are all examples where the meaning is ‘big’ or ‘a lot’, but where we usually use a particular adjective. We’ve got a large number of students/tourists this year. (opp a limited/small number) I will need a large amount of money. There’s a wide choice of food available. (opp a limited/narrow choice) Claude has a wide vocabulary in English. (opp a limited vocabulary) It’s only a toy gun but it makes a very loud noise. Her family is of great importance to her. We went to a party last night and it was great fun. [very enjoyable; we enjoyed it a lot] There was heavy traffic on the motorway going out of town. (opp light traffic) Adverbs and adjectives The adverbs in the first three sentences mean very, the adverbs in the last sentence mean fully/completely. In each case, the adverbs and adjectives are common word partners. I’m terribly sorry I’m late. She’s well aware of the problem. [She knows all about the problem.] It’s vitally important that we get the right person for the job. Lorna is fast asleep, but the other two are still wide awake. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 75 A Fixed phrases What are fixed phrases? There are many groups of words which you need to learn as complete phrases, because they often have a meaning which is different from the words on their own. Many of these are called idioms. They arrived out of the blue. [I didn’t know they were coming; it was unexpected] Does the name Merchant ring a bell? [sound familiar] You’ll have to make up your mind soon. [make a decision] Some fixed phrases are easier to understand, but the same idea may be expressed in a different way in your language. I think we’ll have to get rid of some of this furniture. [remove it, e.g. sell it, throw it away, give it away, etc.] I’m afraid I can’t talk to you now; I’m (just) about to leave. [I am going to leave very soon] I don’t know what Martin said, but Natalie burst into tears. [suddenly started crying] She was very upset. Everyone was there apart from Yasmine. [not including Yasmine; syn except for] Time phrases He’s leaving in four days’ time. [four days from now; also in three weeks’/six months’/two years’ time, etc.] I got here the week before last. [during the week/month, etc. before the previous one] The course is fine so far. [up until now] I rang our local doctor and fortunately she was able to come at once. [now, immediately; syns right away / straight away] He’s so busy at work; he comes home late night after night. [every night; also day after day, etc.] Pairs of words A number of fixed phrases consist of two words, usually joined by and, and sometimes or. I go to the theatre now and again. [occasionally; syns now and then] Andy had one or two [a few] suggestions. I’ve got a house in the country, and I like to go there whenever possible for a bit of peace and quiet. [a calm situation without noise] I’ve been up and down the street, but I can’t find their house. [first in one direction, then the other] I’ve been to Paris once or twice. [a few times] I’ll finish this report sooner or later. [I don’t know when, but I’ll finish it.] Introducing advice, opinions, etc. Many fixed phrases are used to introduce advice, an opinion, an example, etc. If I were you [in your situation], I’d accept the job they offered you. In general [usually, or in most situations; syn on the whole] the summers are quite warm in this part of the country. There were lots of questions. For instance [for example], how much will it cost? I’m sure you’ll have a great holiday. By the way, what time does the train leave? (used to introduce a new subject to the conversation) To be honest, I didn’t like her boyfriend very much. (used to say what you really think) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 76 A Fixed phrases in conversation Common responses A large number of fixed phrases are used as common responses in everyday conversation. A: What time did he get here? A: Are you going tonight? A: Shall we go out tonight? A: Did you like the film? A: I’m going to Sweden next week. A: Can I borrow your car? A: They’re coming tonight, aren’t they? A: Jason has grown a beard. A: We have to work tonight. A: Eli got top marks. B: I’ve no idea. [I don’t know] B: That depends. [used to say you are not sure because other things affect your answer; also It depends] B: Yeah, why not. [OK] B: Not really. [used to say no but not strongly] B: Really. What for? [why?] B: No way. [that’s impossible; infml; syn no chance] B: I suppose so. [used to say yes but not strongly] B: I know. I couldn’t believe my eyes! [I was very surprised when I saw it] B: You must be joking. B: I don’t believe it! [used to express great surprise] Language help We can use you must be joking (syns you’re joking/kidding) when someone has just said something that is a surprise. It may be an unpleasant surprise (as above), or a nice surprise, e.g. A: My father said he would pay for all of us to go on holiday. B: You’re kidding. Fantastic! In conversation Notice how fixed phrases can form an important part of an everyday conversation. A: I had to have a word with Jiri and Milan today. [speak to them without others listening] B: Oh yeah? Are they causing trouble again? A: Well, you know, [used to fill a pause in conversation] they just keep talking to each other, and they don’t pay attention [listen] – that sort of thing. B: Why don’t you make them sit in different places? A: I tried that, but they still talked to each other. B: Well, in that case [because of the situation described], you’ll have to move one of them. A: Maybe, but I’d feel bad about that [be unhappy about].They’re quite nice boys, you know, they just can’t help it. [can’t control some actions or behaviour] B: Sure … but you can’t let that kind of thing continue. A: No, you’re right. But I’ve given them a final warning today, so let’s wait and see what happens. [wait to discover what will happen] B: OK. But what if they don’t improve? [what will you do if they don’t improve?] A: I think it’ll be OK. B: Well, if you change your mind [change your decision], come and see me again, and I’ll arrange for one of them to be moved to another class. Language help We use sort/kind in several common phrases in informal speech. (and) that sort/kind of thing [examples of that type] e.g. I grow onions and carrots – that sort/kind of thing. sort/kind of [approximately/more or less] e.g. Her new top is sort of blue; I thought he was kind of strange. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 77 A Verb or adjective + preposition Verb + preposition Pay special attention to prepositions that are different in your language. Paul doesn’t like the manager’s decision and I agree with him. [have the same opinion as] Don’t worry about your exam. [be nervous about] His teachers were satisfied with his progress. [pleased with] Many people spend a lot of money on clothes. I’m thinking of going to China. [it’s my plan to go] (used in the continuous form) This land belongs to the company. [it is the company’s land] I translated the letter into French. [changed from one language into another] She complained to the manager about the food. [said she wasn’t happy/satisfied with] I can’t concentrate on [think about] my work when the radio is playing. We can rely on this photocopier. [trust it; it will not go wrong] I may go but it depends on the weather. [used to say you are not sure about something] Language help Depend (on) has other meanings: Martha depends on her son for money. [she needs his money] We can depend on the others for support. [we can trust the others to support us] Remember: it depends on something or someone (NOT it depends of something or someone) Prepositions that change the meaning She shouted to me. [spoke in a loud voice to be heard] He shouted at me. [spoke in a loud voice because he was angry] He threw the ball to me. [for me to catch it] He threw the ball at me. [in order to hit me] Adjective + preposition I’ve never been very good at maths. (opp bad at) She’s afraid of flying. [frightened of] The neighbours are fond of the children. [like] She’s similar to her sister [the same as her in some ways], but very different from her brother. He’s very interested in photography. I think she’s aware of the problem. [knows about] I’m tired of people telling me what to do. [bored or a bit angry about] Katya is mad about Brad Pitt. [likes him very much; infml] We’re short of coffee at the moment. [we don’t have much] There’s something wrong with this TV. [the TV is not working correctly] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 78 A Prepositional phrases By, on or in + noun I took his pen by mistake. [I thought it was my pen] These shoes are made by hand. [not using a machine] I met them by chance. [it wasn’t planned; it was luck] He broke the plate by accident. [he did not want or plan to do it] He broke the plate on purpose. [he wanted to do it; it was his intention] My boss is on the phone at the moment. [using the phone] The workers are on strike. [they refuse to work because of a problem over pay, hours, etc.] The books were on display in the window. [in the window for people to look at] Part of the building was on fire. [burning] Most of the passengers are now on board. [on the train, boat, plane, etc.] Why are they always in a hurry? [needing to do something or go somewhere very quickly] I explained everything in detail. [including all the important information] She won’t make that mistake again in future. The poor little girl was in tears. [crying] Phrases easily confused Sometimes two prepositions can be used with the same noun, but the meaning is different. Lessons begin at 8.30 and the students are usually here on time. [at 8.30] If we hurry, we’ll be there in time. [before the time we need to be there] We were tired of waiting, so in the end we went home. [finally, after a lot of time or thought] At the end of the book they get married. [in the last part] To be successful in business it’s important to get on well with people. [working as businesspeople] They’re both in Germany on business. [they are there for work, not a holiday] I’m afraid this book’s a bit out-of-date. [old and not useful, or not correct in its information] I try to keep up-to-date with all the changes. [knowing all the most recent ideas and information] I’ll see you in a moment. [not now, but very soon; syn in a minute] I can’t speak to you at the moment. [now; syn right now] Common mistakes I’m busy at the moment. (NOT I’m busy in this moment.) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 79 A Phrasal verbs 1: form and meaning Formation A phrasal verb is a verb + adverb or preposition, and sometimes a verb + adverb and preposition. He fell over [fell to the ground] and hurt his knee. I’ll try to find out [learn/discover] the quickest way to get there. He didn’t like his coat, so he gave it away. [gave it to someone for no money] If you don’t understand the meaning, look it up. [find the meaning in a book/dictionary] Who’s going to sort out the problem? [deal with it successfully; solve it] He doesn’t get on with [have a good relationship with] his parents. (verb + adv. + prep.) Meaning The adverb or preposition does not always change the meaning of the verb, and is not always used. I didn’t wake (up) until 7 o’clock. She’s saving (up) for a new computer. Hurry (up) or we’ll be late. I went to lie (down) on the bed. Sometimes an adverb adds a particular meaning to the verb. For example, back can mean return. I bought this jacket yesterday, but I’m going to take it back to the shop; it’s too small. You can look at the books, but remember to put them back on the shelf. They liked Greece so much they want to go back next year. Often, the adverb or preposition changes the meaning of the verb: give up doesn’t mean the same as give, and carry on doesn’t mean the same as carry. My wife has decided to give up [stop] smoking. We’ll take a short break and then carry on [continue] with the meeting. The shops are going to put up [increase] the price of bread. When the hotel gets busy, we have to take on [employ] more staff. Multiple meanings Many phrasal verbs have more than one meaning. go away I was busy, so I told him to go away. [leave] We try to go away in August. [go on holiday] Pick something / someone up I picked up most of the rubbish. [lifted it from the floor] I’m going to pick Jane up at the station. [collect someone, usually in a car] Put something on Could you put the light on? [make a piece of equipment work by pressing a switch; syn switch sth on] I put on my best suit. [put clothes on your body] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 80 A Phrasal verbs 2: grammar and style Phrasal verbs with no object Some phrasal verbs don’t have an object. We cannot put other words between the parts of the verb. When does your train get in? [arrive] Hold on [wait a moment], I just need to get my coat. The car broke down on my way to work. [stopped working] I’ll call for them at 8 o’clock. [go to collect them] We set off [started the journey] about 7.30. Phrasal verbs with an object Many phrasal verbs need an object. We can usually put the object in different positions. Put on your shoes. Put your shoes on. Turn on the TV. Turn the TV on. These are separable phrasal verbs, but if the object is a long phrase, it usually goes at the end, e.g. I turned off the lights in the living room. If the object is a pronoun, it must go in the middle, e.g. Turn it off. Take off your coat. Take your coat off. Common mistakes Put them on. (NOT Put on them.); Take it off. (NOT Take off it.) There are some phrasal verbs where the object must come after the phrasal verb. I will look after the children for you. [take care of them] How did the two men break into the shop? [enter the shop using force, e.g. breaking a window] In dictionaries Dictionaries usually show the grammar of a phrasal verb like this: No object hang around (also UK hang about) to spend time somewhere, usually without doing very much: There’s nowhere for teenagers to go, so they just hang around on street corners. hand sth out to give something to all the people in a group: A girl was handing out leaflets at the station. Not separable (the object must come after the phrasal verb) get over sth to begin to feel better after being unhappy or ill: It took her months to get over the shock of Richard leaving. Style Phrasal verbs are commonly used in spoken and written English. Many phrasal verbs are quite informal, and sometimes there is a single word with the same meaning as a phrasal verb, which sounds more formal. We use this word instead of the phrasal verb in more formal situations. leave sb/sth out [not include sb/sth; syn omit], e.g. He made a list of people but left me out. make sth up [create sth from your imagination; syn invent], e.g. We had to make up a story. put sth off [put sth back to a later date; syn postpone], e.g. They put the game off till Friday. turn sth/sb down [refuse an offer or request; syn reject], e.g. I offered her a job but she turned it down. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 81 A Make, do and take: uses and phrases Things we make, do and take Common mistakes We use all three of these common verbs with particular nouns. These word partners (collocations) are often different in other languages, so look at them carefully. I’ve made a mistake. She took a photo of me this morning. They made a big effort to finish the work. I’m afraid I haven’t done my homework. I haven’t done the housework yet. The children are making too much noise. Sometimes two different verbs are possible. I’m just going to take/have a shower. Take/Have a look at these pictures. We must make/take a decision. I’m doing/taking a computer course next month. I don’t do/take much exercise. Make Make can mean ‘to cause something to happen or cause a particular state’. I like Boris – he makes me laugh. It made them angry when Karen refused to help with the washing-up. Make can also mean ‘to force someone to do something’. My parents made me do my homework when I was a child. The police made us wait outside the main gates. If you make friends with someone, you get to know them and like them. I made friends with a couple of guys from Canada when I was on holiday. If you make up your mind, you decide something. He’s made up his mind to leave work at the end of next month. Do We use do to describe a general action when we don’t know what it is, or there’s no noun. What shall we do this afternoon? Don’t just stand there, do something. If you do your hair/make-up, you make it look nice. I’ll just do my hair, then we can go out. If you do your best, you try as hard as possible. I’m not a good student, but I always do my best. Take Take can mean to: • remove something from a place/person, e.g. I took the key out of my pocket. • remove something without permission, e.g. Someone has taken my pen. • accept something, e.g. Did he take the job they offered him? Do they take credit cards there? • write something down, e.g. I took notes during the lesson. The man took my name and address. • wear a particular size in clothes, e.g. I take size 43 shoes. If you take it/things easy, you relax and don’t do very much. I’ll take things easy today. If you take a break, you stop work and rest for a short period. Let’s take a ten-minute break. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 82 A Key verbs: give, keep and miss Give We can use give when someone or something causes a certain effect. All that noise has given me a headache. The walk this morning gave me an appetite. [made me hungry] Listening to Wai Sin has given me an idea. We often use give with different nouns to express an action. He gave me some advice. [advised me] Marie gave us a shock when she shouted like that. [shocked us] I had to give a speech at the wedding. [talk formally to a group of people; also give a lecture] I’ll give her a ring. [ring/phone her] I had lots of work to do, but fortunately Ollie gave me a hand. [helped me] She gave me a hug. He gave the car a push. Keep Keep can mean to stay or cause someone to stay in a particular state or condition. Keep right. [stay on the right side] She asked us to keep quiet. This coat will keep you warm. Going to the gym keeps me fit. Keep (on) doing something means to repeat doing something, and often it is something you don’t want to do or happen. I keep losing my glasses. I keep getting backache. She keeps on interrupting me. [talks to me / disturbs me when I am doing something] If you keep in touch, you continue to communicate with someone, especially by phone or email. I met Asha on holiday and we’ve kept in touch ever since. If you keep a secret, you don’t tell other people something that you know. Tom told me not to tell anyone about his new job, but I’m not very good at keeping a secret. If you keep something up, you continue doing something at a high level. You’re working hard and your English is improving. That’s good – keep it up. Miss If you miss a person, you feel sad because that person is not there. When I went to work in Hungary, I really missed my girlfriend. If you miss what someone says, you don’t hear it. I’m sorry, I missed that. What did you say? If you miss a chance/opportunity, you don’t use an opportunity to do something. Cathy’s been chosen for the team, but now she’s injured, she might miss her chance to play. If you miss something, you manage to avoid it or not experience it. I left home early in order to miss the rush hour. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 83 A Get: uses, phrases and phrasal verbs Uses Get is an informal word and is very common in spoken English. It can have many different meanings. OBTAIN I got a ticket from my brother. I need to get some help. I got a CD for my birthday. Did you get my email? Where did you get that watch? I went to get a paper. What time did you get here? I’ll phone when I get home. It gets dark very early in winter. My hands are getting cold. Could you (go and) get my glasses from the kitchen for me? ANSWER the door/phone A: Is that the phone? B: Yes, I’ll get it. I need to get my hair cut. DO a task, or arrange for someone to do it for you, using get + past participle I’ll never get this essay finished; it’s too difficult. I need to get my hair cut. I got my watch repaired today. Phrases You can get in touch with me via email. [make contact by email, phone or letter] A bedtime story helps children get to sleep. [start sleeping] The salsa classes are a chance for us to get together. [meet and spend time together] I’m sorry I got the number wrong. [said or wrote something that was not correct] My cold is getting worse. [becoming more unpleasant; opp getting better] I’d like to get rid of my old CDs. [throw them away, give them away, or sell them] I got to know lots of Americans when I stayed in San Francisco. [met and became friends with] Phrasal verbs He stopped the car and I got out. [left the car; also leave a building] I gave her £25, but I’ll get it back tomorrow. [have it returned to me] The door was locked so we couldn’t get in. [enter a place, especially when it is difficult] Our train should get in around midnight. [arrive] What time did you get up this morning? [get out of bed] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 84 A Go: meanings and expressions Different meanings of go • When we leave a place in order to do an activity, especially for enjoyment, we often express it with go + -ing or go (out) for a + noun. We could go shopping/sightseeing/swimming/clubbing [to a nightclub] tomorrow. Why don’t we go (out) for a walk/drive/drink/meal/picnic at lunchtime? • Go can also describe a changing state (usually to a bad one) with certain adjectives. My dad’s going grey [his hair is becoming grey] and I’m going bald. [losing my hair] My grandmother is going deaf. [deaf = cannot hear] Our 12-year-old dog is going blind. [blind = cannot see] He’ll go mad if you wear his jacket. [become very angry; infml] • We use go when we want to ask/say if a road or form of transport takes you somewhere. Does this bus go to the National Gallery? I think this road goes through the village. going bald • Go can also mean ‘disappear’. When I looked in the drawer, my watch had gone. [it was there before, but not now] • Go and get means fetch. [go to a place and bring something back with you] You stay here, and I’ll go and get the bags from the car. Phrasal verbs and expressions A: What’s going on in here? [happening] A: Shall we wait for George or go on to the theatre? [continue or move to another place/thing] B: I don’t know. I touched this switch and the lights went out. [stopped working] A: How’s the business? B: Er, I’m not sure of the way; let’s wait for George. B: Well, it was going well [successful; opp going badly] up until the summer, but since then a few things have gone wrong [there have been problems], and we’ve lost a few customers. A: Are you going away this year? [going on holiday] B: Yes. We had a lovely time in Turkey last year, so we’ve decided to go back in June. [return] A: I think I’ll have the chicken. How about you? B: I’m going for the roast beef. [choosing] 174 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate A: How’s it going? [How are you? infml] B: Not bad. And you? The senses The five basic senses tongue sight To express it another way, the ability to see, hear, taste, smell and feel. Sense verbs with adjectives You look tired this evening. [from what I can see] That man sounded foreign. [from another country, from what I could hear] This cake tastes a bit strange. Language help Fresh bread smells wonderful. This shirt feels damp. [slightly wet, often The verbs above can all be used as nouns. I like the look of this hotel. [the appearance of it] in an unpleasant way] I love the sound of his voice. Sense verbs with like or as if/though We can describe things using sense verbs with like + noun or as if/though + clause, but not like + adjective (NOT She looks like nice). When we use like + noun, we are often describing how similar two things are. Have you ever had a nectarine? They look like peaches. Did you hear that noise? It sounded like an alarm. That shampoo smells like coconut. (also smells of coconut) Don’t you think this material feels like silk? That boy looks as if he’s trying to get over the wall. I spoke to Isobel. It sounded as though they had a good time on holiday. Language help We also use seem and appear to describe a sense or feeling about someone or something, after we have seen them, talked to them, etc. Before like + noun, we usually use seem. I saw Will and he seemed/appeared quite happy. The shop appears/seems to be very busy. Carrie said she wanted to travel a bit, which seems like a good idea. Verbs easily confused If you look [look carefully] at the map, you can see [are able to see] the church on the left. They’ve been watching that man for weeks. [paying attention to something, often for a long time] He ran into me because he wasn’t looking. [paying attention] I watched/saw a film on TV. I saw a film at the cinema. (NOT I watched a film at the cinema.) I heard [was able to hear] what she said but I wasn’t listening. [paying attention] Don’t touch the oven [put your hand on it]. It’s hot! Just feel my feet [put your hand on them to discover something about them]. Aren’t they cold? English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 86 A Uncountable nouns Common uncountable nouns One of the problems with uncountable nouns is that many of them are countable in other languages. Common mistakes I need information. (NOT I need an information.) (no indefinite article) I need some information. (NOT I need informations.) (no plural form) The homework was difficult. (NOT The homework were difficult.) (use with a singular verb) • You can put all that rubbish in the bin over there. [things that you throw away because you do not want them] • Is there any more news about the man who was injured? • She gave me some good advice about buying a car. [what you think someone should do] • Do the children get pocket money? [money that parents give tent regularly to their children] • You need a lot of equipment for camping, e.g. tent, sleeping bag, torch, things for cooking, etc. [the things that are used for a particular activity] • We sold the furniture. [tables, chairs, armchairs, etc.] sleeping bag • The scenery is really beautiful. [the natural beauty you see around you] • My knowledge of Russian is limited. [what I know about it] • She’s worked very hard and I believe she is making progress. [improving / getting better] • Can you take the dog? We haven’t got any room in our car. [empty space] • Would anyone like some more toast? • The children’s behaviour was terrible: they were climbing all toast over the furniture and making a lot of noise. [the way you do and say things] Uncountable nouns in dictionaries Dictionaries show countable nouns with a (C) and uncountable nouns with a (U). Some nouns can be countable with one meaning, and uncountable with another. experience (U) [the knowledge you get from doing a particular job or activity] She’s got a lot of experience of working with children. experience (C) [something that happens to you that affects the way you feel] I had so many fantastic experiences on my trip to Thailand and Japan. chance (U) [luck] Lotto is a game of chance. chance (C) [the opportunity to do something] He’s had several chances to go abroad, but he’s just not interested. Making uncountable nouns countable You can make some uncountable nouns singular. Sometimes we do this with a word like piece (for advice, equipment, toast, furniture, news), but in spoken English we often use a bit (infml) with most uncountable nouns. a good piece of advice an interesting bit of news another piece of toast just a bit of rubbish English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 87 A Verb constructions 1 Verb + -ing form A number of verbs are commonly followed by an -ing form. • Do you enjoy studying? Yes, I do. • Do you mind getting up early? [Is it OK for you, or not?] No, I don’t mind at all. • Do you like or dislike having your photograph taken? I hate having my picture taken. • Do you usually avoid speaking to strangers at parties? [try not to do something] Yes. I prefer to talk to people that I already know. • Can you imagine being without a car? [think of yourself in a situation with no car] No, I can’t. I need my car. • Have you ever considered [thought about] living in another country? Yes, many times. I’d like to live abroad. • Would you recommend [advise] having a holiday in the capital city of your country? If so, would you suggest going at a particular time of the year? Yes, I would, and I would suggest going in spring or autumn. Common mistakes I enjoy going there. (NOT I enjoy to go there.) They suggested leaving early. (NOT They suggested to leave early.) He recommended staying there. (NOT He recommended to stay there.) Verb + to infinitive I hope to see them next week. [want to see them and believe I will see them] They agreed to help me. [said they will help] I intend to leave next month. [plan] I offered to help them. [said I was happy to help] I attempted to cook the dinner, but it was terrible. [tried] I promised to bring her book back. [said I would definitely bring it back] The shop assistant was very rude, so I demanded to see the manager. [said in a firm way] Verb + (object) + preposition + noun/-ing A: Jo has just rung and asked me for advice about Turkey. They’re thinking of1 going there. B: Well, be careful. They went to India last year on your advice and then blamed2 you for the terrible holiday they had. A: That was their fault. They insisted on3 going in the summer when it was far too hot. 1 thinking about going to Turkey (often used in the continuous and followed by a noun/-ing form (NOT I’m thinking to go there.)) 2 said you were responsible for something bad, in this case the terrible holiday 3 said they must go (in the summer) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 88 A Verb constructions 2 A great opportunity I’m 24 years old, and I work in a photography studio. It’s not a very exciting job but I love photography and the pay isn’t bad. But, two months ago, I was given the chance to go to Italy and work on a film by a famous director. My best friend thought that it was a fantastic opportunity and advised1 me to go. Dad wasn’t so sure. He didn’t try and persuade2 me not to go, but he warned3 me that it would be hard work, and reminded4 me that it was only three months, then I’d be out of a job. I realised5 that my girlfriend wasn’t happy about it either, but I promised6 her that I would phone every day, and suggested7 that she could come out to Italy for a holiday while I was there. I didn’t mention8 that I was part of a small team with three other women. Anyway, I’m going. 1 say what you think someone should do make someone agree to do something by talking a lot 3 tell someone that something bad may happen, to stop it happening 4 tell someone something so that they don’t forget it 5 understand something (that) you didn’t understand before 6 say (that) you will certainly do something 7 tell someone about a possible idea or plan 8 say something, often briefly or quickly 2 advise + obj + inf persuade + obj + inf warn + obj + (that) … remind + obj + (that) … realise + (that) … promise + (obj) + (that) … suggest + (that) … mention + (that) … Language help Some verbs can be followed by different constructions. We can also say, for example: I suggested going there. suggest + -ing She warned me not to go. warn + obj + inf He reminded me to post the letter. remind + obj + inf Other verbs Here are some more verbs which are used with the same constructions. Verb + (that) …: say, hope, notice, recommend and expect. I said that I was busy. (NOT I said him that I was busy.) I hope (that) you’ll come and see us soon. When I left, I noticed that the door was open. [could see] I recommended that we all go together, so no one gets lost. I expect (that) he’ll ring us later. [think or believe that something will happen] Verb + object + (that) …: tell, show and convince. I told them (that) they could leave early. He tried to convince me that I needed some new clothes. [make me believe] Verb + object + to infinitive: ask, tell, want, allow, expect, remind, help and encourage. Tracey asked me to look after her cat. They told us to wait outside. They want us to stay at school. I expected them to be here by now. I had to remind him to buy the food. [tell somebody so that they do not forget] She helped me to write the report. (You can also say: She helped me write the report.) My parents encouraged me to read. [gave me support and confidence to make it possible] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 89 A Adjectives Extreme adjectives There are many ‘extreme’ adjectives we use to say that something is very good, or very small, or very surprising, etc. We were lucky – the weather was marvellous. [very good; syns terrific, wonderful, amazing] Don’t go and see that film – it’s awful. [very bad; syn dreadful] I was delighted she passed her exam. [very pleased] It’s a nice modern flat, but it’s absolutely tiny. [very small] I wasn’t very hungry, but they gave us a huge meal. [very big; syn enormous] You should watch that programme; you’ll find it absolutely fascinating. [very interesting] Everyone was really exhausted by the end of the day. [very tired] Bungee jumping is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done. [very frightening] Computers are an essential part of modern life. [very important and necessary] The food was delicious. [very good; but usually only for food] Language help The food was absolutely marvellous. (NOT The food was very marvellous.) We can use absolutely or really before extreme adjectives, e.g. absolutely awful, really terrific, but we can’t use very. We use very or really with gradable adjectives which do not have an extreme meaning, e.g. very big, very good, very nice, very tired, really good, really tired, etc. (NOT absolutely big) Adjectives ending in -ing and -ed A large group of adjectives can have an -ing or -ed ending. The -ing ending describes a person, thing or situation; the -ed ending describes the effect on someone of this person, thing or situation. I don’t know if other people were bored, but I thought it was a very boring lesson. The weather is so depressing at the moment; it’s making everyone feel depressed. Common mistakes I was bored by that film. (NOT I was boring by that film.) We’re very interested in the new designs. (NOT We’re very interesting in the new designs.) These adjectives can all end in -ing or -ed, depending on the meaning. It was really tiring going up that hill. [making you feel tired] I was amazed she could climb that wall. [very surprised] My exam results were very disappointing. [not as good as I expected] She was annoyed that I forgot to tell her. [angry] I kept calling her Emma, so I was embarrassed when Ben told me her name was Angela. [feeling a bit stupid because of something you have said or done] The map he gave us was very confusing. [difficult to understand] We were shocked by the violence in the film. [very surprised in an unpleasant way] 184 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 90 A Prepositions: place and movement At, on and in Common mistakes At a point or place, e.g. I met her at the bus stop. He’s at work at the moment. On a surface, e.g. The book’s on the desk. They sat on the floor. I put the picture on the wall. In an area, space, or inside something, e.g. He’s in the kitchen. She lives in Warsaw/Poland. The knife’s in the top drawer. I met them at the airport. (NOT I met them on the airport.) There’s a computer on my desk. (NOT There’s a computer in my desk.) The conference is being held in Delhi. (NOT The conference is being held at Delhi.) Where exactly? I know they live in Danvers Street, and I think they’re at number twenty-three. I’m sure there’s a chemist on the left before the bank. [first there is a chemist, and then a bank; opp after] Their house is beyond the farm [on the other side of the farm], by [near] the old church. They’ve just bought a house right [exactly] beside/by [next to] the river. I saw your bike in the back garden against the wall. [touching the wall] Your photographs are in the spare room beneath/underneath a pile of newspapers. [under] Their office is above the shop (opp below). You can just see the top of the building among the trees. [somewhere in the middle of the trees] Movement The mouse ran out of the back door (opp into), towards the gate, then disappeared down a hole. We came over the bridge (opp under), then through the tunnel and round the lake. The woman came after us [followed in order to catch us], but we managed to climb into the back of my dad’s van. Fortunately she went past the van and didn’t see us. 186 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 91 A Adverbs Adverbs of frequency: how often always often frequently quite often She hardly ever plays tennis now. I occasionally go to the theatre. We see them quite frequently. hardly ever rarely seldom (fml) I am often late. He rarely works at weekends. I have never been to America. Language help Remember that frequency adverbs usually go before the main verb, with the exception of the verb be. Notice the position of the adverb when the present perfect is used. Adverbs of degree: how much I was a bit tired. (infml) The flat was a little (bit) small. She was slightly nervous. Language help A bit, a little and slightly have the same meaning and are mostly used before adjectives that express negative ideas, e.g. We were a bit bored. I was slightly upset. (NOT I was a bit happy.) A bit and a little cannot be used with adjectives before a noun. It was a slightly small flat. (NOT It was a bit small flat.) The next four adverbs all mean ‘more than a bit but less than very’. The hotel was quite busy. We had quite a nice room. (NOT a quite nice room) The food was fairly boring. It was a fairly wet day. I was rather annoyed I missed the film. It was a rather good party. OR rather a good party. The weather was pretty good. (infml) We had a pretty difficult journey. The restaurant was completely/totally empty. I totally/completely agree with you. We had an extremely interesting trip. [very interesting] It’s an incredibly good book. Adverbs of manner These adverbs describe the way in which someone does something, or the way that something happens. 1 Nina had secretly put all of the letters into her bag. Petra was in pain, and I could see she needed help urgently3. I spoke to Charles briefly4 this morning. I asked him very politel y if he could work an extra hour this evening, but he reacted quite angrily and walked off. I went in and shut the door quietly. The curtains were closed and the room was dark, but I suddenly2 realised I wasn’t alone. 1 2 in a way that others couldn’t know about quickly 3 4 very quickly because of something important for a short time English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 92 A Time and sequence When / As soon as The meaning of these two time expressions is almost the same, but as soon as suggests something more immediate or important. I’ll phone my uncle when / as soon as I get home. As soon as / When you’ve finished this exercise, you can go home. Common mistakes I’ll see you when I get there. (NOT I’ll see you when I will get there.) We don’t use a future form after when / as soon as. Two things happening at the same time Carla got ready while I cooked the dinner. [two long actions] The accident happened while I was on my way to work. [a longer action ‘on my way to work’ and a short action ‘the accident’; we can also use when or as here.] I saw him (just) as I came out of the office. [two short actions happening at the same time; we can also use when here] One thing after another We met the others in the café, and then / after that / afterwards we went to the match. I talked to Joe, and afterwards [at a later time but usually the same day] I came home. I was in Caracas for three months, and then / after that I went to Colombia. Common mistakes After my visit to New York, I decided to have a rest. After seeing the film, we went home. We had something to eat before going out. (NOT After see the film, we went home.) A sequence* of actions We had a really nice holiday. First of all / First we spent a few days in St Moritz. After that / Then we drove down the coast and stayed in Portofino for a week. Finally, we went back to Switzerland to stay with my uncle. (Finally is used here to introduce the last thing in a list.) * one action after another, and so on At first … eventually To begin with, the two girls got on very well when they shared the flat. But after a while [a period of time], they started arguing about various things, and eventually [finally, after a long time or a lot of problems] Beth walked out and found a new place. At first I enjoyed the classes, but after a while it got a bit boring, and in the end [finally, after a period of time or thought] I left. A list of reasons We can use firstly / for one thing / for a start to introduce a first reason for something, and then secondly/besides/anyway to add a further reason. A: What’s wrong with her new dress? B: Firstly, it’s a horrible colour, and secondly, I don’t think it suits her. A: Why can’t we go out tonight? B: Well, for one thing / for a start, I’ve got a lot of work – and besides/anyway, I can’t afford it. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 93 A Addition and contrast As well (as), what’s more, in addition (to), besides We often link ideas using and, e.g. The food’s nice and very good value. There are other words and phrases we also use to add more information. Sometimes we still include and or also. The restaurant has excellent food; it’s also very good value. You always get a good view, and the seats are comfortable as well. (syn too) As well as getting cheaper tickets, I also got the opportunity to buy them in advance. The clothes are nice, and what’s more, the shop is open every day of the week. The scheme gives young people experience. In addition, companies can afford to employ them. In addition to the new food department, they’re also planning to open a café. Besides being a mum with four children, she’s also a successful designer. Although, despite, in spite of We use these link words when there are two ideas in a sentence, and the second is surprising or not expected. They can be used at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence. Although / Even though the sun was shining, it wasn’t very warm. We found the place quite easily, although / even though we didn’t know where it was. They went for a walk despite the fact that it was raining. Despite having no money, he still seemed very happy. They got there on time in spite of the delay. In spite of all the problems, we still enjoyed the trip. Language help We can use still to emphasise that we didn’t expect something to happen or be true, e.g. He didn’t do any work but he still passed the exam; The work is very hard, but he still enjoys it. However, yet, though We can use however and yet when the second part of an idea is surprising after the first part. However is often used to link ideas in two separate sentences. Though can be used in a similar way in spoken English, but usually comes at the end of the sentence. Notice the use of commas (,) here, and the different positions of however. I don’t agree with a lot of his methods. However, he is a very good teacher. We didn’t particularly like the house. The garden, however, was wonderful. It was warm and sunny when we were there. Most of the time, however, it’s quite cold. We went in the autumn, yet it was still quite warm. I didn’t like the film much. I’m glad I went to see it, though. They told us the shop was next to the station. We never found it, though. While and whereas We can use while and whereas to compare two different facts or situations. Alex is very quick to understand, whereas/while the others are quite slow. I get £20 an hour, while Josh only gets £12. The speed limit on this road is 80kph, whereas it’s 130kph on the motorway. I was very keen on the film, whereas Ali didn’t like it at all. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 94 A Reason, purpose, result, condition Reason I went home early because I was feeling tired. As/Since I was feeling tired, I went home early. (We don’t usually start a sentence with because.) I was feeling tired, so I went home early. (This is very common in spoken English.) The reason I went home early was that I was feeling tired. We can also use because of with a different construction. Compare: They go there because the weather is wonderful. (because + noun + verb) They go there because of the wonderful weather. (because of + (adjective) + noun) Due to means the same as because of, and is often used to explain the reason for a problem. The plane was late due to bad weather. (Due to is often used after the verb be.) Common mistakes It’s a pity you can’t go on holiday because Chiclayo is very nice. (NOT It’s a pity you can’t go on holiday because of Chiclayo is very nice.) We moved house because of my father’s work. (NOT We moved house because my father’s work.) Purpose A purpose is an intention or reason for doing something. The purpose of the meeting is to plan next year’s timetable. [the reason for the meeting] We often introduce a purpose using so (that) or (in order) to: I bought this book so (that) I could improve my English. They went home early (in order) to watch the match on television. We moved house so (that) we could send our children to this school. She went into town (in order) to do some shopping. Result These link words/phrases are used when one thing happens because another thing has happened. Therefore and as a result are more formal than so, and less common in spoken English. I left my ticket at home, so I had to buy another one. They’ve got more money, and therefore they can afford to buy the best football players. I forgot to send the email. As a result, no one knew about the meeting. Conditions We sometimes use whether [if] when we are not sure about something. I didn’t buy it because I wasn’t sure whether you’d like it. I spoke to the others, but I don’t know whether they’re coming. We’ll be late unless we leave now. [if we don’t leave now] Unless the weather improves [if the weather doesn’t improve], we won’t be able to go. I have to go now, otherwise [because if I don’t] I’ll miss the last bus. You’ll have to turn up the music, otherwise [because if you don’t] they won’t be able to hear it. You can borrow it as long as you bring it back by Thursday. [but you must bring it back] You can wear what you like as long as you look quite smart. [but you must look quite smart] I’m taking my umbrella in case it rains. [I’m doing A because B might happen later.] Take some money in case you need to get a taxi. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 95 A Formal and informal English Formal English Formal English is more common in writing, but you will also hear examples in more formal spoken English, e.g. announcements, speeches, television news, or discussions. NOTICE IN CAFE: Only food purchased [bought] here may be eaten on the premises [here]. POLICE STATEMENT: The man is being questioned regarding [about] the robbery last night. BUSINESS LETTER: I regret to inform you [I am sorry to say] that we are unable to … THEATRE ANNOUNCEMENT: The play will commence [start] in two minutes. INFORMATION NOTICE: If you require [need] further assistance [more help], please contact the above address. STATION ANNOUNCEMENT: The next train to depart [leave] from platform 7 will be the 7:22 to Reading. FORMAL LETTER: We are not in a position to grant [give or allow] you a visa to this country. AIRPORT ANNOUNCEMENT: Will passengers for Miami please proceed to [go to] gate 36. Informal English Informal language is more common in spoken English, and also in most emails or letters to friends. The words and phrases in bold in these dialogues are all informal. A: What are you up to this evening? A: Who’s Callum? [What are you doing?] B: A mate [a friend] of mine. A: Really? B: Nothing much. Why? B: Yeah, I see him quite a bit [often]; he’s a A: Well, would you like to see the new Coen nice bloke [man]. Brothers film? I’ve heard it’s great. [very good; syn terrific] B: Really? My brother saw it and said it was A: Toby, I’m afraid I can’t make it [come] a load of rubbish. [terrible] this evening. B: Oh, that’s a shame. A: Yeah, I’m sorry, but the thing is [the problem is], Ella’s not well, so I’ll have to look after the kids [children]. B: OK, don’t worry. There will still be twelve or so [about twelve] at the meeting, and I’ll ring you later and let you know what happens. A: Cheers [thanks]. That would be great. A: I bet [I’m sure] you’re hungry. B: Yes, I’m dying for something to eat. [want to eat something very much] A: Well, I think you’ll find some stuff in the fridge. Language help We often use the uncountable noun stuff, especially in spoken English, to refer to an uncountable noun or a group of things. We do this when others know what we are talking about, or if we don’t need to be exact. Put this stuff in the cupboard. [e.g. plates, food, toys] We carried our camping stuff. [equipment] What’s this stuff in the fridge in the blue bottle? [liquid] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 96 A Completing forms and CVs Types of form • a registration form where you enter your name on an official list, e.g. at a school or college (also called an enrolment form when you are applying to do a course of study) • an entry form • a landing card • a visa application form i f you want to enter for an exam, e.g. Cambridge First Certificate for people from some countries when they enter the UK w hen you make an official request to enter or leave some countries Language of forms When you fill in [complete] a form, you will see that they often have more formal expressions. In spoken English, ideas may be expressed differently. date of birth place of birth country of origin marital status date of arrival date of departure signed = When were you born? = Where were you born? = Where do you come from? = Are you single or married? = When did you arrive? = When are you leaving? OR When did you leave? = Write your signature [the special way you have of writing your own name] Curriculum vitae If you apply for a job, you need to send a letter and a CV (curriculum vitae or résumé in American English), which should give: • personal details [information about you such as your name, address, email address, etc.] • details about your education and qualifications, e.g. university degree, teaching certificate, etc. • your work experience [the jobs you have done] • your interests [what you enjoy doing] • skills [abilities you have learned and practised, e.g. ability to speak a foreign language] • career aims [what you want to do in your future working life] • names of people who will give you a reference [a letter written by someone who knows you which says if you are suitable for a particular job] If you apply to university, they require [need; fml] a personal statement in which you must explain why you want to go to this university; why you want to follow this particular course; details of your educational background; your skills; your interests. Tips for writing a CV or personal statement A tip is a useful piece of advice. Here are some tips for writing a CV or personal statement. • A CV should be no longer than two pages; a personal statement no more than 45 lines of text. • Type your CV or personal statement (handwriting is not suitable). • Keep it simple. Don’t make it complicated. [difficult to understand] • Check there are no mistakes. • Make sure the information you give is relevant [connected to and useful for the particular job]. For example, if you are going to be working on your own [without others], don’t say that you are good at working in a team [with a group of people]. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 97 A Writing an essay The basis of a discursive essay* In a discursive essay you have to express your own ideas and point of view [opinion]. It is also important to show that you understand both sides of an argument [reasons for something and reasons against something]. This means you need to understand and use different link words and phrases such as in addition, however, etc. (See Unit 93.) * an essay that discusses a subject Expressing a point of view Some people believe [Some people think] that no one should be sent to prison under the age of 18. There is an argument [a reason to think] that everyone should have a university education. Language help You can express a personal point of view with phrases such as I believe/think that … or It seems to me that … but you can also use less personal and direct ways of expressing a point of view, as in the phrases on the left. Many people think it is better not to use In my opinion in written essays. Giving both sides of an argument One of the advantages of being an only child is that you have more attention from your parents. However, it can be lonely without the company of brothers and sisters. On the one hand, computers can do so many things faster than human beings. On the other (hand), some people are becoming dependent on them, which is not a good thing. Comparing and contrasting* We often make comparisons between groups of people, or between the past and the present. Compared with/to my grandparents, I have had much more opportunity to travel abroad. In the past people didn’t have computers, but nowadays there is one in almost every home. Most parts of the developed world have become richer in the last thirty years. In contrast, many countries in Africa have become much poorer. * saying how two things are similar and how they are different Making generalisations Sometimes a simple statement is not accurate, e.g. Young people prefer to watch American films. This is not true for all young people, so we use certain words and phrases to show that we are making a generalisation [saying that something is true most of the time or in most situations]. In general, Japanese society is more focused on groups than individuals. (syn on the whole) Teenagers tend to have [usually have] more freedom than in the past. Cause and effect* Poor diet and lack of exercise are the main causes of obesity. [reasons for being very fat] Obesity is often the result of a bad diet and not enough exercise. People don’t eat the right food or get enough exercise, and consequently [because of this; syn as a result] they put on weight. Poor diet can cause obesity, and this can have a bad effect on people’s health. * how something happens, and then makes something else happen Language help Don’t confuse the verb affect and the noun effect. Pollution can affect people’s breathing. Pollution can have an effect on people’s breathing. English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 98 A Formal letters A formal letter 10 Baldwyn Gardens Ealing London W5 8PR 8 August Dear Sir or Madam1 I am writing2 in response to3 your advertisement about job opportunities for graduates4. I have just completed a degree in Economics at Durham University, and I would be grateful if you could5 send me further details6 of the graduate training schemes you mention. I am available7 for interview at any time. I look forward to hearing from you.8 Yours faithfully9 Nicole Drew Nicole Drew use this beginning if you don’t know the person’s name This is a common way to start a letter. 3 in reply to 4 people with a university degree 5 this is slightly more polite/formal than Please could you … 6 information about something (plural noun) 7 free 8 This sentence is often used to close a letter when you expect a reply. 9 Use this ending if you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to. If you know the name, end the letter with Yours sincerely, or Kind regards. 10 Writing your name like this in a particular way is a signature. It is normal at the end of a formal letter to sign your name first [write your signature], and then print it, e.g. Nicole Drew. 2 Useful words and phrases Thank you for your letter regarding [about] the damage to your vehicle. I regret to inform you [I am sorry to say] that your application [official request for something] has not been successful. I am pleased to inform you that your application has been successful. [I am happy to say] I am writing to enquire about English courses at your school. [ask about] You will need to confirm the booking in writing. [write to say that the booking is certain] We would like to thank you for offering your support. [say thank you for offering your help] We would like to apologise for [say sorry for] the delay [when something arrives later than expected]. OR Please accept our apologies for the delay. I enclose a cheque for £100. [I am sending a cheque for £100 in the same envelope as this letter.] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 99 A Informal emails and letters An email 1 cc Subject Thanks a funny person planning or intending to make contact, e.g. by phone, email or text want (to see) infml say hello to Conrad from me; also send my regards to Conrad. With family members and very close friends we also say give/send my love to. To Beth We can begin an informal email or letter with Hi Beth, Hello Beth, or Dear Beth. Hi1 Beth Just a quick message to thank you for dinner last night. Absolutely delicious, as always, and I really enjoyed meeting your friend Alice. She’s a laugh2, isn’t she? I’m hoping to3 get tickets for the film festival next week, so I’ll be in touch4 to see if there’s anything you fancy5 seeing. again, as before (here it is used to say thank you one more time) Give my regards to6 Conrad when he gets back from Poland, and once again7, thanks for last night. We can end an informal email/letter to a close friend or family member with Love or Lots of love. We also often use Best wishes or All the best when we end a letter or email to a friend. Love8 Sophie A letter 8 Daniel Street Bath BA1 2PH Dear Rob I know it’s ages1 since2 I last got in touch, but I wanted to let you know3 that I’m hoping to spend a few days in Birmingham in two weeks’ time4 – actually5 just before your birthday. I thought we could get together6 and go out for a meal. And if it’s OK with you, perhaps Mark could join us7 as well. Anyway8, it would be great to see you. If you haven’t got my mobile number, it’s 07732 268024. Best wishes, Sean 1 a long time from a time in the past until now 3 tell you 4 two weeks from now Language help We can use actually to give more exact information, as in the letter (syn in fact). We also use it a great deal in spoken English to say something which is surprising or different from what you expect, e.g. He looks Italian, but actually he’s not. (Syn in fact) Actually does not mean at the moment, e.g. The land is currently for sale (NOT The land is actually for sale). (see Language help) meet for a social reason 7 come with us 8 used to change the subject or end a conversation/letter English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate 100 A Abbreviations Letters or words? Most abbreviations are spoken as individual letters. EU European Union UN United Nations PM Prime Minister MP Member of Parliament BBC British Broadcasting Corporation ID identification, e.g. Do you have an ID card? PC personal computer CV curriculum vitae [a history of your job experience] ISP Internet Service Provider Occasionally abbreviations are spoken as words, e.g. AIDS /eɪdz/ and PIN /pɪn/ [personal identification number, especially used with a bank/credit card] Language help We use the verb stand for to ask about the meaning of an abbreviation. A: What does EU stand for? B: European Union. Written forms only Some abbreviations are written forms only, but pronounced as full words. Mr Scott [mister Scott] St Mark’s Church [Saint Mark’s Church] Mrs Bryant [misses Bryant] Dean St [Dean Street] Dr Chapman [doctor Chapman] Abbreviations as part of the language Some abbreviations (from Latin) are used as part of the language. et cetera /et ˈsetərə/ and so on exempli gratia for example id est that’s to say / in other words Shortened words Some common English words can be shortened, especially in spoken English. In some cases, the shorter form is more common and the full form sounds quite formal, e.g. refrigerator, influenza, gymnasium and veterinary surgeon. phone (telephone) maths (mathematics) board (blackboard) case (suitcase) ad/advert (advertisement) gym (gymnasium) bike (bicycle) TV/telly (television) paper (newspaper) fridge (refrigerator) exam (examination) plane (aeroplane) photo (photograph) flu (influenza) [illness like a cold but more serious] lab (laboratory) [special room where scientists work] sales rep [sales representative; syn salesperson] vet (veterinary surgeon) English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and intermediate View more... Copyright ©2017 KUPDF Inc.
Why has the tonnage increased from the previous planning application? The tonnage has increased from 160,000 tonnes per year to a maximum of 243,000 tonnes whilst maintaining the same footprint and building volume. The increase in throughput reflects a number of factors. First, during the development of the project, there has been an increased focus and effort on removing certain materials from waste streams, which NREL supports, with plastics being a recent example. This reduces the energy content in the residual waste, as a result we forecast a different maximum volume. Second, the more established combustion grate EFW technology offers an improved economy of scale compared to the original proposals for gasification solutions.
Knowledge that God is Good Category: Philosophy Date added Pages: 3 Words: 1031 Order Original Essay How it works A man who does not know why he believes does not know what he believes, and a man who does not know what he believes will never walk the path of light. The natural tendency of mankind is to root his credence in something because a person they admire believed it first. The danger of this tendency lies in the fact that mankind can then base their whole understanding of any concept, idea, or theology on reputation as opposed to reality. Martin Luther, however, steps away from this pit many blindly fall into and decides to tell the world the falsities that lie in the works referring to free will that made Erasmus well known. This, therefore, allows people to see through the facade that is reputation and read about the reality Luther sees. Luther tends to establish his understanding of scripture based on the knowledge that God is good, perfect, and holy while humanity is everything He is not: evil, flawed, and vile. He uses Romans 5.20 to prove the idea that the more unworthy we are of Christ, the more benevolent God will be towards us, “But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (English Standard Version). Luther responds to this verse, “If all the works done before the reception of the highest grace were evil, is it then evil works that must gain God’s favor for us” (pg 63 maybe)? Luther believes in an idea commonly known today as total depravity, meaning he believes that before salvation, “Reception of the highest grace,” no man is capable of walking a path good, righteous, or honoring to the Lord; due to this belief, he reasons that any work done to attain salvation would, therefore, have to be an allowing factor in salvation. If man, by his own will, is capable of turning to or away from redemption—as opposed to only through the power, love, and foreknowledge of Jesus and his sacrifice—then how, due to the immense sin of mankind, can one find any amount of good in himself to make the decision to turn to Christ? Luther argues that the human will, the means by which one thinks and perceives, would never be capable of removing the sinful lens, the way in which each person looks at the world, long or well enough to understand the vastness of one’s own sin. The truth of this idea perfectly represents the falsities which exist in the doctrine of free will. Need a custom essay on the same topic? Order now As soon as man enters the world, through his own sinful ignorance, he is only capable of seeking the goods of the world that will one day perish; yet God offers redemption from this path of ungratifying futility. Luther asserts that “After he [man] is made and created… he does and endeavors nothing toward his preservation as a creature. Both his creation and his preservation come to pass by the sole will of the omnipotent power and goodness of God, who creates and preserves us without ourselves.” (134) This belief is likely based on Paul’s constant discussion in the first three chapters of Romans which confirms mankind’s dire need for salvation. The best representation of Paul and Luther’s beliefs likely rests in Romans 3.10-12, which states, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands: no one seeks for God… they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” These verses tell the reader of their own depravity and helplessness without God, for they are so entrapped in their sin they do not even realize there is a path away from it. Luther dives deeper into these words and questions the meaning of them, asking himself: if every man is worthless, evil, and understands nothing—not even that he needs salvation—then how can man, through his own free will, turn towards eternal salvation? He concludes that man is simply incapable of this, for if a man does not know what he needs, how can he obtain it? Luther also explores mankind’s relationship with sin: why there is a constant need to embrace it and why so many become absorbed in the pathway it leads them on. This pathway is not one of freedom or light, though it may seem that way at first, but one of bondage to an evil master unwilling to open his clutch on the chains unless something holding greater power commands him to. Jesus confirms this idea in John 3.4, which states, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” Similarly, Luther claims, “The will having lost its liberty is tied and bound in slavery to sin.” Yet, how can anything, which was once so depraved it lost its own liberty, be good? How can anything under the command of sin honor God? Luther provides an answer to this question in saying, “We have now taken God’s grace away from it [salvation], and what the grace of God does not do is not good. Hence it follows that free will without the grace of God is not free at all, but is the permanent bond-slave and servant of evil, since it cannot turn itself unto good.” As confirmed in Ephesians 2.8, salvation relies on the grace of God, yet the mere idea of free will lessens some of the power it contains, rendering it partially reliant on a force outside of Gods own. This, however, cannot be true because God is not El-Shaddai, God almighty, if even the smallest fraction of his power is taken away, nor is he the God of grace if he does not contain all grace. The foundation of Christianity is God’s enduring love and grace, without it, no man can come to know God. Even though mankind is bound to sin, Luther wholeheartedly believes that God’s forgiveness knows no bounds, for if they did, God would not be, as stated in Nehemiah 9.17, Elohay Selichot, the God of Forgiveness. Christ’s love, mercy, and pardoning nature can also act as a comforting warmth to mankind, and without it they are cold and helpless: incapable of doing anything good. In response to Erasmus’ definition and understanding of free will, Luther claims: Did you like this example? The deadline is too short to read someone else's essay Cite this page Knowledge that God is good. (2019, May 16). Retrieved from
Constipation in Babies Constipation in Babies Different studies show that 10-15% of the world’s population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome and up to 20% from chronic constipation. It could be very difficult and uneasy for your baby to handle, especially with just developing digestive and excretory systems in place. Read on to find more about constipation in babies and how to avoid it. What is Constipation? Constipation is a condition that causes extremely hard, clay-like stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Medically, a person is diagnosed with constipation if the bowel movements are fewer than three times a week. As a bowel dysfunction, constipation impacts a considerable number of adults, due to several lifestyle factors. Mostly these include incorrect diet, behavior or sometimes underlying medical conditions. This condition is seen in babies as well. From newborn to toddler years, constipation can bother some children who may have a higher natural tendency for the same. This can be due to the way their digestive systems work, their body’s response to certain foods or due to other factors such as fluid or dietary intake. Although constipation is preventable as well as treatable in the long run, it is ideal to create positive habits which are directed towards a healthy bowel system in your baby. Recurring constipation isn’t just a painful experience. While babies may only suffer this situation without being able to complain, as they enter their toddler years, repeated constipated stools can also create negative associations for the child with respect to the entire bowel cleansing process. This can, in turn, lead them to hold their bowel longer to escape the traumatic experience, which further worsens the condition. A constipated baby may not pass stools for days in a row. Sometimes, due to repeated constipation, the rectal muscles or the anal sphincter can lose its contraction strength causing Rectal Incontinence. This means the nerve near the rectum gets damaged causing occasional leakage of stool while passing gas or in extreme conditions, complete loss of bowel control. Causes of Constipation An infant not passing a stool for days may still not be an indication of a problem. However, if the baby becomes very uncomfortable and cranky during the bowel movement, parents may need to pay closer attention. A careful monitoring of the texture of the stool can help a parent understand if the child is constipated. In infants, the frequency of the stool may not yield a major insight into their bowel functioning. There could be several causes contributing to this situation: 1. Solid Foods It isn’t uncommon for a baby to get constipated when their tiny digestive systems are introduced to solid foods. Foods that cause the baby to be constipated include bananas, rice, cereal, cheese and carrots which may be nutritious, but lack fiber which is imperative for good bowels. Hence, it helps to start with smaller portions and offer fiber-rich foods to add dietary roughage and keep constipation at bay. 2. Formula The protein component in the Formula milk can cause constipation in your baby and sometimes changing the brand for one with different ingredient composition might help the situation. Contrary to common belief, the iron in formula milk hasn’t been found to attribute to constipation. 3. Dehydration Although your newborn baby may be primarily on fluid diet, given that she is exclusively on breastfeed or formula milk. She may still not be getting sufficient fluid to help her stay hydrated. In such cases, the water content from the bowels is absorbed into the body, in turn, hardening the poop. It would help offering her a few sips of water or juice after the feeds to ensure that she stays well hydrated. Although in babies younger than six months, only breast milk or formula is advisable, for a constipated child, this remedy might provide some respite. 4. Milk Protein Allergies The ingredients of dairy consumed by the mother can pass on to the child who might have milk protein intolerance. This could lead her to be constipated. 5. Hormonal Imbalance Sometimes when natural hormones aren’t released in a balanced manner, children, as well as adults, can face a wide range of symptoms. In children, this can lead to symptoms such as dry skin, slow growth, fatigue and sometimes, constipation. Signs and Symptoms As a parent to an infant or toddler, you are most observant to the smallest of cues, and one of the most vital of these is the bowel movement. Breastfed babies are rarely known to be constipated. However, when it comes to bowel movements in babies, there is a wide spectrum of what is considered normal. It is known that breastfed babies tend to absorb most of the milk as nutrition and tend to poop much lesser sometimes, even once in ten days. This, however, isn’t true for formula-fed infants. They can have bowel movements between 3 to 4 times a day as well. Whatever the routine of your child may be, you tend to get accustomed to the same. However, changes are bound to come in with development milestones, age and introduction of solid foods. Sometimes, you may observe your child straining to pass stool or notice small balls of poop in her diaper. If constipation continues, the baby may get irritable or cranky. Most parents get alerted when the bowel movement goes altogether missing in the child for a few days. In extreme cases, the stool may be accompanied by blood which can come from a tear of the rectal walls. How to Prevent Constipation in Babies? Due to changes in dietary intake, regular growth milestones and changes in their body, babies may tend to get constipated occasionally. However, as a parent, you can take precautionary measures to prevent constipation. • Ensure healthy diet including good portions of fruits and vegetables accompanied with a good fluid intake. • Encourage movement and exercise as your baby grows. • Give ample tummy time to your baby. • Inculcate good toilet habits by encouraging toilet sitting time after meals. This aligns with body’s natural urge to cleanse the bowels.. • It benefits the child in the long term to remove any negative associations with bowel movements and encourage good habits with verbal or other rewards. This especially holds good when the child has been suffering from faecal incontinence issues and is emotionally impacted with the same. How to treat your child’s constipation? Although most babies get constipated at some or the other time, it is can often be cured if handled immediately. You can prevent constipation from returning by using these home remedies for your baby 1. Change the Milk If your baby is exclusively breastfed, try to change your dietary intake to see if something you are consuming is leading to constipation in your child. For a formula fed baby, changing the brand of milk can sometimes help. 2. Increase Fluid Intake Offer prunes, pear or apple fruit juice in small portions. If the taste is too strong for her liking, dilute it with a portion of water. You may offer this after feeds so that her appetite isn’t compromised. 3. Exercise If your baby has already started crawling, it helps her bowels to let her do a few extra laps. If she has still not reached that milestone, help her digestion by softly bicycling her legs while she rests on her back 4. Massage Gentle tummy massages and regular tummy time to alleviate her discomfort. 5. Change of Solid Foods Offer two portions of fruits and three portions of vegetables every day into her diet. The dietary fibre in these foods helps your child combat constipation, and gets regular bowel movements. 6. Puree the Foods Offering fruit and vegetable purees help the baby consume some dietary fibre in an easily digestible manner. It is particularly useful to offer purees to a constipated child who may not be able to chew solid food yet. 7. Rectal Stimulation When none of the above remedies are giving relief to your little one, this remedy might offer some help. A little stimulation on the rectum using your finger, cotton swab or rectal thermometer is almost assured to cause bowel movement stimulus in the baby. Make sure you are gentle and can also lubricate the stimulant using Vaseline so that it doesn’t hurt the baby. 8. Suppository With your paediatrician’s consultation, you can get suppositories for helping your baby pass the motion. Based on your baby’s age and condition, the doctor may prescribe the dose. These are intended to be inserted into the rectum and cause a bowel movement within 15-30 minutes. These are particularly helpful if the child is in distress with anal fissures due to passing hard stools earlier. 9. Laxatives When natural laxatives such as prune juice fail to work, you may need to consult the doctor before using over-the-counter purchased laxatives. Be wary that young babies can quickly get dehydrated, so these need to be administered under medical supervision only. When to Worry About Constipation? Most home remedies mentioned above will help with constipation in your baby. But if one or a combination of the natural remedies don’t work, it would be ideal to consult your paediatrician. If your child seems uncomfortable or feverish, a medical checkup may be needed to rule out any underlying ailments. Especially if the recurring occurrences of following symptoms take place • The child becomes irritable or uncomfortable in attempting to pass stool. • Despite straining to pass stools, nothing comes out. • The child passes blood along with stools or you notice anal tears or fissures. These can be particularly painful for the child and should receive immediate attention. • If the repeated constipation has resulted in fecal incontinence. You start noticing soiled diaper too often or when the baby passes gas and involuntarily passes the stool with it. Parenting isn’t easy. But it is also not too difficult when you know what is best for the well-being of your child. Just make sure that constipation is not one of the reasons for your discomfort. Or that of your child. Follow a few simple steps and keep an eager eye out to catch any early symptoms in your little one. Read this article in Arabic: الإمساك عند الرضع
what is car-t cell therapy? a t-cell [so called because they develop in the thymus gland] is a type of white blood cell and it plays an important role in fighting cancer in the body, by looking for and destroying abnormal cells in the body. t-cells can be taken out of a patient’s body and genetically modified to boost their ability to recognize and kill cancer cells. they are collected from the blood and then sent to a laboratory where they are genetically engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors [CAR] on their surface. CARs are a protein that allow t-cells to recognize targeted tumour cells. the genetically modified t-cells are expanded by growing cells in the laboratory until there are millions of them. the process of engineering and growing sufficient quantities of car t-cells can take a few days to a few weeks. these cells are then re-infused back into the patient and the new receptors enable them to recognize specific proteins on the cancer cells and kill them. because car-t is a living therapy, they are able to circulate around the body just like any other blood cell. car-t reacts when it comes into contact with the target cancer cells. this allows the car t-cells to educate the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells. research has shown that car t-cells can remain in the body and continue to be active for years. this type of cancer therapy is a first in its kind and we are only just at the beginning of fully understanding how to utilize the immune system to fight off cancer. immuno-oncology has catalysed the way we think about and treat cancer and car t-cell therapy has revolutionized outcomes for blood cancer patients. but in order to fully utilize the potential of this therapy we also need to think about how the system needs to adapt and adopt as new breakthroughs and technologies will continue to disrupt our healthcare. we can’t bring these new innovations into an old framework. the appropriate and equitable implementation of car-t in canada will require that we rethink the way we do things, rethink how we fund therapies and especially how we collaborate as a community of stakeholders. car t-cell therapies have had impressive results in patients with blood cancers- current car t-cell therapies are available for paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia [ALL] b-cell that is refractory or relapsed and for adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large b-cell lymphoma [DLBCL]. a growing number of car t-cell therapies are being developed and tested in clinical studies for other blood cancers, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia [CLL] and multiple myeloma. research is being conducted to see if car t-cell therapies can be effective in solid tumours as well. [ more about available clinical trials ] the canadian agency for drugs and technology in health [CADTH] reported that there will be somewhere between 30-50 new car-t therapies coming for review in the next five years in both the oncology and non-oncology space. in september 2018, health canada approved the very first car-t cell therapy, tisagenlecleucel [kymriah] and is currently reviewing a second car-t cell therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel [yescarta] for the treatment of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. this past january 2019, both the canadian agency for drugs and technology in health [CADTH] and the institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux [INESSS] published their recommendations for tisagenlecleucel, recommending that it be funded for canadian patients so long as the price is lowered and certain conditions around implementation are met. CADTH recommendation INESSS recommendation as groundbreaking as car t-cell therapy is, it is also incredibly complex and expensive to deliver, forcing decision makers to think about how to delivery innovation into an old framework. it has also creating an opportunity for stakeholders within the cancer care continuum to work together in ways not done before. the implementation, delivery and adoption of car-t into the canadian landscape is an opportunity for canada to step up to the plate and delivery on its healthcare for everyone canadians are proud of and known for the world over.
Sometimes, History provides an in-depth view of the past and so the current decisions are mostly based on past inclinations and the Democratic party is no exception for this. Democratic party for the past three decades has proven to be anti-India in various strategic aspects. Despite this, India maintained Bipartisan support on US presidents. As some analysis pertaining to India made, there are some unbelievable facts unearthed regarding Democratic party which it was wrapped under covers. It can be due to heavy influence of Left media favoring Democratic party or lack of digital media in India during 1990’s to counter narrative during the past three decades. Clinton Administration supporting Khalistan Separatist Groups The decade 1990 till 2000 was one of the hardest for India in many ways including from home turf due to economic turmoil and India was under high pressure to rejuvenate economy , investments, jobs and as well deal with the United States. President Clinton since assuming office in 1992 has implemented various policy decisions and rather separatist measures to satisfy the secessionists in India. Bill Clinton on Dec 27th 1993 wrote a letter to U.S. Rep. Gary A. Condit (D-Ceres) that, “chronic tensions between the Indian government and Sikh militants” and the need to safeguard “Sikh rights” in Punjab State, where Sikhs make up 60% of the population. This had angered Indian Government and as well the people in Punjab. Although Punjab is peaceful today, the then Clinton administration’s continuous attempts endorsing Khalistani groups and as well comments on Kashmir had drawn a huge backlash from India. (In 1971, some Punjabi separatists on the behest of Pakistan demanded for a separate Republic for Punjabi called Khalistan). Not limited to this, but Vice President Al Gore in 1997 in his letter to Khalistan National council which is an extremist group labelled by India referred Punjab state as Khalistan. This proves the fact that Democratic party has chosen every opportunity and throw a challenge on India’s territorial integrity by engaging with Khalistan groups. In fact, Sikhs for Justice went ahead with Referendum 2020 and the people engaged with Khalistan groups are Democratic party supporters. President Clinton meddling into Kashmir Prime Minister PV. Narasimha Rao with President Clinton in 1994 Coming to Kashmir, Clinton’s close aide and Assistant Secretary of State Robin Raphael openly stated that India’s Kashmir is a disputed land. In her statement, she mentioned that the US does not recognize Kashmir to be part of India. India’s relations with Clinton’s administration ran into a doldrums. It’s not limited to Robin Raphael but Madeleine Albright who served as Secretary of State wanted a Plebiscite in Kashmir which clearly suggests how Clinton’s administration has poked against India’s affairs. Everyone knew that Kashmir had witnessed a dangerous Genocide on Hindus which resulted in killing Hundreds and thousands of Kashmir Hindus and roughly Half a million Kashmiri Hindu Pandits had to mass exodus to other parts of India. As part of Robin Raphael’s advocacy on Pakistan and overriding Pressler’s amendment, the Clinton Administration in an effort to strengthen ties with Pakistan allowed the sale of 38 F-16 jets and lifted sanctions on Pakistan. The irony was, she mentioned this deal while at a news conference in New Delhi. The same Robin Raphel has cleared all the charges against her by the FBI and is now ready to take up the job of Secretary of State when Biden is elected as President. However, the irony is, Biden on July 26th 2020 made a statement that his administration will rake up the issue of Kashmir. Apparently, Pakistan awarded him second highest civilian award to Biden in 2008. On another instance, Sen. Kamala Harris in 2019 mentioned during a press conference that “Kashmiris are not alone in the world” makes a clear indication of her inclination towards Pakistan. Threatening India on Trade During 1990’s Clinton administration threatened India in many aspects of trade especially targeting Textile industry and claimed the skirts manufactured in India were inflammable.Not limiting to this, on April 3rd 1993, the United States threatened trade sanctions against Brazil, Japan, India etc and Clinton wanted to sign the agreement as per Uruguay General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). While Clinton heaped the praises on the global economies and at the same time, he threatened sanctions if not signed. However, India defied to sign GATT and President W Bush Let India off the hook. Throughout the decade, the terms WTO , Patents GATT , Super 301 were frequently used in India and tried to weaken India’s economic state. Thanks to Indian Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and AB Vajpayee , the decade overcame the sanctions and threats. In fact, Joe Biden in a key Senate Foreign relations panel voted against India buying Cryogenic Engines from Russia in 1992. Secy of State Mrs. Clinton Poking into India’s affairs. Secy of State . Hillary Clinton with Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi As part of Civil Nuclear deal initiated by George W. Bush Mrs. Clinton voted against the deal in the Senate as it hurts the interests of Pakistan. Within weeks of Hillary Clinton assuming office, Teesta Setalvad, an activist involved in framing Narendra Modi using false charges, was paid a handsome donation by Vikram Chatwal, whose father Sant Chatwal was at one time a trustee of the Clinton Foundation. From the infamous Wikileaks, Sant Chatwal has a role in Cash for Votes in which cash was paid to buy votes during the No Confidence motion in Lok Sabha. From the leaked email from Wikileaks, the US government intended to fund Teesta Setalvad’s NGO and use her claims in the so-called human rights reports that could be used against India and Hindus. President Obama on Indian immigrant workers India’s biggest and positive aspect is its Human resources, there are thousands of Indian tech workers in the United States working on H1 B visas. The broken immigration system in the United states has left thousands to feel very insecure due to losing legal status. During Obama’s Presidency, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services have enacted a rule to provide a job offer letter to apply for a visa. Normally, Employers provide such letters only when there is an active visa. Although, the intent is understandable to contain fraud in H1 B visas. However the underlying aspect when thousands of immigrant workers wanted to renew the I 797 every three years made thousands felt increasingly apprehensive and had to go through a fathom. These workers couldn’t live the life they deserved due to an unstable life . The families couldn’t dare to buy a car, furniture, home etc a life they deserved to enjoy despite the work life. Although Indian Government through various channels have brought to notice about the plight of Indian workers, the Obama administration left blind eyed on this matter. Far Left Radical Progressive Democrats Rep. Pramila Jayapal introduced HR 745 in House Finally, During the past one year, the progressive Democrats in the United States Congress constantly poked around India’s internal matters related to religious , Kashmir, and Citizenship law on every occasion. House Rep. Pramila Jayapal introduced a resolution HR 745 in the House regarding Kashmir asking India on Human rights. While she belongs to Indian origin and knowingly Kashmir is a border state with heavy cross border terrorist activity, she threatened India by introducing a resolution that is deplorable. Not just that but Bernie Sanders in September 2019 made despicable comments against India on Kashmir ignoring the fact that India is a sovereign republic and world’s biggest democracy. Not limited to this, but the lies peddled in the aftermath of India’s Citizenship law was completely unacceptable. The lies that were churned out that 200 million Muslims lose their Citizenship when India’s Citizenship Amendment Act is implemented. Despite the fact that India’s Prime Minister clarified the masses apart from Muslim religious leaders, the lies went with detention camps were established during the period of 2014 till 2019. These progressives peddled a narrative based on the opinion articles and editorials based on Left media in the United States and never cared to listen to the Indian Government dossiers. Although, this 2020 elections are related to the United States but it is equally important to consider the interests of India just like Pakistani communities prefer Pakistan interests, Jewish community consider Israeli interests, Chinese looking for China interests. It is highly important to look into India’s interests and a quote from President Obama who said “ it is important not to forget the roots from where you came from” aptly suits every vote. Note: This Article was earlier published on US-Impact Inline Feedbacks View all comments

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