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Thursday, December 04, 2008 1500 years ago, an Indian was being funded for research by Indians There is this Airtel advertisement that I keep seeing on television. It tells us that how Indians were inventing things and the world was following them. For e.g., it points to Aryabhatta who put forth the concept of zero. It also points to Sushrut, the first person to practice medical surgery and document it in detail. Towards the modern times, it shows about Vinod Dham, who led the team that invented the Pentium processor for Intel. Now, what cannot be shown in this short advertisement is the tremendous amount of research efforts put in by all the three men. All of them did (probably) believe in themselves. Let's talk of Aryabhatta and Sushrut. They carried out a large number of studies and documented their successes for the future generations to taste their fruits. Aryabhatta is believed to have studied at Kusumpura, which is a name for Patliputra. The university at Patliputra was patronised by the king and wealthy of that era (equivalent to what is government and businessmen today). Aryabhatta wrote his famous "Aryabhatiya" while at the university in Patliputra. Sushrut, the legendary surgeon, lived in Kashi around the 6th century BCE. While I have no idea about his early education or his studies in the field of medicine, it was common in that age for the king or emperor to patronise education. The ruler would give a piece of land to the scholars interested in teaching or research and would fund them for their work. Many times, the wealthy too would patronise such institutes of studies or research. Thus, both Aryabhatta and Sushrut were products of patronised research. Both had an objective of serving the purposes of the society through their research. What does this mean in today's context? If we are ready to believe in ourselves, as the Airtel ad wishes us to, there needs to be someone who can stand behind us solidly with resources to carry out research that can serve the purpose of the Indian society. Does Airtel want to do so? How many Indian corporates (not foreign multinationals) carry out research work to develop products suited for use in India? How much support does the government lend for the upkeep and expansion of research infrastructure? And till what time will we Indians rely on past glory to claim the superiority of our civilisation? We should believe in ourselves, back our researchers to the fullest possible extent and build an India based on our needs. 1500 years ago, an Indian was being funded for research by IndiansSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Friday, November 21, 2008 Statistics: Thou art synonymous to illusion Statistics: Thou art synonymous to illusionSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Sunday, November 09, 2008 Change is happening No, this isn't yet another blog post about Obama. It is about my very own country, India. Indeed, it is about Bangalore (I don't know if the city is officially called Bengaluru so I'll stick to Bangalore). I was in this city in 2005-2006. There was a lot of mess around the city. The flyover from Indiranagar to Domlur was in doldrums, there was another flyover near Jayadeva Hrudayalaya whose construction period was stretching for ever. On top of that, Devegowda had gained a lot of bargaining power in the political setup. He announced his hatred for the IT industry, thus drying up funds required to spruce up Bangalore. So many infrastructure initiatives taken up by the previous government were put on hold or funding reduced, virtually bringing such projects to a halt. Back then, it used to take atleast half-an-hour to reach from Indiranagar to Domlur. There used to be a round about from the construction site through the narrow lanes to go to Domlur. Similarly, near Jayadeva Hrudayalaya there used to be a huge rubble across which the buses, cars and other vehicles used to crawl. Another notorious junction was the Silk Board junction. This junction too used to be crowded and packed because of lack of proper traffic management. Slowly but steadily, most of these projects got completed with a huge time delay and cost overrun. But, the fruits of these are visible. Today, we can zip from Indiranagar to Domlur over the flyover. We can get on and off the Old-airport road without worrying about the traffic coming from either side. The Silk Board junction has be decongested to a large extent and Jayadeva Hrudayalaya junction has a good over bridge and underpass to allow traffice to pass through it. This has saved everybody a lot of time and energy. The economy is gaining due to improved productivity of the manpower. People are losing less fuel in traffic jams. This helps in saving a precious fuel source. But, the flip side is, seeing this infrastructure development, more people would be tempted to use individual vehicles rather than mass-transport. So, the government should now focus on developing the mass-transport system. The Namma Metro is on its way. The metro should be complemented by the BMTC, thus creating a smooth system of mass-transport. Change is happening. It is happening slowly. That is the problem. But it is hapenning, it hasn't stopped completely. Change is happeningSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Saturday, October 25, 2008 Namma Bengaluru!! Namma Bengaluru!!SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Sunday, August 17, 2008 I was reading the newspaper today morning. It carried a two-page article on Shri Prakash and Sou. Meena Amte's work in Hemalkasa. It described in detail their work, the work of their two sons and daughter-in-law and the sea of change that they brought around in the tribal area. Inspite of all the odds they faced, they have given the tribals in the area a new sense of living. For the past 35 years, Shri Prakash and Sou. Manda Amte have been serving the tribals selfessly supported through donations and government support. Naturally, I was drawn to their selflessness and to their desire to serve the tribals better. To see their serene and content faces, the happiness derived out of service without expecting returns. In my mind, the thinking cycle started. I wanted to enter social service, the way the Amtes are involved. I sincerely felt that there is no other happiness than the one that you get by serving people in need. Not only do you serve them, but identify their needs and then serve them. For over the past two years, I have been thinking of moving into the teaching field. This is after I hear that many institutes (ranging from elementary education to higher educations) across the country are facing an acute shortage of quality teachers. I, therefore, wanted to be involved in nation building, in building the constituents of the society. If even one student of mine, every year would aspire to do something fruitful for the society, I was ready to consider it as a success. But then, what kind of teacher should I be? Do I go to the schools in the town/village, where there is a dire need of teachers? Or do I go to the colleges where my technical knowledge would be of some use. No matter how much I disagree with Nehru, I do believe in one statement of his. That IITs are supposed to provide technological know-how for the development of this country. I would like to agree to this in a broader sense. The technological know-how is essential, but it is also essential to prepare quality man-power who can handle this technological know-how and probably improve upon it. I would like to be involved with such kind of work. But again, whom will I be training? Those who have the money to access such facilities, or those who truly deserve these? Or should I be training the downtrodden, who do not need any of the technical know, but the basic education to understand the way to a quality life? What should be the approach? Questions, questions and questions. No answers found till now!! Aspirations, till they are accompanied with a good plan can't be fulfilled. I pray to the Lord to help me clear my mind and pursue my aspirations. AspirationsSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Cuil- New search engine on the block Yesterday, I came across this news item that talked about a new threat to Google. It talked about the launch of Cuil (pronounced as "cool")-- a new search engine that has the power to challenge Google. The feature that struck me was that this search engine company was started up by former Google employees. At once, I decided to check it out. When you get on to the website, what strikes you is the small text box where you are supposed to type your search. The text box should have been larger and more prominent. Cuil has the feature of searching while typing. That is, as you type, it starts suggesting the complete term that you might be looking for. The search results are shown in a table format, that carries a brief description of the matter on the website, along with its link below. A new feature is "Explore by category". This column appears on the right hand top corner and allows you to search as per the categories formed by Cuil. For e.g., typing "Lata Mangeshkar" results in categories like "Indian Film Singers", "Hindi Language Films", etc. These form a drop down list and you can select from them too. While Google ranks Wikipedia pages at a high level, Cuil doesn't seem to do so. In many searches, the Wikipedia link appears at second row, first column position. While Cuil claims to be the world's biggest search engine, it is not able to dish out relevant results for simple searches. For e.g., my advisor has a webpage for more than five years. On Google, type his name and his website comes out first in the search results. However, Cuil fails to throw any results pertaining to my advisor's name. It throws only one result related to some patent he had filed three years ago. I have not tried any complex searches, but I doubt whether Cuil will be able to give relevant results. For this, their indexing has to improve tremendously. Cuil has not as yet been fully launched. To submit a website for indexing, the webmaster needs to send an e-mail to Cuil. This feature may get automated in the future. It also lacks various specialised features that Google currently provides (Google Scholar, Books, Groups, etc.). The positive feature is that Cuil doesn't collect any data a-la Google to "enhance" user experience. So, privacy of users is protected. By and large, Cuil appears to be a good player, and would be promising enough if it improves in the near future. But today, it is nowhere near to Google in terms of the relevance of search results. If it grows well, it might get swallowed up by Mircosoft or Yahoo to fend off competition. Or vice-versa. You never know!! Cuil- New search engine on the blockSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Wednesday, July 23, 2008 The age is adding up It was a wonderful late-evening. The signs of an impending rain were visible. The wind had come to a standstill. The drop in temperature was being felt by the body,which, sitting on a cycle, was riding back towards the hostel. Not because of the hunch of rain, but because some books were left back in the room and also hunger was not allowing any concentration. While gliding my way back, down the slop after main-building (the boys call it the H-11 slope), I saw a couple of UG-freshies enjoying their first few days of IITB. A rough calculation told me that they were born anywhere between 1989 and 1991. They were younger than me by almost a decade!! This translates to almost two generations below me. I remember, in the 1990s (when I was entering my teens), my generation used to be called Generation-X (Gen-X). Some cycle company had come out with a cycle named "Generation-X". This means that the Gen-Z has entered IIT, while Gen-X seems to be still loitering around, sticking to the student tag. I try most of the times to avail the "student discount", when many of my peers have become parents. Coming back to my cycle ride, I started thinking of what have I achieved in all the years that I have existed on the planet. It happens to me a lot of times, especially when I see kids come off their age. They are eager to don the mantle that I have been used to for such a long time. What have I done to move on to the next mantle? Look back in time, my mind says. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had already won a few battles by the time he was 26. He had a kingdom and commanded the respect of various local "vatandars". He was a thorn in the eye of Bijapur, by that time, and killed Afzal Khan at Pratapgad when he was around 28 years old. I try and think of my acts of bravery. None emerge!! Sad to say that, but it is a fact. The only killing that I have ever done is mosquitoes! In the meanwhile, my ride nears its end, as I reach the hostel. I dismount the cycle and walk back to my room, still thinking. Thinking that only a year and half ago, I was amongst the crowd that was targeted by marketers to sell their product. Now, I am slowly drifting into the crowd which is not on the centre of the marketing radar, because this crowd has the money, but doesn't splurge. But, did I enjoy being under 25? No, because I was a student most of the time, and hence no money to splurge. Do I enjoy being on the plus side? Not much, because I am still a student, so no money accumulated. The pitfalls of doing a Ph.D., my mind says. I accept. If I intended to earn money and splurge it, I wouldn't have joined a Ph.D. I wanted to earn enough knowledge and splurge it. I would never be the target of any marketing company. I spend only if it is possible and essential for me to do it. Suddenly, my eyes veer towards the calender. Annual Progress Seminar to be held in the 2nd week of August. Less than 20 days left!! All thoughts go off the mind abruptly. And I chalk out my tasks for the next day. Have to get some results to show the progress. Otherwise, the "student" tag may stretch for a bit more longer time. The age is adding upSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Tuesday, July 08, 2008 Students' protests at IIT Last week, on Saturday, the students of IIT Bombay carried out a peaceful candle-light protest against the introduction of reservations in faculty positions at IIT Bombay. The students are absolutely right when they say that this is a wrong move on part of the government. IIT Bombay is an institute, where very few candidates manage to succeed in getting a faculty position. In the past one year, my own department has seen more than three open category students (the surnames made it obvious that they were from the general category) being rejected because the interviewing team did not find them good enough. These were candidates with a Ph.D. from prestigious universties and had work experience as Post-docs with reputed advisors. Some of them held a B.Tech. degree from one of the IITs itself. Such has been the selection procedure at IIT, that despite a shortage in the number of faculty, they are not hiring any Tom, Dick or Harry. Now, when candidates are hired just because they have a caste certificate, and not enough credentials to match the rigour of work at IIT, it will naturally lead to a drop in teaching standards. A student who enters IIT may inflict harm on just himself/herself, if he /she doesn't manage to cope up with the curriculum. However, if a teacher who doesn't meet the IIT mark, comes in to teach, he/she causes harm to entire generations of students. And if IIT is not in a position to terminate the services of the teacher, then around 35 batches of students are likely to suffer. While it is acceptable for a trainee to be of standards that may be a tad below par, you cannot accept at trainer whose skills are below par. The Minister of Human Resource Development should understand that not everybody is cut out for every possible task. Allow the under-privileged to find their core competence based on opportunities provided to them during their training. Please do not let them occupy positions just because they have a caste certificate. No person with below-par skills should be allowed to be at a position from where he/she has a potential of damaging various careers. Students' protests at IITSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Some commonly heared conversations As I was waiting for the tum-tum near my hostel, I overheard conversation between two parents who had come with their children for the IIT-JEE counseling. The conversation took place in Hindi, but for my benefit I'll present a translation. Parent 1: Where are you from? Parent 2: Kota. Parent 1: Who has got selected to IIT? Parent 2: My son. Parent 1: What is his rank? Parent 2: 540. What is your son's rank? Parent 1: Some response that I cannot hear. The conversation then moves on to what branch is to be selected, which IIT to go to, jobs etc. This has become a common feature, where relations are based on the foundation of something prestigious. The two parents who began to discuss stuff, came together only because their sons had a JEE rank to brag about. Many times, discussion between two PhD scholars is also along similar lines. After the initial hi-hellos, come the patent questions- "How many publications do you have?" Followed by- "How many journal ones?", "What is the impact factor rating of the journal?" After these questions, each of them decide in their minds, what kind of relation should be maintained with the other. So, the quality of a PhD scholar is benchmarked by the number of publications he manages, rather than the quality of his work. What also happens is that this then leads to marking of the sincerity of the particular scholar. People are making judgments on insufficient statistics. The basis of the relation is something which makes you feel either superior or inferior to that person. So, if you are superior, then you try to become the boss. If you are inferior you try to play second fiddle in the relation. Some commonly heared conversationsSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Laptop blues Finally, the verdict is out! My laptop has been reduced to a piece of junk, as the circuit on the motherboard that handles the power supply has blown off. Unless, I invest around 16k to get a new motherboard and get the laptop running. The person who repaired my computer suggested me otherwise. He says, instead of investing in a new motherboard, dispose this laptop off, and buy a new one. What he doesn't understand, or probably the entire supply chain doesn't understand, is that I would need to invest more than Rs. 30k to get a laptop with performance specs that I already have. So, this means, I have to invest around double the motherboard cost to get a new laptop. And what will he pay me to dispose the old laptop? Only Rs 4k. It is simple economics. If you keep aside the uncertainty of the motherboard failing again, then investing Rs. 16k for the motherboard, is a much sensible investment compared to buying a new laptop. People do say that now the latest ones have come, they are at much cheaper price, etc. But then, the laptop was never bought with an intention to make money when I sell it. It was bought to augment my research and entertainment tool set. Also, what sense does it make in buying a new laptop? What is this about the latest features? Over my existing laptop (configuration: 1 GB RAM, 1.6GHz AMD Turion X2 processor, 100 GB HDD, dual layer DVD drive) what is the value addition that the latest model would provide? A year's warranty instead of the 3 months that the motherboard replacement would give. What is it about the higher HDD capcity and say the latest processor? For the kind of work I do, I think this configuration would be way over the top. After a lot of deliberations, I decided to repair my motherboard. But I am unhappy over one aspect of the design. The design of the motherboard is so integrated, that I have to replace the entire board, just because the power supply blew off. Why can't the design be modular. It would have been much easier for me to replace the burnt out part at a far lesser cost. But, companies have almost stopped thinking about the repair aspects of the product. For them, it is more profitable if someone junks away the old piece and buys a new one. Now-a-days, for all such companies, profit is first, shareholders are second and the customer is last. Integrated design may help in achieving material and cost savings, but why do they never factor in the possibility of failure? Engineers are taught this very aspect so that they can include safety features to avoid failure and easy replacement procedure after a failure has taken place. Engineers are now probably more driven by the principles of management and economic objectives rather than the principles of engineering. Laptop bluesSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Thursday, June 12, 2008 So much to write and so less written With my laptop down for the past few days (rather considerable number of days), all activities requiring a computer have come to a halt. I come back to my room in the evening, take some rest, have dinner and then wonder, what to do now? I almost forgot what all can be done when you do not have a functioning PC. I could have taken to reading books, but I have read all the books that I have with me. With the hostel library opening only once a week, it was almost impossible to get books to read. Being a Ph.D. student, many may expect me to do technical reading. But, every person worth his degree, knows that technical reading can put you to sleep instantaneously. So, what all is happening while my computer remains in coma? Amitabh Bachchan completed 50 days of blogging. He has been writing something for every single day! If he doesn't have the time to write or any matter to write, he just mentions that, but has not missed a single day of blogging. That is the difference between the life of a super-star and a grad student. He has something or the other happening in his life daily. If I were to blog daily, what would I say? Most of the writing would be-- went to the lab, read a few papers, did a derivation, came for lunch, slept, went back to the lab, surfed the net, had tea, came back in the evening, had dinner and then blogged. Once in around 6 months, I would write-- sir told me to write a paper, so now I am preparing for that. Probably I could write some nostalgic stuff or fiction, but then I am not too good at writing them. Mumbai again went down the drains with the first spell of monsoons. And as it happens every year, citizens blamed the civic body, the civic body blamed the ferocious nature of the rains and the cycle continues. While the BMC, railways, MMRDA, MSRDC, etc. have done a shoddy job, it is a great effort by them that atleast most of the systems are functioning. Look at the citizens themselves. They do not bat an eye-lid before they throw trash on the streets or into the storm water drains. So, inspite of desilting, these drains remain clogged and hence cannot carry water at their rated capacity. Not all those who complained might have littered the street. It is a case where the majority has to suffer because of the foolish acts of a few. The BMC also said that it is ready to handle upto 50 mm per hour of rains, but above that there will be trouble solely because of the topography of Mumbai. The city received around 10% of its annual rains in 2 days. What can any civic body do in such a situation? To add to the fears of Mumbaikars, Sahara Samay, a useless news channel which has a sub-channel catering specifically to the city of Mumbai, call an astrologer who predicted that there would be three days (he actually gave the three dates too, though I don't remember them) in this season when Mumbai will see a 26 July 2005 like situation. Probably in its usual style, the channel must have sensationalised the event. The government of Maharashtra has sensibly decided to prosecute the channel under the Disaster Management Act. The tri-series in Bangladesh is underway, but not many seem interested as the IPL has sucked out a lot of enthusiasm. People want to get back to life after IPL. But India did thrash Pakistan. It appeared as though the Indian batting line-up had not yet come out of the T20 mode. It was a run-fest by the Indian batsmen. The bowlers then did a fantastic job of shunting out the Pak batsmen for around 190 runs. Let's see what is in store during the further matches. In the items under miscellaneous, my life is going on. Had a reunion of our undergrad batch. Around 10 of us got together for the reunion. Of these, one was married, another two were scheduled to get married. All of them are now working men. Of the entire group, I was the only student. It led me to some introspection. I should now be focussed on my PhD and get over with it as quickly as possible. But, it doesn't seem so right now. We are meeting again, at a friend's engagement, in the last week of June. So much to write and so less writtenSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Wednesday, June 04, 2008 Cruel Joke Today, the Indian government announced a hike of Rs. 5/- in the prices of petrol. This is actually inadequate to compensate the oil marketing companies, but still needed to save them from bankruptcy. Reacting to this, the share market also tanked. I subscribe to the moneycontrol website's newsletter to track the share market and my dad's portfolio of investments. Dad being too reluctant to do some analysis, I atleast read through the day's happenings. So, as a part of the newsletter deal, Moneycontrol also sends some promo offers. These offers, like most others, are worth neglecting as they are not meant for me and my dad would not even glance through them. On this very day, when the government announced a hike in fuel prices, Moneycontrol sends me a promo offer of the Honda Accord, which gives an opportunity to sign up for a test drive. The day when everybody is discussing fuel-efficient cars, I, PhD student (read below-poverty-line citizen) get an offer to ride a car considered to be amongst the luxuriant variants in the country. Many may say that the newsletter is a mass-mail, so goes to everybody. But I had mentioned my occupation in the form which I filled when I signed up. So, shouldn't there be any intelligent system that directs specific promos to me? And on top of that, sending an offer that can lead somebody to buy a luxury car on the day of announcement of hike in petrol prices is even more laughable. Off-course, people who can afford the Honda Accord will not worry too much about such minuscule increase in fuel prices. Cruel JokeSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Sunday, May 11, 2008 America's Weapons of Mass Distortion The United States of America probably has the largest collection of nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, missiles and other such weapons, using which it can devastate any area in a short time. It however, possesses another set of weapons, which over a longer period of time destroy the independent opinion that a society might have about any particular subject. These are the Hollywood studios that regularly dish out various movies, documentaries, serials. Take an example of the Soviet bloc and communism. In any documentary, movie or series, the Soviets are depicted as tyrant and as autocrats who care nothing about the common man. In contrast, the American ruling class and decision making is shown as if they always had the common man's interests in mind before taking any decision. We agree to the fact that dissent was never permitted in any Communist countries. But it is too far fetching to imagine that everyone at the top would have been ruthless and heartless. I was watching a NatGeo documentary titled "Space Race". The documentary traces the development of rockets for military purposes and the race between the USSR and USA to dominate the space. The documentary is presented in a dramatised version. It starts from the fag-end of World War 2 (WW-2) and ends with the Apollo-11 mission. Towards the end of WW-2, the Americans are the first to discover the presence of V-2 missiles which were based on the principles of a rocket. They try to dismantle a plant that manufactures the V-2 missiles (which falls in Soviet territory after Germany was divided at the end of the war) and take it to the US occupied area of Germany so the their scientists can reverse engineer the missile. Around the same time, the Soviets discover a V-2 missile in Poland. At this point, an argument between the Polish army and Red Army officers breaks out over who will take custody of the missile. Here, the Soviet Army man shoots his Polish counterpart at point-blank range. While we don't know how Americans handled WW-2 prisoners, I doubt they would have been humanitarian enough. The first phase of the space race was a result of independent contributions two scientists- Sergey Korolyov in USSR and Wernher von Braun in the USA. Of these, von Braun was an ex-Nazi officer who was the brain behind the V-2. He surrendered to the US in hope that they might help him pursue his space dreams. So, the US authorities take him and his team to USA, where he is supposed to lead the nation's military missile programmes. On the other hand, the Soviets bring in Korolyov and "order" him to reverse engineer the missiles, failing which he is indirectly threatened with dire consequences. While the US is pretty casual about von Braun, the Soviets are shown applying pressure on Korolyov, demanding that he build missile-rockets of ranges that were unheard of in those days. Infact, in one scene, Korolyov is indirectly threatened with death. The Soviet officers are shown to be pretty impatient with failures and do not mind shooting off the person who was incharge of the part that failed. Everybody is aware that there have been catastrophic failures in space programmes of every country. The documentary does focus on such failures in the Space Race. But, the Soviet failures are shown in great detail with excellent dramatics and a voice over which constantly emphasises that Soviets kept the failure secret for more than 20 years. The American failures (such as the US Navy's failed launch, Apollo-1 burning) have been brushed apart with very few details. While the Americans are shown to investigate their failures scientifically and seriously, the Soviet analysis is not at all mentioned. The Apollo-11 mission, which was America's greatest success finds a detailed mention in the documentary. USSR's efforts have not been detailed exhaustively. Only their efforts in building the rockets and the capsule have been mentioned. Thus, through the entire documentary, USSR's space programme is made to look a bit ad-hoc and completed through trial and error rather than solid scientific foundation. The US space programme is made to look as if they wanted to be scientifically pretty sound about every small thing, before any rocket was launched. For e.g. von Braun is shown testing the heat shield that would go onto the capsule, but Korolyov is not shown doing any such thing. Such depiction of Soviets has been common. Hollywood movies are known to show tyrant Soviets and compassionate Americans. The entire Rambo series (barring the latest) is one such example. In Vietnam, the US's excesses are glossed over. The US fighting the Soviets through jihadis in Afghanistan is glossed over. In Rocky-4, Rocky is shown beating a much stronger and better boxer. The movie shows Rocky being given shabby treatment facilities in USSR, while the Soviet boxer is given proper training facilities, when he had previously come to the US. There are many more examples, where Hollywood has put various communities in bad light. Most of these communities were or are involved in some kind of tussle with the US. The US has used its propaganda machinery in an admirable manner. These Weapons of Mass Distortion can twist the thinking of entire communities in the way the US government wants them to be seen. America's Weapons of Mass DistortionSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Friday, April 25, 2008 When Nature helps Ever wondered, why do the trees seem so barren in the winter? Or why do some trees litter the ground with flowers during summer? It so happens that some trees cannot withstand the winter winds, so they try to stay as barren as possible. This reduces the torque exerted by the wind force on the trunk of the tree, thus saving it from being possibly uprooted. The season of winter also brings in a lot of dryness in the weather with it. This causes the soil to lose its moisture content. The soil which was held together with the moisture, now becomes loose and has a chance of being eroded away with the winds. How does nature prevent the erosion of the fertile top layer of the soil? Remember the fall season? In the fall season, many trees begin to shed their leaves slowly and become bare by the beginning of winter. Once the winter winds start blowing, these fallen leaves, that have covered the earth, prevent the loose top soil from being eroded, thus protecting its fertility. The soil, which benefits the tree by providing various nutrients, water, etc. is benefited by the act of trees in the winter. Come spring-time, the trees blossom and bear new leaves and attractive flowers. During the summer, these leaves protect the earth below from getting overheated and provide passers-by a relief from the oppressive heat. By maintaining the shade, the leaves slow-down further loss of moisture. Some trees shed their flowers onto the soil below, thus protecting it from any further erosion. Thus, during summer time too, the soil is protected by the trees in return for the help provided by the soil. What do we have to learn from this? Is there a lesson in there? Yes, I believe, there is an important lesson to be learnt. Even as the tree fights for its survival (as in the winter), it does so without harming the soil. Instead, it helps the soil survive by shedding leaves. If the top soil is lost, the fertile nutrients are lost. Also, dust flying around causes various health problems to other living species. The trees, therefore not only ensures their survival (by shedding leaves and by protecting the top layer of the soil) but also help the other species by not allowing the top soil to fly around. In their happier times too, (spring and summer) the trees maintain their helping hand. They provide shade, protect the earth from overheating and provide a visual treat in the form of blossoming flowers. Isn't this the very basic form of inclusive growth, where every stakeholder benefits from the other and every stake holder tries to protect the other by helping in every possible form? When Nature helpsSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Sunday, April 20, 2008 Unfair competition With the government being lawmaker, it can decide the rules of the game and make the others play according to those rules. Many times, these rules are in favour of the minority stake holders of the government. For e.g. government employees form a minuscule percentage of the entire workforce. But most of the employment and labour rules are in favour of these minuscule minorities, thus stifling many business plans. Off-late, the government wants greater participation of private industries in the non-core areas of the government operated institutes, businesses, etc. But, here too, it is not ready to give the private sector a fair chance for competition. One glaring example is the case of fuel retailing. While the government has offered oil bonds to state-run oil industries in order to offset their losses, it has not provided any help to Reliance and Essar, who have to dig in their own pockets to absorb the loss due to under pricing of petrol and diesel. As a result, Reliance announced the closure of several of its petrol pumps, resulting in job loss to all those directly and indirectly employed in those pumps. In IIT Bombay, which is a government run institute, the government slowly wants to pull out of non-core areas and instead deploy private companies to take care of those works. The institute's house keeping staff is being replaced with people from private professional house-keeping companies. The messes in new hostels are being operated by private caterers instead of government employees. But, here comes the hypocrisy in the government's intentions of privatisation. While the institute authorities have permission from the Petroleum Ministry to use domestic gas cylinders (cost = approx. Rs. 320) in the government operated messes, the private messes are asked to operate on commercial gas cylinders (cost = approx. Rs 1000). The messes require around 10 cylinders everyday (for inmate strength of around 400). In spite of this, the private mess operators are able to provide food to the hostel residents at cost that is lower than government operated messes, with better service, of course. But the private messes have to operate with a lot of constraints. For e.g., while in government operated messes, sweet, in dinner, is served with no restriction on the amount, in the private mess there is a strict restriction. The caterers running these messes themselves acknowledge that if permitted to use domestic cylinders for cooking, they could further reduce the costs. This move is beneficial to the students as it reduces the expenses on food by some extent. It also provides a fair platform for comparison of the government run messes and privatised messes. But the institute authorities have done nothing to take up this case with the Petroleum Ministry authorities. As a result, one of the most important inputs in cooking is available to the private caterer at thrice the price at which it is available to the government run messes. This is nothing but bullying by the government authorities. So, while the institute-run messes get a lot of subsidy (approx. 60020 = Rs. 12000 per day for every mess), the privately run messes have to live with the ever fluctuating (read increasing for the past 1 year) prices of commercial cylinder. This is unfair, both, on the caterer as well as the students who are members of these messes. The students have to pay more because of the use of commercial cylinders and the caterer loses his margin because he can't go beyond a particular price he charges for the food. Unfair competitionSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Wednesday, March 05, 2008 Economist Manmohan to politician Manmohan The Finance Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram, has, in consultation with the Agricultural Minister (plus cricket mal-administrator) Mr. Sharad Pawar, decided to waive of Rs. 60,000 crore of bad farm loans. This is applicable for those who have borrowed from government banking institutions. This move is absolutely acceptable considering the amount of distress farmers are facing. Some of this distress is because of the government's own policies. Changes in such policies are time-to-time scuttled by powerful lobbies, thus depriving the farmer of any reform. For e.g. the Agricultural Market Produce Committee (APMC) act says that the farmers can sell their produce only through the APMC of the city. This virtually creates a monopoly and hence denies farmers a fair price that gets decided by open competition. Coming back to the loan waiver. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that the loan waiver was necessitated by the distress created due to the previous government's anti-farmer policies. Did the government notice the effect of the anti-farmer policies in the last year of its term? If yes, it is guilty of sleeping over such an important issue and should be promptly punished for doing so. If no, then the farm-loan waiver is nothing short of a political gimmick. But then why did Dr. Manmohan Singh have to say this? Most of the country (and this includes those who are anti-Congress and the mass voters) respects him because of his honesty. Why did he have to stoop to such low-level accusations? Even the farmers who are really going to benefit from the loan waiver are intelligent enough to realise that Dr. Singh's statement is nothing but pure politics. The question that should be asked to the UPA government is why did they take around four years to announce the waiver of farmers' loans, if they feel that this was necessitated because of the flawed policies of the previous regime. The UPA government did know the NDA government's policies, so there arises no question of ignorance. For the sake of a few votes, a person of the PM's stature should not make statements which can be doubted by even an 18-year old person. Dr. Singh, India would be more happy if you can achieve more inclusive growth without getting involved in any kind of mud slinging. Also, please do something for those farmers who were honest enough to repay their loans in time. Please do not falsify the adage- "Honesty is the best policy". Economist Manmohan to politician ManmohanSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Saturday, February 23, 2008 Lucknow Chikan: truly "Gramudyog" The "chikan" work based apparels are a speciality of Lucknow city. I was in the city last week with my mother. Since we had travelled all the way to Lucknow, and there would be no one travelling in the near future, everybody whom we knew asked us to buy chikan wear for them. Since the "orders" were large in number, we went to the wholesale market of chikan wear to purchase the stuff. Since most of the stuff to be bought was ladies' wear, I was trying to kill time in the city of Nawabs. So, I struck a conversation with the shopkeeper and tried to extract some history about the chikan work. This is an account of what he told me. The art of chikan work was born out of the Nawabs' and their kins' desire to wear clothes that had exquisite designs in the form of embroidery. The First war of Independence in 1857 saw the end of the Nawabs of Lucknow. But the legacy of chikan embroidery left behind by them still lives on and is strongly thriving. And this is perhaps one of those industries which truly works on the idea of "gramudyog" or employment at village level. All the embroidery is done by hand and there is no automation involved. Automated equipment is probably not possible for such intricate designs. This is how the making of a chikan apparel works. The cloth for the apparel comes into Lucknow from various cloth mills across India. The wholesaler who purchases the cloth is the one who sells the end product. A design of the embroidery is etched upon the cloth according to its end use (say ladies' wear or gents' wear). The pieces of cloth are then distributed, by an agent, to women in various villages in a radius of 100 km from Lucknow. All these women who do the embroidery, work from their homes. Each woman is given a fixed number of pieces of cloth for embroidering. The work of embroidery goes on for around four months. All this embroidery is carried out by the women in the premises of their homes, using their hands to sew the intricate patterns. After the embroidery is over, the agent comes and collects the clothes from the women. The agent has a fixed frequency of touring the villages to collect all the clothes. The wages depend on the amount of embroidery work that goes onto the cloth. The more the embroidery, the more is the wage paid to the woman doing it. These wages are paid when the clothes are collected by the agent. The agent then brings back all the clothes to the wholesaler, who then gets them washed by washermen before putting them out for sale. In the entire process, only manufacturing of the cloth is mechanised. In the remaining process it is the humans who rule the roost. Lucknow Chikan: truly "Gramudyog"SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Monday, February 04, 2008 Shameless Symonds So, Mr. Andrew Symonds is "shattered" after Judge Hansen delivered his verdict in the "monkey" incident. He says that his "blood boils" if anyone questions his integrity!! These are the words coming from the batsman who stood his ground despite nicking an edge to the 'keeper in Sydney. In the post-match interview, he said that he is out only if the umpire says so. And, in the next match at WACA, he showed his bat to the umpire, indicating that he had nicked the ball and hence, not LBW. So, what integrity is Symonds talking about? His integrity stands shattered by these two incidents. In the Sydney test, he says that the umpire should judge whether he is out or not, and in the Perth test, once the umpire decided he is out, he questions the decision by showing his bat to the umpire. Here is a man who is not ready to stand by his own statement. And he is talking about integrity. Let's go through the incidents of Sydney. Harbhajan pats Bret Lee on his bottom and acknowledges the delivery bowled. Symonds, who had no business for what transpired between Harbhajan and Lee, walks in and says something to Harbhajan. Harbhajan, being irritated by Symonds comments responds in a manner, which the Aussies treat as their fiefdom. Symonds misinterprets the response (well, it just goes to justify that he has a brain, no larger than a monkey's) and then suddenly Hayden and Ponting have heard everything that transpired between the two. But in their testimony before Hansen, neither can recall the exact words used!! So much so for the integrity of the Aussie cricketers. admitted during the testimony that he went to Harbhajan and said something first. So, Harbhajan rightly retorted back to the Aussie, which Symonds didn't expect at all. Therefore, judge Hansen was right in saying that Symonds started the entire incident. Now, where is the issue of "questioning" Symonds integrity(?) when he himself has admitted to being the initiator of the conversation. The Aussies used the legal process laid down by the ICC to have Harbhajan punished. But, couldn't come up with the evidence to nail Harbhajan. So, the legal process which the Aussies took shelter under, itself dumped their claims. Then, why is Symonds sulking? And in this entire incident, has Bret Lee got to say anything on whether he felt it appropriate for being acknowledged by the opposition on the field? If he was okay with that, then Symonds had no business at all to say anything to Harbhajan. And if he said that, then he should be ready to face the consequences. P.S. Symonds should not be too worried about the words "teri maa ki c****". The Aussies themselves say that the word "bastard" is a term of endearment for them. The term sticks to a person only after some incidents that occur in that part of the body!! Shameless SymondsSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Sunday, January 20, 2008 First Frontier conquered I ran the half-marathon at Mumbai. Yes, I ran it. Most of it. Walked at some part, especially along the torturous climb at Peddar Road. And at Girgaum Chowpatty. But, I completed it in 2 hr 43 min. Two minutes less than what I had aimed for!! I was insincere in my practice and hence the result. Had I been more sincere and systematic, I think 2 hr 30 min is achievable. But, I have conquered the first frontier. I have completed the half marathon. Something which seemed impossible for me a few months ago. Something which some felt is impossible for me, considering my bulky physique. But, I proved myself wrong!! Now, I want to improve on the timing. It is going to be more training for the next marathon. More systematic than it has been. I intend to complete the next edition in 2 hr 30 min. That's the equivalent of Ratan Tata's "Nano" for me!! Lest, I forget, I must thank all those unknown people who were there to cheer me and lift my spirits till the end. Thanks to those two little kids on Peddar road who gave me Glucose biscuits, which were a boost of energy for me. God bless them all. Finally, a very big and personal thanks to the Mumbai Police, for staying on vigil and keeping the track clear for all runners. First Frontier conqueredSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Saturday, January 19, 2008 Senseless FM What do FM channels use to play songs throughout the night, when there is no RJ? I guess they have something like Winamp with a play list of over thousand songs, with the "shuffle" toggled. That's because, this automated song player springs up songs which are completely out of sync with the time at which they are played. Today morning at 5:45 AM, I tuned into Red FM, a popular FM channel in Mumbai. It was the automated song player that was in charge, as no jockey was heard blabbering for the next 15 mins. And at exactly 6:00 AM, the automated song player started playing- "Dekho, d, yeh shaam badi diwani", from the movie Om Shanti Om. Come on, the first song of a morning show, shouldn't be from an opposite end of the day. As it is, in the morning, people would prefer light music as they are just readying up for the day or just setting out for the day's chores. And here, the station plays a disco-like song that too describing the atmosphere in a party at evening. God bless the radio channel's wisdom. This is where I prefer Akashvani (All India Radio). They are in-sync with the time of the day. Their first programme is generally devotional songs, before they switch on to old melodious songs and then move on to the contemporary songs, which have a lot of beats. I do not know, if private radio channels take feedback and act upon them, but if they do, they will find a fairly large audience that would like this kind of start for the day. Even contemporary songs with slow music and low beats would be preferred over disco as the first song of the day. Till then, enjoy evening disco at morning 6:00 AM !! Senseless FMSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Monday, January 14, 2008 Ratan "Nano" Tata leaves US critics gasping for arguments After launch of the Nano, most of the US print media (and other media) spared nothing to criticize the car. From calling it all sorts of names, such as "a crossover between a jelly bean and golf cart", or a car "made of plastic and glue instead of welded steel" to calling it an environmental disaster, all attempts are being made to tell the people in US, that this Made-in-India car is nothing but only a cheap car. The problem with US and the scribes there is that for them, there is no concept such as "world" outside the USA. For them, people just do not exist in other continents and in environments that are not like the one in US. For them, what is made by the Big-Three and the Japanese is the best. No matter whether it costs a fortune. It doesn't matter to them if the gas guzzling SUV is three time bigger than the need of the family. But, it is a "technological revolution" for the Yanks. Wake up Yankees!!! Remember, there is a world outside your own land, which has very different needs than you have. The needs are different, the solutions have to be different. Have you ever seen the way a family of four would travel on a two wheeler? Have you ever driven through the streets of India? The answer to both your questions is NO. So, sitting in your air conditioned homes and offices, you cannot judge the requirement of an ordinary Indian who cannot afford a car priced at Rs. 2 lakh. This family of four, will mostly use its vehicle to travel in a radius of 10km from its home. Most of its drive will be for utilitarian reasons, such as grocery shopping, visiting people/relatives in the nearby areas (socialising, which you Yanks desist a lot) and probably once in three months a Sunday picnic. For this kind of utility, Nano fits the bill. So, why are you cribbing? Is it just because it wasn't invented by your guys? Or is it because the Big-Three feel threatened by the fact that there would exist a market in Yankee-land which would be ready to purchase a car priced at around $3000? The Nano is built not only around technological innovations, but also around supply chain innovations. Not many of the technology changes were earth-shattering. Simple, but previously not thought changes have helped Tata come out with Nano. Changes were pretty simple- use of aluminium engine instead of cast iron, fitting the engine in the rear, a single wiper instead of two, single tail lamp, slight change in the outer body design and many such small things that added up to big savings. Innovations in the supply chain has been the back bone of your Wal-Mart. Tata Motors has just picked up these things from you guys. My advice to you guys is, stop cribbing. Just think of the reasons for which this car was developed. It is not for people who want to experience the pleasure of driving. It is for those people who want a comfortable ride while doing their routine tasks, but could not afford a car previously. So, keeping that in mind, Nano is a pretty good invention. If you are true gentlemen (on gentle-ladies), you would join me in applauding the Tatas for manufacturing the Nano. Ratan "Nano" Tata leaves US critics gasping for argumentsSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend Saturday, January 12, 2008 Impossible is nothing!! Adidas should rope in Ratan Tata as its brand ambassador. With the launch of Nano, Mr. Tata has achieved what the world's automakers said was impossible. Suzuki motors ridiculed Tata's attempts to build such a car. It was called all sorts of names, like it would be an enhanced rickshaw, will not have that much power, no safety features, etc. The features that the boys from Suzuki wanted are all present. I call them boys, because the men are in Tata Motors. The 600cc engine develops 20bhp. Enough for a family of four that used to ride a two-wheeler which is not more than 8 bhp. Scooter-king Rahul Bajaj and motor-cycle prince Rajiv Bajaj are a classic example of "the grapes are sour" adage. Bajaj first scoffed at the fact the two-wheeler ride is unsafe. Well, Mr. Bajaj, two-wheeler ride is unsafe and actually not meant for a family of four. So, Tata was targeting a market where the family has not enough means to buy a Maruti 800, but wants to travel comfortably. What's wrong, when Mr. Tata says that four people, with luggage on a two-wheeler is dangerous riding? And if he wanted to make the journey safer for them, why should Mr. Bajaj be so worried? And Rajiv Bajaj, the less said, the better. After unveiling the concept car Bajaj 'Lite', Rajiv Bajaj was constantly trying to undermine the Nano. Talking about the feasibility of a low-cost car, he even mentioned that it is impossible to make a car at Rs. 1 lakh. And after the fully functional car was unvieled, Rajiv Bajaj changed tracks and started talking about how the pricing makes the car unprofitable. If the car wasn't profitable, no business would have launched it. So, it goes to say that the car is indeed profitable. The margin will be definitely less and Tata Motors will have to rely on volumes for generating revenue. But, Mr. Bajaj, apart from profits, there is also an underlying social cause. The Tatas are known for this. And Bajaj is not as big as Tata on the social service front. So, stop your cribbing and accept with grace that the Nano has beaten all skepticism and is a fully functional car in its category. Let's talk of the man who started this all. Ratan Tata, despite facing so much criticism, gracefully said that Nano won't be able to fulfill the needs of every person who needs this car. So, there have to be other players like Bajaj and Maruti who can build such a car. I think the other industrialists should acquire this trait of humility in success from Ratan Tata. Thank you, Mr. Ratan Tata. You have proved the well-known saying "Where there is a will, there is a way". For once, everything else had taken a back seat and the entire world was talking about nothing else but the Nano. It has become more popular than cricket. Airtime dedicated on channels as well as radio networks and print space in newspapers indicates the popularity of the car. For once, the front page and editorials had something other than cricket. People forgot Harbhajan and Symonds and were discussing about the Nano. On behalf of Tata Motors, Mr. Ratan Tata, please take a bow!! Impossible is nothing!!SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
Preparation: an oil candle and lighter Children’s Sermon Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, Matthew 22:34-46, October 26, 2014 Prepare: You are going to play a word game, so you will need several cards with either a noun or a verb on them and one more that says “LOVE.” The number of cards you use depends on how much time you have, but you probably need at least 3 of each plus the “LOVE” card. They should be simple and obvious, like RUN, or DOG. Worship Station: The worship station can be done without added stuff, but if might be helpful to have paper for everyone to write on, or even better small note cards. NOTE – I am using this with my congregation as part of our stewardship/giving commitment Sunday, so I will also include that idea, but you can leave out the giving commitment part if it does not line up with what your congregation is doing. FaithCross_ConnectALT Ask the children if they know what a noun is and what a verb is. You might have to explain it, and if they are too young you can also just use “thing” or “action.” FaithCross_ConversationALT Alright! Good, now we are going to play a word game! I will hold up a card and you tell me if it is a noun or a verb. Start with the easy ones, and offer lots of encouragement! Then hold up the LOVE card last. What do you think of this one? Is love a noun? You can feel love, right? We know when we love someone or when someone loves us, so maybe it is a noun. But, maybe it is a verb, too. Love is something that you do, too! Think about that for a minute. When you love somebody you want to do good things for them. You want to make them feel good, and you want to take care of them. So love is not just a noun, love is something that we do. In this Bible story that we read today we hear Jesus talking about love because someone asked him a very difficult question. They want to know what the greatest commandment is. I think that they were thinking of the 10 commandments – you know, “have no other gods,” “Honor you parents,” “Don’t kill.” But Jesus, like he so often does, answers the question in a completely different way. Instead of picking one of the 10, he kind of picks them all. He says the most important thing you can do is to love. Love God, love yourself and all the people around you. Remember, love is not just a noun, it is a verb! To love all these people we have to do something! We have to care for them, we should do good things for them, we should work to make them feel good, joyful and safe. That is a difficult thing to do, and I think that Jesus knew that when he said it. Let’s pray for a little help learning how to be more loving. FaithCross_Worship Stewardship Emphasis If you intend to collect pledges you can have baskets out or whatever your custom is. If you are not colleting pledges you can just have people do the prayer work and write down their love commitment. Ask the people to think for a moment about the person or situation that most upset, angered, frustrated, or otherwise made them unhappy in the past week. Then ask them to turn to the person next to them and just share the one word that they felt in that situation. Nothing more! Not what was happening, not who was involved, just one word about how they felt. Next have them think about how they could have been more loving in the situation and write that on the paper (if you are using paper). That is their commitment to be more loving this week. If you are collecting pledges, do that now, and tell them that they are making a double pledge. One to support the church financially in the coming year and the other to be more loving, even in the most difficult times of their daily lives. 20130822-224425.jpg Loving God, we often fail to be the loving people you created us to be. Help us to see past our own hurts and anger and to live out your love in our lives. Amen. 20130822-223908.jpg God loves everything about you. Faith + Home Connection November 2014 Children’s sermon Matthew 22: 15-22, Paying Taxes, Year A, Pentecost 29, Oct. 19, 2014 Preparation: Pictures or objects that show ways in which money given to the congregation goes to support or serve others, children’s offering basket or whatever you use, coins 20130822-223315.jpg Gather the children with you. Bring an offering plate or if you have a children’s offering basket or bucket, have that with you as well. Show them the offering plate/basket/bucket and ask, “Do you know what this is for?” Take answers. “yes we collect money in it and that is called collecting an offering. We have an offering time in every worship that we do together. Does anyone know what offering means?” Take answers. “Offering is a way we give something in the name of our faith and our worship knowing that what we have comes from God.” 20130822-223633.jpg “In our reading today from Matthew we hear Jesus get asked about money. He says to give to Cesar or give to the government what belongs to them and give to God what belongs to God. What do you think belongs to God?” Take answers. “We could say that everything belongs to God and that what we have God gives us to use to care for ourselves and others. So when you give coins or dollars to this offering basket it goes to help take care of others. Does anyone know where the money we give goes?” Take answers but move into showing pictures of ways that the money goes through your church and out your doors or to ministries inside your walls. You may want to show pictures of kids learning or coffee to welcome new people. Also service projects or global missions, whatever you are focusing in on at this time in your congregation. Or if your children’s offering goes to specific places focus in on that and where it is going right now. 20130822-223749.jpg Jesus, you give us words from God. And we are thankful for the gifts we have and the reminder that all we have comes from God. Help us to share what we have to make a difference in the lives of others. Open our hearts to your generous life. Amen 20130822-223908.jpg +May you know your gifts are from God and you are a gift to the world+ FaithCross_Worship Have bowls of change—do all quarters if you can. You may want to have someone monitor the station or be clear about taking one (or however many you decide) coin. Prepare a sign that says: “Give to God what is God’s” First pick up a coin and hold it in your hand. Feel the weight of the coin. How does it make you feel…happy, sad, anxious, indifferent? In what ways does money have power in your life? In what ways can you have the power to align your values with how you use money? Reflect on this this week. Take a coin with you and use this coin to make a difference for someone or something else. Be creative in either how you give it or multiply it or put it to use. Take a notecard with you as well and write down how you used this coin. Bring it back and post it on our board for sharing our stories. FaithCross_BlessALT +God chooses you+
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Distributed Computing with the Raspberry Pi Distributed computing technology breaks a problem into parallel tasks running on two or more computers. With the convergence of low-cost processors and high speed networks, computer clusters have emerged as an affordable solution to do-it-yourself high-availability. In this experiment, multiple miniature computers are connected to perform distributed computing. The Raspberry Pi Organization (raspberrypi.org) offers a pocket-sized single-board computer for approximately $35 USD. Several versions of the free Linux operating system are available for the Raspberry Pi. The mini Linux (Raspbian/Debian) computer group is further compacted by latching the computers together. Another Raspberry Pi is added to the computer group. Each computer has a colored cable (yellow, orange, red, purple). For each computer, static IP addresses are assigned. cat /etc/network/interfaces iface eth0 inet dhcp sudo ifconfig Make note of the inet addr, bcast, and mask. sudo route -nee Make note of the gateway address. Interfaces file can be updated to set static information with nano. sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces Delete ""iface eth0 inet dhcp" and add the following: iface eth0 inet static address 192.168.1.??? *??? placeholder for number you select Ctrl+X, then Y to save. Example of IP addresses for 4 computers: With static IP addresses configured, the University of Cambridge hosts a tutorial on computation between 2 computers. Python source code included: Distributed Computing Demo (Cambridge) Each computer requires MergeSort.py and Merge1.py. The host machine will have MergeServer.py and the client machine will have MergeClient.py. When tested on my distributed computers, the following results were returned (10 seconds vs. 7.87 seconds):
A Primer On Computational Geometry – Part Two Polygons, point clouds, and polyhedra – Oh My! Just because they are acute, that doesn’t mean triangles get asked on many dates. Previously on Oscar Tortures You All, we talked about how to define a point, a line, and a plane inside a computer. We also talked about working with a triangle with regard to defining a plane (and all the fun math you can use to do so without ever drawing said triangle). Today we are going to talk about triangles some more, and how they relate to more complex geometry. But first, in the last paragraph of the previous post, I kind of sped through the whole process of turning three points into a triangle, so I’m going to briefly work that out. So, three points: a(0,0,0), b(4,1,2), c(1,4,3) Three vectors and their magnitudes: • [ab] (which is b – a, or [4,1,2]), magnitude 4.583 • [ac] (which is c – a, or [1,4,3]), magnitude 5.1 • [bc] (which is c – b, or [-3,3,1), magnitude 4.359 [ab] & [ac] point away from the origin (point a), and [bc] points from b toward c. Remember that the direction is determined by which point is being subtracted from which. If I want to flip [ab], I subtract b from a, instead of a from b, and I write the vector as [ba]. Three Dot Products: • [ab].[ac] = (41)+(14)+(23) = 14 • [ab].[bc] = (4-3)+(13)+(21) = -7 • [ac].[bc] = (1-3)+(43)+(31) = 12 Three angles from the dot products (you use the Arc-cosine to get the angle): • 4.583 5.1 * Cos(bac) = 14 -> Cos(bac) = (14/23.3733) -> Cos(bac) = 0.598974 -> Angle(bac) = 53.2 deg • 5.1 * 4.359 * Cos(acb) = 12 -> Cos(acb) = (12/22.2309) -> Cos(acb) = 0.539789 -> Angle(acb) = 57.33 deg • 4.583 * 4.359 * Cos(abc) = -7 -> Cos(abc) = (-7/19.9773) -> Cos(abc) = -0.350398 -> Angle(abc) = 69.49 deg Sanity Check! The sum of the angles of a planar triangle have to equal 180 degrees, so 53.2+57.33+59.49=180.02 -> close enough! (the 0.02 extra is rounding error). Now for the normal of the triangle and the plane it rests on. Take the Cross Product of [ab] X [ac]: • [ab] X [ac] = [4,1,2] X [1,4,3] = (3-8)x + (2-12)y + (16-1)z = -5x-10y+15z = 0 • Magnitude of the normal is the square root of (55 + 1010 + 15*15) = 18.71, so the area of the triangle is (18.71/2) = 9.35 And that is everything a computer needs to know about that triangle. It’s hard to stress enough just how important the triangle is. Triangles are the simplest polygon, 3 points, 3 lines. Triangles as defined can only exist on a plane.1 Triangles have exactly one way to connect all the points to each other.2 In short if you want to model geometry in a computer, you want to start with triangles. The best part about triangles is that I can build all the other polygons out of triangles. What is a polygon, you ask? A polygon is any 2D shape that has at least 3 straight sides and angles. The key bits in that definition is that the sides (lines, or edges) are straight, NOT curved, and that each side is at an angle relative to the sides it shares a point with (so two sides with a common point can not be parallel). Triangles, squares, pentagons, etc are all polygons. Regular polygons are those that have all the sides of equal length and all the angles of equal measure. What is a square except two right triangles with a common hypotenuse? Or four equilateral isosceles triangles with points and edges in common? I can take any polygon and carve it up into triangles. Keep this in mind, it’ll come in handy later. So we have points, line, triangles, and an idea how to make them into something greater (polygons), but how do we get this into a computer? Point Clouds – not an airy place where everyone has valid observations regarding politics or society. Back in the bad old days, a common way to get geometry information, especially complex geometry information, into a computer was via a point cloud. If we are talking REALLY bad old days, geometry would be reduced to an array of 3D points that would then be punched onto computer cards and hand fed, one by one, into a computer3. Even today, with CAD and solid modeling everywhere, point clouds are still put together in spreadsheets or other columnar or tabulated data formats and fed into modeling software4 that reads the XYZ data and at the very least it stores the points. Turning those points into geometry can be very simple, or it can require a great deal of human effort, or metadata. Let’s take a wing, like the NACA6412 seen below. This was produced using a simple column of 2D points, and the modeling software was instructed that the points were to be joined by a line going from one to the next, and that the curve should close (connect the last point to the first). See the XY axes, that’s the origin (0,0) A point cloud is similar, but in three dimensions, and with more metadata than the above. What I mean by metadata is information that indicates grouping (which points in a point cloud belong together) and possible connectivity (which points are connected to each other). The grouping is very important, but the connectivity isn’t always, because triangles. Take a look at this bit of geometry. Just a quick spiral shape. Just a quick spiral shape. If I was to hide the rendered surfaces and edges (lines), so all I was left with were the points, I could still recreate the edges and surfaces by running an algorithm that would start drawing triangles between all the points, and it would error check itself by not allowing an edges to cross each other and to not permit any point to be contained within a triangle. Of course, the most obvious problem is that it would start creating triangles between the surfaces you see, so points on the upper side of the spiral would form triangles with points on the blunt edge and the underside of the spiral, which would mess up the surfaces. Hence, we’d have to group them, so triangles are only formed between points contained within a group, and we error check in a similar fashion as before, making sure no triangle edges cross any other group, etc. Any points that are common between two groups become edges of the whole model5 . That’s a lot of information to process, and lots of math to do, but hey, that is what computers are really good at – processing data and performing complex repetitive operations upon it. And although the rendering engine makes the surfaces of the spiral look smooth, there are no actual curves, just slight changes in the relative angle between adjacent triangles. Polyhedra – it’s an alternative marriage arrangement, just not with people Alternatively, instead of making triangles and using them to form surfaces, we could use polyhedra. Polyhedra are 3D polygons, also called 3D solids. Polyhedra take many forms, such as prismatic solids, platonic solids, regular (or uniform) polyhedra, and even stellated polyhedra (stars). Prismatic Solids – a polygon that is simple extended along the perpendicular axis The basic polyhedra is the tetrahedron, which is, you guessed it, 4 triangles that share common edges. The tetrahedron – the simplest of polyhedra And just like simple triangles, tetrahedron can be used to build all higher order polyhedra. Remember this, it too, will come back later. Back to the computing side, if we wanted to model this in the computer, we’d do it in a manner very similar to modeling a triangle. All we need is one more point that is not on the same plane (co-planar) as the other three. Much like a triangle has at least one point that is not co-linear with the other two. So once you’ve verified… wait, how do you verify that the polyhedron is convex, instead of collapsed? Very simple, let’s say you have four points, {a, b, c, d}. Take three points, {a, b, c} and build a triangle like we did before (build two vectors, take the cross product, find the unit normal), than replace one of the points with point d (any point, it truly does not matter which one), and build a second triangle. If the unit normals match, your triangle is collapsed. But what if they don’t match, but the difference is very small (i.e. they almost, but not quite, match)? Welcome to polyhedra quality, which is something we’ll table for now. When using tetrahedron to build higher order solids, you need to keep an eye on shared sides, just like you do when using triangles to build surfaces, and as a triangle with two points in common with another triangle shares an edge, a tetrahedron with three points in common with another shares a side. Obviously, then, you check for shared sides by checking for 3 points in common, right? Sure, if you want to do a lot of work, but there is a more efficient way – you find the centroid of each side of the tetrahedron. A centroid is the geometric center of any shape. And I mean any shape. If it helps, you can think about the centroid as being the center of gravity of the shape6. Finding the centroid can be a challenge for irregular shapes, but for triangles, luckily, it’s dead on simple. It’s the average of the three points. Seriously, it’s that simple. Same for the tetrahedron (average of the four points). So now that I have face centroids, I just compare centroids to find shared sides. If I want a verification that a side is shared, and not just very, very close, I can always compare unit normals and see if they are co-linear (remember the dot product? If it equals 1, they are co-linear), So we’ve gone from points to lines to triangles to polygons to complex surfaces to polyhedra and we haven’t drawn a single thing, this is all pure math. If the spiral up above had tetrahedrons through the body, instead of just triangles on the surface, we’d have a solid body instead of just connected surfaces. But there is one more way to mathematically represent geometry, which we’ll talk about next time. Image by fdecomite Notes: 1. You can stretch a triangle over a curved surface, such a sphere, but then it no longer fits the definition of a simple triangle, since the lines are now curves [] 2. If you have four points, you could make a quadrilateral, but you have to make sure your lines don’t cross; triangles don’t have this concern [] 3. I had a professor who spent an internship at NASA doing just this [] 4. and modeling software still has to be able to read and process said data, because lots of old geometry is still in that format, and because it’s pretty universal [] 5. ideally, edges are manifold and only belong to two surfaces; edges that belong to one, or three or more surfaces, are non-manifold and while geometrically valid, can be problematic for engineering simulations, so they are avoided [] 6. provided the shape is made up of a homogeneous material, squishy things with lots of parts with different densities, like people, have a center of gravity in a location that is very distinct from their centroid [] Associate Editor Please do be so kind as to share this post. TwitterFacebookRedditEmailPrintFriendlyMore options 16 thoughts on “A Primer On Computational Geometry – Part Two 1. I sorta hate to do this for your first comment here, but… What is a square except two right triangles with a common hypotenuse? Or four equilateral triangles with points and edges in common? That second sentence is wrong. You can’t build a square out of equilateral triangles. You can build a regular hexagon out of six of them. You can build a square out of either 2 or 4 right triangles. Now that I’ve satisfied my inner pedant please carry on. I’m finding this series interesting. 2. Fascinating stuff! I regularly do a fair amount of computational geometry in my metrology work, mostly based on the geometry of circles to compute phase angles, etc., but it’s been a long time since I’ve done anything with 3-D graphic visualizations. It’s great to see the techniques broken down into their simplest components like this. On the whole it would seem to be a huge and mind-bendingly complex task to model something like your spiral example, but you’ve shown how in reality it’s just a large collection of very simple tasks glued together with simple rules! 3. (the 0.02 extra is rounding error). And if you build another program that gathers all those rounding errors together…. 4. punched onto computer cards and hand fed, one by one, into a computer More pedantry. Even in the bad old days, a card reader could read a stack of cards from its hopper. • According to my dynamics prof, when he was an intern at NASA, they were hand fed. Granted, he also walked to NASA, barefoot, through the snow, uphill, both ways, but that’s the story he told and I’m sticking to it! • Leaving aside the possibility of a one-off DIY sort of thing, I’m with Schilling. Hollerith invented a practical mechanical feeder in the 1890s; all of the interesting things done with cards, certainly from the 1920s on, were interesting because of fast auto feeding; all of the early UNIVAC and IBM computers came with high speed card readers. People do card-at-a-time readers these days, typically for the purpose of recovering data from some sort of antique card deck. The usual approach is to put the cards on a contrasting background one at a time, take a picture of it, warp the picture into a standard shape, then read off the position of the punched holes. 5. If triangles were important we’d have a standard English word for them, something akin to “ball”, “cube”, “star”, “block”, “point”, “line”, “square”. But we don’t – because triangles aren’t important. We could get along just fine using half rectangles for all our triangular needs. • Wedge, pyramid, delta ETA: The importance is even more profound once you factor in trig functions. If you don’t have a protractor and you need to know the angle formed by two straight lines, you’d better understand triangles. Also, 3 of the 4 ‘squares’ I have in my tool box at home are triangles. Comments are closed.
Friday, October 23, 2009 Halloweein In Islam Religious Festivals Muslims have two celebrations each year, 'Eid al-Fitr and 'Eid al-Adha. The celebrations are based in the Islamic faith and religious way of life. There are some who argue that Halloween, at least, is a cultural holiday, with no religious significance. To understand the issues, we need to look at the origins and history of Halloween. Pagan Origins of Halloween Christian Influence Halloween Customs and Traditions • "Trick or Treating": It is widely believed that during the Feast of All Saints, peasants went from house to house asking for money to buy food for the upcoming feast. Additionally, people dressed in costumes would often play tricks on their neighbors. Blame for the resulting chaos was placed on the "spirits and goblins." • Jack-O'-Lantern: The Irish brought the Jack-O'-Lantern to America. The tradition is based on a legend about a stingy, drunken man named Jack. Jack played a trick on the devil, then made the devil promise not to take his soul. The devil, upset, promised to leave Jack alone. When Jack died, he was turned away from Heaven because he was a stingy, mean drunk. Desperate for a resting place, he went to the devil but the devil also turned him away. Stuck on earth on a dark night, Jack was lost. The devil tossed him a lighted coal from the fire of Hell, which Jack placed inside a turnip as a lamp to light his way. Since that day, he has traveled the world over with his Jack-O'-Lantern in search of a resting place. Irish children carved out turnips and potatoes to light the night on Halloween. When the Irish came to America in great numbers in the 1840's, they found that a pumpkin made an even better lantern, and this "American tradition" came to be. Islamic Teachings Virtually all Halloween traditions are based either in ancient pagan culture, or in Christianity. From an Islamic point of view, they all are forms of idolatry (shirk). As Muslims, our celebrations should be ones that honor and uphold our faith and beliefs. How can we worship only Allah, the Creator, if we participate in activities that are based in pagan rituals, divination, and the spirit world? Many people participate in these celebrations without even understanding the history and the pagan connections, just because their friends are doing it, their parents did it ("it's a tradition!"), and because "it's fun!" So what can we do, when our children see others dressed up, eating candy, and going to parties? While it may be tempting to join in, we must be careful to preserve our own traditions and not allow our children to be corrupted by this seemingly "innocent" fun. When tempted, remember the pagan origins of these traditions, and ask Allah to give you strength. Save the celebration, the fun and games, for our 'Eid festivals. Children can still have their fun, and most importantly, should learn that we only acknowledge holidays that have a religious significance to us as Muslims. Holidays are not just excuses to binge and be reckless. In Islam, our holidays retain their religious importance, while allowing proper time for rejoicing, fun and games. Guidance From the Quran On this point, the Quran says: "When it is said unto them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed, come to the Messenger,' they say, 'Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following.' What! Even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?" (Qur'an 5:104) Wednesday, October 7, 2009 The virtues of Soorat al-Ikhlaas, Soorat al-Faatihah, Soorat al-Fath, Soorat al-Naba’ Soorat al-Faatihah (the Opening), soorah #1 Soorat al-Fath (the Victory), soorah #48 Soorat al-Ikhlaas (the Purity), soorah #112 Soorat al-Naba’ (the Great News), soorah #78 The aayah “La ilaaha illa anta subhaanaka innee kuntu min al-zaalimeen (None has the right to be worshipped except You [O Allaah]. Glorified (and Exalted) are You. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers)” is from Soorat al-Anbiyaa’, Soorah 21, aayah 87. A word of warning: The book Dalaa’il al-Khayraat contains da’eef (weak) and fabricated ahaadeeth, and prescribes things that are contrary to the truth, so it is not right for anyone to rely on this book. Friday, October 2, 2009 Islam Condemns Violence "Not only did the terrorists hijack planes and destroy life, but they also hijacked the peaceful religion of Islam and split the brother and sisterhood of mankind." (Yusuf Islam) The sanctity of Human Life Al- Quran 6:151 The Last Messenger and the Message of God All praises and thanks, be to Almighty God, the creator of all that exists. The greatest thing that God has offered humanity is that he provided them messengers chosen from among the best of their kind. He disclosed and conferred upon man the Revelation to guide everyone towards the truth, the straight path, as well as warn and deliver people from falsehood and evil, such that they would alone seek His pleasure and satisfaction in pursuit of Paradise. Since time immemorial, God sent prophets after prophets, messages after messages --- dating from Noah to Abraham, Moses, Jesus (Peace be upon all of them) and culminating with the seal of them all, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), who came to confirm not only the previous messengers but especially that of the universal message which calls people to worship the Creator alone. Al- Quran 2:285 Virtues of Friday (Jummah Mubarak) Praise be to Allah. Narrated by Muslim, 856. Al-Nawawi said: Thursday, October 1, 2009 How i came to islam May Allah’s peace be upon you! My name’s Brunsheska, I am a 22 years old married woman from the USA. I have being asked about Islam in several occasion, and the best answer I came to learn now, is that Allah made his way to me one way or another. I would assume that the first time I truly became very curious about Islam was 11SEP2011, everyone was saying all kind of things about Islam and Muslims including my family members, some of them were talking very bad about Islam and Muslims because of what they heard. I didn’t have the mean to do more research about it at that time. My father wasn’t a big Muslim fan at that time especially with his military background that somehow influenced his interpretation to Islam. Simultaneously, I was affected as well with the media, and I started hating Islam and Muslims with no reason except of what the media wanted me to believe. Yet, I knew deep in my heart that it can’t be only way of telling a story, and Islam can’t be the cruel. So I started making more research in at a college level, which helped me somehow get a subjective point of view about Islam, contrary to what my classmate were saying, when they ask me about the reasons I want to learn about that religion? I simply answered them that feeling confused about Christianity and I have not find in it the stability that I am looking for. Couple years later, I’ve met a young Muslim man online his name was Adil and he seemed to be a good person, walked me through Islam believe and answered almost all my questions about Islam. Two years after that I married him, and we are a happily married Muslim couple now. Some thinks that he influenced my beliefs and others thought that I reverted just because of him, that is what they say, but my I’ll say that Allah had his way to communicate with heart, mind and soul, and if god decide to give credit for me and for other person for me to find true answers that I haven’t find anywhere else, who else is better to get them than my husband. After all, who’s better get that and do more good deeds in this life, because I am not looking to live in a small mention in paradise, I want that big castle with the big land, to live happy with my loved husband happily ever after. To all the other sisters from different religion, don’t get influenced with what you see, read and hear, use your brains and listen to your heart and open your eyes widely; because of Allah is closer to you than you think. Allah said:” you might hate something and it’s good for you”, and Islam is for peace and those people who conducted those attacks and do all the bad things around the world are representing themselves and not a great religion such Islam. Thanks to god! Related Posts with Thumbnails
Achieving ‘zero poverty’ is a long and hard task, but this comprehensive empirical report published by the Overseas Development Institute argues that it is possible by focusing on the three arms of the ‘zero poverty tripod’: tackling chronic poverty, stopping impoverishment, and sustaining poverty escapes. These goals will require massive global investment, and all three aims, in all contexts, will require support through social assistance, huge investment in education, and a focus on pro-poorest economic growth. The paper is structured in two parts, with Part A concerning the improvement of poverty dynamics. This includes: drawing on two previous chronic poverty reports to outline the current state of play; overviewing successful policies with an emphasis on social assistance, pro-poorest economic growth, human development for the hard-to-reach, and transformative social change; an examination of impoverishment; and the identification of factors that have enabled households to escape and stay out of poverty, with implications for policy-makers. Part B of the paper asks the questions, “Can it be done, and what will it take?”. Here, the authors pinpoint five key drivers for success: pro-poorest economic growth, major investment in inclusive education; policies aimed at reducing individual and systemic risk for the poorest, including risk from climate change; and the attainment of governance ‘good enough’ to deliver universal services. Projection scenarios are then discussed, concluding that without marked change, one billion people could still be living in extreme poverty in 2030. To avoid this, and achieve the eradication of poverty, the paper’s final section sets out the global goals that could really make a difference, and the resources required to lift all people from poverty permanently. The report concludes that poverty is most prevalent where domestic resources are lowest; over 80 per cent of those living on less than $1.25 per day live in countries where government spending is less than the purchasing power parity of $1000 per person each year. The major proposal recommended by the authors is for the post-2015 development framework to heed the lessons of this report and incorporate poverty eradication goals in terms of the poverty tripod. The very poorest included in each and every target, and an annual ‘Leave No One Behind’ conference linked to the UN general Assembly should be formed. 1. How good is this research?
Transparent Characters Most characters in movies, television, and theater are relatively easy for audiences to read. Actors learn to use their voice tone, gaze direction, body motions, etc. to clearly telegraph their characters’ feelings and perspective. But in the stories that are told, the characters themselves usually do not understand each other, or themselves, quite so well. For example, audiences enjoy seeing one character lie to another; the audience gets many clues that what is said is a lie, but the duped character just doesn’t notice them. Similarly, characters often have large character flaws easily visible to the audience, such as arrogance or selfishness, but those characters just don’t see their own flaws. These acting tricks let audiences enjoy a sense of inside access, of being able to see more into the story’s world than they can usually see in their ordinary world. But I fear prolonged exposure to such acting tempts us to overconfidence about how well we can read those around us. We feel we can read ourselves well and read others better than they can read us. And when we disagree, we think we can usually spot the flaw in their thinking, a flaw they have not even considered. Now I do think humans try to simplify themselves in order to be understood, and thereby trusted, by others. It is hard to trust folks whose actions you can’t at least roughly predict. But Beware: life is not a movie, and most people can’t actually read themselves and others nearly as well as they think they can. GD Star Rating Tagged as: Trackback URL: • Abigail Or possibly, life is like a movie. We, like the characters, do not see our own flaws, or the indications that someone is lying. While legal dramas take half a minute to crossexamine, the best of them establish from cross what a real advocate would take a day to establish. The best medical dramas deal with real illness and real situations, even if the doctor decides immediately what to do whereas in real life he would take days or weeks. Stories help us understand the world, as well as providing escapism. They expose us to different situations so that we might have some idea when we face that situation in real life. They let us feel emotions vicariously. Some stories are merely escapist, reassuring us that there is a happy ending, the bad suffer and the good end up OK- and therefore increase people’s confidence. If the person is unduly cautious, an increase in confidence is a good thing. • Paul Crowley To be honest I find the trope very tiresome, and it’s one of the things I enjoyed about Twin Peaks: we see a character lying to his wife about how his past is behind him and he’s a reformed character now, but it’s said with all appearance of absolute sincerity. Lynch trusts the audience to follow what’s going on without the need to hold up huge signs during these scenes saying “WARNING: this character is lying!” • Sebastian Hagen To be honest I find the trope very tiresome Seconded. On the subject of “visual media with good liars/in-character actors”, I nominate the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Anime. • denis bider Robin: from where comes your suggestion that people in general are overconfident in their abilities to read themselves and others? I have more doubts than such convictions about myself. What do you know about others? Paul Crowley: perhaps Desperate Housewives and House are examples of intelligent shows that appeal to their audiences for similar reasons. There’s shows made for those who need an overwhelming number of cues to understand, and then there’s shows made for those who enjoy not being smothered in overtness. • eric falkenstein How about this bias: when adults interact with children, even when acting indirectly through characters that speak directly to children (puppets, funny characters), they are always wildly happy and cheerful. Kids learn that it is ‘normal’ to be happy, so when they invariably experience unhappiness, it is even more depressing because it highlights how different they are from everyone else. • Michael Stack I’ve long thought that it must be incredibly difficult to perform scenes like that as an actor. Your character is lying, but the fact of the lie must be visible to the audience, so there are typically subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) clues given to the audience, usually through the liar’s body language. However, these cues must not be so overt as to make the audience think that the lie recipient can see through the lie. I agree with the commentors above – good television is much better today and scenes like ‘character A lies to character B’ are more often played as they would in real life, with the lie recipient (and the audience) unable to determine if the character is lying or not. • Brad Horner (For Abigail’s comment.) I think the difference is that with a movie, we are outside observers with a quasi-omniscient perspective. We can see the relevant and significant features of a character’s behavior in a movie, but this is not necessarily so in real life. Furthermore, actors in a movie try to make their actions universally understandable to their audience – they are fulfilling a role – but in real life we just do what we want and don’t worry so much about fulfilling generally understood roles. • Eliezer Yudkowsky To generalize, we pick up many poor mental habits because the books, news, and video we absorb places us into an epistemic position quite unlike Real Life. For example, people read history books, and then think that a forecast of the future should sound like something they read in a history book – a detailed extrapolation of causal chains, complete with dates and times. “In 2018, China will surpass the US as the world’s leading producer of blah blah blah.” • Raj I like this point that you make: “It is hard to trust folks whose actions you can’t at least roughly predict.” Therefore, we attempt to read people by placing their behavior in the familiar, which is unfortunately in the cast of movie characters swirling through our heads. Conversely, I do think many of us unconsciously imitate our favorite character(s) in an attempt to write a favorable narrative; so, to some extent, people do read us “accurately.” I think your logic should be extended to personality tests and the like that “tell us” what we are. • David Robinson It’s not necessarily someone’s people-reading hubris that bothers me so much as the resulting narrative. As we’ve seen in the election and the financial mess, narrative tends to make experts out of a lot of people. Some of this may be earned, of course: If my finances are on the line, I am going to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible. But how much can I quickly learn in fields where even the experts are not experts according to other experts? A lot of the pre-packaged truths read like narrative, and those get adopted rapidly, but over time you can put together enough of those narratives and they break apart like a bad alibi. A lot of actors, incidentally, don’t play the lie. They wrap themselves up in the circumstances of what the truth really is, and then try to make the lie seem true. As ethereal as it sounds, if you do it right, you give yourself away. The contrast is that in the real world lying requires stepping outside of the circumstances so that you can ignore the truth. • Mauve I think Robin’s observations are spot on with regard to bad television and movies — i.e., most of both. I’ve always regarded it as a hallmark of good television and movie-making that I don’t completely know what is going on, what motivations characters really have, and that I can’t predict what is going to happen. The good shows really make you think and work at trying to fully grok them, and even then, the conclusions and predictions you come to are tentative and often overturned in the future, just like in real life. For example, in “Six Feet Under”, while you often feel that you have insight into Nate or David or Brenda or Ruth or Claire or Keith in a way that each character doesn’t have with regard to himself/herself, I never really felt that I had much greater insight into the characters than (at least some) other characters within the show already did. Nate was completely impenetrable to himself, but Brenda understood him quite well, and I don’t think I understood him better than she did (while she for much of the show was completely oblivious with regard to herself). Likewise with the other characters, each of whom was generally pretty well understood by at least one other character, but not in the unnatural (clairvoyant) manner of bad television and not by most of the other characters. They could all surprise each other, and often did. Each of the characters had their issues and their own cognitive biases, and each of them was good at recognizing certain biases (in certain other characters) and understanding some other characters, and each had huge blinders with respect to some other characters and some issues. It is of course much easier to be less superficial in a show like “Six Feet Under” that deals with much more of life than just the standard television view of life that you see in “Leave it to Beaver” or “The Brady Bunch” and pretty much most shows since. I’m not sure about the underlying thesis though, that the artificial transparency and simplicity of television lead us to have unrealistic expectations about how much we understand ourselves and other people in real life. I think rather that television reflects the underlying overly simplistic and superficial that people already have. This is the age-old debate of whether media reflect reality or media influence reality. Of course the influence/reflection is in both directions in general, but with respect to this issue, I think it’s more a case of media reflecting the reality that people falsely believe is the case. I think media reinforce the underlying biases, and perhaps in that respect, things are worse than they would otherwise be if there were no television or movies (or books or oral storytelling, etc.), but superficial media portrayals are only affecting the least significant digits, rather than actually determining the most significant digits. I do think it quite likely though that television and film media would serve to increase the inertia of individual biases so that if for some reason people were ever to begin to improve their understanding of themselves and the world and see how much less they really know, then these media would serve to dampen this change and make the change slower than it would otherwise be. • Nic ‘RedWord’ Smith Sebastian – It took me a moment to figure out what you meant, because the first thing that entered my mind was the fact that the children in Higurashi almost always have their eyes covered as a dramatic clue whenever they’re saying something untrue. This is actually not as important as the lies that the adult characters tell, without any visual clues. • Caledonian I am told that, despite a common belief by police that they are capable of reading suspects, when tested they fare no better than civilians. Same thing holds for other law enforcement and investigation groups, even elite ones. To systematically do better than chance, people need special and intensive training; see this for examples. Perhaps a contributing factor is that police and similar investigators are often confronted by people trying to deceive them, and even without a true capacity to detect lies and evasions, if they guess they’re being lied to they’re probably right. • Black ops I couldnt agree with you more!!!
Monsters of the Deep Mysterious Oarfish Found in Sweden Hikers on the Swedish coast have found a three-meter-long giant oarfish. Sightings are incredibly rare and many think the fish, which can grow as long as 35 feet, could explain ancient sea serpent legends. Some think they may be the origin of seafaring tales of ocean serpents. In Japan, sightings of the enormous fish in shallow water are seen as bad omens preceding an earthquake. But in the waters of northern Europe, appearances of the giant oarfish, which can grow up to 12 meters (39 feet) in length, are exceedingly rare. Earlier this week, though, a hiker on a Swedish beach not far from the border with Norway came upon the 10-foot-long cadaver of a giant oarfish, also known as the king of herrings. It was the first time such a fish had been seen in Swedish waters in 130 years. "At first, we thought it was a giant piece of plastic," Kurt Ove Eriksson, who found the fish, told the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. "But then we saw an eye." The giant oarfish is the longest living bony fish and can reach a weight of up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds). They generally make their home in more temperate waters and spend most of their time deep below the ocean surface, between 200 and 1,000 meters (650 to 3,280 feet) down. 'I Still Can't Believe It' The fish found in Sweden was taken to the maritime museum in Lysekil. "It is unbelievable, I still can't believe it," a museum employee told the Swedish media. Despite the rarity of giant oarfish sightings, the Swedish specimen is not the first to have ventured into the North Sea. In February 2009, two of them washed up on English beaches within weeks of each other. "Very little is known about the life cycle of these magnificent creatures and it's a mystery why two of them should have washed up on our coastlines so close together," Zahra d'Aronville, a curator at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Tynemouth, where one of the fish was found, told the online publication Journal Live. This spring, 10 specimens either washed up on Japanese beaches or were caught in Japanese fishing nets, prompting concerns that the archipelago was soon to be hit by an earthquake. Traditional lore in the country holds that the rarely sighted fish rise to the surface to warn of impending temblors. Related Topics All Rights Reserved Reproduction only allowed with the permission of SPIEGELnet GmbH Die Homepage wurde aktualisiert. Jetzt aufrufen. Hinweis nicht mehr anzeigen.
Six Animals and One Pillar BEN_5154The parable of the six animals and one pillar appears in a Buddhist scripture. This is a story that Shakyamuni told people when he preached in an area to the north of Shravasti in ancient India: A man kept six animals in his house: a dog, a bird, a poisonous snake, a fox, a sisumara ( a kind of crocodile), and a monkey. They were all tightly leashed to the single pillar of the house. They hated to stay inside, and each yearned to go to its favourite place.The dog longed for the village, the bird for the skies, the snake for a hole, the fox for a barrow, the sisumara for the sea and the monkey for the forest. Yet no matter how hard they struggled or strained, they were too securely tied to the pillar to be able to escape. Shakyamuni Buddha continued: The six animals represent our six senses or desires—-sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and consciousness. Desires insatiably demand objects. The eyes yearn for beautiful colors, the ears for pleasing voices, the nose for its favorite fragrances, the tongue for good tastes, the body for agreeable textures and the consciousness for self satisfaction. Even though each of them vies with the other to gush forts, one will never be controlled by them if they are tightly tied to a pillar. The single pillar, by the way, stands for a type of meditation. Drawing by abbysoekarno, 2011. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary Jump to: navigation, search To anyone so interested: There is no evidence I can find in the Japanese web for anything spelled 十手 and read as jutte with a "U", that is somehow distinct from 十手 when read as jitte with an "I". There are even web pages dedicated to making the point that jutte is an incorrect reading, and that it should be read instead as jitte. There does appear to be at least one different type of jitte in addition to the basic truncheon design, but this is given a specific name (apparently 機械十手 kikai jitte, or マロホシ marohoshi, as noted towards the bottom of ja:w:十手), and is not just called a jitte. If anyone can find lexicographically significant and citable information stating otherwise, please post here. ‑‑ Eiríkr Útlendi │ Tala við mig 17:41, 7 April 2014 (UTC) • It does not matter what some "web pages" or Wikipedia might say, what matters are facts. Wikipedia is not always right, until very recently the English Wikipedia article currently titled "Jitte" was for many years titled "Jutte" and undoubtedly it will once again be renamed "Jutte". There are two completely different weapons with similar names, many people who have not properly researched the subject are unaware of this fact. While it is true that the truncheon type weapon has been called by both names (jutte and jitte), the other hand held spear type weapon has only been called by one name (jitte), the fact that so many people are not aware that there is a weapon like this is not unusual, it would take someone who has done a bit of research to know about the existence and histories etc of both weapons. Unfortunately many people who really have no knowledge of the subject think they are well informed when they make pronouncements about what these weapons should be called. Just because someone is Japanese or a source is from Japan does not automatically mean that they have sufficient knowledge on the subject of Japanese hand held weapons to properly name them. If you go back to the source of the images used in both the English and the Japanese Wikipedia (Wikimedia commons) you will see that the images are described in a completely different manner. If you read the references I am posting you will understand the difference between a "jitte" and a "jutte and please note that the weapon known as a "marohoshi" is another completely different form, also do a search for juttejutsu and juttejitsu and you will find more results than if you search for jittejutsu or jittejitsu. It us quite understandable why there is a certain amount of confusion regarding the proper naming of certain obscure weapons but that is no excuse for continuing to do so when presented with the proper research. Why a jutte is called "jutte" and not "jitte". Taiho-Jutsu: Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai By Don Cunningham. Page 72. [1] The difference between a "jitte" and a "jutte". Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts By Serge Mol. Page 36.[2] Jutte: Japanese Power of Ten Hands Weapon, George Kirby (Author), Mike Lee (Author), 1987. [3] Samuraiantiqueworld (talk) 02:12, 8 April 2014 (UTC) jutte seems to be a variant, not-as-common reading, with the same meaning as jitte ([4][5][6][7][8]). Wyang (talk) 02:26, 8 April 2014 (UTC) • @Samuraiantiqueworld Your sources are potentially useful background for an English term jutte. However, inasmuch as these sources are in English, they are not of any use as background for the Japanese term 十手 of either reading, jitte or jutte. I noticed a likely mistake in the romaji renderings of one term in [9] (tekkan ostensibly using the character (sword), which would be ken, not kan), raising questions about the general accuracy of romanized words and the readings purportedly pointed to thereby. Note again that this whole thread is in reference to the Japanese term 十手 as used in Japanese. English-language references are almost uniformly not useful sources for this. We are interested in establishing the lexicographical background of this term, in Japanese. ‑‑ Eiríkr Útlendi │ Tala við mig 03:39, 8 April 2014 (UTC) • @Wyang JMdict and Romaji Desu have been unreliable in the past, so I tend to take findings there with a grain of salt. The Kotonoha page is an example of numerous pages I've run across that use this word as quiz material, given that its reading is unintuitive from the kanji, and that the word isn't commonly known anymore. The two blog entries were quite interesting; thank you for those. All that said, I'll do some digging around in Google Books and see if this reading shows up in enough publications (in ways that meet WT:CFI) to merit inclusion. ‑‑ Eiríkr Útlendi │ Tala við mig 03:39, 8 April 2014 (UTC) • Upon further research, the only sources I can find that list any jutte reading are either monolingual English texts or bilingual Japanese-English dictionaries. I cannot find any monolingual Japanese sources that do anything more than mention jutte as an incorrect reading. I will add a usage note to the entry to this effect. ‑‑ Eiríkr Útlendi │Tala við mig 18:47, 7 January 2016 (UTC)
Once Upon A Wolvog Stories from the front lines Benefits of Climate Change Leave a comment The bearlift in Maddaddam is how the corporations are trying to help the polar bears survive the melting arctic. This is, of course, done mostly for PR campaign. Reading the trilogy, even if you don’t want it, but an alarmist feeling creeps up on you. I even begun to believe in a negative outcome for the future of humans. However, the coin always has two sides and while when it comes to climate change the negative consequences vastly outnumber the positive ones. There are potentially positive developments due to the melting ice in arctic. Many of us know that arctic ice is melting. Scientists say that within our lifetime, the ice on the arctic will completely disappear. The consequences of that could be both positive and negative. Let’s take phytoplankton for example. Since the ice is thinning, the phytoplankton is getting more sun light, thus giving phytoplankton a favorable atmosphere in which to reproduce. In fact, according Harvard researchers, the increase of phytoplankton under the arctic ice, directly related to the current climate change. “They’re [phytoplankton] really, really important because they’re sort of the base of the food chain,” said Kent Moore Fulbright visiting chair in Arctic studies at the University of Washington. Currently it is hard to say how the increase of phytoplankton will affect the life in the arctic. For example, zooplankton plan their reproduction based on that of phytoplankton, and because of the thinning of the ice, zooplankton might miss the primary production of phytoplankton, potentially depriving them from this food source. Others are saying that they might take advantage of the situation and shift their reproduction to that of phytoplankton, allowing the population of zooplankton to grow. Another potentially beneficial impact of the melting arctic if the fact that it will open the trade routes from for North America, Europe and Asia. Those trade routes are cheaper and could potentially boost the economies of those continents and increase trade while simultaneously reducing the cost of the tradable goods. I do understand, however that the negative consequences of climate change by far outnumber the positive once, but I personally hate to look only on the negative consequences since it wouldn’t provide a full picture of the situation. Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
SugarCane By:Chenhao Have you ever wondered where your everyday sugar comes from? Well your not likely to know and if you did you probably only know a few facts. Sugar comes from two plants Sugarcane and Sugar beet. But we're leaving the research about Sugar Beet to you. So you can read about the thrilling facts of Sugarcane. Sugarcane belongs to the Saccharum class from the Poaceae family. New Guinea was actually the first to adapt the plant but Indians were the first to discover the sugar and juice inside the cane and actually the first to extract and purify it!!! The Indians would shred and squeeze the juice into cane juice. They would remove all the solids likes mud and rocks with hot water. It was then boiled until it thickened and molasses-Rich Sugar Crystals would appear. They would then take of the molasses and pure white sugar crystals would emerge. Sugarcane started to spread to other nations when Emperor Darius of Persia invaded India around 500BC. Originally in the ancient times they used honey as the main sweetener. When the Emperor invaded India successfully they bought back the crop Sugarcane to Persia. It was nicknamed the "The reed which gives honey without Bees" Sugar later made its way to Western Europe where an Admiral of Alexander the Greats armies called Nearcus described it as "The honey yielding reed". After that sugar spread like wildfire. From Egypt to Italy and to Spain. It was even made into a kind of Beer. Overall I think the history of sugarcane is absolute amazing. The fact that they used honey as a sweetener in the ancient times means that we could use honey more too. They must have thought that sugar was some other type of honey that doesn't need bees to produce. Made with Adobe Slate Make your words and images move. Get Slate Report Abuse
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 A to Z Challenge -- M -- HUNTER, CRESCENT, AND FULL MABON -- This Sabbat falls on the Autumn Equinox. It is the second harvest. The God grows old and is preparing for his death at Samhain. The stories of Mabon ap Modron, the Welsh God, and of Demeter and Persephone are associated with this time. Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, is also a fertility god and of the the harvest. One myth about him, tells how he was destroyed by the Titans, except his heart, and was resurrected when Zeus gave the heart to Semele to eat, whereupon she gave birth to him anew. This reflects the same cycle seen in the Wheel of the Year. MAIDEN -- The first aspect of the Triple Goddess in Wicca. She is represented by the waxing crescent moon. She is fresh and youthful and in the first blush of womanhood. Associated with Spring, the Maiden is beginnings and ideas, potential, and newness. MALLEUS MALEFICARUM -- Translated it means the The Witches' Hammer. Written in 1484 by Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger, two Inquisitors. Under the Bull of Pope Innocent VIII, this document was a guide to questioning, when torturing was necessary, trying, and sentencing those accused of witchcraft. It also included how to spot signs of witchcraft and demon possession, how to cure those inflicted with spells, how to protect themselves from spells, and a host of other information for the professional witch hunter, Inquisitor, or magistrate. It was in use for three centuries or so in the persecution of those falling within their grasp. MARCH -- March began the Roman year. It was when military campaigns renewed after the break in winter. Martius translates to (month of) Mars. Mars being the Roman god of war. MAY -- Named after the Roman goddess Maia, who is the goddess of spring growth. MOTHER -- She is the second aspect of the Triple Goddess. She is in her prime in all things: fertility, ripeness, sexually, and power. Most times, She is pictured pregnant to symbolize this richness. The full moon represents Her. MOON -- The moon has been studied, worshiped, and used as a means of time telling for just about every ancient culture. Many used/still use the lunar calender, including Ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Greeks to name a few. Others used or changed to a lunisolar calender. The varying gods and goddess for the moon run across all the mythological pantheons: the Egyptian Thoth, the Roman Diana, the Greek Selene, and the Japanese/Shinto Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. Many modern day Wiccans have the Triple Goddess or the Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The Maiden is the waxing moon, the Mother is the full moon, and the Crone is the waning moon. MONDAY -- The name of this day comes from the Old English monandaeg from the Latin dies Lunae,which translates to day of the moon. Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me. I found them on Google. 1. MALLEUS MALEFICARUM - a hateful book written out of fear - a lot of it for intelligent women. I hadn't heard the tale of Dionysus before. Tasha's Thinkings \| Wittegen Press \| FB3X (AC) 1. Me either. I came across it when I was reading up on Mabon. So I followed the clues and found it a couple of times on some good sites. 2. MALLEUS MALEFICARUM - I need to read this. It looks fascinating. (Disclaimer - I am not planning to torture anyone.) 1. I have a copy and it its heavy reading. Haven't read through it all yet though. 3. I'd also like to read the Malleus Maleficarum, even though, as Tasha says, it is a hateful book. But it's also history, and one can't/shouldn't hide from history. 1. it is interesting to read. it's easy to imagine the horrors that the document incited.
1531 Electronic Definition or Meaning for positive clamper Definition for positive clamper What do you think what is positive clamper? Our electronic definitions web site has answer for that as well: positive clamper a circuit that produces a positive do shift of a signal by moving all the input signal upward until the negative peaks arc at zero and the positive peaks are at 2Vp.
Eyelid dermatitis is a skin inflammation that occurs on the eyelids. It can create dry, flaky skin on the eyelids or an itchy rash, depending on the exact nature of the inflammation. It can affect eyesight if the eyelid becomes swollen or if the skin flakes off and irritates the eye. Eyelid dermatitis is irritating and hard to treat because most creams used to treat skin irritation can't be used near the eyes. There are a range of theories about what causes eyelid dermatitis. Most cases are attributed to some type of allergy, although the specific allergy might not be identified. Because many cases of eyelid dermatitis are spread by the fingers, one of the easiest courses of treatment is simply to avoid touching the eyes at all and to keep the eyelids clean. This can clear up cases where an allergen has reached the skin and caused the inflammation. Avoid any unnecessary chemicals when being treated for the condition. Insect sprays and synthetic fragrances are thought to be some of the causes of this type of dermatitis. Seek a doctor's care before using any over-the-counter lotions on the eyelid. The use of lotions or skin creams on the eyelids may cause eye irritation, vision impairment or even blindness.
Soursop Health benefits • effective antidepressant • antispasmodic (prevents muscle spasms) • hypotensive (can lower blood pressure) • antibacterial • cardiotonic (regulates the heart) • vasodilator ( widen blood vessels) • anti-tumor • anti-cancerous The miracle healing powers of soursop is not limited to the fruit. Studies have shown that other parts of the plant can also be of tremendous benefit: • Seeds: antiparasitic ( a natural remedy for lice) • Bark: lower fever • Leaves: speed up the healing of wounds and serves as a sedative • unripe soursop: aid digestion The flower was believed to be helpful for bronchitis and cough. Problems like colitis, parasites, diarrhea, fevers, dysentery, mouth sores, hydropsy and lactogogue were treated with the soursop fruit. The fruit possesses tranquilizing properties. Soursop seeds were considered affective for astringent, emetic, carminative, head lice, insecticide, skin parasites, parasites, worms. The bark of the tree was asthma, asthenia, difficult child birth, coughs, hypertension, parasites, diabetes and as a heart tonic. It was believed to possess sedative properties. The soursop leaf was used for a variety of different problems including arthritis and rheumatism in which the leaf is crushed mixed with olive oil and applied externally. It relieved symptoms of bronchitis, colic cough, asthma, and asthenia and was considered potent enough to fight ulcers and infections. It took care of parasites, worms, diarrhea, dysentery, indigestion, liver problems, gall bladder disorders, nervousness, palpitation, hypertension, malaria, diabetes, edema, lactogogue, grippe, fever and various skin disorders were treated with the leaf of soursop Plant. The roots of the plant were specially used for diabetes and spasms and used as sedatives. As the benefits of soursop gained attention, researches were conducted, and it was discovered that the plant produces a set of phytochemicals known as the Annonaceous Acetogenins. These chemicals have powerful anticancer and antitumor properties and are hailed as a miracle for cancer patients, the biggest soursop benefit of all. The acetogenins show powerful cytotoxity towards various kinds of cancer cells and illuminate them. Researches prove that these chemicals are much more potent than the currently use chemotherapy drugs and do not harm healthy cells like the chemotherapy drugs do causing hair loss and extreme nausea.The active cytotoxity against cancer cells found in soursop has powerful antitumor characteristics. The Annonaceous Acetogenins are very good and effective inhibitors of enzymatic activity that is carried out in tumor or cancerous cells hence they do no harm to normal healthy cells. Researches published by the Purdue University claimed that the acetogenins were very effective in killing tumors that showed resistance to the antitumor medication. A tumor cell needs more energy to run its functions than a normal and healthy cell. The acetogenins work in such a way that they block the ATP going to the tumor cell and eventually the cell is unable to sustain its functions and dies away. So far 14 different strains of acetogenins have shown remarkable ATP inhibiting characteristics that are specially effective in case of breast cancer. The researches conducted so far indicate that the acetogenins show a defined toxicity against tumor cells present in prostate adenocarcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma cell lines, human lymphoma cell lines, human breast solid tumor lines, liver cancer cell lines and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. Through out the last century researchers have worked hard to find out the effects and side effects Griviola might have on the cancer and tumor cells. It will take time to finally come up with a drug that will be able to fight tumors and cancers without putting the patient in more pain than he is already in, even though a specific drug is not available yet but soursop supplements are recommended by Doctors. There are health benefits found in the leaf of the Soursop, 9 Benefits of Soursop Leaves\|Graviola\|Guanabana Cancel Healing Tree is a VIDEO worth the watch full of FACT, Trees and seeds available from Farmer Ray; "Grow Your Own Health" Organic Gardens. There's also available technical data on how to grow, and maintain veges for 'human body disease prevention" Consultancy and organic gardens developed and designed Soursop Nutrition facts Radiation is a form of cancer treatment that uses high energy radioactive material to damage cancer cells by killing their DNA. There are three types of radiation therapy: internal, external and systematic Internal radiation is administered by placing a radioactive substance in the body near the source of the cancer cells to kill them. External radiation therapy is done by a machine outside the body which generates gamma rays, x-rays and other charged particles and emits them into the body. High levels of radiation are not healthy or acceptable under any normal circumstances however it is accepted due to the urgency required for treatment by many cancer patients. 1 comment:
How Jewelry Came To Be Amethyst, for instance, was thought to sober drunks, quell *ual passion and cure baldness. Aquamarine was considered to protect seafarers, whilst emeralds increased fertility and intelligence. Rubies provided defense against every type of misfortune and created hostile neighbors friendly. Medieval Europeans dreaded the opal because of its resemblance to ;the Evil Eye; and it truly is from their fear that Sir Walter Scott, in 1829, wrote ;Anne of Geierstein;. In this novel, the * death is attributed towards the wearing of an opal, which is why, to this day, the superstition exists that it poor luck to wear an opal unless it really is your birthstone.The word ;jewelry; is derived in the Latin word jocale, meaning ;plaything;and is used to describe any piece of precious material used to adorn one self. Students with the natural sciences are in agreement when they say that of all the creatures within the animal kingdom, only human beings seek to adorn themselves.Prior to written language, or the spoken word, there was jewelry! According to archaelogists, even primitive man wore jewelry inside form of twine, stones and animal teeth and ;the very first spiritual want of a barbarous man is decoration;. Early in its inception, jewelry was associated with religious rites. Gold and jewels have been applied as gifts for that maintenance of worship and as protection against occult forces. In accordance with this began the presumption that precious stones possessed magical powers and could affect the fortunes with the wearer.
The Federalists and the Uses of Military Powers Max. M Edling in A Revolution in Favor of Government Published in print October 2003 \| ISBN: 9780195148701 The Federalists and the Uses of Military Powers Show Summary Details Chapter 9 and the corresponding Ch. 14 in Part Three of the book offer brief sketches of the institutionalization of the military and fiscal powers granted by the US Constitution, and of the uses made of them by the Federalists in the 1790s. Gives a historical account of the uses made by the national government during that period of the military powers that it was granted by the Constitution. Aims to make a judgment on the political achievement of the Federalists that hinges on the extent to which they managed to translate their principles into action when they transformed the articles of the Constitution into the policies and institutions of the new national government. Part of the discussion also addresses the fact that during the quarter century following the First US Congress, the USA had to respond repeatedly to events originating in Europe far beyond the federal government's control, and overall, drew advantage from the warfare that engulfed Britain, France, and Spain. It is noted that is not easy to answer the question of whether the federal government had any part in making this possible, but a cautious answer based on works of diplomatic history is that the reform of the federal government did make a difference to the actions of European governments. Keywords: American history; European wars; federal government; Federalism; institutionalization; military powers; national government; US Constitution; USA Chapter. 8797 words. Subjects: US Politics Full text: subscription required How to subscribe Recommend to my Librarian Buy this work at Oxford University Press »
Rabu, 11 Februari 2009 Fierce Snake atau Inland Taipan (DANGEROUS SNAKE) Scientific Name: Oxyuranus microlepidotus The Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus, Small Scaled Snake, Fierce Snake) is native to Australia and is the most venomous land snake. It is a species of Taipan belonging to the Elapidae family. Although highly venomous, it is timid and docile, providing it is left alone. The fierce snake or inland taipan can reach a total length of 2.5 metres, although 1.8 metres is the more usual length. The upper surface of the snake can vary from dark brown to a light straw colour. Dramatic seasonal colour changes take place, with a darker winter and lighter summer coloration. These changes are an adaptation to the harsh outback climate, the darker markings absorbing heat more efficiently in winter and the reverse in summer. The head especially may take on an almost glossy black appearance at times. A bite from the Inland Taipan can contain enough venom to kill 100 human adults or 250,000 mice. The average venom yield is 44 mg, 110 mg being the largest recorded. Its venom is 50 times more toxic than most rattlesnakes and 200 - 400 times as toxic as a cobra. The Inland Taipan has neurotoxic venom that could potentially kill an adult human in 45 minutes. There have been no documented human fatalities; bites were treated using antivenin. Did You Know? Although the fierce snake is the most toxic snake in the world with venom more potent than any other species by a large margin. There have never been any human fatalities caused by this species. Several bites have been recorded and successfully treated by taipan antivenom which is produced and manufactured by the Australian Reptile Park and the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in Melbourne. Habitat: The fierce snake inhabits the black soil plains in the region where Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory borders converge. There is little in the way of cover or vegetation, the snakes utilising the deep cracks and fissures formed in the dry soil to escape predators and the searing heat. Diet: The diet is almost solely composed of small mammals, particularly native rats, which, at times, reach plague proportions in this region. The prey is subdued with a series of rapid accurate strikes, which injects the extremely toxic venom deep into the rodent. The venom is unequaled in toxicity amongst any snake anywhere in the world. Reproduction: Populations of this snake are highly dependent on the availability of its favourite prey. When the rats experience a good year, the numbers of fierce snakes also rises soon after. By the same token, when a poor year follows many rats and snakes perish from lack of food. The female fierce snake lays between 12 and 20 eggs per clutch, which are laid in an abandoned animals burrow or deep soil crevice. Fierce Snake atau Inland Taipan (DANGEROUS SNAKE) Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Mel_anie 0 komentar: Posting Komentar
Smoke gets in your eyes! Print Eye surgeon, Milind Pande is marking Stoptober, the UK's mass 28 day stop smoking attempt by urging smokers to think about their eye sight! Smoking significantly increases the risk of impaired vision due to macular degeneration. The campaign comes as new research shows the extra years of life that can be gained by giving up smoking and staying smokefree. Milind Pande said: “It is now becoming clear that smoking is a bad thing for eye sight. It greatly increase the chance of age related macular degeneration which is one of the most common causes of loss of vision in the UK today. “Smoking damages blood vessels and the structure of the eye and smokers are three times more likely to develop macular degeneration than non-smokers. The part of the eye responsible for central vision is the part of the retina called themacula. Age related macular degeneration is a common ageing process in the macula which causes vision loss. There is now convincing evidence that tobacco smoking increases the risk of severe loss of vision from AMD.“ Mr Pande, who is medical director and consultant ophthalmologist at Vision Surgery in East Yorkshire concluded: “Along with stopping smoking, diet is key for reducing your risk. Antioxidants in fruit and vegetables protect the body against the effects of 'free radicals' which damage cells or prevent cell repair. Alcohol destroys these as does a diet with lots of hydrogenated or saturated fats. These things also increase the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.” Stoptober 2014 takes place for the whole of the month of October. Visit
9 de septiembre de 2014 You are Bisexual? What Is Bisexuality? How have scientists and health researchers defined bisexuality? Published on July 11, 2010 by Brian Mustanski, Ph.D. in The Sexual Continuum Skepticism about the existence of people attracted to both men and women has come from heterosexuals as well as gays and lesbians. Even within the scientific community there has been debate about the existence and meaning of bisexuality. No one seems to argue with the reality that some people have sex with both men and women. The skepticism has centered on if that behavior is motivated by a strong sexual attraction to both sexes. This debate recently flared up around the publication of an article by Rieger, Chivers, and Bailey that compared the genital and self-reported sexual arousal patterns of men who identified as heterosexual, bisexual, and gay. Men came into a private room in a lab and were shown several films that either included two men having sex with each other or two women having sex with each other. Genital arousal patterns were measured using a gauge that measures changes in the circumference of the penis as it becomes erect. This is also called a penile plethysmograph (shown at left). Participants also self-reported their sexual arousal by moving a lever backwards and forwards to show increasing or decreasing arousal. After analyzing the data the authors found different patterns between the gay, bisexual, and heterosexual men. The gay identified men had strong self-reported and physiological arousal to the videos to two men having sex. The heterosexual men showed the opposite pattern of arousal to the videos of two women having sex. The bisexual men also tended to show a physiological arousal that was stronger for videos with women or men. On average the bisexual men tended to be more aroused by male than female stimuli. But it is very important to point out that not all bisexual men showed this pattern. Some of the bisexually identified men showed more arousal to the female videos. In contrast to the physical measure of arousal, the bisexual men tended to show more equal self-reported arousal to both the male and female videos. The authors of the study reached the controversial conclusion that "with respect to sexual arousal and attraction, it remains to be shown that male bisexuality exists. Thus future research should also explore nonsexual reasons why some men might prefer a bisexual identity to a homosexual or heterosexual identity." Some researchers have criticized the conclusions drawn from the study by saying that the measures of sexual arousal were too crude to capture the richness of sexual attraction that includes more than genital and self-reported arousal while watching 2 minute video clips. In a New York Times article, Dr. Gilbert Herdt, director of the National Sexuality Resource Center in San Francisco, was quoted as saying, "To claim on the basis of this study that there's no such thing as male bisexuality is overstepping, it seems to me." To help understand differences in sexual attractions and bisexuality in men and women, I recorded a video interview with Dr. Brian Dodge at a recent conference. As a Research Scientist and Associate Director of the Indiana University Center for Sexual Health Promotion. He answers my question, "what is bisexuality?" One point that he makes that is relevant to the scientific debate stemming from the study mentioned above is that bisexuality may incorporate more than just sexual attractions and arousals, but also include emotional attractions to men and women. He goes on to talk about stereotypes about bisexuality and nom-monogamy and answer other important questions about bisexuality. FUENTE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-sexual-continuum/201007/what-is-bisexuality
Russia Names, Personal From FamilySearch Wiki Revision as of 20:59, 7 December 2012 by Pysnaks (talk \| contribs) Jump to: navigation, search Russia Gotoarrow.png Names, Personal Russian Names and Surnames In Russian, linguists tend to differentiate between so-called "Christian" or "Canonical" names (khristianskii or kanonicheskii) and "Old Russian" (drevnerusskii) given names. The former are usually Biblical (like Ivan, Konstantin, and Pavel) while the others are traced to the Vikings or to earlier inhabitants of the steppes (like Oleg, Igor', and Ol'ga).
William Quantrill – Renegade Leader of the Missouri Border War William Quantrill William Quantrill –James McPherson on Quantrill Leader of the most savage fighting band in the Bleeding Kansas/Missouri Border War, William Quantrill will long be known as the most ruthless bushwhacker during these turbulent times. Born on July 31, 1837 to Thomas Henry and Caroline Cornelia (Clarke) Quantrill, the boy displayed his cruel tendencies even as a child. Purportedly, this bad seed would shoot pigs through the ears just to hear them squeal, nail snakes to trees, and tie cats’ tails together for the pure joy of watching them claw each other to death. He wasn’t to change much as he grew older. After teaching school briefly in Ohio and Illinois he fled to Kansas in 1857 to escape a horse theft charge. His initial stay in Kansas was short lived, when he accompanied an army provision train to Utah in 1858. Along the trail to Utah, the man who had grown up in a Unionist family, met numerous pro-slavery Southerners who deeply affected his beliefs. Once in Utah, he began to use the alias of Charles Hart, lived his life as a gambler and was quickly associated with a number of murders and thefts at Fort Bridger and elsewhere in the territory. Fleeing yet again, under a warrant for his arrest, he returned to Kansas. In December 1860, he joined a group of Kansas Free-State men who were intent upon freeing the slaves of a Missouri man by the name of Morgan Walker. But Quantrill’s participation was only a ruse. As the Jayhawkers hid in the bush, Quantrill volunteered to “scout the area.” Soon, Quantrill, along with Walker, returned to ambush the four Kansas men, killing three of them. Confederate Flag Confederate Flag When the Civil War broke out in April, 1861, Quantrill joined the Confederate side with enthusiasm. He fought with Confederate forces at the battle of Wilson’s Creek in Oakhills, Missouri, in August 1861. This battle marked the beginning of the Civil War in Missouri, where the state would become the scene of savage and fierce fighting, primarily from guerilla warfare. By late in the year, Quantrill became unhappy with the Confederates’ reluctance to aggressively prosecute the Union troops. As a result, the young man took it upon himself to take a more antagonistic course with his own-guerilla warfare, becoming the leader of Quantrill’s Raiders. Starting with a small force of no more than a dozen men, the pro-slavery guerrilla band began to make independent attacks upon Union camps, patrols and settlements. His band of marauders quickly grew to more than one hundred in 1862, with both regular pro-slavery citizens and Confederate soldiers, until he became the most powerful leader of the many bands of Border Ruffians that pillaged the area. Several famous would-be outlaws joined his ruffian group including Frank and Jesse James and the Younger Brothers. Justifying his actions for perceived wrongs done to them by Kansas Jayhawkers and the Federal Authorities, the band robbed Union mail, ambushed federal patrols, and attacked boats on the Missouri River throughout the year. Quantrill’s nature as an outlaw, murderer and thief made him a prime candidate for the vicious attacks, where he took advantage of the pandemonium for his own use in profitable hit-and-run attacks on pro-Union sympathizers and Federal Troops alike. Independence, Missouri Independence, Missouri On August 11, 1862, Colonel J.T. Hughes’s Confederate force, including William Quantrill, attacked Independence, Missouri at dawn. They drove through the town to the Union Army camp, capturing, killing and scattering the Yankees. During the melee, Colonel Hughes was killed, but the Confederates took Independence which led to a Confederate dominance in the Kansas City area for a short time. Quantrill’s role in the capture of Independence led to his being commissioned a captain in the Confederate Army. On October 17, 1862, Quantrill and his band moved to attack Shawnee, Kansas. As they neared their destination, they came upon a Federal supply train, where they captured twelve unarmed men. Later these 12 drivers and Union escorts would be found dead, all but one shot in the head. Continuing on, Quantrill and his band attacked the town, killing two men and burning the settlement to the ground. Shortly thereafter, Quantrill traveled to Richmond, Virginia, where he sought a regular command under the Confederacy Partisan Ranger Act. However his reputation for brutality had preceded him and his request was denied. Missouri Border Ruffians Missouri Border Ruffians At about the same time, the Commander of the Department of Missouri, Major General Henry W. Halleck, ordered that guerrillas such as Quantrill and his men would be treated as robbers and murderers, not normal prisoners of war. Quantrill’s tactics became even more aggressive after this proclamation, as he no longer adhered to the principals of accepting enemy surrender. In May, of 1863, Quantrill and his band moved closer to the Missouri-Kansas border. Brigadier General Thomas Ewing, Jr. from Kansas, who commanded the district border, was not happy with their presence. Soon, he issued General Order Number 10, which stated that any person – man, woman or child, who was directly involved with aiding a band of guerrillas would be jailed. The idea was, by taking away the Border Ruffians means of food and shelter; the guerillas would leave the area. Before long, women and children were rounded up and placed in a dilapidated three story building in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Of particular interest to the Federal Troops were the known relatives of the Border Ruffians, including family members of “Bloody Bill” Anderson and the Younger Brothers. Though signs that the building housing the women and children was unstable, such as large cracks in the walls and ceilings, and large amounts of mortar dust on the floor, the signs were ignored. On August 13, 1863, the building collapsed killing 5 women and injuring dozens of others. Quantrill's Raiders sacking a town Quantrill’s Raiders sacking a town Among the killed and injured in the collapse were women who were close relatives of prominent Confederate guerrillas. Those killed in the collapse, included Josephine Anderson, sister of “Bloody Bill Anderson”, Susan Crawford Vandever and Armenia Crawford Selvey, Cole Younger’s cousins, Charity McCorkle Kerr, wife to Quantrillian member Nathan Kerr, and a woman named Mrs. Wilson. Many others were injured and scarred. Caroline Younger, sister to Cole and James Younger, would die two years later as a result of her injuries. Another Anderson sister was crippled for life, when both of her legs were broken in the incident. When news of the collapse reached the families of the dead and injured, they went wild. Soon crowds began to gather around the ruins as the dead and wounded were carried off, shouting “Murder!” at the Union forces. Later, Quantrill and his men would claim that the building was deliberately weakened, giving them ammunition for the infamous attack on Lawrence that was about to come. Early on the morning of August 21, 1863, Quantrill, along with his murderous force of about 400, descended on the still sleeping town of Lawrence, Kansas. Incensed by the free-state headquarters town, Quantrill set out on his revenge against the Jayhawker community. Leave a Reply
Dismiss Notice Dismiss Notice Join Physics Forums Today! Solving circuits with superposition (2 problems) 1. Mar 27, 2014 #1 Screenshots have everything. 2. Relevant equations ##V = iR## Voltage/current division Mesh analysis Adding resistors in parallel/series Kirchhoff's Laws 3. The attempt at a solution First problem I started with turning off the current source. You are left with a simple series circuit with a dependent source because the part with the current source becomes an open circuit. I used Kirchhoff's voltage rule around the loop and got: $$-12 + i_{1} + 3i_{1} + 2i_{1} = 0$$ Which yields ##i_{1} = 2## I then turned off the voltage source and activated the current source. I chose to use mesh analysis because it seemed to be the quickest way. The current you are left with is a resistor and a dependent source, another resistor, and your current source in parallel. The mesh current on the left is ##i_{x}## and on the right is ##i_{y}##. Using KVL for the supermesh around the perimeter: $$i_{x} +3i_{y}+2i_{x} = 0$$ and also $$i_{y} - i_{x} = 6$$ Which solves ##i_{x}## as -3 amperes. So, adding the first current and the second current gives -1 Amperes? Second question Again, I turned off the current source first. This leaves you with 2 resistors in series (parallel with the V source) and another 30 Ohm resistor in parallel. Since they all shared one node, the voltage should stay the same, right? If that's true, you can use Ohm's law to find the current over the strand on the right will be $$\frac {200}{100} = 2$$ This next part is where I have a bit of a trouble. Turn off voltage source, turn on current source. If you look at the second picture, and replace the voltage source with a short circuit, does this mean that the 30 Ohm resistor can be ignored, because the current will always go through the short circuit instead of the path with the resistor? If this is true, you can just use current division, like so $$3 \frac {60}{40+60} = 1.8$$ And you know this will be in the opposite direction from the previous current value, so ##2 - 1.8 = .2## so the current ##I_{0}## will be .2 Amperes. Is this correct? Thanks! Attached Files: Last edited: Mar 27, 2014 2. jcsd 3. Mar 27, 2014 #2 No one? 4. Mar 27, 2014 #3 User Avatar Staff Emeritus Science Advisor Homework Helper Gold Member (It's too soon to be bumping your own thread ! Please review the Forum Rules.) You should get ##-12 + i_{1} + 3i_{1} + v_{2i_{1}} = 0\ .## But you would also need ##\ i_1 = -2i_1 \ ## by KCL. (It's easy enough to check your answer to this one by using Kirchhoff's Current Law directly.) Last edited: Mar 27, 2014 5. Mar 27, 2014 #4 User Avatar Staff Emeritus Science Advisor Homework Helper Gold Member The second one looks good. Have something to add? Draft saved Draft deleted Similar Discussions: Solving circuits with superposition (2 problems)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 The Message of the Pyramids - George Santayana Last week I wrote about my beliefs about Judgment day, today I will share information of a time in our history when the world may have indeed ended, at least for a powerful and almost forgotten civilization. Modern researchers and historians over the past few decades have been questioning mainstream history and mainstream archaeology searching for answers to explain the unexplainable. In today’s world there are so many theories about what could happen to cause a worldwide catastrophe, from a nuclear explosion to zombies taking over. One of the best ways of figuring out what could actually happen in the future is to ask if anything so catastrophic ever occurred in the past. This question has been asked and one of the keys to answering it is by taking a really close look at some of the worlds biggest and oldest standing monuments, the 3 great pyramids of Giza in modern Egypt. It has more recently come to light that the ancient Egyptians did not build the great pyramids, nor did they carve out the great sphinx. If the Egyptians did not build these massive monuments, then who did and why? I’m going to share with you the tip of an iceberg of what is now being uncovered about these monuments and their impact on our own history and possible future. If we, modern man, knew for sure that our world was going to end and even with our great technology could not do anything about it, but except leave a message for a possible future civilization. A message saying who we were, when we lived and what happened to us. What would this message look like? Would we just carve our name in the ground and hope it would last forever, or with all our technology would we build something so massive and so strong, that it could last through out the ages. Perhaps lasting for millennia, something that could survive through whatever Mother Nature could throw at it. What language would we use to express our message, would we use the now globally accepted language of English? Or something even more universal, like numbers, whose meanings over time and cultures stay the same. Perhaps, the language of the stars, the spinning of the earth and its precession through the zodiac constellations, which can be highly predictable and that could even specify in which epoch we lived in. Mainstream history books tell us that the 3 great pyramids and the sphinx were built around 4,500 years ago, to the date of 2,500 BC. Historians have told us that the Pre-dynastic Egyptians built them, a people of a primitive brain, who had no concept of math, astrology or sea navigation. We’ve been told that the great pyramids are tombs that were built for certain kings by their slaves to house the king’s dead body. A closer look at these monuments shows us things that don’t fit with what we‘ve been told. First of all, if logic serves us correct, we know that technology must improve in a linear fashion. The great pyramids are dated back to the year of 2,500 BC. Take note that stone is very hard to date, 2,500 BC is the latest possible date for measuring their age, which means the pyramids are actually older than that. Historians say that 100 years after 2,500 BC, when the Pharonic dynasty of Egypt began. The construction of more pyramids began, which are smaller and if you were to see them today they would resemble a sand dune with a few stones thrown on top. They are very much lacking any structural stability and height that the big 3 display. If technology is supposed to improve over time then why do later made pyramids look like a pile rocks? In fact, all other pyramids in Egypt, besides the big 3, look like a pile of rocks. Secondly, the big 3 pyramids are supposed to be tombs for the kings that built them. When the big 3 pyramids were originally opened in the late 18th century no bodies were ever found. In fact, they were totally empty, no writing on the walls or a single piece of treasure. All other pyramid structures in the area that have been dated to be built after the big 3 have had bodies in them. They were also filled with treasure and walls covered with hieroglyphs describing the life of the deceased that is buried with in them. Thirdly, the great Sphinx, the statue of a lion’s body and the head of a man is said to have been built by the same king who built the biggest great pyramid in 2,500 BC. In that period Egypt was as it is now, a dessert. A time of very little rain fall. Yet, the Sphinx is covered with water erosion. Large vertical erosion marks cover the entire body of the sphinx. Robert Schoch, a geologist from BU has investigated these erosions and has concluded that only heavy amounts of consistent rainfall could have caused them. This was an extraordinary find when it came out and it dates the Sphinx back to at least 12,000 years ago. This is 8,000 years older then what mainstream archaeologists date it to be. Fourthly, Egyptologists have told us that King Khufu built the sphinx because the face on the sphinx resembles his. A New York police forensic artist was asked to see how much of a match the face of the sphinx is like to Khufu’s face. His analysis determined that the face did not resemble Khufu’s but resembled the face of a dark skinned African. This African type of face is found else where in the ancient world on Olmec statue heads. A dozen of these heads have been found in Central America. On another note it has also come to light that the Olmec’s, are the ones who originally created the Mayan calendar and originally built the Mayan ruins. Next, underground beside the Great pyramids were found a fleet of massive sea faring ships. The ships are100-141 feet in length, and are dated to be at least 5,000 years old. Experts say they are of an advanced design, which could ride out the most powerful and worst waves of the ocean. How could primitive brained beings that had no concept of math build anything like that? Lastly, the Sphinx and the 3 pyramids are beginning to be recognized as the terrestrial counter parts of the Leo Constellation and the 3 stars of Orion’s belt. This discovery was due to an outstanding number of advanced mathematical values that were found to be part of the pyramids shape and size. These mathematical discoveries are tied into astronomy and go well beyond the scope of this article. In short, the mathematical values found date the pyramids and the sphinx back to the year of 10,450 BC, once again this is the latest possible date for their construction, they could be older. However, this date tells us that the builders of these monuments lived in the age of Leo, hence the shape of the sphinx. They were also followers of the God Osiris, which is another name for Orion. This date is also the time of the end of the last ice age, a natural catastrophe that caused massive amounts of worldwide flooding and rainfall. With all information combined we see that the builders of these monuments were of a culture and race that existed before the Egyptians, but were later inherited by them. This culture knew advanced mathematics, understood the precession of the zodiac constellations and could easily travel across oceans. It is more then possible that a race of man, which we now call the Olmec’s once lived upon this earth and was wiped off of the face of the planet due to a world wide flooding catastrophe. A race who knew something major was going to happen on earth and they chose to leave a monumental message to say who they were, when they lived and what happened to them. This message is a legacy and perhaps a warning to a future civilization that is advanced enough to understand it. A message about the beginning and ending of ice ages. Modern researchers, historians and archaeologists are just now beginning to decode this message, a message that may be telling us how to better prepare for our future. I have presented to you information from Graham Hancock’s book FINGER PRINTS OF THE GODS, in this book he covers other ancient monuments, other civilizations, plus a crazy amount of detail. I totally recommend it for those who are really into ancient history and discovering a past that is not yet well known. The future is uncertain, but that is why we have a past, to learn to choose our next steps wisely. -Thank you No comments: Post a Comment
Gigantic Dinosaur Might Connect Continents May 19, 1996\|By WILLIAM MULLEN Chicago Tribune CHICAGO - — The bones of the biggest known meat-eating animal that lived on Earth were discovered in 1994 in Argentina - a 100-million-year-old dinosaur fittingly named Giganotosaurus. Now, it turns out, Giganotosaurus had an equally immense cousin - who lived far off in northern Africa 90 million years ago - a beat-up, brawling beast discovered last year by University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno. Beyond the excitement inherent in the discovery of a stupendous beast, the discovery announced last week lends proof to an intriguing theory: Sereno believes that the supercontinent of Pangea - the long-imagined land mass that millions of years ago encompassed all the world's continents - was connected by land bridges much longer than previously thought. Scientists had theorized that Pangea split into separate island continents about 150 million years ago. But Sereno says the seemingly dim-witted monster whose remains he found imbedded in rock in the Sahara of Morocco's Kem Kem region helps tell a different story of continents remaining linked until 90 million years ago. Such knowledge ultimately serves to deepen scientific understanding of geological and biological history of climate changes, movements of the Earth's crust, and global dispersion of early plant and animal life. That's a lot of potential insight from an extinct giant with a brain one-third the size of a soda can (one-fifteenth the size of a human brain), even though it is about 25 percent larger than the biggest Tyrannosaurus rex specimen. Sereno and his international team of bone hunters describe the big African carnivore, named Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (shark-toothed lizard), in Friday's issue of the journal Science. Sun Sentinel Articles
Industrial Tire Recycling Equipment & Shredders Menu Close The Top 5 Reasons to Recycle Your Tires Published Dec 1, 2014 Tires are an essential part of car ownership and require regular care, such as proper pressure and seasonal rotation, for maximum life. Eventually, tires must be replaced, and many people simply pay a recycling fee without wondering what happens to the old ones or considering the possibility of retreading. There are several benefits to recycling old tires, which are explained below. Waste Reduction  Three-hundred million tires are used in the United States each year. The majority of landfills no longer allow dumping of tires because they are toxic and take up a great deal of space. Old tires also trap gasses under the ground, which can travel throughout a landfill. Taking tires to be recycled reduces this environmental damage and lowers the overall carbon footprint. This is extremely important in the age of global warming, where shifting weather patterns are drastically changing the ways people live and work. The best reason to recycle tires is the number of other products that can be produced from the rubber. They make durable swings for children and great shock-absorbing surfaces for playgrounds. Pieces of old tires are used in construction, railroad beds and paved roads and make up a large part of doormats, sandals and crash barriers on the highway. Old rubber can reused in so many different ways, there is no reason for it to be piled up in a backyard or landfill. Public Health  When tires are discarded and allowed to build up, they become attractive nesting spots for insects and rodents. Both present a health hazard by spreading diseases that cause illness in pets and humans. Mosquitoes are especially drawn to tires and can carry the West Nile virus, along with malaria and encephalitis. This is yet another reason why landfills do not allow the dumping of old tires as they are very unattractive and detract from the beauty and value of the land which they are placed. It is better to recycle the tires and put them to better use. This will help ensure optimal health for the general public. Fire Danger   Rubber is very flammable and may burn for many months or even years, once it catches fire. Tire fires are challenging to put out and very costly to clean up afterward. Burning tires release many toxins into the air, including heavy metal, oil and gasoline. The smell is overwhelming, and the thick, black smoke that is produced causes respiratory distress. Once melted down by the heat, the old tires cause chemicals to leach into the ground, which contaminates ecosystems and the water supply. With many sources of drinking water endangered or depleted around the planet, it makes sense to guard against its loss whenever possible. Lower Energy Use Recycling old tires results in decreased use of fossil fuels. It takes 22 gallons of oil to produce a single tire. Making the choice to retread old tires instead of replacing them helps to conserve this diminishing resource. Certain manufacturing processes are now using discarded tires as an energy source by burning them in a careful, controlled manner. This is called “tire-derived fuel” and it can produce as much energy as coal and oil. This is a big step forward in a world that will soon need alternative sources of energy. In an age where preserving the planet’s resources is more important than ever, recycling old tires makes sense. The products made from tire recycling are practical and long-lasting and set a positive example for future generations that will face increasing ecological challenges. This will remain true long after the age of the fossil fuel-powered automobile has passed. Let’s Talk about the right equipment for you.
It is a myth about an evil ring of power and an unlikely hero on a mission to destroy it. Unlike other stories, it doesn't deliberately highlight the heroism. Whether they are great men or the ordinary people, they all have more or less shortcomings, such as the temptation. In this story, the key point is a ring that can make someone invisible. It is a concept that plays a key role. The ring does more than make its wearers invisible, it also corrupts them. If you wear it and claim it you can not use it for any good cause, it is going to twist everything you do for evil. Although this ring is magic, it still comes from your greed. But everyone has a different degree of temptation. For example, Frodo is a flawed hero, because he was drawn in by the evil of this ring, and then the temptation becomes worse and worse, finally his desire for treasure sets off a chain reaction of horrific consequences. But we can't say he is a bad man, because he also has many good qualities, therefore he is an ordinary person. Unlike the dragon in this story, it represents human greed, although it really amplified, it still reveals the bad phenomenon in society. So it has a series of intriguing connections to reality. In realty, most people have temptation,it is just not obvious. But in the story, these shortcomings are magnified by writer, it also can alert us to the danger of greed. It is a harsh lesson in the danger of greed. Last edited by Catherine (2016-12-24 19:36:28)
Thursday, October 6, 2011 Rural voting and the 2012 elections. Rural people are stereotyped in several ways. For example, rural people are thought to be pro guns and anti government. Or, rural people are more likely to value family and go to church, than their urban counterparts. Generalizations are problematic, especially when applied to rural areas--which differ immensely across ethnic, cultural, economic and political lines. However, some generalizations prove true, at least to some extent. Data show that rural people are, on average, more likely to vote Republican. One study, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, showed that about two-thirds of the rural populations vote Republican in national elections. Furthermore, this pattern has remained fairly static since 1980, except for a period in the early 1990's, when many rural people voted for Bill Clinton. This exception to the pattern can, perhaps, be explained by Bill Clinton's marketing of himself as a guy from the country. The Greenberg survey was conducted in Census Bureau "nonmetropolitan" counties. The strength of the Republican vote in rural areas is changing as rural populations migrate to urban or suburban areas. As demonstrated in a video by the Reference Population Bureau, rural population decline was a significant trend reflected in the 2010 census: (M)any rural areas lost population, including much of the Great Plains, and northern and central Appalachia. In fact, nearly half of the 1,104 counties that lost population during the decade were isolated from metropolitan areas, and some of these counties have been losing population for decades. Long term changes in the U.S. economy, along with the recent recession, underlie these patterns of county population growth and decline. For example, in the past ten years, counties whose economies were dependent on farming, mining, or manufacturing, were more likely to lose population. One question that arises from this trend is: Do rural people take their rural values with them when they leave? Will rural people living in the urban diaspora will continue to vote along conservative lines? Discussions on this topic yield mixed conclusions. Some people think that you can "take a girl out of the country, but can't take the country out of the girl." Others think that rural attitudes are environmental and will diminish in urban settings. As a recent New York Times article argued, "as the number of rural voters dwindle, so does their influence — which could have broad implications for how the Republican primaries and the general election play out in 2012." At first glance, the New York Times article seems to suggest that people who leave rural areas behind, leave the rural vote there too. It seems possible that the children of conservative-leaning parents may vote differently if raised in a liberal environment. However, I have a difficult time trying to convince myself that someone entrenched in politically conservative ideology will up and vote liberally as soon as they move to the big city, or suburbs, and leave their Tea Partying neighbors behind. As Professor Lisa Pruitt has observed, "rural mindset and rural values may persist in urban areas of such states if many urban dwellers maintain significant links to rural areas, such as parents and grandparents who still live there." What all this means for the 2012 elections is hard to surmise definitively. This is especially so considering some of the other trends affecting rural voting behavior, such as the steady growing influx of minorities. For example, the influx of Latinos, who tend to vote more liberally, could change rural voting trends. On a final note, yet another factor affecting the 2012 vote is changing electoral policies. The New York Times, in a different article, recently reported that Republican controlled legislatures all over the country are enacting new voting booth laws such as, "requiring voters to show photo identification at polls, cutting back early voting periods or imposing new restrictions on voter registration drives." The article noted, that along with making it more burdensome for specific populations to vote, perhaps ironically, these restrictions will also make it harder for rural people to vote. For an in depth analysis of rural voting, see Professor Lisa Pruitt's article, "The Geography of the Class Culture Wars." jenny said... Forklift training is for those few who have a desire to enjoy the occupation of a forklift operator. They might be eying this occupation for the fat paychecks which it offers along the idea of getting enrolled for a scheduled training course for learning the operations of a forklift is surely daunting. jenny said... princesspeach said... Thank you for posting on this topic! Do you think rural people vote Republican because of the issues Republicans vote on? In class we had the discussion about how women in rural areas need access to abortion clinics. One student mentioned that if his town did not have a general hospital, then he would need convincing on why they needed an abortion clinic. I could imagine this scenario dividing along party lines. Maybe the issues Republicans choose, such as little government, resonate more with the rural lifestyle?
Thursday, July 16, 2009 Gandhi and Gender Mohandas K. Gandhi is still a major presence in India. His face appears on the front of all the currency and on stamps; his quotations appear on walls. His title, "Mahatma," means Great Soul, "maha" (great), "atman"(soul). During our walks and talks with Dr. Nita Kumar, professor of history at Claremont McKenna College, she seemed to me like a living embodiment of the Mahatma--at least as close as I will ever get. She admires Gandhi greatly, and at a dinner on our next to last night in India, we begged her to talk about him. She told us much that is widely known: he lived 1869-1948, worked for many years in South Africa as a human rights lawyer, became dogmatically vegetarian (no cow's milk, eggs, butter), led India's struggle for independence from the British. "He was a little mouse of a person," she said, known for his food fads. But he had an instinctive sense of strategy and in meetings about how to achieve independence, one day said, "Let's have a strike." It became the key tool. "People called Gandhi 'my mother,'" she said. "He was known for his fasting, his nonstitched clothes--like women's clothes. In fact, he was very effeminate." Men in the British government stressed masculinity, sports, good sportsmanship. "The British saw Indians as effeminate," she said. But Gandhi was very pro-woman and pro-India. His nonviolence, seamless non-Western dress, vegetarianism, and other practices amounted to a "delibate effeminization of India," she said. Some of the other things she said about him, taken from his autobiography: He was powerful, radical, innovative. He did not appreciate pleasures: meat, wine, good food, good music, good art. He was all about denial and sacrifice; he probably would not have walked around the Taj Mahal as we did today. "I see this as problematic!" Nita said. In his twenties, however, he did love pleasures: dance, violin. He was quite a dandy. The youngest child in an elite family, he didn't like school. In fact, he was very moralistic as a child and learned from his mistakes. In his autobiography he makes a point of confessing his follies, including a visit to a prostitute as a young man. He presents his life as a series of mistakes followed by repenting. Married at 13 to a girl of 13, he says that at that time all he had on his mind was sex. Later he became very much against child marriage, the caste system, and colonial education. He had a son by age 19 or 20, went to England for his education, and became a lawyer. He was very shy and couldn't get a job in India, eventually securing a position as a lawyer in South Africa. In South Africa he learned that both Africans and Indians were discriminated against by the British and German Afrikaaners. His encounter with racism in South Africa led him to decide, "I am a coloured person. I will fight for my rights and defend the legal rights of others." Non-Christians marriages were not honored there; all Muslim and Hindu children were considered bastards. After 20-25 years in South Africa (approximately 1890-1920), he returned to India. He set up an ashram, founded two newspapers, tried to raise funds--but met with failure in these and many other enterprises. If something failed, he didn't care. He tried something else. He grew increasingly vegetarian at a time when very few other people chose that lifestyle. He refused to eat even cereal grains--only fruits or vegetables, raw or very lightly cooked, with dried fruits and nuts. He also ate sugar and chocolates. "I've been so close to Gandhi that I'd go for a week at a time without cereals," Nita admitted. "It's very healthy, but I decided that was not for me." "He was not seen as weird or shutting out people," Nita said. His wife and he agreed to celibacy from a certain point on, but they were closely devoted to each other all their lives. On January 30, 1948, he was assassinated. From the I Love India website: No comments:
Thursday, November 19, 2009 science becomes a profession: "It is natural to describe key [scientific] events in terms of the work of individuals who made a mark in science - Copernicus, Vesalius, Darwin, Wallace and the rest. But this does not mean that science has progressed as a result of the work of a string of irreplaceable geniuses possessed of a special insight into how the world works. Geniuses maybe (though not always); but irreplaceable certainly not. Scientific progress builds step by step, and as the example of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace [who independently and simultaneously put forward the theory of evolution] shows, when the time is ripe, two or more individuals may make the next step independently of one another. It is the luck of the draw, or historical accident, whose name gets remembered as the discoverer of a new phenomenon. "What is much more important than human genius is the development of technology, and it is no surprise that the start of the scientific revolution 'coincides' with the development of the telescope and the microscope. ... If Newton had never lived, scientific progress might have been held back by a few decades. But only by a few decades. Edmond Halley or Robert Hooke might well have come up with the famous inverse square law of gravity; Gottfried Leibniz actually did invent calculus independently of Newton (and made a better job of it); and Christiaan Huygens's superior wave theory of light was held back by Newton's espousal of the rival particle theory. ... "Although the figure of Charles Darwin dominates any discussion of nineteenth-century science, he is something of an anomaly. It is during the nineteenth century - almost exactly during Darwin's lifetime - that science makes the shift from being a gentlemanly hobby, where the interests and abilities of a single individual can have a profound impact, to a well-populated profession, where progress depends on the work of many individuals who are, to some extent, interchangeable. Even in the case of the theory of natural selection, as we have seen, if Darwin hadn't come up with the idea, Wallace would have, and from now on we will increasingly find that discoveries are made more or less simultaneously by different people working independently and largely in ignorance of one another. ... "The other side of this particular coin, unfortunately, is that the growing number of scientists brings with it a growing inertia and resulting resistance to change, which means that all too often when some brilliant individual does come up with a profound new insight into the way the world works, this is not accepted immediately on merit and may take a generation to work its way into the collective received wisdom of science. ... "In 1766, there were probably no more than 300 people who we would now class as scientists in the entire world. By 1800, ... there were about a thousand. By ... 1844, there were about 10,000, and by 1900 somewhere around 100,000. Roughly speaking, the number of scientists doubled every fifteen years during the nineteenth century. But remember that the whole population of Europe doubled, from about 100 million to about 200 million, between 1750 and 1850, and the population of Britain alone doubled between 1800 and 1850, from roughly 9 million to roughly 18 million." John Gribbin, The Scientists, Random House, Copyright 2002 by John and Mary Gribbin, pp. xix-xx, 359-361. Sunday, November 15, 2009 Why don't I talk a lot ?: The unreasonable unmasked. Well, I have been called "Anti-social" in numerous instances since my early childhood but for those who really know me, most will say that I am just shy. Am I shy ? maybe. I personally believe that my primary motive for stranding myself from humans is just a question of philosophy - a natural philosophy. Most of us are busy with their look , falling in love, and finances instead of contemplating the majestic beauty of nature. I have always been a philosopher, a nature lover; i guess that is the reason I am dedicating my life to sciences and mathematics. Above our heads are countless stars, parallel universes and even black holes. Isn't fascinating to see trough nature? You may ask yourself , " is this guy reasonable ?" ; no , I am unreasonable and do not seek to appear reasonable. I am a rebel. As the famous English writer and philosopher, Gorge Bernard Shaw famously remarked said "the reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."Thus , let me be myself and let history follow is course. sir isaac newton Sir Isaac Newton, whose masterwork Mathematical Principles of Natural History was one of the two or three most foundational and influential works in all of Western Science. This work had as its core his three laws of motion and his universal law of gravitation: "Newton was a decidedly odd figure--brilliant beyond measure, but solitary, joyless, prickly to the point of paranoia, famously distracted (upon swinging his feet out of bed in the morning he would reportedly sometimes sit for hours, immobilized by the sudden rush of thoughts to his head), and capable of the most riveting strangeness. He built his own laboratory, the first at Cambridge, but then engaged in the most bizarre experiments. Once he inserted a bodkin--a long needle of the sort used for sewing leather--into his eye socket and rubbed it around 'betwixt my eye and the bone near to the backside of my eye as I could' just to see what would happen. What happened, miraculously, was nothing--at least nothing lasting. On another occasion, he stared at the sun for as long as he could bear, to determine what effect it would have upon his vision. Again he escaped lasting damage, though he had to spend some days in a darkened room before his eyes forgave him. "Set atop these ... quirky traits, however, was the mind of a supreme genius. ... [As recounted by] Newton confidant, Abraham DeMoivre, 'In 1684 Dr. Edmond Halley [of Halley's comet fame] came to visit at Cambridge and after they had some time together the Doctor asked [Newton] what he thought the curve would be that would be described by the planets supposing the force of attraction toward the sun to be reciprocal to the square of their distance from it.' This was a reference to a piece of mathematics known as the inverse square law, which Halley was convinced lay at the heart of the explanation, though he wasn't sure exactly how. 'Sir Isaac replied immediately that it would be an ellipse. The Doctor, struck with joy and amazement, asked him how he knew it. 'Why,' saith he, 'I have calculated it,' whereupon Dr. Halley asked him for his calculation without further delay, Sir Isaac looked among his papers but could not find it.' "This was astounding--like someone saying that he had found a cure for cancer but couldn't remember where he had put the formula. Pressed by Halley, Newton agreed to redo the calculations and produce a paper. He did as promised, but then did much more. He retired for two years of intensive reflection and scribbling, and at length produced his masterwork: the Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica or Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, better known as the Principia." Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, Broadway Books, Copyright 2003 by Bill Bryson, pp. 46-48. credit: delancey place Saturday, November 14, 2009 lazy "dog" einstein young Albert Einstein: Credit : Friday, November 13, 2009 Jane Eyre: a fictional heroin of the feminist cause I wrote this essay during the 13th annual signet classic student scholarship essay contest. unfortunately i was not nominated amongst the winners. your comments will be appreciated. ESSAY TOPIC :Erica Jong, in her "Introduction," in the Signet Classic edition, states: "The universe of JANE EYRE operates according to female laws. Jane's success as a heroine depends on her breaking all the rules decreed for nineteenth-century women. (p. viii)." To what extent is Jane Eyre an appropriate heroine for the feminist movement? In what ways, if any, does she fall short? Give examples from the novel to support your conclusions. the essay topic and the winners can be found here Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre depicts Jane Eyre as a feminist heroin of the 19th century. At a time when women depended on men financially and socially and considered as propriety only useful for marriage and family life; Jane Eyre acquired total independence and shows throughout her story a new meaning of marriage and value of family to woman. Jane Eyre publication Revolutionized literature by encouraging and awakening women to seek social justice and independence from men. Throughout the novel, Jane constantly receives opposition from men because of her condition as a poor orphan and a female. Rather than to bend to the males laws and the society from which she receives opposition, Jane Eyre defy the chauvinist society and pursuit her own vision of a female life. In her early childhood in Gateshead Hall, Jane is constantly neglected and abused by Ms.Reed and her children (John, Eliza and Georgiana). Jane was particularly abused by john who made her live in isolation and fear by beating her whenever he wants because Jane was a poor orphan without protection. The weak young girl couldn’t do anything in opposition to john’s violence except to bear the pain physically and emotionally. Offended by reed, Jane feeling of hatred and humiliation went out of control. Jane firmly decided to put an end to “the wicked boy” abuses. For the first time, Jane stood up a fought back when john hit her. Jane riposte to john’s cruelties demonstrate her determination to fight against injustice. Her quarrel and struggle against john creed injustices led her to live in Lowood school where she felt much content. During her Jane's education at Lowood School, Jane met Mr. Brocklehurst. Brocklehurst is a cold, cruel clergyman who runs the institution. Mr. Brocklehurst is a chauvinist who believes in females’s inferiority to men. According to his opinion, females should pursuit a modest life in order live a righteous life base on subordination and dependence on males. He once insulted Jane in front of her classmates by calling her a liar and a “wicked girl” because Ms.Reed told him so. Even humiliated and heartbroken, Jane by her actions showed courage and proved to her classmates and the entire school her integrity and goodness. After her education in Gateshead, Jane became a governess at Thornfield Manor. A few months after her arrival at Thornfield, Jane met Mr. Edward Rochester an ugly, yet wonderful and passionate and charismatic gentleman nearly twenty years aged than her. Jane falls in love with Edward Rochester who in some instance tried to take advantage of her. Before their intended marriage, Edward offered to Jane a necklace ring and beautiful wedding. Edward intention was to change Jane’s appearance a little bit. Thought at the begin Jane gave in by love for Edward; at the end she refused all of them because she wanted to be the person she is. She wanted to act as the Jane she is and maintain her own personality. After their unsuccessful attempt to marry in which Edward nearly committed bigamy and kept secret the existence of his wife. Edward asked Jane to accompany him in France where they will live as husband and wife even thought they can not be married. Although she dearly loves Edward, Jane refused Edward’s proposition because she can not abandon her moral and principles by witch she stands by. Similarly, in her relationship with St. John Rivers, a young clergyman who like Mr. Brocklehurst, believes is a chauvinist. St.john that a woman place in society is to devoted her life to a man. He invited Jane to India to help his work as a wife. Believing that Jane would accept because it is what a good woman will do. Jane strongly declined his offer because she wanted a marriage base on true love and mutual respect. By succeed to defy the society barriers of gender, Jane Eyre build up the image of a woman who has the courage to fight against gender injustice within the society, and pursuit equality in life and opportunity. She is her own master. She acts freely according to her values and morality. She did not bend to the role attributed to women in the 19th century. She is a feminist in the profound sense of the term. Finally, the novel Jane Eyre by charlotte Brontë represents a gigantic feminist novel. Jane Eyre is an appropriate heroine of the feminist movement because she embodies the value of feminism which is equal social, sexual, political, intellectual and economic right for both men and women. Iran: top challenge to the U.S and the world i wrote this essay for the 2009 AFSA (American Foreign service association ) high school essay contest which offers a scholarship for the winner. unfortunately i was not selected amongst the happy winners, but at least i believe that I’ve broadened my view of the world by deeply exploring the one of the greatest menace facing mankind. the essay topic can be found here at AFSA’s website . TOPIC :Analyze and explain what you think will be the Challenges Facing the American Foreign Service in the 21st Century your comments will be greatly appreciated. Terrorism and proliferation of nuclear weapons are the two major challenges facing the U.S national security and the world peace and stability. The attempt of Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon in a region characterized by instability and extreme violence committed by terrorist groups such as al-Qaida, Hezbollah and the Lashkar-e-Omar (LeO) supported and financed by Iran, represent a colossal danger for the middle east, the U.S and the world. Since the Iranian Islamic revolution of 1979 which transformed the country from a constitutional monarchy to an Islamic republic, Iran has been the leading sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East. In fact on November 4, 1979, just after the revolution, “students affiliated with the Iranian revolution group occupied the U.S embassy in Tehran and held fifty tree U.S diplomats hostage for 444 days” (Farber). It is also well known that the Iranian government is a great sponsor of global and regional terrorist organizations. Iran supported and financed the Hezbollah during the Israeli-Lebanon war in 2006, the Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic jihad group in the 2008-2009 Israeli-Gaza conflict. And there is “overwhelming evidence” said Michael McConnell, that Iran Sponsored the insurgency of terrorist groups in Iraq, supplied arms to the Taliban and hosted Al-Qaida terrorists who committed the attack of September 11, 2001. All those facts demonstrated that Iran is a treat to the U.S and to the world. Furthermore, the radical Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unmasked his desire to “wipe Israel of the map” and denied holocaust (IRB News). Over the past several years, Iran’s nuclear activities have commanded the attention of the United State and the International Community suspecting it of developing nuclear weapons. The United Nations called on Iran to renounce its uranium enrichment but Iran denied the call.0n March 2007. U.N Security Council agreed unanimously to sanction Iran imposing ban arms sales and expanding the freeze on assets, in response to the country uranium activities. Recently, other national and international agencies led investigations on Iran nuclear program and concluded that Iran will be capable to produce a nuclear weapon if it continues its uranium enrichment. For example, In its May 2007 assessment, the United States national intelligence estimate (NIE) judged “Iran probably would be technically capable of producing enough HEU (highly enriched uranium) for a weapon sometime during the 2010-2015 time frame” and urged Iran to stop its nuclear activities . Further, Mohamed Elbaradei, the director of IAEA (international atomic energy agency), asserted on 24, October 2007 that Iran could take between 3 and 8 years to make a bomb if it went down that route. On the other hand, Elbaradei and other intelligence agencies acknowledge that there is not sufficient proof to assume that the Iranian republic is developing a nuclear weapon. “Maybe some studies about possible weaponnization” but “no evidence” of “nuclear material that can readily be used into a weapon” or “”an active weaponnization program” Elbaradei stated. Iran itself states that it is conducting “peaceful” nuclear programs “.but the U.S claims that Iran ended atomic arms work. It is clear that the United States and the world can not and should not let Iran obtain nuclear weapons for, Iran, by its support and finance of terrorist organizations and by menacing Israel of destruction has proven to the world that its acquisition of mass destructive weapons will be equivalent to terrorists’ possession of mass destructive weapons and a direct menace against the world, the U.S and its allies. Facing those menaces from Iran and the growing influence of terrorism, the United State Foreign Services has supported democratic nations in the Middle East, collaborated with the United Nations and it has successfully created strategic alliances with others nations including Islamic nations in order to contain the pandemic spread of terrorism and afflict more intense international sanctions against Iran which perhaps will lead it to negotiate or even abandon its nuclear ambitions. Personally, I believe that to combat terrorism, the United States Foreign Service must primarily support president Obama’s removal plan of the U.S troops from Iraq; because “U.S efforts to fight terrorism with an expanded military presence in Muslim countries appear to have elicited a backlash and to have bred some sympathy for al Qaeda, even as most (Muslims) reject its terrorist methods” (kull). The U.S Foreign Service must Lead campaign in the Muslim world because, I believe, the Combat against terrorism can only be possible by leading campaigns to explain to the Arab-Muslim world in particular and to the Muslim world in general that the United States is not an enemy nor is it an imperialist power which searches to occupier their lands but, in contrary that the united states is a friend which is committed to restoring peace , stability and prosperity in the region and that in order to restore regional peace and stability for our common benefit, the United States needs their support and cooperation in order to defy terrorist organizations which promote violence, hatred and falsely use the name of religion to justify their monstrous acts and to protect their own interest. This view is supported by most Middle East experts and most moderates Islamic scholars such as Aida Akl. Finally, the United State Foreign Services must financially help improve the live of the people living in the Middle East by building schools, streets, and offices and by providing better basic daily life necessities which are water, foods and habiliments. The creation of schools is, I believe, one of the most effective ways to combat terrorism and terrorists’ ideologies. schools educate the rising generation and teach it the value peace and will prevent further expansion of terrorism. In conclusion, Iran and terrorism represents the biggest challenges for the U.S, the world, and the U.S must employ every mean possible to permanently halt Iran’s nuclear activities and the terrorist group which it support. Works Cited 1. Levitt, Mathew & Jacobson, Michael “Timely Reminder of Support of Iranian support for Terrorism.” The Washington Institute for near east policy (February 22, 2008): . 2. David, Farber. Taken Hostage: The Iran Hostage Crisis and America’s First Encounter with Radical Islam. Princeton University Press, 2005. 3. “McConnell Cites ‘Overwhelming Evidence’ of Iran’s Support for Iraqi Insurgents.” Council on Foreign Relations (June 28, 2007) :<>. 4. IRIB News. “Ahmadinejad: Israel must be wiped off the map.” Islamic Republic of Iran broadcasting (2005/10/26) : 5. UN. “Security Council tightens sanctions against Iran over uranium enrichment.” UN News Center: 6. N IE. “Iran: Nuclear Intentions and capabilities.” National Intelligence Estimate (November 2007): <>. 7. Herald Tribune. “UN nuclear watchdog chief expresses concern about anti-Iran rhetoric from US.” International herald tribune, the global of the New York Times (October 28, 2007): 8. AFP. “Six powers to meet soon over Iran’s nuclear program: US.” AFP (Jan 15, 2008): 9. World Public “Muslim Publics Oppose Al Qaeda’s Terrorism, But Agree With Its Goal of Driving US Forces Out.” World Public Opinion (February 24, 2009) 10. Msnbc. “Study: U.S. must work with Muslim communities to fight terrorism.” msnbc (Feb. 26, 2009) :<> 11. Akl, Aida. “U.S. Muslims Eager to Help Fight Terrorism.” Muslim public affair council (October 31, 2005): < id="88">.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006 Astronomy For Beginners By Simon Woodhouse I think it's fare to say that at one time or another, we've all looked up into the night sky and marveled at the stars. There's something very pure about the absolute darkness up there, and the tiny little lights that puncture it. Staring into the night sky is by no means a modern phenomenon, and most ancient civilizations did exactly the same as we do today. 4,500 years ago the people of Northern Babylonian might not have had telescopes, but they still kept astronomical records, and were able to predict the course of objects moving across the night sky. The Ancient Egyptians planned their agricultural economy around the River Nile and when it would flood, an event they predicted when Sirius (the brightest star in the sky) first appeared each year. Ever wondered where the seven day week comes from? Well it's nothing new, with many older civilizations using exactly the same system, and one they based on the phases of the moon. My own real interest in the night sky started in 1997 with the arrival of the Hale-Bopp comet. I was amazed at how close it looked, even though it was well over a million miles away. And I had always imagined comets to be really speedy things, something that would whiz by and be gone in a flash, but Hale-Bopp stayed in the night sky for ages. After Hale-Bopp someone told me that with a bit of practice it was possible to spot Mir, the ageing Russian space station. You didn't need any equipment for this, just a relatively dark patch of sky and a bit of patience. I had both, and to my amazement saw Mir on the first night I tried. But had I not known what I was looking at, I would probably have thought it was the running lights from a plane. I was still not sure whether staring up into the sky was just a passing phase, so rather than parting with some cash and buying a telescope, I got a pair of old binoculars and cellotaped then to a camera tripod. This set-up looked a bit daft, but it was dark so no one saw me anyway. To help me recognize what I was looking at I bought a beginners guide to Astronomy (there are numerous ones out there). But I found understanding the star charts rather tricky. What I needed was something even more basic and easy to use. Via the internet, I downloaded a trial version of some star gazing software, and then after a couple of weeks ordered the real thing. This was much better. All I had to do was tell the software whereabouts in the world I was, and it filled the computer screen with exactly what I was seeing overhead. Everything was labeled, easy to see, and the software itself was pretty idiot-proof to use. It was then only a matter of time before I bought a telescope. I did a bit of reading up on what was best for a beginner, and in the end decided on a four and a half inch reflector. Telescopes come in two types, reflectors and refractors. Reflectors give you more bang for your buck, in so much as they let more light in and therefore produce a sharper image. But they're not very good for ground observing (peering into the bedroom window of the house across the way), because the image is flipped upside-down by the mirrors inside. Seeing as I wasn't interested in peering in the neighbor's windows, a reflector was fine for me. Another point to consider before buying a telescope is where you're going to put it when you're not using it. They're pretty heavy things, especially with the counter-weight attached, and they're an awkward size and shape to move as well. I bought my first telescope in mid-winter, so once I got it home and set it up, I didn't have long to wait before I could try it out. This was a frustrating business to start with, as adjusting to the fact I was seeing everything upside-down, and fiddling with the motion controls at the same time, meant it took me ages before I could even line up on the moon. But when I did it was worth it. Even to the naked eye the moon is quite intriguing, through a telescope however, it's quite amazing. I think I spent most of that first night just staring at the craters and the pot marks. Using the software I'd bought, it wasn't long before I discovered Jupiter and its red spot. Though the planet itself was impressive, I was amazed at just how easy it was to see some of its moons. Better still though was seeing Saturn and its rings. Even with a relatively cheap telescope like the one I'd bought, the rings stood out so clearly it almost took your breath away. Standing outside at night in mid-winter might not be the most comfortable way to spend an evening, but it was certainly worth it. After touring the planets for quite a few weeks, I started to try and spot some of the fainter objects, and this is where I hit a snag. Astronomy from within an urban environment suffers badly from being at the mercy of light pollution. Stare up into the night sky above any city or large town, and you'll see a sickly, orange glow. This is light pollution and it mostly comes from all the streetlights. Worse still are the spotlights that surround sports arenas and playing fields. If you live near either of these, astronomy is going to be a frustrating pastime. It's bearable when you're looking at something directly overhead, but when it comes to things near the horizon you might as well forget it. I don't have this problem quite so much where I live now, as I'm lucky enough to overlook the Pacific Ocean, and there aren't too many streetlights out there. Besides the light pollution problem, and standing around in the cold and the dark, astronomy has plenty of things going for it. Once you've paid out for the telescope, staring up at the sky itself is free. As the night goes by and the earth rotates, new celestial bodies come into view. A similar thing happens as the seasons change, with different objects coming and going as the year passes by. So what might seem like a relatively static pastime is actually full of movement. No comments:
Light micrograph of a healthy human lymph node Light micrograph of a healthy human lymph node P290/0025 Rights Managed Request low-res file 530 pixels on longest edge, unwatermarked Request/Download high-res file Uncompressed file size: 51.0MB Downloadable file size: 6.1MB Price image Pricing Please login to use the price calculator Caption: Lymph node. Light micrograph of a section through a healthy human lymph node. The follicles (oval, purple) are the regions in which B-lymphocyte white blood cells proliferate. Surrounding the lymph node is a collagenous capsule (pink, at left). This supportive tissue extends into the node as a trabecula (pink). Lymph nodes are kidney-shaped organs into which the fluid from body tissues drains and is filtered. The nodes are packed with white blood cells that destroy disease-causing microorganisms within the fluid. The granular appearance of the tissue is caused by the presence of thousands of lymphocyte white blood cells. Magnification: x400 at 35mm size. Keywords: anatomy, capsule, follicle, human body, immune, immune system, lymph, lymph node, lymphatic, lymphatic system, lymphoid follicle, node, system, trabecula
hairy tongue Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: References in periodicals archive ? A Black Hairy Tongue is a temporary harmless condition that gives your tongue a dark hairy appearance. Hairy tongue is caused by excessive bacterial or yeast growth in the mouth that could develop due to several reasons including a reaction to anti- biotics or in case of several other medical conditions. The most common tongue conditions are geographic tongue, followed by fissured tongue and hairy tongue [4].
Tag Archives: conservation Why we need Flying foxes These are Little Red Flying Foxes, the smallest of our “fruitbats”, an endemic species of northern and eastern mainland Australia. Flying Foxes are considered by many people as simply obnoxious pests. They can settle in suburban backyards in thousands, but these beautiful flying mammals serve a critical role especially in northern Australia by pollinating a wide range of plant species. They are the ‘bees’ of the tropical north, a place which is largely shunned by European honey bees. Besides pollination they also distribute seeds of native fruiting trees far and wide, a service indispensable to native forests. Science is just beginning to understand the behaviour of these animals and with this knowledge managers will have the ability to persuade colonies to avoid areas of human habitation and agribusiness. We have no idea whether these animals are increasing or decreasing in number, they a very nomadic and move over huge distances. One thing is certain however an that is their habitat is being increasingly lost to ‘development’ . The American Passenger Pigeon once blacked the sky in mid-western US states but is now gone forever. Lets not treat our Flying foxes the same way. Please share. Horses and Beef also cause extinction Squirrel Glider from a cardboard box. squirrel glider in hand So here’s my progress so far: glider prog 1 A basic shape glider prog 3 Building up a shape glider prog 4 Adding limbs and looking at posture glider prog 5 Modifying head angle and increasing tail size glider prog 6 glider prog 9 Starting work on tail detail (very time consuming) I will post more progress photos in the coming weeks. Great news from Sumatra! sumatran rhino Cardboard Redgums and half-cooked creatures Ian with kookaburra heather looking in can Arid Australia at the Garden Show, video Our arid garden installation at the Melbourne International Garden Show seemed to be the only ‘garden’ example not related to people and their leisure activities. We noticed it was those people who had travelled to inland Australia who most appreciated our efforts and who had an interest in how many of our small mammal species are under threat. Beauty and terror out west Werribee Gorge State Park would have to be the most underated and under-appreciated piece of wildlife realestate within one hour of Melbourne. My guess it’s partly because its on the arse-end (western) side of the city, just past all those factories and thistle paddocks. For bell-birds, tall mountain-ash forests and fern glades, go east. We western suburbs boys and girls prefer a landscape with guts, no namby pamby waterfall walks with carpark kiosk here. But if you love ‘Rugged mountain ranges and droughts with flooding rains’ and ‘Her beauty and her terror’ the you’ll appreciate this place. The gorge sits on the fault line which demarcates the sinking basin on which Melbourne lies, and the upland plateau of Ballarat etc. It’s the reason Port Phillip Bay exists. The river, which is really only a stream, has over millions of years cut through the rocks and exposed the underlying sandstone which has been compressed and forced into a serpentine buckle by continental plate action in the ancient past. The power which created this feature must have been unimaginable. The gorge also is the only place I know which shows signs of glaciation, unusual for Australia. The ‘plum-pudding’ deposits of mixed striated rocks show they have been transported in ice and dropped into an ancient sea at time of melt. Striated parrallel gouging is proof of ice embedded rock erosion. Its likely that from where I took the photographs there where icebergs melting above my head! But that was in the times of Gondwana. Werribee gorge is great place for city people to escape for an hour or two of quiet and a chance to see wild species. greyfantail Rhipidura fuliginosa Its a place where superb fairy wren families visit your picnic table if you move quietly, grey fantails and whiteplumed honeyeaters abound. whiteplumed honeyeater and yellow robins heal your soul by looking into your eyes. yellow robin2 Silver eyes work the eucalypt flowers striated thornbill and stiated thornbills call from nearby bushes. red-browed finch I also saw a group of red-browed finches yellow faced honeyeater and white-faced honeyeaters visiting from Queensland for summer. fat lacewings provide food for thes birds and by their presence tell us the water quality is clean. very large fat fly Atriplex, in flower, attracted these very large flies which like huge bumble-bees zoomed through the bushes. The significance of the gorge was understood over 100 years ago when it was declared a “site for a Public Park” in 1907, but no-one has yet found a way to remove the goats (photographed Feb 2016) which destroy the fragile plants growing in inaccessable places, pity. Goats are also rampant in nearby Lerderderg Gorge. Photo: Richard Daintree, 1859 (State Library of Vic) 1896 Working Men’s College Photographic Club camp “Taking a Boobook Owls Nest”, 1890 A.J. Campbell featured in “Nests and Birds of Australia”. The nest was quickly chopped out and three eggs taken therefrom. We may feel shocked by this portrayal of whitefella history, but we have learned nothing, people STILL burn hollows for ‘pleasure’ see https://open.abc.net.au/explore/57124
Is Red Wine Good for You? Here's What Science Tells Us About Imbibing Many wine lovers claim that, in moderation, red wine promotes a healthy heart. A variety of research suggests that red wine may have a number of health benefits, including lessening the risk of certain types of cancers and helping to curb weight gain, though not all doctors agree. Read more: Do Vegetarians Live Longer? Here's What Science Says According to the Mayo Clinic, the science behind that belief is largely rooted in the properties of a compound in red wine called resveratrol, much like the antioxidants also present in red wine, "Antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart," explains the Mayo Clinic. "A polyphenol called resveratrol ... might be a key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and prevents blood clots." On the other hand, the Mayo Clinic points out that medical professionals are hesitant to encourage a person to take up drinking, given the long term health issues tied to excessive alcohol consumption. Source: Gregory Bourolias/Unsplash One study carried out at the University of Alberta in Canada suggests red wine's healthy benefits are multifaceted. According to the study, the health benefits of resveratrol are similar to the heath boost we get from hitting the gym. "We were excited when we saw that resveratrol showed results similar to what you would see from extensive endurance exercise training," said the study's lead researcher Jason Dyck in a statement. "We immediately saw the potential for this and thought that we identified 'improved exercise performance in a pill.'" The Telegraph weighed evidence for and against red wine's supposed health benefits, including introducing one study that suggests that piceatannol, another compound in red wine, can prevent weight gain by stopping the growth of fat cells. Source: Gregory Bourolias/Unsplash Elsewhere, Everyday Health reports that a study that appeared in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology in 2014 found it's possible resveratrol prevents cancers in the head and neck. According to that study's abstract, resveratrol "inhibits cell growth and induces cell death in cancer cells by targeting cell survival and cell death regulatory pathways." Yet within the scientific community that's researched the effects of red wine, there's some disagreement. One report published in the U.K. earlier this month claims red wine is bad for your health. The report came from Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies, the Telegraph said. It undercuts the theory that red wine can help ward off memory loss and reduce the risk of cancer. Still, another 2014 study suggests that wine may have antimicrobial properties that promote oral health by killing the types of bacteria that can cause cavities and other forms of dental diseases. While red wine's potential health benefits "look promising," adds the Mayo Clinic, the health authority reminds drinkers that taking up drinking for the sole purpose of improving heart health is not something either the American Heart Association pr the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute advocates. Source: Serge Esteve/Unsplash
Smiling Times Blog choose your destination they tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds they tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds Authored By Smiling Times 1 Comment(s) “Quisieron enterrarnos, pero se les olvido que somos semillas.” Translation? “They tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds.” Although, there are many loose iterations of the saying, with the most original being, “What didn’t you do to bury me but you forgot that I was a seed.” Even though some may attribute this to a mexican sayings, the actual quote originates from Dinos Christianopoulos, a Greek writer and poet during the late 1900s. While the quote itself is beautiful as a standalone, once recognizing the history you have a deeper understanding of what these words meant to the writer. . The quote itself is a metaphor for the cause and effect relations of the oppressed and oppressors. In this case, the seeds represent the oppressed, and the “they” referred to symbolizes the oppressors. It is logical then to understand why the oppressors would be trying to bury the oppressed, it is a seize of power and a nod to the hierarchy of social and political power. However, like seeds, the oppressed will simply rise up when bury. In other words, the activism of the oppressed can not be repressed because the more they are attacked, the more they will just continue to spring back up again, and like a nasty weed, they will come back stronger and larger than ever before. Christianopoulos’ worked focuses on the specific topic of homophobia, and the evils of being prejudiced to the LGBTQ and LGBTQ advocates. As a matter of fact, his work was revered for being one of the first, openly homeortic works in history, speaking volumes to his pride and courage in tackling subjects too offensive or touchy for other writers to do. Even though, Christianopoulos’ may not getting recognition, he deserves , I am sure he is elated to find so many people moved by this beautiful phrase . Terry Seymour Terry Seymour Very insightful quote!! This really made my day! Since my childhood, I have been taught how to face oppression but, this impressed me more.. It gives every oppressed a very inspirational message; never ever feel down whatever the circumstances are, every oppressed soul will certainly rise! Keep on sharing such wonderful stuff! Leave a comment Please note, comments must be approved before they are published (0) Items Items 0 Subtotal $0.00 To Top
Collagen, Benefits, Types and Sources Collagen is a protein produced from the body and from important building materials to regenerate cells throughout the body, including: hair, skin, nails, eyes, teeth, cartilage, bones, tendons, organs, arteries, blood vessels, hemoglobin, immune cells and immune system. Collagen, when taken from external sources, decomposes into smaller molecules to be easily absorbed and taken along with sufficient amounts of vitamin C and some amino acids. The production of collagen in the body slows down and decreases with age. The aging process accelerates after the age of 30 when we begin to lose 1.5% of the body’s natural collagen each year. When reach the age of 40, most people start to notice hormonal changes in the body. Benefits of collagen. Help with weight loss. This benefit may not be scientifically proven, but some weight loss and contraceptive products contain this ingredient. In fact, collagen is used this way to lose weight . It is generally a natural gelatin. You can use it in conjunction with a healthy diet, regular exercise and healthy sleep to help losing weight. Bone strengthening. It is a good option for those who suffer from osteoporosis, especially when taken with calcium. In particular, osteoporosis affects many men and women. Regardless of the sex of the patient, collagen is a vital element in it. The goal is to control bone weakness. Helps improve heart health and immunity. When the rate of collagen decreases in the cardiovascular system, it can lead to heart failure. The lack of collagen in the body has been associated with many diseases. But scientists are still studying the possibility of using collagen supplements to promote heart health. However, without the use of appropriate treatments and the knowledge of alternative medicines, the use of collagen supplements may expose the heart to many health problems. Promote teeth and gum health. It helps keep your teeth and gums healthy. When the amount of collagen from the body leads to weak teeth, it helps in the formation of teeth. Improve the fingernails of the feet and hands. We can use it to improve nails and restore its power to it. Taking collagen supplements constantly leads to the restoration of nails strength. Strengthens skin elasticity. Age has an effect on the skin. It may lead to sagging the skin and the appearance of wrinkles which make them tight begins to fade over the years. This is due to the effect of daily UV rays, which destroy collagen and macrophages in the skin. Collagen works to rejuvenate the skin. Improve hair health. It helps to get long and healthy hair because it works to increase the proteins in the body and build natural hair and depends on the growth of hair at the level of collagen in the hair. At the same collagen leads to dry skin so when consumed daily lead to strong hair. Wound healing. We can use it as a topical cream for cuts and skin burns. Collagen helps to regenerate skin growth. It absorbs wound secretions and keeps the wound moist and protects against the growth of bacterial infections. Collagen anti-aging. Collagen is a leading source in anti-aging. The world’s studies showed that oral collagen digestion, with 3.6 grams of collagen I, II, and III in beef and chicken, with 13 grams of proline, lysine, glycine, copper, manganese and 1,000 mg of vitamin C Daily on an empty stomach makes the body stronger and more attractive over a period of 2-6 months. Types of collagen. Collagen is a natural protein that we can find it in different parts of the body, including skin and bones. Several types have been identified. They are usually referred to by a number, such as one, two, three, or using Roman numerals, such as collagen I, II, and III. Differences between those types generally depend on the unique chemical structures of each species. The types I, II and III represent the majority of collagen content in the body. These three types are the most abundant in many physical structures, including bones, skin, and spinal vertebrae. Type III. We can find it in the skin, muscles and bowel walls. The second type is the most abundant in the body and closely associated with the first collagen. These types make external collagen supplements and used to preserve and promote the health of the skin, bones and muscles. The second type of collagen is prominent in the cartilage, and it used to treat several problems including arthritis, cellulite, and wrinkles. Type V. There is a dispenser throughout the body, believed to be one of the most or all components of the connective tissue. It is usually associated with type XI and can be found in fiber of cartilage. These two types have similar biological functions. The eighth type . It is a series of short collagen which known as the main structural element in the diasmic membrane. This type is also found in blood vessels in the vascular tissues. The sources. Fish contain the omega-3 fatty acids. As the nutritionist says, it helps the skin cells and protects them. Red vegetables. Such as tomatoes, red peppers and beets contain anti-oxidant lycopene and lycopene acts as a sun resistor and protect the skin from damage. Dark vegetables. Dark vegetables increase the speed of production of collagen, so that it contains vitamin C, such as spinach and turnip. It also protects against free radicals to prevent weakness. Orange vegetables. Orange vegetables such as carrots are rich in vitamin A and the regeneration of damaged collagen in the skin. Acidic fruits. The study shows that acidic fruits such as orange or lemon and grapefruit are fruits rich in vitamin C. They have the ability to form collagen and also important resistance to free radicals. Is one of the best sources of sulfur, which is necessary for the production of collagen in the body. Post your Comment here
Telemedicine: how digital technology is saving lives By Adelina Campos de Carvalho 6/2/2017 In crisis situations, immediate access to advanced medical care can mean the difference between life and death. Telemedicine allows rescuers to contact doctors thousands of kilometres away, inform them of a patient's condition,and seek their advice. Over 50 miners are trapped underground after a sulphur mine collapsed in western Ukraine. At least five of the miners have suffered severe burns as a result of the accident which took place this morning at 5am, close to Yavoriv, a town near the Polish border. Dozens of people were also injured as a gas explosion in the mine, 300 metres below ground, triggered earth tremors which destroyed nearby buildings and roads. Emergency services fear further casualties as it is believed the quake may have caused a chemical leak when it hit nearby factories. Ukrainian authorities have now called for assistance with disaster relief efforts. Life and death The events mentioned above did not take place. They were part of a simulated exercise testing NATO's new Multinational Telemedicine System, a project partly developed by the NCI Agency which was completed in early 2017. While this scenario was fictional, the challenges it posed were very real. In crisis situations, immediate access to advanced medical care can mean the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, medical specialists are not always available to treat casualties on site. Victims must thus rely on rescue workers or paramedics and the one of the only tools at their disposal – telemedicine. Telemedicine allows rescuers to contact doctors thousands of kilometres away, inform them of a patient's condition, and seek their advice on how best to treat them. The information can be transmitted securely within a matter of seconds. "In the event of a disaster, telemedicine can enable physicians, located in different parts of the world, the ability to provide healthcare services remotely, to those individuals in disaster zone," explained Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges. "Telemedicine can make a huge difference for a wounded person, allowing fast connectivity with high level medical expertise in the 'golden hour' between life and potential death. I understood the meaning of this 'golden hour' during my missions with the North Atlantic Council to Afghanistan and other operational theatres, and consider telemedicine as a huge enabler for emergency response for victims of natural disasters or military conflicts." Vital information sharing In 2012, the NATO – Russia Council initiated a telemedicine project which was funded by NATO's Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme. Although Russia was involved initially, it was decided in 2014 that the Multinational Telemedicine System (MnTS) would be led by scientists and experts from NATO Allies Romania and the United States and Partner countries Finland, Moldova and Ukraine. Participating Nations and the Science for Peace and Security Programme contributed a total of 2 million EUR to the project, including 180,000 EUR which covered the cost of the support provided by the NATO Communications and Information Agency. The Agency was responsible for multiple aspects of the system. It created content, provided subject matter expertise, worked on the system's communications technologies and assumed the role of project coordinator. As part of the project, the team had to decide which crucial information – or bio-signals - would need to be shared with 'long-distance doctors', the physicians providing medical expertise remotely. The team chose to include what is called the minimum viable dataset, namely: body temperature; heart rate; respiratory rate; blood pressure; additional signs such as any pain; a patient's level of consciousness; blood oxygen and glucose levels; gait speed; shortness of breath and functional capacity. This led them to develop a software platform allowing all these details to be transmitted from a portable medical kit to a remote hub via satellite link or mobile network. "One of the most serious problems experienced during disaster events is the lack of appropriate means to communicate efficiently, to collect, process, and transmit important information in the midst of the disaster," commented Filip Hostiuc, NCI Agency Senior Engineer, Command and Control Services. Increasing survival rates "Mortality rates can be reduced if information exchange is reliable, fast and accurate, so establishing rapid and reliable telecommunications systems specifically directed toward the disaster medical field is one of the most important challenges," Mr Hostiuc added. "During a disaster, communication may be congested or overloaded and the local administration may be damaged or not properly equipped to make contact with neighbouring areas to request help. Therefore, emergency communications systems, including contingency systems, should be quickly prepared and installed in areas where terrestrial communications lines or systems are unreliable, damaged, or non-existent." The team also had to take into account any potential legal or language issues that may arise during emergency situations to ensure that telemedicine could be deployed. After two years of development, NATO's Multinational Telemedicine System was tested live successfully in two of the Alliance's exercises, in 2015 in Ukraine and in 2016 in Montenegro. The Science for Peace and Security Programme Conference marked the completion of the project on 24 February 2017. It has been suggested that this system could be used in the future by NATO in partnership with other organizations such as the European Union, the United Nations or the World Health Organization to provide humanitarian relief. Ambassador Ducaru remarked: "[This] system can improve access to health services and increase survival rates in emergency situations that spans both geography and time zones." More News
Cookies on this website In a number of land plants, Golden2-like (GLK) genes encode a pair of partially redundant nuclear transcription factors that are required for the expression of nuclear photosynthetic genes and for chloroplast development. As chloroplast biogenesis depends on close co-operation between the nuclear and plastid compartments, GLK gene function must be dependent on tight intracellular control. However, the extent to which GLK-mediated chloroplast development depends on intercellular communication is not known. Here we used sector analysis to show that GLK proteins operate cell-autonomously in leaf mesophyll cells. To establish whether GLK proteins are able to influence adjacent cell layers, we used tissue-specific promoters to restrict GLK gene expression to the epidermis and to the phloem. GLK genes driven by the Arabidopsis epidermal FIDDLEHEAD (FDH) and MERISTEM LAYER1 (AtML1) promoters failed to rescue the pale-green Atglk1 Atglk2 mutant phenotype, confirming the suggestion that GLK proteins can only influence chloroplast development intracellularly. An exception to this rule was seen in lines in which GLK genes were expressed in the phloem. However, we believe that the partial complementation of the mutant phenotype that was observed resulted from phloem unloading, as opposed to inherent properties of GLK proteins. We conclude that GLK proteins act in a cell-autonomous manner to coordinate and maintain the photosynthetic apparatus within individual cells. Significantly, this suggests that GLK proteins provide a means to fine-tune photosynthesis according to the differential requirements of cells within the leaf. Original publication Journal article Plant J Publication Date 432 - 444 Arabidopsis, Arabidopsis Proteins, Chlorophyll, Chloroplasts, DNA, Plant, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Gene Expression Regulation, Plant, Genes, Plant, Microscopy, Confocal, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Mutation, Phenotype, Phloem, Plant Epidermis, Plants, Genetically Modified, Promoter Regions, Genetic, RNA, Plant, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Transcription Factors
Thursday, April 23, 2015 Early Soviet Threats Although the label ‘Cold War’ is often thought to apply to the years from 1946 to 1989, a similar mood prevailed in earlier decades. Shortly after the 1917 Russian Revolution, the Soviet Union worked influence the United States. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a communist front which presented itself as a labor union, orchestrated a general strike in Seattle, Washington, terrorizing the city and holding the ordinary citizens hostage. When the strike ended, many IWW leaders fled to the Soviet Union. In the years prior to WWII, the Soviet Union made use of enlisted agents, who engaged in espionage by extracting classified information about national security and sending it to Moscow, or by influencing policymakers in their decision-making. The Soviets also used unwitting dupes, usually naive idealists, who might not have been aware of the extent to which they were being manipulated to act in the interests of the international communist conspiracy. Evidence has emerged that the Soviet Union had large numbers of both employed spies and unsuspecting pawns in the 1930s in the United States. Samples from a long list of names include Philip Keeney, Mary Jane Keeney, Haldore Hanson, Dorothy Kenyon, and one of the most famous spies: Alger Hiss. Although this era lies more than half a century in the past, historians are still reconstructing the plan of the vast Soviet espionage network which existed inside the United States. The task is huge, and as more evidence comes to light, the work grows. Historians Stan Evans and Herbert Romerstein write: Of note in this respect, covert by nature and kept that way for decades, was the nonstop backstage warfare that was waged between the opposing forces even as peace in theory prevailed among the nations. Only by degrees have we come to understand the extent of this clandestine combat, and a great deal more is still waiting to be discovered. Even so, with the revelations of recent years we have enough data in hand to sketch the outlines of an astounding tale and fill in specifics about some matters long uncertain or contested. Successive estimates at the scale of Soviet intelligence activity have proven to be too small. Each disclosure of new data reveals the efforts to undermine the United States government to have been larger than previously thought. Historians will be processing this information for decades to come, and new troves of documents are probably yet to be discovered. Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Coolidge and Taxes President Calvin Coolidge and Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon agreed that taxes were a burden to ordinary citizens, and that taxes should be reduced. Mellon held his post already under President Harding, so when Coolidge took office, Mellon was solidly in place. Mellon had already worked with Harding to get one round of tax cuts through Congress. Coolidge and Mellon would introduce additional tax reductions for congressional consideration in 1924, 1926, and 1928. Already by 1924, Mellon and Harding had largely removed income taxes from the ordinary working class. In that year, Mellon and Coolidge would work on reducing the tax burden on the middle class. Historian Amity Shlaes writes: Now, on taxes, Coolidge and Mellon pushed forward. The men told themselves they had the angles covered. The Treasury was readying a plan to publicize the tax problem: a National Tax Reduction Week, scheduled for early April. Mellon, cheered to have the support of such an ally, even planned to market his ideas. Mellon’s deputy, David Finley, was pulling together statements by Mellon and the administration into a little book that Macmillan would publish. The regular worker did not pay the income tax, but, Mellon believed, the regular worker would benefit from the tax rate cut. Therefore he titled his book Taxation: The People’s Business. The book was remarkable in its clarity, and for what it did not contain: the word “tariff” appeared only once, and revenues from customs were described as “abnormally high.” While Mellon saw tax cuts as an encouragement for economic growth, Coolidge saw them as a matter of justice. If it was possible to relieve the working and middle classes, and reduce their tax burden, then justice required that it be done. If high marginal rates caused the upper classes to find loopholes in the tax code, then lower marginal rates would free that money to flow through the economy and stimulate growth. Coolidge’s sense of justice about these matters was not primarily a legalistic morality driven by a need to follow rules, or make sure that others followed them. Instead, his sense of virtue was forward-looking, and was about taking action to improve one’s community. Economics was, for Coolidge, an outgrowth of his spiritual worldview. He steered between a legalistic religion of rules and a worldly worship of governmental power, avoiding either extreme. Historian David Greenberg writes: Less a censorious Puritan than a pious man of sentimental faith, Coolidge shunned the era’s new secularism as well as its resurgent fundamentalism; he saw religion as a source of virtue, not of division, oppression, or intellectual limitation. Although motivated by his concept of personal virtue, Coolidge was still a man who’d worked his way through electoral cycles. He understood that tax cuts would help him at the polls. President Harding was slightly more than halfway through his four-year term when he died, nudging Coolidge into office. Coolidge knew that the voters would be wondering about who he was. A tax cut was a way to send a clear signal about his political identity. With the election in November 1924, the spring of that year was a good time to send that signal. Historian Robert Ferrell writes: Personal income tax rates were highly political propositions, both in recommendation and in passage through Congress, and it is noteworthy that Coolidge proposed the Mellon tax cut of 1924 in March of that year, in time for the Republican convention and the subsequent election. It immediately placed the president in the public eye. Economic policy would define the Coolidge administration in the popular imagination. He took significant actions regarding race relations: Coolidge snubbed the KKK, which had enjoyed presidential favor during the Wilson administration; Coolidge promoted anti-lynching laws; he was the first incumbent president to deliver a commencement address at a historically Black college when he spoke at Howard University. He also laid the foundation for a decade of peace. Coolidge worked with Charles Dawes; the result was the Dawes Plan, which restructured the payment of war reparations in 1924. Coolidge selected Dawes as vice president later that year. Coolidge appointed Frank Kellogg to be Secretary of State; the result was the Kellogg-Briand Pact, a treaty designed to offer diplomatic negotiations in an attempt to resolve international conflicts before they turned into open warfare. Although the war had ended only a few years before, Coolidge saw that tensions between various nations were already rising and that another war could easily erupt. Despite his impact on both race relations and world peace, it was Coolidge’s economic policy that most affected the daily life of the ordinary citizen, that formed the popular image of him in the collective consciousness, and that is most remembered. Tuesday, April 21, 2015 Coolidge: a Symbol of the Twenties President Calvin Coolidge not only worked to implement his political agenda of personal political liberty and economic freedom, but he became a popular symbol for his era, even among his detractors. The 1920s saw the emergence of technologies like film and radio into the mainstream consciousness. These, in turn, ushered in new styles like jazz and Art Deco. Coolidge had little or nothing to do with these trends in popular culture, and in fact retained the aura of the earlier generation from which he came. Yet he embraced the technology as a way to explain his agenda to the voters. Citizens were already accustomed to seeing photographs of their presidents, but Coolidge was the first president whose voice and moving image became familiar to the public. While Coolidge’s predecessor, Harding, had been a commanding orator, speaking to crowds of thousands, Coolidge became regular on the radio. Historian Amity Shlaes writes: The radio, the new medium, had proved Coolidge’s friend. On the radio you didn’t need to have a strong voice but a clear one. And Coolidge’s was clear - it had wire in it, as someone would say later. While he was, by nature and by reputation, taciturn, he gave 520 press conferences during his presidency, more than any other president, before or after. There is a paradox in the fact that the president who was so reticent that he earned the nickname ‘Silent Cal’ was also the president who frequently exploited the medium of radio and the occasions of press conferences. Because of his comfort with, and skilled use of, the media, Coolidge became an image in the popular consciousness. Historian David Greenberg writes: President from 1923, when he acceded to the office upon the sudden death of Warren Harding, until 1929, when he retired after forswearing a second full term, Coolidge was enormously popular throughout his tenure - an icon of his era every bit as much as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, or Charlie Chaplin. Becoming icon entails the risk of become a caricature, which includes a loss of substance. The image and popularity of Coolidge belie the complexity and rigor of his economic thought. Meticulously, Coolidge combed through the federal budget, searching for any chance to unburden the taxpayers. His thoroughness was targeted at finding ways to cut spending, cut taxes, balance the federal budget, reduce the deficit, and reduce the debt. Keeping the federal budget roughly the same from year to year, while the economy grew significantly, was a way to reduce the burden on the ordinary taxpayer. Andrew Mellon was already Secretary of the Treasury before Coolidge took office. Historian Robert Ferrell writes: The main contours of the budget, the object of cooperation between Mellon and Coolidge, are not difficult to relate. In the 1920s, the size of the budget remained virtually the same, after it decreased from the wartime era. In fiscal year 1921 (July 1920 through June 1921), federal expenditures were $5.1 billion; in fiscal year 1922, $3.3 billion. They stayed there during the Coolidge presidency, amounting in 1923 to $3.294 billion and in 1929 to $3.298 billion. Sources of revenue changed a great deal from prewar years. In 1913, one-third of the federal budget was from excise taxes on liquor, two-thirds from the tobacco tax and the tariff. In 1930, with no liquor tax, one-third came from tobacco and the tariff, one-third from personal income tax, and one-third from corporate income tax. The income tax, permitted by the Sixteenth Amendment, had gone into effect during the war. The triumph of Coolidge’s economic policy not only eased the tax burden on citizens at all income levels, from the lowest to the highest, but also boosted employment levels and wages at all levels. The prosperity which Coolidge brought permeated all sectors and regions. He also paid off a significant fraction of the national debt, a rarity in economic history. Beyond economics, Coolidge made progress in extending personal liberty. He sharply denied the KKK’s attempt to gain more influence in national politics, departing from the pattern of the Wilson administration’s fondness for the Klan. Coolidge encouraged Congress to pass anti-lynching laws, and became the first incumbent president to deliver a commencement address at a historically Black college when he spoke at Howard University in 1924. He was consistently popular with African-American voters. In foreign policy, Coolidge worked to keep Europe stable. Despite, or because of, the treaties which ended the war, tensions between nations continued to simmer. Coolidge wanted to prevent another war. Coolidge encouraged Charles Dawes to implement a plan to make the payment schedule for war reparations more realistic. The Dawes Plan went into effect in 1924, and Dawes later became Coolidge’s vice president. Coolidge’s Secretary of State, Frank Kellogg, negotiated the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which sought to organize negotiated and diplomatic opportunities to address conflicts before they escalated into war. The pact was finalized in 1928. Saturday, April 11, 2015 Adolf Berle: Assistant Secretary of State A child prodigy who entered Harvard at age 13, Adolf Berle was also the youngest person to ever graduate, in 1916, from Harvard Law School at the age of 21. (He’d stopped between his bachelor’s degree and law school to get a master’s degree. Otherwise, he’d have been even younger when he got his law degree!) In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Adolf Berle served as Assistant Secretary of State for President Franklin Roosevelt. In this capacity, he received information from Whittaker Chambers, who up until 1938 had been working for the Soviet Union, gathering information about the United States and sending it to Moscow. Chambers told Berle about two brothers, Alger and Donald Hiss, who were also Soviet agents, and who were endangering the security of the United States by sending classified information to the various Soviet intelligence agencies, and by influencing policy decisions within the Roosevelt administration. Concerned about a security problem, Berle attempted to alert other members of FDR’s administration. Ann Coulter reports the results: Berle also told Dean Acheson, then Roosevelt's undersecretary of the Treasury, what Chambers had said about the Hiss brothers. As Berle described the meeting, Acheson "said he had known the family and these two boys since childhood and could vouch for them absolutely." When Acheson later became assistant secretary of state, he immediately requested Donald Hiss as his assistant. Berle again stepped in to remind Acheson that Chambers had identified Donald Hiss as a Soviet agent. When Acheson appointed Hiss to a position with access to classified information, he executed a casual and pro forma investigation of Donald Hiss. He asked Hiss if he was a Communist, Hiss denied it, and Acheson summarily announced that "the matter was closed." Apparently, Berle felt torn between his loyalty to the Roosevelt administration and his horror about its “nonchalance about Soviet agents on their staffs was scandalous.” While privately warning other members of the administration about these national security threats, he publicly defended the administration. In public, Berle would downplay the Roosevelt administrations’s promotion of two traitors with an inane straw-man argument: "The idea that these two Hiss boys … were going to take over the United States government did not strike me as any immediate danger." Yet, despite his respect for FDR, it was clear to Berle that the president’s attention to detail was impaired by his declining health, and that some of the president’s appointees were either not troubled by, or refused to entertain the possibility of, the fact that there were Soviet operatives at high levels within the State Department. As even Berle admitted, "We were all trying not to tell anything that ought not be told, and there were pretty consistent leaks whenever anything went through [Alger Hiss's] office." Decades later, it would proven by the Soviet Union’s own records that the Hiss brothers were on Moscow’s payroll. The deaths and horrors caused by the Soviet Union’s domination of Poland and other eastern European nations are directly attributable to Alger Hiss’s influence on FDR. Hiss gave advice to the president about how to negotiate with Stalin.
Brewing Terminology Descriptorsort icon Description Enzymes, preservatives and antioxidants which are added to simplify the brewing process or prolong shelf life. Fermentable material used as a substitute for traditional grains, to make beer lighter-bodied or cheaper. An organism, such as top fermenting ale yeast, that needs oxygen to metabolize. Ethyl alcohol or ethanol. An intoxicating by-product of fermentation, which is caused by yeast acting on sugars in the malt. Alcohol content is expressed as a percentage of volume or weight. Alcohol by Volume Amount of alcohol in beer in terms of percentage volume of alcohol per volume of beer. Beers distinguished by use of top fermenting yeast strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The top fermenting yeast perform at warmer temperatures than do yeast's used to brew lager beer, and their byproducts are more evident in taste and aroma. Fruitiness and esters are often part of an ale's character. An organism, such as a bottom-fermenting lager yeast, that is able to metabolize without oxygen present. Extent to which yeast consumes fermentable sugars (converting them into alcohol and carbon dioxide). A unit of measurement used by brewers in some countries. In Britain, a barrel holds 36 imperial gallons (1 imperial gallon = 4.5 liters), or 1.63 hectoliters. In the United States, a barrel holds 31.5 US gallons (1 US gallon = 3.8 liters), or 1.17 hectoliters. Secondary fermentation and maturation in the bottle, creating complex aromas and flavors. Bottom-fermenting yeast One of the two types of yeast used in brewing. Bottom-fermenting yeast works well at low temperatures and ferments more sugars leaving a crisp, clean taste and then settles to the bottom of the tank. Also referred to as "lager yeast". Brew Kettle The vessel in which wort from the mash is boiled with hops. Also called a copper. The collective equipment used to make beer. Pub that makes its own beer and sells at least 50% of it on premises. Also known in Britain as a home-brew house and in Germany as a house brewery. Bright Beer Tank See conditioning tank. The stopper in the hole in a keg or cask through which the keg or cask is filled and emptied. The hole may also be referred to as a bung or bunghole. Real beer must use a wooden bung. Sparkle caused by carbon dioxide, either created during fermentation or injected later. A closed, barrel-shaped container for beer. They come in various sizes and are now usually made of metal. The bung in a cask of "Real" beer or ale must be made of wood to allow the pressure to be relived, as the fermentation of the beer, in the cask, continues. Secondary fermentation and maturation in the cask at the point of sale. Creates light carbonation. Chill haze Cloudiness caused by precipitation of protein-tannin compound at low temperatures, does not affect flavor. Period of maturation intended to impart "condition" (natural carbonation). Warm conditioning further develops the complex of flavors. Cold conditioning imparts a clean, round taste. Conditioning Tank A vessel in which beer is placed after primary fermentation where the beer matures, clarifies and, is naturally carbonated through secondary fermentation. Also called bright beer tank, serving tank and, secondary tank. Exhaustive system of mashing in which portions of the wort are removed, heated, then returned to the original vessel. The unfermentable carbohydrate produced by the enzymes in barley. It gives the beer flavor, body, and mouthfeel. Lower temperatures produce more dextrin and less sugar. While higher temperatures produce more sugars and less dextrin. Draft (Draught) The addition of dry hops to fermenting or aging beer to increase its hop character or aroma. European Brewing Convention. An EBC scale is used to indicate colors in malts and beers. Catalysts that are found naturally in the grain. When heated in mash, they convert the starches of the malted barley into maltose, a sugar used in solution and fermented to make beer. Volatile flavor compound naturally created in fermentation. Often fruity, flowery or spicy. The removal of designated impurities by passing the wort through a medium, sometimes made of diatomaceous earth ( made up of the microscopic skeletal remains of marine animals). Yeast in suspension is often targeted for removal. Final specific gravity Specific gravity of a beer when fermentation is complete (that is, all fermentable sugars have been fermented). An aid to clarification: a substance that attracts particles that would otherwise remain suspended in the brew. Brewers' term for milled grains, or the combination of milled grains to be used in a particular brew. Derives from the verb to grind. Also sometimes applied to hops. Hand Pump A device for dispensing draft beer using a pump operated by hand. The use of a hand pump allows the cask-conditioned beer to be served without the use of pressurized carbon dioxide. Heat Exchanger A mechanical device used to rapidly reduce the temperature of the wort. Hop back Sieve-like vessel used to strain out the petals of the hop flowers. Known as a hop jack in the United States. International Bitterness units. A system of indicating the hop bitterness in finished beer. Simplest form of mash, in which grains are soaked in water. May be at a single temperature, or with upward or (occasionally) downward changes. The addition of a small proportion of partly fermented wort to a brew during lagering. Stimulates secondary fermentation and imparts a crisp, spritzy character. From the German word for storage. Refers to maturation for several weeks or months at cold temperatures (close to 0°C /32°F) to settle residual yeast, impart carbonation and make for clean round flavors. To run the wort from the mash tun. From the German word to clarify. A lauter tun is a separate vessel to do this job. It uses a system of sharp rakes to achieve a very intensive extraction of malt sugars. Malt (ing) Malt Extract The condensed wort from a mash, consisting of maltose, dextrins and, other dissolved solids. Either as a syrup or powdered sugar, it is used by brewers, in solutions of water and extract, to reconstitute wort for fermentation. A water soluble, fermentable sugar contained in malt. (Verb) To release malt sugars by soaking the grains in water. (Noun) The resultant mixture. Mash Tun A tank where grist is soaked in water and heated in order to convert the starch to sugar and extract the sugars and other solubles from the grist. A sensation derived from the consistency or viscosity of a beer, described, for example as thin or full. Original gravity A measurement of the density of fermentable sugars in a mixture of malt and water with which a brewer begins a given batch. Heating of beer to 60-79(°C/140-174°F to stabilize it microbiologically. Flash-pasteurization is applied very briefly, for 15-60 seconds by heating the beer as it passes through the pipe. Alternately, the bottled beer can be passed on a conveyor belt through a heated tunnel. This more gradual process takes at least 20 minutes and sometimes much longer. To add yeast to wort. Plato, degrees Expresses the specific gravity as the weight of extract in a 100 gram solution at 64°F (17.5°C). Refinement of the Balling scale. The addition of sugar at the maturation stage to promote a secondary fermentation. "Purity Law" originating in Bavaria in 1516 and now applied to all German brewers making beer for consumption in their own country. It requires that only malted grains, hops, yeast and water may be used in the brewing. Secondary fermentation Stage of fermentation occurring in a closed container from several weeks to several months. To spray grist with hot water in order to remove soluble sugars (maltose). This takes place at the end of the mash. Specific gravity A measure of the density of a liquid or solid compared to that of water ((1.000 at 39°F (4°C)). Top-fermenting yeast One of the two types of yeast used in brewing. Top-fermenting yeast works better at warmer temperatures and are able to tolerate higher alcohol concentrations than bottom-fermenting yeast. It is unable to ferment some sugars, and results in a fruitier, sweeter beer. Also known as "ale yeast". Wort Chiller See heat exchanger. A micro-organism of the fungus family. Genus Saccharomyces.
Scientists discover two potentially habitable ‘super-Earth’ planets just 12 light years away Two potentially habitable “super-Earths” orbit a star just 12 light years away that is our nearest sun-like neighbour, scientists have discovered. The worlds at the edges of Tau Ceti’s “habitable zone” belong to a solar system of four rocky planets similar in size to Earth. British-led astronomers speculate that the system might be a potential candidate for future interstellar colonisation. But life on the new outposts may be far from peaceful. There is evidence of a massive debris disc circling the star, increasing the chances of the planets being pounded by asteroids and comets. A key aspect of the discovery was the detection of exoplanets with masses as low as 1.7 times the Earth’s, making them the smallest worlds ever spotted around a sun-like star. The scientists used the “wobble” method of planet finding that measures the influence of gravitational interaction on a star. As a planet orbits, it causes its parent star to wobble by a tiny degree. Astronomers can see the signature of this effect in the star’s light. Two potentially habitable “super-Earths” have been discovered. Credit: PA Lead researcher Dr Fabo Feng, from the University of Hertfordshire, said: “We’re getting tantalisingly close to observing the correct limits required for detecting Earth-like planets. “Our detection of such weak wobbles is a milestone in the search for Earth analogues and the understanding of the Earth’s habitability through comparison with these.” Sun-like stars hold out the best hope of finding planets beyond the solar system that host life. Tau Ceti, a favourite destination of science fiction writers, is very similar to the sun both in size and brightness. Like the sun, it has a “habitable zone”, a narrow region around it where conditions are favourable for Earth-like life. Within the habitable, or “Goldilocks” zone, temperatures are not too hot or too cold but just right for surface water to exist as a liquid. A habitable zone planet could have oceans, lakes and rivers. Space tourism: 10 ways you can leave planet Earth Neither of Tau Ceti’s “super-Earths” lie in the centre of its habitable zone. One orbits on the inner border and the other on the outer. The Earth is situated halfway between the middle of the sun’s habitable zone and its inner boundary. The astronomers analysed starlight wavelength data obtained from the European Southern Observatory in Chile and the Keck observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Their findings are to be published in the Astronomical… Read the full article from the Source… Leave a Reply
Quandaries and Queries Who is asking: Parent Level: All Solve the following triangles. 1. B = 20 Degrees, a = 25, b = 16 2. A = 35 Degrees, b = 2, c = 3 3. A = 32 Degrees, C = 44, c = 20 Hi Allen, There are two identities in trigonometry that are very useful in these problems. They are the law of sines and the law of cosines. The law of sines is the easier to work with so I always look first to see if I can use is. It says This identity involves four quantities, the side lengths a and b and the angle measurements A and B. What this means is that if you know any three of these quantities you can find the fourth. In particular if you know an angle measurement, the length of the side opposite and either another angle or another side you can find the fourth. This is the situation in problem 3. You know the angle measurement C, the side opposite c and the angle A so you can find the side length a. (I wrote the law of sines using A,a,B and b but I could as easily used A, a, C and c.) Solve for a. Since the sum of the angles in a triangle is 180 degrees B = 180 - (44 + 32) = 104 degrees and thus you can use the law of sines again to find b. Problem 1 is similar. You know B, b, and a so you can use the law of sines to find sin(A) and then A. For problem 2 the only angle you know is A and you don't know a so you can't use the law of sines. The law of cosines states c2 = a2 + b2 -2 ab cos(C) To me this says, "if you know the size of an angle (here called C) and the lengths of the two sides that are not opposite C then you can find the length of c." This is the situation in problem 2. You know A as well as b and c so you can find a. That is a2 = 22 + 32 -2 (2)(3)cos(35) Solve for a. Now you know A, a and b so you can use the law of sines to find B. Go to Math Central
Wednesday, November 13, 2013 Have you ever wondered what makes enclosed spaces so appealing to your feline friend? What is so attractive about those ‘box like objects’ like drawers in the kitchen, bath or bedroom? Why are they drawn to laundry baskets, paper bags and even a kitchen or bathroom sink? In my years observing cats and looking at the behavior associated with some of their activities, these ideas come to mind: They feel secure and safe in these enclosed spaces, these spaces ‘belong to them’, especially of there is another pet or new member of the household. Many cats seem especially playful in and around boxes. They can spend hours jumping in and out of the same box. Have you ever noticed how many ways they can pounce on and around a box? Why do they seeming appear to be stalking the box? Is it that predatory instinct in them? And what fun these little environments seem to be! Have you ever seen a cat more comfortable than they are curled up and cozy in a drawer or box? Usually there is a warm blanket or piece of your clothing or a towel that they associate with you and your scent that makes the space even more special. Cats seem to instinctively prefer smaller, more confined spaces. They love to burrow deep into their safe space in a world all to themselves. Just make sure to keep an eye on your feline to make sure they don’t get left behind in a closet or drawer, make sure to check any open space that could potentially and unknowingly get closed off (warm dryer space, closet space) and that the boxes don’t have any tears or ways for them to get hurt! No comments: Post a Comment
Category Archives: Climate Change Amid the Global Heat Wave, Major Cities May Not Hold Summer Olympics In the Future. The rising temperatures and the green-house impact has experts thinking because cities could become too hot to host the Olympics in the future. For instance, a recent study by the medical journal, The Lancet, predicts that most of our cities will likely become ineligible to host the Olympics by 2085 even if we continue to reduce the impact of green-house. According to the study, the average temperature is not the temperature shown on TV screens, it is the actual body temperature faced by athletes competing in the Olympics. In scientific terms, the temperature is known as ‘wet bulb globe temperature’. The type of temperature indicates the stress on human body as it generates its reading from a combination of factors including air temperature, cloud cover, angle of the sun, humidity, and wind speed. According to ‘wet bulb globe temperature’, human body is able to sustain wet bulb temperatures that are less than 82 Fahrenheit in 100 percent humid conditions or 90 Fahrenheit in 40 percent humid conditions. Considering that most events at Rio Olympics are conducted in the evening to save athletes from the rising mid-day temperatures, the ‘wet bulb globe temperature’ will likely make Rio infeasible for another Olympics in the future. Researchers from different institutions around the world predict that only 90 cities out of 645 Northern Hemisphere cities will be able to sustain existing sports, by 2085. If we are to be careful, only 33 cities will qualify for holding Olympics, in the future. The fact that the study only focused on Summer Olympics creates even more problems for the Olympic Committee as the current heat wave has already reduced the viability of many Winter Resorts as a suitable venue for the Winter event.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 Lockheed F-104 G Starfighter Here are some images of Revell's 1/32 scale Lockheed F-104 G Starfighter. This aircraft bears the markings of No. 336Squadron, Royal Hellenic Air Force (Greece). They painted this F 104 G with a special colour scheme as a farewell to the F 104. From Wikipedia" The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it was operated by the air forces of more than a dozen nations from 1958 to 2004. The F-104 served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units until 1975. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) flew a small mixed fleet of F-104 types in supersonic flight tests and spaceflight programs until 1994. USAF F-104Cs saw service during the Vietnam War, and F-104A aircraft were deployed by Pakistan briefly during the Indo-Pakistani wars. Republic of China Air Force (Taiwan) F-104s also engaged the People's Liberation Army Air Force (China) over the disputed island of Quemoy. The operational service of the Starfighter ended with its retirement by the Italian Air Force in May 2004. A total of 2,578 Starfighters were eventually produced, mostly by NATO members. A set of modifications produced the F-104G model, which won a NATO competition for a new fighter-bomber. Several two-seat trainer versions were also produced, the most numerous being the TF-104G. The ultimate production version of the basic fighter model F-104 was the F-104S all-weather interceptor designed by Aeritalia for the Italian Air Force and equipped with radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. An advanced F-104 with a high-mounted wing, known as the CL-1200 Lancer, did not proceed past the mock-up stage. The poor safety record of the Starfighter brought the aircraft into the public eye, especially in German Air Force service. The subsequent Lockheed bribery scandals surrounding the original purchase contracts caused considerable political controversy in Europe and Japan. No comments:
Argumentative papers Argumentative papers from $10 per page! How to Write an Argumentative Paper \| The Pen and The Pad Just before putting all arguments in a paper, our writers search for the evidence.The issue should be debatable with a logical counter argument. Make your thesis a combination of your most persuasive arguments, or a single powerful argument, for the best effect.Let the evidence lead to your arguments -- bringing the reader with you.Adjust the font, line spacing, and margins to meet the requirements set by your professor or profession.You might target the school administrators, in which case you could make a case about student productivity and healthy food.Moreover, in most cases students have to interpret findings of other people.Well, you are definitely aware of the fact that the task of writing an argumentative essay means that you will need to do a lot of research work. 100 Easy Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas with Research For example, if you are writing a paper analyzing a famous work of literature, you could organize your research into a list of notes on the characters, a list of references to certain points in the plot, a list of symbols the author presents, et cetera.Go through your paper and fix all mistakes, rearranging information if necessary.What is the primary question or hypothesis that you are going to go about proving in your paper. Examples of Persuasive and Argumentative Essays - 11trees argumentative essay papers - Custom Essay Writing It is quite obvious that the most important aspect in terms of writing an argumentative essay is to be able to come up with impressive arguments.You want the reader to be able to build the argument logically, but this is impossible if they get lost in the weeds.You build the argument brick by brick for the reader so there is no confusion.You may find it helpful to ask a trusted friend or classmate to look at your essay. Once you have a number of topics in hand you need to evaluate as to which topic interests you and your audience more.The subject may not be controversial, but you must attempt to persuade your audience that your ideas have merit.UEN gathered this collection of online resources to help students write argumentative essays.Good: We all want less crime, stronger families, and fewer dangerous confrontations over drugs.If necessary, create an introduction page and a works cited or references page to bookend your paper. If they suggest that you rewrite a section of your paper, there is probably a valid reason for their request.As you go through your notes, mark down the author, page number, title, and publishing information for each resource. Buy Your Argumentative Essay at Justify main points to the left, and indent subsections and notes from your research below each. The opposite of stating opinions without facts is stating facts with no commentary.You will understand that there is no need to buy academic papers elsewhere. Argumentative essay - You will find that our company offers you a well-developed system of assistance which uses only up-to-date sources and tools to come up with top quality essays.Take advantage of this ability to ask for specific information by using as many of the query boxes as you can.Emotive language makes people feel sorry for something or feel bad about it, for example: Think about the poor, defenseless animals who have to suffer because of our rubbish.You should also provide your thesis statement, which is a clear statement of what you will argue or attempt to convince the reader of.Since this is the most common type of essay, it is important to be familiar with its requirements and style.Multiple studies found that dolphins worked in tandem with humans to catch prey.You want the first sentence to grab someone immediately and get them to keep reading.We always guarantee that all customers can be tough and writing service. Argumentative Essay Outline \| ABC
Search × News Archive International Arctic Buoy Programme The International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP) is a joint effort between multiple international agencies to deploy and maintain Arctic buoys in the Pacific Arctic region for the purpose of collecting oceanic and meteorological data. Primarily supported by ARP for the US section, IABP also receives support from other private and public agencies in other Arctic nations. These buoys are an important component of Arctic research and will continue to be crucial for real-time meteorological predictions and sea ice research in a changing Arctic environment. IABP has sea-ice data from 1979- present, available online. IABP buoys measure surface air pressure, temperature, sea level pressure, and ice movement. These buoys sit on sea-ice or sit in the open ocean. They have several sensors such as a barometers that measure atmospheric pressure; thermistor that measures temperature; anemometers that measure wind speed; and data loggers that transmit the data to researchers via satellite in real time. Because many different agencies contribute to the program, other agencies often add other instruments for data collection to the buoys, in addition to standard pressure and temperature data collection. Much of this data is updated daily on the IABP website and is publicly available Buoys of the U.S. section of IABP are often deployed by extension of Naval and Coast Guard Aircraft, or by a Coast Guard Icebreaker. Researchers decide where to deploy buoys based on the geographic location of ocean processes, and where the status of sea-ice may be changing. For the most part, buoys are deployed in the same general geographic area, although the program is working on expanding to the more remote areas in the Bering Sea. Currently, IABP maintains 105 reporting buoys in the Arctic Ocean. Most of the buoys are placed on sea ice, but some are placed in open water as well. These buoys have an average life-span of 18 months. The data collected is used for real time operations and long term research. Real time operations include collecting oceanic data for meteorological predictions. IABP buoys have helped to predict the trajectory of storms off the coast of Alaska that otherwise would have been difficult to predict. Data collected by IABP buoys is also important for forecasting sea-ice conditions, which are crucial for coastal Alaskans, subsistence fishing and those who work in the coastal commercial industry. Every summer, when Arctic sea ice retreats, shipping traffic in the Arctic region increases dramatically. Knowing the status of sea-ice is critical for navigating the Arctic ocean. Although overall summer sea ice conditions have declined , hazards still exist. A combination of sea level pressure, surface air temperature, and sea ice motion help forecasters better predict the movement of Arctic ocean sea ice. IABP buoys can also be used to validate satellite forecasting and complement their data findings. Having real data from the ground can greatly enhance predictability and forecast estimates for weather in the Arctic. The National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) also use buoy data for weather predictions and ice charting in the Arctic Ocean. Data from IABP is also used for atmospheric reanalysis studies. Data collected from IABP is a keystone part of Arctic data collection. Much of the data collected supports efforts for the World Climate Research Programme and the World Weather Watch Programme. To date more than 600 papers have been written using data from IABP. IABP is an extensive and collaborative project. Contributors to the U.S. section of IABP include U.S. Coast Guard, DOE, NASA, Navy, NSF, and researchers from academic institutions such as the Woods Hole Institution and the University of Washington’s Polar Science center. Researchers from private and public organizations from the U.S. as well as France, Norway, China, Canada, Japan, South Korea, India, and Russia contribute to this program. Many organizations contributing to IABP own their own icebreakers and deploy buoys. Most recently, the US participants of IABP have been working with the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) to deploy buoys from Russian Icebreakers. Participants of IABP meet every year to ensure that collaborative resources are being used efficiently. With so many communities contributing to the program, IABP is able to cover much of the Arctic oceans and collect an immense amount data, helping to create a large picture of Arctic ecosystem. In the future, IABP hopes to increase the life of its buoys. The program hopes to extend the average lifespan of buoys from 18 months to 3-4 years. Additionally, the program plans on deploying more buoys to the Bering Sea and other remote areas in order to collect data. Rate this article: No rating Focus Areas Arctic Report Card Tracking recent environmental changes relative to historical records Conserving and managing our Arctic Ocean resources Providing weather information to protect lives, property, and management Observing the Arctic ocean and atmosphere to understand and forecast Arctic change Providing environmental intelligence to understanding the complex Arctic system Conserving and managing Arctic living marine resources and their habitats Copyright 2017 by Arctic Program Terms Of Use Privacy Statement Back To Top
A linkage is a gathering of connections associated by joints A linkage is a gathering of connections associated by joints. For the most part, the connections are the basic components and the joints permit development. Maybe the absolute most valuable case is the planar four-bar linkage. Nonetheless, there are numerous more exceptional linkages: Watt’s linkage is a four-bar linkage that produces a surmised straight line. It was basic to the operation of his plan for the steam motor. This linkage likewise shows up in vehicle suspensions to avert side-to-side development of the body with respect to the wheels. Likewise observe the article Parallel movement. The accomplishment of Watt’s linkage prompt the outline of comparable rough straight-line linkages, for example, Hoeken’s linkage and Chebyshev’s linkage. The Peaucellier linkage creates a genuine straight-line yield from a revolving input. The Sarrus linkage is a spatial linkage that creates straight-line development from a revolving input. Select this connection for a liveliness of the Sarrus linkage The Klann linkage and the Jansen linkage are late developments that give intriguing strolling developments. They are separately a six-bar and an eight-bar linkage. Elements of machines The dynamic examination of machines starts with an unbending body model to decide responses at the course, and soon thereafter the versatility impacts are incorporated. The inflexible body elements considers the development of frameworks of interconnected bodies under the activity of outer powers. The suspicion that the bodies are inflexible, which implies that they don’t disfigure under the activity of connected powers, rearranges the investigation by decreasing the parameters that depict the setup of the framework to the interpretation and turn of reference outlines appended to each body. The flow of an inflexible body framework is characterized by its conditions of movement, which are determined utilizing either Newtons laws of movement or Lagrangian mechanics.
Star survey reaches 70 sextillion July 22, 2003 \| Source: CNN The total number of stars in the known universe visible with modern telescopes is 7 x 10^22, according to a study by Australian astronomers. The actual number of stars could be infinite, said Dr. Simon Driver, speaking at the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union meeting in Sydney. The universe is so big, light from the other side of the universe “hasn’t reached us yet.”
The University of Texas CRC handbook CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics Find azeotropic data for the binary system of chloroform and acetone. 1. Here's another example of a CRC Handbook search but with a couple of twists. First, it's a binary mixture of two compounds rather than a single substance. Fortunately, the search method is pretty much the same. But there's another wrinkle: if you search the trivial name chloroform in this context, you get no hits. If you were to stop here, you'd fail to find the data. This is a perfect example of the problem with searching chemical names. Chloroform, it turns out, is more accurately named trichloromethane, which is the name that is used in the CRC's azeotropic data table section. Use that instead (or its formula CHCl3), and you get the hit you need! 2. Enter the terms in the Search form. Since there are only two boxes, put both chemical names in one connected by AND. CRC search box 3. The resulting table has several lines where trichloromethane is a component in an azeotropic mixture. One of those is with acetone. CRC azeotropic table 4. To interpret the table data, you may need to view the PDF version of the entire handbook section, which contains an explanatory introduction and source references. preface ... legend Start of Tutorial back next Perry-Castañeda Library 101 East 21st St. Austin, TX. 78713 Phone: (512) 495-4250 Connect with UT Libraries Facebook Twitter Instagram Tumblr Google Plus Flickr Pinterest YouTube © The University of Texas at Austin 2017 UTDIRECT
904-224-KIDS (5437) Eating Disorders: Bulimia Nervosa What is it? Bulimia is a disorder in which a person eats large amounts of food (“bingeing”) and then rids the body of that food before it can be absorbed (“purging”). A person who is bulimic purges either by vomiting or using laxatives or diuretics (water pills). Most people with eating disorders are girls; however, boys can suffer from these disorders as well. Many factors may be involved and are different for each person. Some factors include: • Feeling insecure • A distorted body image (feeling fat) and striving for the perfect body • Extreme social pressures • Severe family problems • Pressure from activities such as running, gymnastics, wrestling, or ballet • A history of sexual abuse • A family history of depression or an eating disorder What does it look like? Bulimia usually develops between the ages of 15 and 24. A bulimic’s weight is usually within the range of what is normal for her size and height, but it tends to go up and down a lot because of all the binging and purging. She may be afraid to eat in restaurants or with other people because she cannot control the urges to binge or the urges to purge after eating normal amounts of food. People who develop bulimia often have a hard time dealing with and controlling impulses, stress, and anxiety. They are not happy with their body image and think they are overweight or fat. This leads them to start dieting, but then, in response to anxiety and other emotions, they give in to their impulses and cravings for food by bingeing. During a binge, a person with bulimia may eat between 3,000 and 7,000 calories, often in less than a few hours. Depression, boredom, or anger often triggers a binge. Binges usually end when there is no more food to eat, when the stomach hurts so much from eating, or when something such as a phone call breaks the bulimic’s concentration on bingeing. After eating large amounts of food, the bulimic feels guilty and is afraid of gaining weight. Other factors that may lead to bulimia include depression, substance abuse, and childhood physical/sexual abuse. Bulimics may also change in other ways by: • Stealing food or hoarding it in strange places, such as under the bed or in closets. • Bingeing on foods with distinct colors in order to know when they are thrown up. • Spending a lot of time, energy, and money, because bulimia is a time consuming and expensive addiction. • Becoming very secretive about food, spending a lot of time thinking about and planning the next binge, and setting aside certain times to binge. The following changes may be signs that a person has bulimia: • Weight goes up and down. • Menstrual periods become irregular. • Damage to vital organs, such as liver and kidneys, heart failure, and death can occur. • The face and throat look puffy and swollen. • Dehydration due to loss of body fluids occurs. • Periods of dizziness and blackouts occur. How do I treat it? Then chance of successfully treating someone who has an eating disorder is much higher if the disorder is detected early and the person begins to get help. Treatment depends on many things, including the person’s willingness to cooperate, family and support structure, and the stage of the disorder. Successful treatment of eating disorders involves many health professionals who work together by treating a certain aspect of the disorder. A person with bulimia may need hospitalization to control the cycles of bingeing and purging to replace needed nutrients in the body. Counseling is necessary to help a person with an eating disorder understand how she uses food as a way of handling problems and feelings. It will help her improve her self-image (including body image) and develop independence so that she can take control of her life in positive ways. A mix of individual therapy and family therapy is usually most effective in treating eating disorders. back to: Article Archives
New research conducted by German and Israeli scientists has discovered the potential for infertile men to be able to father their own children by extracting germ cells from the testicles and growing sperm in a dish. So far tests have only be successful with mice but researchers are confident that they can replicate their results in humans. The main concern is proving that the sperm is not genetically damaged during the process. One suggestion to ensure the conditions are the same as the sperm would be in the testes is to incubate under the skin of mice. Similar tests are also be done on eggs and embryos to help women who suffer with infertility problems. For more on this story click here Why not visit our talkinfertility forum to share your experiences and get support from others. Add a comment
Monthly Archives: June 2017 Inspirational Women in Afghanistan and Pakistan Inspirational Women of Pakistan Inspirational Women of Afghanistan The Importance of Literacy Literacy in a population is defined as the number of people, aged 15 and older, who can both read and write. In 2015, only 38.2% of Afghanistan’s population was literate – 52% of men, and 24.2% of women. In Pakistan, 57.9% of the population was literate – 69.5% of men and 45.8% of women. Why are literacy rates so low in both of these countries? Why is this important, and how can we improve it? There are a number of factors that contribute to low literacy rates. Literacy is affected by location, and is typically lower in rural areas. In cities, there are usually higher literacy rates. For example, in Islamabad, with a population of 2 million, literacy reached nearly 96%. Women in both countries have significantly lower literacy rates than men. This is often due to cultural norms and traditional roles. But what happens if we allow girls to receive an education? Literacy improves self-confidence. Being able to read and write empowers individuals to be active in their community, and involved in social discussions. There is also evidence that literacy improves health. When individuals are able to read and write, they are able to make better choices with their healthcare. Investing in education can create changes over generations. Women who receive an education are more than two times as likely to send their own children to school. Additionally, it is also economically advantageous for girls to receive an education. Countries can lose up to $1 billion of their GDP in a year by not providing girls the same educational opportunities as boys. An extra year of school can increase a girl’s income by 20% when she is an adult. Barakat works hard to provide education at no cost to our students. This includes classes, uniforms, books, stationary, firewood, clean water, health services, and teacher salaries. Donations from supporters of Barakat make our work possible. $50 = 1 year of literacy $90 = 1 year of elementary school $110 = 1 year of middle school $170 = 1 year of high school $1,300 = 1 entire literacy program for a year For more information, or if you would like to donate to Barakat, please click here. Literacy improves people’s lives, and Barakat allows communities to thrive. Geography and Environment We believe that it is incredibly important for supporters of Barakat to learn about the landscape, culture, and people of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although we work in both countries, they are not easily comparable. These blogs will try to give readers a better understanding of both countries, while emphasizing each of their rich and unique cultures and environments. A flight from Boston to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, or Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, would take nearly 20 hours – that is, if you flew one of the more direct routes. Both cities are over 6,500 miles from Barakat’s home base in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Although Barakat team members are located all over the world, we work closely together to promote our goal: helping communities thrive through education. To give our US readers some context, Pakistan is 796,095 square kilometers, or about twice the size of California. While there are mountains, including K2, and cooler temperatures in the north, much of Pakistan is covered with dry, hot deserts. Due to the country’s location, there are frequent earthquakes. Pakistan has a small border with the Arabian Sea, and neighbors Iran, Afghanistan, China, and India. In 2016, Pakistan’s population reached over 201 million people. Afghanistan is slightly smaller, at 652,230 square kilometers, or about the size of Texas. The weather is usually very dry, with hot summers and colder winter months. The country is covered in mountainous terrain, including Noshaq mountain, which stands at 24,580 feet above sea level. Earthquakes are also relatively frequent in these mountains. Afghanistan is a landlocked country, and borders Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China, and India. Afghanistan’s population in 2016 reached over 33 million people. Each country also faces a number of environmental issues. Approximately 16 million people in Pakistan do not have access to clean and safe drinking water, and 68 million people do not have have access to sanitation. While these numbers are staggering, many organizations are working to promote clean water and sanitation in these areas, including WaterAid, Charity:water, and the Al-Khidmat Foundation. Afghanistan also faces a shortage of clean water and sanitation. Only 30% of individuals in rurals areas have access to safe water, and only 29% of Afghans have access to sanitary bathrooms. A number of organizations are currently working to improve Afghans’ quality of life by advocating for clean water and sanitation in the country, including the American Friendship Foundation, UNICEF, and Zam Zam Water. There is a link between access to clean water and girls’ education. Globally, it is the responsibility of women and girls to collect water for their families. Averaging over 3 miles per day and 5 gallons per trip, many girls can miss school because of this task. A global effort is needed to improve access to clean water and sanitation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a result, women and girls will have greater opportunities to participate in the economy, further their education, and improve the lives of themselves and their families.
Home » Biology » Cells » Osmosis Osmosis is the passage of water from a region of high water concentration, through a semi-permeable membrane, to a region of low water concentration. This is a passive processes of membrane transport. Equivalently, osmosis is the way that some particles (like dissolved salt) flow towards water. Semi-permeable membranes are very thin layers of material – that allow some things to pass through, but prevent other things from passing through. Cell membranes are semi-permeable membranes. They allow small molecules such as oxygen, water carbon dioxide and glucose to pass through, but they do not allow larger molecules like sucrose, proteins and starch to enter the cell directly. Osmosis cells Below we see two compartments, separated by a semi-permeable membrane. There are more water molecules on one side than on the other. Molecules flow from the side with a high concentration of water, to the side with a lower concentration. This continues until the concentration of water on both sides is equal (dynamic equilibrium) Osmosis 2 Adding sugars to water results in a decrease in the water concentration (because the sugar molecules displace the water molecules) osmosis water flows uphill osmosis water flows uphill Concentration of dissolved particles is super important in biology solute conc. inside cell < solute conc. outside cell Hypertonic solute conc. inside cell = solute conc. outside cell Isotonic solute conc. inside cell > solute conc. outside cell Hypotonic Osmosis three cases Diffusion and Osmosis <- document %d bloggers like this:
The LED datasheet Now that we know that even the mighty LED has its limits, we need to make sure we stay below those limits. Being kind to your LEDs will let them last longer and keep them shiny & bright! Lets examine the specification sheet for a 5mm LED, specification sheets are also called datasheets. Datasheets are immensly useful, they have all the information you need for an electronic component. You can download the datasheet we'll be referring to here. The first useful thing you'll find is the dimensional 'package' information. The 'package' here is the LED itself. As you can see, the main diameter of the LED is 5mm (its a '5mm LED') and there's a lip that makes it around 6mm. The lip can make it handy if you're gluing the LED into a drilled hole, so it doesnt fall through. The datasheet also tells you which pin is the cathode and other lengths and sizes. Note that the figures are in mm with the inches in ()'s afterwards. Keep scrolling down. Next you'll find this small table. This section tells you how bright the LED is in mcd. Since these are general purpose LEDs, the brightness can vary a bit, these LEDs average around 250 mcd, but the manufacturer may sell you LEDs that are as dim as 180mcd. This variation is pretty standard. Later on the same page, is the electrical characteristics table. The first two rows talk about the 'wavelength' - this is a specific way of indicating the color. After all, 'super bright red' is a very subjective description. With the wavelength, we can know exactly what color is emitted. The third row is basically saying 'how much does the color vary from the wavelength' The forth row isnt so important, we'll skip that The fifth row, however, is what we're looking for… Last updated on 2015-11-20 at 05.40.00 PM Published on 2013-02-11 at 04.20.09 PM
A radical experiment that could be the future of decentralised governance For many people, the birth of the internet happened on August 9, 1995, when Netscape went stratospherically public. Something similar is happening right now, and it could do for organisations and their governance what the internet did for information and its distribution. That’s the line Ellie Rennie and I pick up in our new piece for The Conversation. It’s cross-posted below, but you can read the whole thing here. The DAO is a wildly ambitious, risky and radical new entity that has already raised more than US$29 million in a little over a week. When it reaches the end of the funding phase on May 28, it will begin contracting blockchain-based start-ups to create innovative technologies. The extraordinary thing about The DAO is that no single entity owns it, and it has no conventional management structure or board of directors. Embracing the ether How can an investment fund work without management oversight? In 2013, a Russian-Canadian genius called Vitalik Buterin, proposed to do for managers and directors what the industrial and robotics revolutions did for factory workers: replace them with technology. Buterin is the co-creator of Ethereum, a platform that, among other things, aims to automate management through code: creating rules that determine what can be done within an organisation through smart contracts. Buterin wonders: […] what if, with the power of modern information technology, we can encode the mission statement into code; that is, create an inviolable contract that generates revenue, pays people to perform some function, and finds hardware for itself to run on, all without any need for top-down human direction? These code-made organisations are called “distributed autonomous organisations” (DAO). A DAO is a cryptographic technology that relies on multiparty secure computation – the same technology used by Bitcoin – to ensure no attacker can subvert it. In a surge of spectacular self-conceit, “The DAO” is the name given to the first major DAO to launch on the Ethereum platform. For another two weeks, anyone can trade Ethereum’s altcoins, Ether (ETH or Ξ, the crypto tokens of Ethereum), for tokens on The DAO (Ð). Once the creation phase is complete, anyone with a project can pitch to and receive investment from The DAO. Only those who own DAO tokens will be able to vote on which projects are funded by The DAO, and receive rewards if those projects make a return. It all sounds like science fiction, a spontaneous entity evolving out of something named after a nebulous gaseous material) (thin air?), which claims to be immutable and incorruptible. The significance of this DAO – The DAO – is that its creators have done the hard work in coming up with a rulebook and its underlying code that others can copy, and thereby use to set up other DAOs. This standard DAO framework was created by, an Internet of Things company that plans to propose more than one project to The DAO when it is formed. The rules are designed to ensure no one interest can take over a DAO. For example, token holders can withdraw their stake if they disagree with a decision, while keeping their stake in any project that The DAO took when they were invested, and continuing to earn a return from those that make profits. The DAO’s white paper, as well as’s proposal are attracting significant attention in crypto currency forums. Who’s in charge? For social scientists like us, The DAO is perhaps one of the purest experiments in microeconomic theory, particularly of contracts, digital organisations and mechanism design. And it is likely to produce significant insights into how innovation occurs. The thinkers behind Ethereum and The DAO are also investigating radical new governance models that might be implemented using blockchain, including Futarchy, which uses prediction markets to choose between competing policies. One immediate area to watch will be how the token-holders on The DAO behave. Will all token-holders pay sufficient attention to responsibly vote? Or will it fall victim to crowd mentality? Does having a financial stake mean that voters are more likely to do due diligence, as Stephan Tual, COO of suggests? Needless to say, like all activities at the frontiers, The DAO will be highly risky as an investment, and not just because nine in ten start-ups fail. The DAO is only as good as the code it is made from. As recent disputes in the bitcoin community have demonstrated, code is susceptible to the human error and frailty of those who made it. Another dimension that no one is talking about is the lack of diversity of the curator team (a group intended to do due diligence on contracts), when research shows that gender and cultural diversity on boards is a good thing. If The DAO fails, it may be because it did not work hard enough to involve a broader group of thinkers in its design. The DAO reflects a Silicon Valley culture where attracting venture capital for technology start-ups is equated with democracy and seen as the height of innovation. A system in which only those who buy tokens can vote is not an experiment in democracy, but in plutocracy. Yet the appeal of Ethereum is that it provides a platform for those who don’t want to build a private blockchain to create, organise and govern. This opens blockchain technology up to a world far beyond helping big financial corporations and markets achieve efficiency gains. It is possible that the innovations that prove the most transformative will actually be those parts of our social fabric that are currently not reaching their full potential because no effective distributed coordination mechanism exists. An interesting example is scholarly publishing. In a recent paper with some other co-authors, we have suggested a new way to move scholarly publishing on to the blockchain by reinventing a journal as a DAO. To paraphrase US congressman Barney Frank, governance is the name for the things we do together. If DAOs can remove some of the messier aspects of governance, we might be able to do a whole lot more. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Mental Health Crisis in India More than 50 million people in India suffer from a mental illness. In 2011, India recorded the highest rate of major depression in the world at 36 per cent. According to doctors, roughly 10 per cent of India’s population suffers from depression – MGMH Women with mental illness are treated as less than human. They are dumped, abandoned and abused. If there are any signs of mental illness, a woman is put in a mental hospital with no chance of getting out. Men can go back home while women are there for life. In the following video, we meet a woman whose husband had her institutionalized although she had no history of mental illness. Here’s a story of a mentally ill woman whose husband built a case against her so that he could get custody of their children after divorcing her. It is not surprising that women suffer from depression at higher rates than men. They have to deal with gender inequality, violence, lack of paid employment, lack of education, excessive spousal alcohol use and poverty. Mothers are blamed for the birth of a female child and many face pressure to have male children. Women are diagnosed with schizophrenia later in life, oftentimes, following the birth of their children. The children are often removed from the ill mother’s care and this results in further distress for her. Indian women have higher rates of suicide than women in most developed countries and a higher rate of suicide compared to men in India. Depression is one of the most common reasons for suicide among Indian women. Mental health in India carries with it a stigma, especially if the person suffering from mental illness is a woman. According to MGMH (Movement for Global Mental Health), in rural India, it is common to see people taking their children to temples and faith-healers instead of hospitals and doctors, especially in cases of mental health. Mental health was something that was talked about in hushed tones. Thankfully, it is no longer being swept under the rug. People are coming forward. Deepika Padukone stunned her fans last year when she admitted that she suffered from anxiety and depression. At the time the news broke, she was one of the most sought after actresses in Bollywood. It took tremendous courage for her to disclose her illness, especially since people diagnosed with mental illness face discrimination. Deepika has since launched the Live Love Laugh Foundation to raise awareness about mental health issues and as a result many celebrities were inspired to come out in the open and address the need to talk about mental health. Varun Dhawan admitted that he was depressed during the making of Badlapur and Honey Singh revealed that he has been undergoing therapy for bipolar disorder. Sadly, those living with mental illness are victims of a cruel fate. They are often locked away and stripped of their basic human rights in state-run institutions that are under-staffed. In an article, titled Mentally Ill Suffer a Horrible Fate in India posted on the site for Deutsche Welle (DW), most state run mental hospitals are in deplorable conditions. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reported that out of the 43 government mental hospitals in India, less than half a dozen are in a “livable” condition”. There are doctors in charge of these hospitals who have no business being there. “These doctors don’t understand the intricacies of a psychiatric illnesses and the comprehensive care the patients require,” said a psychiatrist working in a state-run mental hospital in Uttar Pradesh. And in the midst of the crisis of hospitals not providing the conditions and care the patients need, are quack healers who are profiting from this. According to a study by Dr. Shiv Gautam, former superintendent of Jaipur Mental Hospital, 68 per cent of the mentally ill are taken to faith healers before a psychiatrist. “The reason, besides superstition, is that most general medicine doctors fail to diagnose psychiatric illness,” Gautam said. “A mentally ill patient displays symptoms which superstitious people believe are paranormal,” he added. “Such patients are tortured, chained and used for extracting money from their families.” Hema, who was suffering from Schizophrenia was believed to have an evil spirit. Her family took her to Datar Sharif Dargah where she spent a year locked up. It wasn’t until her condition deteriorated that she was brought to Dr. Gautam. In 15 days, she began to improve and a month later she was normal. In other cases, the mentally ill are subjected to one of these horrific ordeals: whipping, caning, inhaling burnt chili smoke, having their eyes smeared with chili paste or having their eyes branded with red, hot coins. There are laws banning this practice, however, many dargahs and temples keep the patients chained. Some of them spend the rest of their lives like this. In 2001, 26 patients perished in a fire at a dargah in a coastal village because they couldn’t escape the blaze since they were chained. What a horrific and senseless tragedy. Families of mentally ill people opt for dumping them. This means that they are dumped into an asylum where the conditions are not fit for a human. When an illegal asylum was raided, they found thirty-five men and six boys living in inhuman conditions. The stench from their unwashed bodies and the excrement drove neighbors to alert the health department. Naked and chained inmates were discovered, dumped there by their families after they paid the asylum owner. Some of these poor souls were found crawling in their excrement, some even consuming it. On their bodies were marks of torture. Some had surgical scars on their backs, leading to allegations that the asylum had links to kidney theft. 78 patients had entered the asylum but only 41 were found during the raid. Other patients are dumped in jungles or forests ranges. Their families pay lorry drivers to drop them. Women and children are among these victims and in some cases, the females are raped by the drivers before being dumped. Social activist Murugan S. who has rescued countless mentally ill people from the streets, cautions us not to judge the families by calling them cruel. Instead we are to examine what forced them to take such extreme measures. He believes that system needs to change. Part of the solution is raising awareness. The suffering of the mentally ill has been brought to our attention. It is out in the open. The next thing that needs to be done is to show the superstitious and fearful society that mental illness is nothing to run away from or to be ashamed of. The person suffering from mental illness needs love, support and most importantly, proper care so that he or she can live a normal life. The government needs to put something place to ensure that patients are placed in reputable, sanitary facilities that will provide the care that they need and to ban the operation of illegal asylums and the practice of dumping. Quack healers should be banned from profiting from other people’s suffering. Husbands should not be allowed to institutionalize their wives if there is no record that they have mental illness. No one wants to be mentally ill but it is a reality for many people and what they need is to know that they have a platform where they can talk about what is happening with them. Here in Canada, we have Bell Let’s Talk, a wide-reaching, multi-year program designed to break the silence around mental illness and support mental health all across the country. It has done so much to fight the stigma of mental illness and encourage people to get involved in educating themselves and others. It is my sincere hope and prayer that something will be put in place in India so that attitudes toward mental illness would change and those suffering from it will have a platform where they would not be judged, dumped, abandoned or discriminated but supported and be treated with dignity and open minds. In the meantime, let’s keep talking and raising awareness. Talking is the best way to start breaking down the barriers associated with mental illness – Bell, Let’s Talk Sources: Vice News; Movement of Global Mental Health; Wikipedia; Deutsche Welle The Cruel Cut Photo: The Guardian When I read the article in The Daily Mail on Female genital mutilation, I was incensed. I couldn’t believe the reasons behind this barbaric practice. • In some cultures, it is seen as a right of passage into womanhood and a condition of marriage. • Some believe that the genitals will be unclean if the female does not have the procedure. • There is also a common belief that women need to have FGM to have babies. • Religous reasons Egypt has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation in the world and even thought the practice was criminalized in 2008, it still remains widespread. Up to 92 percent of married women have undergone FGM and most females have the procedure between the ages of nine and 12. Some have it done earlier than nine years old. Can you imagine a five year old girl having part or all of her external genitalia removed? There are no anaesthetics and antiseptic treatments used and FGM is performed with knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass or razor blades. This can lead to severe bleeding and infections which can last a woman her entire lifetime. And it is estimated that 3 million girls are subjected to this barbarism every year in the UK, parts of Africa, Middle East and Asia. And believe it or not, the procedure is usually done by a woman with no medical background. Girls are going to grow up believing that their genitals are unclean and only a cruel cut can make them clean and fit for marriage. What about the infections that they get or what about those who die from the procedure like the 13 year old Sohair el-Batea? The doctor responsible for her death was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to more than two years in jail. This was a victory for women but more needs to be done. FGM is still being practiced. According to Egyptian Streets, statistics showed that 30% of married women believe that FGM should be banned but more than half were in favor of the procedure for religious reasons. It’s hard to accept that women would be in favor of such a practice. It is even harder to accept that they would force their daughters, granddaughters, nieces to go through what they themselves had gone through. As a mother, I could never subject my daughter to this. As a woman, I could never bring myself to do this horrible thing to another female. And which religion would condone this? God created the human body and He put everything in its place for a reason. No one has the right to tamper with nature. How could anyone use religion as an excuse to mutilate young girls and in some cases, babies? And as far as FGM being necessary in order to have babies, that is ludicrious. The reality is that FGM can cause infertility and increase the risk of complications in childbirth. FGM, known as the “cruel cut” needs to be banned the regions of Africa and countries where it is still common. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that more than three million girls in Africa are at risk. Something needs to be done to stop girls and babies from is done in ignorance and in the name of tradition. Girls should not see the parts of their bodies that is unique to their gender as unclean. No where in the Bible is female circumcision practiced. God never intended for girls and women to be circumcised. It is a man-made procedure and it needs to be outlawed. I encourage you to watch the video of Leyla Hussein, the founder of Daughters of Eve as she talks to her mother about FGM. You can visit Leyla’s website to find out more information about FGM and see what you can do to stop this cruel and inhumane practice. Source: WHO; The Daily Mail
Thursday, February 25, 2016 Henry James uses metaphors 1. I will quibble by suggesting that his uses of metaphor and simile are distinctions worth noting, especially as similes offer explicit comparisons but metaphors offer implicit comparisons, so we are left with the distinctions between obvious similes (universals and objective) and obscure metaphors (personal and subjective). Does that make any sense? 2. I typically use metaphor to mean "metaphorical language," similes then being a subset of metaphor. Or maybe you mean something else. The difference between "the cake is like a mountain" and "the cake is a mountain" does not look like a difference between the objective and the subjective. An example would help. 3. I offered my quibble as a testable thesis; I would go through James, categorize and separate metaphors and similes, and see if the universal-and-objective v. the personal-and-subjective holds water. I have no examples to offer here and now. If I get around to reading James, I will put my thesis to the test. In the meantime, I think all tropes run the risk of being intensely personal-and-subjective, and perhaps James takes that risk to the limit. Again, that is an off-the-cuff thesis. I think it is sometimes worthwhile to take only one aspect of an author's works and examine that under a microscope to see what is discoverable. One that comes to mind from my own experience is looking for every allusion (direct or indirect) to Biblical number-symbols in Flannery O'Connor; it might not lead to anything really useful, but the exercise itself becomes a learning experience. But I've babbled on quite long enough. -30- 4. I don't think the objective / subjective or universal / personal distinction will survive the test in this case. It doesn't work with the examples I have quoted over the last few days. Do you have another writer in mind where this division works? 1. I have no example off the top of my head, and there is very little still lodged within the Swiss cheese interior of my head, so I will have to beg for more time to consider the problem/thesis; somewhere in my mind, I'm inclined to point to Blake and Yeats, but no specific examples support my thesis. Perhaps someday, if time and energies permit, I will try to test my thesis via Blake (more likely because I am more familiar with him) and/or Yeats (less likely because he is so damned difficult and idiosyncratic); but -- with respect to the latter -- consider the difference between "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" and "The Second Coming." Well, I'll get back to you someday on all of this. I'm giving myself a headache! I apologize for the Swiss-cheese digression. 5. The words I use about the James style to myself are evasive and (non-pejoratively) sadistic -- I see him using tools like metaphor not just to describe or evoke but to avoid -- and avoid what, avoid us, as if we're dangerous to him, as if we need to be approached carefully or else we might find out too much -- and this seems to be one with the absent or abusive parent figure in his work -- (since you've been mentioning them) -- one who doesn't tell the child everything, one -- like the employer in Screw -- who chooses you for a special duty (reading), and then conceals themselves in a way that may or may not be sinister. He's the only person I can think of who writes as if the author and the reader are able to do harm to one another. The man treats facts like explosives. 6. I think the "fat" riddle was the point where I saw that Maisie was a continuation of "The Figure in the Carpet." More sneakily, without writing and reading as the subject of the novel. That's also the first point where I thought "You gotta be kidding" - because the passage is sadistic, yes, exactly. Playful (he is kidding, partly), but sadistic. I have so much trouble with James, this stage of James, knowing when I am looking at the right thing, which seems to be what the novel is about. What Tom Knew. 1. I've read just enough of him to wonder if "what is the novel about?" is always what the novel is about. (I know I've used "sadism" to refer to him before. I repeat myself. But it's the one thing I have to say.) There's a phrase in The Sacred Fount that I think of -- "the intellectual mastery of things unamenable, that joy of determining, almost of creating results, which I have already mentioned as an exhilaration ..." I laid my hand on his arm and held him a moment with a grip that betrayed, I daresay, the effort in me to keep my thoughts together and lose not a thread. It betrayed at once, doubtless, the danger of that failure and the sharp foretaste of success. I remember that with it, absolutely, I struck myself as knowing again the joy of the intellectual mastery of things unamenable, that joy of determining, almost of creating results, which I have already mentioned as an exhilaration attached to some of my plunges of insight. "It would take long to tell you what I mean." The tone of it made him fairly watch me as I had been watching him. "Well, haven't we got the whole night?" "Oh, it would take more than the whole night—even if we had it!" "By which you suggest that we haven't it?" "No—we haven't it. I want to get away." "To go to bed? I thought you were so keen." "I am keen. Keen is no word for it. I don't want to go to bed. I want to get away." "To leave the house—in the middle of the night?" "Yes—absurd as it may seem. You excite me too much. You don't know what you do to me." He continued to look at me; then he gave a laugh which was not the contradiction, but quite the attestation, of the effect produced on him by my grip. If I had wanted to hold him I held him. It only came to me even that I held him too much. I felt this in fact with the next thing he said. "If you're too excited, then, to be coherent now, will you tell me to-morrow?" I took time myself now to relight. Ridiculous as it may sound, I had my nerves to steady; which is a proof, surely, that for real excitement there are no such adventures as intellectual ones. "Oh, to-morrow I shall be off in space!" "Certainly we shall neither of us be here. But can't we arrange, say, to meet in town, or even to go up together in such conditions as will enable us to talk?" I patted his arm again. "Thank you for your patience. It's really good of you. Who knows if I shall be alive to-morrow? We are meeting. We do talk." 7. Is it possible that James thinks that language can be misleading and that, therefore, to make a simple concrete statement about something would be deceptive. Consequently, the best way to be clear about something, to present an accurate picture of something, would be to circle around the subject, to present it by a 360 degree description rather than from just one point only. 1. Fred, for a second I thought you were writing about Samuel Beckett; now there is a connection that must surprise you and others. 2. R.T., You are right: that connection did surprise me. James may take his time, but he eventually gets where he's headed, while Beckett also gets where he's going but that is nowhere. I think James is worth the time spent reading him, but I haven't read anything by Beckett since I left grad school. 8. Good lord, that quotation. My resistance to the "queering of James" continues to crumble. To collapse. Fred, plausible. I have become a believer in the stages of James, the Early-Middle-Late business, and your idea fits. Earlier, James did not have this mistrust of language but it grew on him to the point where in "The Figure in the Carpet" he is openly writing about it. Tim, I don't think you have surprised anyone who has read Beckett! 9. I think it's useful to separate the idea of James' ornate style from the idea of opacity. Not that Tom has been conflating those ideas, but many readers do. In Umbagollah's example, the dense paragraphs are far less opaque than is the dialogue, though there it's one of Jame's characters--rather than James--who isn't saying what he means to say. I like what Fred says about James circling around his subjects slowly, describing as he goes. I always feel that James is being as precise as he can, not necessarily hiding anything or hiding from anyone (except for when he is, of course). But it's a question--at least I think in general in this middle period of his--of style rather than psychology. He's testing ideas of language, of narrative. In his later works (The Ambassadors, for example), his prose is much more straightforward, far less decorated throughout, but his psychology is more complex. So I don't know. Surely he was a man who wanted simultaneously to confess and to hide, to accuse and to comfort, etc, but I think a lot of it (the levels of "difficulty" in James) really comes down to working out of artistic/craft principles, ideas of novelistic technique. If James realized that language was an inadequate tool for directly and accurately describing experience or abstractions or even simple objects, it would've been natural for him to play around with that inadequacy, to see how far he could push things. maybe. 10. Yes, you see what I am looking for - James's metaphysics of style. The argument he is making by means of style. Like I have done with Flaubert, and could do with a few other writers of comparable quality. Not with James, though, not yet. 11. I think the visual metaphors in Maisie, and in the string of work seen through the eyes of children that follows, there is more at work than usual with James. How a world beyond the intellectual or emotional grasp of a child is conveyed. The problem for me then becomes in dividing the metaphors that clearly spring from the child's perception and those that are the perspective of James himself sneaking into the narrative. Dual purposes? Or the same through differentiated lenses? That's what trips me up with Maisie... 12. We read the novel quite differently. The big difference seems to be how we divided up the narrative voice between "James" and Maisie. I gave way more of the language to "James." I am not at all sure that was a good idea. In fact I had serious doubts, especially as I got closer to the end of the novel. I will leave a comment on your post saying more or less the same thing. There are subsequent child's-level James tales? I did not know that. Very interesting. 1. I said "eyes of children" with a vague recollection of having once known more about that. So I went and looked it up just to make sure. If you have the Edel bio handy, flip open to page 480 under the heading "The Little Girls." In chronological order (which I had wrong) - The Other House, What Maisie Knew, The Turn of the Screw and The Awkward Age. 2. Oh, sure, "The Turn of the Screw"! The others I have not read, yet.
What Is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is the second most common condition affecting your bones and muscles. Yet it's often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Its classic symptoms are widespread muscle and joint pain and fatigue. There's no cure. But a combination of medication, exercise, managing your stress, and healthy habits may ease your symptoms enough that you can live a normal, active life. Doctors aren't sure what causes it, but some think it's a problem with how your brain and spinal cord process pain signals from your nerves. We do know certain things suggest you're more likely to get it: Simply put, you ache all over. Common symptoms include: Fibromyalgia can feel similar to osteoarthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis. But rather than hurting in a specific area, the pain and stiffness could be throughout your body. Other fibro symptoms can include: Your doctor will examine you and ask you about your past medical issues and about other close family members. There's no test that can tell you that you have fibromyalgia. Instead, because the symptoms are so similar to other conditions, your doctor will want to rule out illnesses such as an underactive thyroid, different types of arthritis, and lupus. So you may get blood tests to check hormone levels and signs of inflammation, as well as X-rays. If your doctor can't find another reason for how you feel, they'll use a two-part scoring system to measure how widespread your pain has been and how much your symptoms affect your daily life. Using those results, together you'll come up with a plan to manage the condition. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may prescribe pain relievers, antidepressants, muscle relaxers, and drugs that help you sleep. The three drugs approved specifically for fibro pain are: Over-the-counter painkillers may help, too. Stronger medicines, like opioids, tend not to work well in the long run, and you could become dependent on them. Regular moderate exercise is key to controlling fibro. You'll want to do low-impact activities that build your endurance, stretch and strengthen your muscles, and improve your ability to move easily -- like yoga, tai chi, Pilates, and even walking. Exercise also releases endorphins, which fight pain, stress, and feeling down. And it can help you sleep better. You can try complementary therapies, including massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic manipulation, to ease aches and stress, too. A counselor, therapist, or support group may help you deal with difficult emotions and how to explain to others what's going on with you. WebMD Medical Reference Reviewed by William Blahd, MD on August 26, 2017 American College of Rheumatology: "What Is Fibromyalgia?" Arthritis Foundation: "Fibromyalgia: What Is It?" American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association: "What Is Fibromyalgia?" National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: "Fast Facts About Fibromyalgia." McIlwain, H. The Fibromyalgia Handbook, Holt, 2007. Behm, F. BMC Clinical Pathology, 2012. © 2017 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 No cross without resurrection The resurrection forced the first Christians to think hard about the cross. Yesterday near the end of the post I noted: Conversely, the resurrection of Jesus triggered a flood of reflection on what happened on the cross. To be sure, the risen Jesus before ascension may have contributed to this flood (Luke at least hints at this). Why does Jesus die only to be raised from the dead? On the surface of things Jesus was crucified partly through tragic accident (innocent man in wrong place at wrong time as crazy leaders whipped up mass hysteria) and partly through some provocative action on Jesus' part (cleansing the Temple, raising Lazarus from the dead), albeit engendering a grossly disproportionate reaction from the authorities. But being raised from the dead raised larger questions. What was God up to? Was there a significance to Jesus' person and work which had escaped them? Had the disciples missed something as they observed the surface of things rather than pressed to understand what was really going on? There were some clues, even without the resurrection, let alone the risen Jesus explaining things to them. One of those clues occurred when they were literally asleep. Indeed we probably have Jesus himself to thank for the knowledge of this clue, reference to 'this cup' in his final prayers. Citing a Lenten study I have co-authored with Lynda Paterson, published by Theology House Publications this year, we can think of the cup in this way: ‘This cup’ is an image of wrath and of suffering, when read against the Old Testament (e.g. Psalm 11:6; Jeremiah 25:15-16; Ezekiel 23:31-34), and other references to ‘cup’ in the New Testament (e.g. Matthew 20:22-23; Mark 10:38-39 [strangely, Luke has no parallel to these passages]; Revelation 14:9-10; 16:19). Why does Jesus face ‘this cup’? Space does not permit a full discussion of the significance of Jesus’ death but we do not do justice to the full witness of the New Testament if we downplay the cross as the place on which sacrifice for sin was made, victory over evil was secured, the depths of God’s love for us was demonstrated, and an example of righteous martyrdom was shown. ‘This cup’ particularly points to the cross as the place on which the wrath of God against sin was borne by Jesus as the final and full sacrifice for the sin of the world. For Jesus to receive this cup was to receive the cup of unimaginable suffering. So we read on about ‘agony’ and ‘sweat … like great drops of blood falling down to the ground’ (22:44).[i] We may be prompted to ask why Jesus as Son of God needs an angel to help strengthen him. (Surely it was not because of the frailty of Jesus but because of the magnitude of the suffering he faced). If Jesus were not raised then we would not know whether God's wrath was satisfied. That Jesus was raised demonstrated that God's wrath was satisfied. The cup had been drained by Jesus. The resurrection, when the suffering of Jesus had been completed, enabled the disciples to understand what was really going on, that the cross was not just unimaginable physical suffering but also unimaginable spiritual suffering. Incidentally, in our day many Christians are uncomfortable thinking about the wrath of God being visited on Jesus. But the Psalm set down for this Sunday is pretty clear, 'The Lord has punished me severely' (118:18). But the use of passages such as this (a commenter yesterday noted Psalms 2, 10, 116, 118, and Dt 18 as figuring in apostolic hermeneutic of the cross and resurrection) would not have taken place if Jesus were not raised from the dead. When we talk about 'the cross' we engage in an act of remembering the painful death of Jesus as an innocent man (legally innocent before human authority, wholly innocent before divine authority) and we acclaim that something significant happened in that event. It is the only ancient crucifixion people talk about! And we only talk about it because that crucifixion was not the end of Jesus, and his burial was not the beginning of forgetting who he was. Without the resurrection there would be no cross. PS There was no great win for the NZ cricket team yesterday. A small shadow was cast over the sunny uplit days of late summer :( [i] Not all ancient manuscripts of Luke’s Gospel have verses 43 and 44. Shawn Herles said... "In the pioneer days on the prairie lands, people sometimes would find themselves about to be consumed. They would be in the middle of a field and a fire would catch in the tall, dry grass. Stiff winds pushed the flames toward them, so fast not even horses could outrun them. There was no time to escape. Instead, they took a match and burned a patch of ground where they stood. Then they waited on the burned-over earth. The prairie fire swept up to the edge of the patch and, finding nothing there to consume, passed by. And later the fire proved a gift to the earth: it burned what was already dead, and its ashes nurtured new life. Jesus Christ burned the earth with His cross. God poured out His wrath on His Son. If we take our stand there, the wrath to come will pass us by, and in its time will renew the very earth it devours." From 'The Holy Wild: Trusting in the Character of God' by Mark Buchanan. MichaelA said... I see the two as working in tandem, death and resurrection. By his death he gained victory over death. By his risihg, he led the way for us also to rise. Andrew Reid said... Something that is of interest to me is the way different Christian traditions emphasise different aspects of Jesus' ministry and salvation. For example, Protestants tend to emphasise the death of Christ, in terms of substitution in our place, and then also the resurrection in terms of new life. In Jesus' ministry, Protestants emphasise His teaching and words. Of course different branches of Protestants have different emphases as well (eg Pentecostals on the miracles and transfiguration). Catholics tend to emphasise the suffering and agony of Jesus unto death. Within his ministry, they tend to focus on care for the poor and outcast. For the Orthodox, they tend to focus on the ascension and reign of Jesus over the earth. Within his ministry, there is more of a focus on the people whose lives he transformed - eg apostles, Mary Magdalene. These are tendencies and you may disagree with how I've described them here, but it's important to appreciate the insights of other traditions into the events we think we know and understand. Having said that, the Bible rightly focuses and reflects on some events and teaching more than others, which ought to guide our reflection as well. Peter Carrell said... I appreciate profound thoughts being shared here. Thank you! Anonymous said... Peter - with prayers for a blessed Pascha to you and your family. May our crucified, risen and ascended Lord continue to teach us His new commandment, cleanse us from every sin and failing by His blood and raise us in our hearts and minds to heaven.
Pittas belong to the order Passeriformes and family Pittidae. All 30 species of pitta are grouped into one genus. Their closest relatives are broadbills (Eurylaimidae) and asities (Philepittidae). Pittas are small to medium sized birds (15 to 29 cm long) and can be quite colorful; bright blues, greens, reds and yellows are commonly seen. The bright coloration is usually on the birds’ underparts or is hidden when their wings are folded. This makes the birds more difficult for predators to spot. Males and females look alike in some species and are dimorphic in others. Pittas are stout birds with long legs, short tails and strong bills. Pittas are monogamous and both males and females take part in raising young. They primarily eat invertebrates (annelid worms and arthropods) that they find by digging through leaf litter on the forest floor. They are found in the Ethiopian, Oriental, and Australian regions and prefer tropical forest habitats. Because their preferred habitat is disappearing rapidly as a result of human disturbance, many species of pitta are of conservation concern. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Dickinson, 2003; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) Geographic Range Pittas are found only in the Old World. The largest diversity of pittas is found in southeast Asia. However, they can be found in the Australian, Ethiopian and Oriental regions. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003) Pittas are found in tropical rainforest, scrub jungle, bamboo, mangroves, deciduous and evergreen forest and semi-cultivated areas. They are found in coastal areas at sea level to elevations of 2500 m. They are usually found near flowing water and only in areas where the groundcover is leaf litter. While migrating they are often attracted to lights and may come to gardens and enter buildings. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003) • Aquatic Biomes • rivers and streams • coastal Physical Description Pittas are small to medium sized birds (15 to 29 cm long, 42 to 210 g) with long legs, short tails and strong, downcurved bills. Their large eyes help them to see in their dark interior forest habitat. There is a lot of variation in leg and foot color. Pittas tend to have colorful plumage, a trait that is unique for understory bids. Some have bright, colorful stripes with black face masks on the head and barring on the breast. Their colors may be bright reds, blues, greens and yellows. The brighter colors are usually on the bird’s underparts. The upperparts of the birds tend to be duller, making them more difficult for predators to spot. Many species have bright colors on their rump, wings and upper tail coverts that can be covered by their wings while they are on the ground foraging. Most species also have a white wing-patch that can usually be seen only when they are flying. A few species have long feathers on their nape that can be raised to resemble horns. Some pittas are sexually monomorphic and others are dimorphic. In dimorphic species, females are duller and more cryptic than males. Juveniles are duller than adults and are generally brownish with streaking and spotting. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003) • Sexual Dimorphism • sexes alike • sexes colored or patterned differently • male more colorful • ornamentation Pittas are monogamous. Males perform many different courtship displays which may include ruffling feathers, raising their “horns” and bowing. African pittas have a more dramatic display where they stand on a branch and jump up 25 to 45 cm and then flap back down to the perch. They call while displaying and fluff their red breast feathers. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) Breeding season usually begins with the rainy season. This is usually the time when food is in high abundance and there is dense vegetation to hide the nest and young. Some species breed in all but the wettest months. Both the male and female take part in nest building, which takes from two to eight days. Nests are usually on the ground or one to two meters high. They are built in stumps, fallen trees, banks, cliffs, roots or vegetation. The nests are globular and usually domed, and have a side entrance. They are made of twigs, roots and leaves and are covered in moss and leaves. The moss and leaf covering helps to camouflage the nest. Some species build a platform of mammal dung at the entrance to the nest. Clutch size is usually three to five (range is two to seven). Eggs are ovoid, glossy or buff white and have reddish or purplish spots. Both males and females incubate the eggs, which hatch in 14 to 18 days. In some species hatching is synchronous. In others it is asynchronous and occurs over a couple of days. Adults eat the eggshells after the chicks hatch (the eggshells are a good source of calcium). The altricial young are brooded and fed by both the male and female. Earthworms are the food most frequently given to chicks. Nestlings fledge in 15 to 17 days and continue to be fed by the adults for another ten days. Pittas will often chase off their fledglings in order to have a second clutch. Though they are well camouflaged, many nests are lost to predators. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) Both males and females incubate the eggs, and the chicks hatch in 14 to 18 days. Adults eat the eggshells (which are a good source of calcium) after the chicks hatch. The altricial young are brooded and fed by both the male and female. Earthworms are the food most frequently given to chicks. Both parents also remove fecal sacks from the nest. Nestlings fledge in 15 to 17 days and continue to be fed by the adults for another ten days. Pittas will often chase off their fledglings in order to have a second clutch. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) The oldest recorded pitta in the wild is a blue-winged pitta (Pitta moluccensis) that was recaptured 5.5 years after being banded. Giant pittas (Pitta caerulea) in a zoo lived for more than 12 years. (Erritzoe, 2003) Most pittas are sedentary. However, some are migratory. African pittas migrate as far as 2000 km. They tend to be solitary, but may form groups during migration. They migrate at night and are often found inside buildings along their migration routes because they are attracted to light. Some species make local nomadic movements. Pittas have high site-fidelity and often return to the same area to breed year to year. Pittas are diurnal, but often roost during the hottest part of the day. They are territorial and defend their territories using song and displays. Displays often involve a “bowing display” accompanied by “growl-like” calls. They will also raise their crown feathers. If necessary they will chase and attack intruders. Pittas bathe and preen frequently. They also sunbathe and have been observed anting. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) Communication and Perception Pittas sing most frequently at dawn and dusk. Their calls are short whistles and trills. They often call from treetops, and in some species both the male and female will call. They often call in choruses with their neighbors and will give alarm calls in the presence of a predator. Pittas also communicate with displays. They have both threat displays that they use to defend territories and courtship displays that they use to attract mates. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003) Food Habits Pittas primarily eat invertebrates, although they occasionally eat small vertebrates and vegetable matter. They seem to eat more annelid worms and insects than any other prey, and chicks are fed mostly earthworms. Pittas also eat: insects (including termites, ants, grasshoppers, beetles, bugs and moths), snails, spiders, centipedes, crabs, lizards, snakes, frogs, fruit and seeds. They forage by scratching through the leaves and debris on the forest floor, using their feet or overturning it with their beak. They may also locate some prey by smell and by sound. When eating snails, they use rocks as “anvils” to break open the shells. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Erritzoe, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) Even though pittas are often very brightly colored, the color is usually located either on their undersides or on areas that can be covered when the wings are folded. Females and juveniles also tend to be more cryptic than males. Pitta nests are well camouflaged as a defense against predators, although many nests are still lost due to depredation. Snakes (suborder Serpentes) are common nest predators. Pittas give alarm calls and flash the white patch on their wing to startle predators. Nighttime migration may protect pittas from predation by diurnal raptors (order Falconiformes). Introduced predators, such as feral cats (Felis silvestris) also pose a threat to pittas. (Erritzoe, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) • Anti-predator Adaptations • cryptic Ecosystem Roles Pittas have an impact on populations of the prey they eat. They may also have an affect on decomposition rates as they sift through and turn over the leaf litter and debris on the forest floor in search of prey. Economic Importance for Humans: Positive Pittas are actively hunted by people in the regions they inhabit. They are caught both for food and for the pet-trade. Pittas are also important for ecotourism as they are highly sought after by bird watchers. (Kemp and Bruce, 2003) Economic Importance for Humans: Negative There are no known adverse affects of pittas on humans. Conservation Status Pittas are threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation, hunting for food and the pet-trade, introduced species and uncontrolled fire. As human populations increase throughout their range, pittas are likely to lose more habitat to slash and burn agriculture. Many populations of pittas are declining and will likely continue to do so unless their declines prompt the establishment of more national parks and wildlife preserves. Currently one species (Gurney’s pitta (Pitta gurneyi) is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, eight species are listed as vulnerable, and four as near threatened. Several species of pitta are also listed under CITES Appendices I and II. ("UNEP-WCMC Species Database: CITES-Listed Species", 2003; Erritzoe, 2003; IUCN, 2003; Kemp and Bruce, 2003; Lambert and Woodcock, 1996) • IUCN Red List [Link] Not Evaluated Alaine Camfield (author), Animal Diversity Web. Kari Kirschbaum (editor), Animal Diversity Web. World Map World Map uses sound to communicate living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture. bilateral symmetry helps break down and decompose dead plants and/or animals an animal that mainly eats meat uses smells or other chemicals to communicate the nearshore aquatic habitats near a coast, or shoreline. female parental care parental care is carried out by females union of egg and spermatozoan An animal that eats mainly insects or spiders. internal fertilization fertilization takes place within the female's body male parental care parental care is carried out by males makes seasonal movements between breeding and wintering grounds Having one mate at a time. having the capacity to move from one place to another. native range World Map pet trade scrub forest scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons. seasonal breeding breeding is confined to a particular season remains in the same area sexual ornamentation lives alone uses touch to communicate Living on the ground. uses sight to communicate 2003. "UNEP-WCMC Species Database: CITES-Listed Species" (On-line). Accessed March 19, 2004 at http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/species.html. Erritzoe, J. 2003. Family Pittidae (Pittas). Pp. 106-160 in J del Hoyo, A Elliott, D Christie, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 8. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Kemp, A., M. Bruce. 2003. Pittas. Pp. 418-420 in C Perrins, ed. The New Encyclopedia of Birds. Oxford: Oxford Univeristy Press. Lambert, F., M. Woodcock. 1996. Pittas, Broadbills and Asities. Sussex: Pica Press.
All Blogs licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Monday, December 2, 2013 HSP: Degrees of Sense and Sensitivity Sense and Sensitivity Settling into a chair for coffee with a friend, Jodi Fedor feels her heart begin to pound. Tension creeps through her rib cage. Anger vibrates in her solar plexus. But she's not upset about anything. The person across from her is. Fedor soaks up others' moods like a sponge. On a walk through her neighborhood in Ottawa, Canada, her attention zeroes in on the one budded leaf that hasn't unfurled; it brings a lump to her throat. The cawing of a far-off crow galvanizes her attention. An abandoned nest half-hidden amid the treetops fills her with awe. Less lovely stimuli can have equally powerful effects. As a child, a casual schoolyard taunt led to "sobbing and histrionics." Nowadays a small slight can ricochet through her entire body "like I'm actually wounded." Fedor is sensitive—an adjective usually preceded by too. "I'm like an exposed nerve," she says. "At its worst, my sensitivity turns me into an emotional weather vane at the whim of my environment." But at its best, it's a gift, a fine-tuned finger on the pulse of every flutter of her surroundings. The Highly Sensitive Person has always been part of the human landscape. There's evidence that many creative types are highly sensitive, perceiving cultural currents long before they are manifest to the mainstream, able to take in the richness of small things others often miss. Others may be especially sensitive to animals and how they are handled. They're also the ones whose feelings are so easily bruised that they're constantly being told to "toughen up." Today, science is validating a group of people whose sensitivity surfaces in many domains of life. Attuned to subtleties of all kinds, they have a complex inner life and need time to process the constant flow of sensory data that is their inheritance. Some may be particularly prone to the handful of hard-to-pin-down disorders like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Technology is now providing an especially revealing window into that which likely defines them all—a nervous system set to register stimuli at very low frequency and amplify them internally. Image: Lady sleeping on 5 mattresses w/ a We all experience shades of sensitivity. Who isn't rocked by rejection and crushed by criticism? But for HSPs, emotional experience is at such a constant intensity that it shapes their personality and their lives—job performance, social life, intimate relationships—as much as gender and race do. Those who learn to dial down the relentless swooping and cresting of emotions that is the almost invariable accompaniment to extreme sensitivity are able to transform raw perception into keen perceptiveness. Dan Nainan, a full-time stand-up comic based in New York, gets tunnel vision after every show: "A thousand people stop by and say they enjoyed it, but one person says something negative and I take it so personally," he says. "It's led to some fights and has almost come to physical blows." He appreciates the irony in hating criticism yet voluntarily getting in front of a packed auditorium every night. "In a regular 9-to-5, no one's walking up to you and yelling, 'You're terrible!' " The Outside, Amplified Highly sensitive people are all around us. They make up about 20 percent of the population, and likely include equal numbers of men and women. All the available evidence suggests they are born and not made. You would likely spot them by their most visible feature, their overemotionality. Shari Lynn Rothstein-Kramer, who owns a marketing firm in Miami, Florida, cries almost daily. The sight of a beautiful outfit or exquisite handbag can choke her up. She recently found a note from a neighbor on her windshield that read, "Park in the middle of your space!!" and teared up on the spot. She had to persuade herself not to let it ruin her day. A news segment about a disturbing event—a death, a rape—can upset them deeply. Reading about a recent gang rape, New York actor and writer Jim Dailakis became "overwhelmingly emotional. I couldn't stop thinking about what that poor woman went through and how it affected her loved ones. I felt sadness mixed with unbelievable rage toward her attackers." Given their extreme ability to sense and internalize the moods of those around them, the presence of an agitated person, even a stranger with whom they never interact, can make them uneasy. HSPs often have a heightened sense of smell or touch and, say, zero tolerance for itchy fabrics or sudden sounds—reflecting their low threshold for sensory input. They complain about things no one else notices; a colleague's deodorant or a scented candle gives them headaches. And there's that damn light buzzing in the otherwise quiet office. An hour or two into a party or other sensory-rich event and they've withdrawn to a corner, a prelude to announcing they need to go home. Image: Man's silhouette in a sunlit doorway Above all, HSPs are defined by their internal experience. "It's like feeling something with 50 fingers as opposed to 10," explains Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist and author of Emotional Freedom. "You have more receptors to perceive things." Highly sensitive people are often taken for introverts, and, as with introverts, social interaction depletes them. But in fact they react strongly to everything in their environment. As a result, they need and typically seek extra processing time to sort out their experience. About one in five HSPs are actually extraverts, social sensation seekers who derive pleasure from chatty interactions. But they, too, draw unusually heavily on cognitive horsepower to digest their experiences. Rothstein-Kramer considers herself a highly sensitive extravert. "I'd even go with 'gregarious,'" she says, chuckling. "When people are positive, it inspires me to be more outgoing and energized." But negative interactions send her spiraling south: "People give me the highest highs and lowest lows." In general, the heavy cognitive demands on all HSPs predispose them to a more reactive than boldly active stance in life. All that sensory input consumes psychic resources for thinking before they take action. Any risks they face are carefully calculated. Delicate Subjects The notion that there is a whole category of people whose nervous systems overreact to ordinary stimuli grew out of the personal experience of psychologist Elaine Aron. In 1991, she began seeing a psychotherapist for help coping with her intense response to a medical issue. On Aron's second visit, the therapist nonchalantly suggested that Aron's outsize reaction to a minor physical problem was "just because you're highly sensitive." "I had noticed I was different," she says, "but I didn't have a way to conceptualize it. The term stuck with me, and I set out to see what we really mean by 'sensitivity.'" The short answer: nothing like the acute emotional responsiveness she had in mind. An in-depth search of the literature turned up only an occasional reference to chemical or medication sensitivity and vague references to sensitivity as a key dimension of mothering. Aron's search led her to the work of Ernest Hartmann, a psychiatrist at Tufts University best known for his dream research. Around the same time, he was solidifying the concept of boundaries as a dimension of personality and way of experiencing the world. Life, he observes, is made up of boundaries—between past and present, you and me, subject and object. And people differ in the way they embody and perceive boundaries. In his schema, people with thin mental boundaries do not clearly separate the contents of consciousness, so that a fantasy life of daydreaming may bump right up against everyday reality. It's as if those with thin boundaries have porous shells that allow more of their environment to penetrate and "get" to them—and into their dreams. Hartmann's concept of the thin-boundaried seemed to suggest that there indeed exists a group of people who take in a whole lot more than others. Too, Aron saw intimations of highly sensitive people in Jerome Kagan's now-classic research delineating infant temperament. A Harvard psychologist, Kagan had found that about 10 to 20 percent of infants begin life with a tightly tuned nervous system that makes them easily aroused, jumpy, and distressed in response to novel stimuli. Such highly reactive infants, as he termed them, run the risk of growing into "inhibited" children, who tend to withdraw from experience as a defense and are at high risk for anxiety. Kagan says his "high reactives" have only one specific kind of sensitivity—"a sensitivity to events in the environment that imply a new challenge." And brain imaging studies show that their reactivity reflects a distinctive biological feature: a hyperresponsive amygdala, the brain center that assesses threats and governs the fear response. Unexpected events—from a blizzard to a pop quiz—set off the alarm system embedded in their naturally touchy amygdala, keeping them on the constant lookout for danger. Relieved to find indications that there existed people governed by sensitivity, Aron was disappointed that the feature, however defined, was associated only with pathology. As a psychologist, she says, "I decided to start at the ground and see what people who identify with the word think of it." Thirty "grueling" three-hour interviews later, she was on her way to creating a 27-item questionnaire that is the benchmark for sensitivity. "I have a rich, complex inner life." Check. "I am made uncomfortable by loud noises." Check. Born to Be Mild Advancing neuroscience research suggests that the kind of emotional sensitivity Aron had in mind might be linked to specific variations in gene expression in the nervous system, notably genes related to production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Image: Woman crying at the movies One gene variation, the short-short allele of the serotonin transporter 5-HTT, has long been associated with a vulnerability to depression and anxiety. Recent data indicate that the very same gene variant brings an array of cognitive benefits—including better, and more profitable, decision-making in gambling situations. Aron suspects the allele may be present in HSPs and could account for their tendency to assess risks thoroughly. "It's hard to imagine this trait enduring in the gene pool if it led only to negative emotions like depression," Aron says. "The problematic outcomes are just easier to observe than more positive interactions with the environment." Brain imaging studies suggest real differences in the brains of HSPs versus everyone else. Cortical areas linked to attention and processing perceptual data show higher activation in response to all kinds of stimuli. Further, the possibility of reward sparks an outsize response in the reward circuit, and fear-related regions are particularly stirred by threats. In his own research on thin-boundaried people, Tufts' Ernest Hartmann has found a strong link to creativity that Aron believes applies to HSPs as well. Of hundreds of student artists and musicians he has studied, nearly all test positive on his thin-boundaries questionnaire. Many fewer do among those who are able to make a profession of the arts—suggesting that it takes more than practice to make it to Carnegie Hall. A 2003 study reported in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that the brains of creative people appear to be far more open to incoming stimuli than those of the noncreative. During a simple task, they experience little latent inhibition—they do not screen out irrelevant data from consciousness and more of their brains are highly activated from moment to moment. Their extreme responsiveness to all situations, Aron believes, makes HSPs prone to anxiety and depression in the face of a distressing situation. But it also makes life richer; sights, sounds, flavors, images of beauty are more vivid. It's as if HSPs alone see the world in high-def. A Basis in Biology Yet another facet of sensitivity is the focus of independent research by Michael Jawer. A decade ago, Jawer was an investigator for the Environmental Protection Agency looking into reports of sick building syndrome and preparing air-quality guidance for building owners. Why, he wanted to know, did only a handful of people complain about indoor environmental conditions? "Some said that in everyday life they've been disabled by exposure to colognes, paints, pesticides, trace elements in the air," he says. "And some went on to tell me they'd been emotionally sensitive for many years. Perhaps the same factors that were disposing certain people to complain about their environment suggested a broader aspect of sensitivity than just the emotional kind." When he surveyed people Aron had identified as HSPs, he found unusual susceptibility to an array of conditions long thought to have a psychosomatic component. Much more than others in the population, they suffered from migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, allergies, and fibromyalgia. Jawer felt the findings point to wide-scale biological differences in HSPs. "Take migraines," he says. "We know they're triggered by a number of things in the environment—sights, smells, even changes in the weather." Moods, too, can act as a catalyst: "Strong feelings, even ones people don't realize they have, can bring migraines on," says Jawer. He believes HSPs are unusually touchy to both emotional and tangible irritants—to mean-spirited comments as well as pollen or dander in the air. Behind it all, says Orloff, is likely a hair-trigger flight-or-fight response. A lower threshold of activation of stress hormones would leave the body flooded with cortisol and adrenaline. Chronically elevated stress hormones are linked with a host of health problems, from heart disease to decreased bone density to impaired memory. To Aron, the evidence adds up to a distinctive personality type. The HSP's touchy nervous system leads to a touchy temperament. Like the princess sensing the pea below her tower of mattresses, HSPs perceive the slightest sensory or emotional provocation, then respond with a flurry of brain activity that begets an outsize reaction—rumination, tears, histrionics, on one hand, or unbridled enthusiasm on the other. Their personalities may run the gamut from moody to dramatic—all the product of their unique biology. Image: Hand with a bleeding cut from a bird feather Missing Men? In crafting her questionnaire, Aron was determined to include only those questions men and women answered in equal proportions and calibrated it so that 20 percent of males and females registered as highly sensitive. But once she started administering the test to the general population, far fewer than 20 percent of males came up HSP-positive. Where did the guys go—or were they never there to begin with? Aron insists that males and females are born highly sensitive in equal numbers—but some men grow up actively hiding it. "They don't want to identify as sensitive." Kagan's "reactives," too, were male and female in equal measure—at 4 months of age. But "the male peer group is very harsh with shy, timid boys," he explains, and by young adulthood, the highly reactive males were very difficult to pick out from the non-reactive population. The neural basis of sensitivity appears no different in men and women. But the resulting behaviors—tearing up in joy, getting upset by a ribbing, feeling overwhelmed at a concert or sporting event—may violate even contemporary Western standards of masculinity. HSP males may look effeminate to potential mates. (No, there's no evidence that HSP males are disproportionately homosexual.) "In North America, in particular, we expect boys to be tough and to be risk-takers," says Ted Zeff, a San Francisco psychologist whose in-depth interviews with more than 30 highly sensitive men in five countries resulted in a book, The Strong, Sensitive Boy. "Boys are told to hide all emotions other than anger. This is especially hard on sensitive boys, who have to repress their natural tendencies." New York's Jim Dailakis admits "I definitely hide my sensitivity from certain people. Wearing your heart completely on your sleeve leaves you open to ridicule." Double-Edged Effects The possibility of opposite outcomes—downward spiral or rocketing success—underscores the double-edged nature of sensitivity. Neither flaw nor gift, it is, rather, an amplifier of an environment's effects. Sensitive people who happened to have troubled childhoods may wind up with high rates of anxiety and depression, but HSPs who were loved and encouraged as children can grow into well-adjusted adults. "You Won't Make Me Sound Crazy, Will You?" Fedor and Rothstein-Kramer both ask the same question, out of the blue, mid-interview. Connoisseurs of small slights, study partners who cannot focus with that stupid jackhammer roaring outside, HSPs are subject to a constant influx of criticism exhorting them to toughen up or to grow cojones. That message—that they're somehow unacceptable as they are—resonates with intensity. Aron would like to see HSPs focus more on what they have to offer. They make compassionate friends who truly care about others; they channel beauty from the world into art and music; they notice things others miss. Ensconced in safe environments and steeled against the negativity of others, they can flourish. HSPs inhabit a teeming world of vibrant colors, sharp smells, striking sounds, and powerful tugs at their emotions. "I am, and I always will be, extremely aware of my environment and the people within it," Fedor says. As CEO of a successful beauty company, she surrounds herself with supportive people. "I tried toughening up, rooting myself in taxing situations," she says. "Then I realized I was spending my time coping instead of thriving. Now I know that I can choose to respond or to let something go." For her, it's a purer way of savoring this piquant world. —Andrea Bartz Tips for the Touchy Highly sensitive? "You've probably gone through life assuming you're like the other 80 percent of people," Aron says. "The truth is, you need a whole different instruction manual." Here are a few adjustments you can make to sync your life with your mode of sensory processing. • Designate downtime. Your brain works overtime processing input and soaking up others' moods, so it needs a chance to recover. "Limit stimulation when you can," Aron suggests. "Turn the radio off when you're driving. Use a sleep mask and earplugs at night." Meditation is also a powerful way to tamp down stress hormones. Orloff prescribes quick, three-minute meditations during the day: Sit quietly, put your hand over your heart, deepen your breathing, and focus on something beautiful—a picture of your child. • Talk yourself calm. Sensitive people aren't doomed to spend life reeling from rejection. It's possible to rein in a response before it spirals down to depression. Fedor carries a checklist in her wallet and runs through it when she feels under attack: "Is this about me? What is the intent of the other person? Am I reacting because this brings out fear in me?" Similarly, Rothstein-Kramer asks herself, "How can I interpret this situation in a different way?" "Practice controlling your reactions," she says; "eventually a little dig won't throw you." • Change your interactions. Kindly but firmly cut off energy drains. Say your friend is midway through her umpteenth rant about her job. "You have to lovingly but matter-of-factly say, 'I see you're going through something; when you want to get into solutions, I'm here for you, but right now this is hard for me to listen to,'" Orloff explains. "Tone of voice is everything." • Arm yourself. Sometimes, you'll be forced into a situation that sucks you dry—a conference you must endure for work, a business lunch with an insufferable kvetch. Protect yourself: "Visualize a shield around your body, keeping negative input out," Orloff says. • Rewrite history. Think back to the decisions you've regretted and the things you dislike about yourself: "Very often, they have to do with sensitivity," Aron points out. The surprise party where you wound up crying in your room and the promotion you turned down because it involved too much pressure make much more sense through the lens of your sensitivity. Acknowledge this. Dealing with Delicate People Since 20 percent of the population is highly sensitive, "you're probably working with or are even friends with one—you just didn't realize it," Aron says. Now that you know the hallmarks of this personality, adjust your behavior to make your interactions smoother. • Skip the tips. HSPs are mighty sick of hearing, "You really shouldn't let it get to you" from well-meaning friends. They experience it as a put-down, a suggestion that they've done something wrong. Say something more reassuring—such as, that whatever situation is causing them stress will improve shortly. • Modify your view. In a close relationship, you may discover you've been making wrong assumptions about your partner. You may hear things like "I never liked going to those sporting events or concerts," Aron warns. Forgo the temptation to respond with grief or anger. Just accept it. • Respect their space. A common mistake HSPs' loved ones make: hovering. "They promise their partner an hour of recharge time," Orloff says, "and then they hang around waiting for you to come out." Better to tell them, "Fine, go replenish, I'll be out mowing the lawn"—and do it. No comments: Post a Comment
Monday, April 27, 2009 The Acrostic Elegy Today we wrote an acrostic elegy in class. This is an acrostic poem (one that spells something with the first letter of each line down the side of the poem) but it focuses on someone or something that has been lost or who has died. This does not need to be a person. It could be about a pet, or something you have loved and lost. It could even be about a big change in your life like a divorce or moving to a new home. Here is an example: Walter Payton Forever Why did you have to leave this cruel world And the sport that you have Loved for so long That you have considered it your life for Eternity and when you always Run for a touchdown all the People in the crowd All cheer together that You were the best player ever To play the sport Of football and any player that got in your way Never could stop "The Fridge" No comments:
RED light has the longest wave length and the shortest vibrational frequency and is the first basic colour tone in the light spectrum that is visible to the human eye. RED is at the bottom of the scale and is predominantly the ‘physical’ colour. RED is known as the colour of ‘life’ and can symbolize courage, passion and emotional relationships. Being the colour of ‘life’, RED denotes strength and vitality, our deepest human emotions, and suggests the deepest passions of love, hate and revenge. The colour RED also has deep emotional and spiritual connotations. RED resonates with the ‘vital life force’, with your nervous activity urging and encouraging you to achieve successful results. RED is the colour of danger. RED represents energy and action, fire, blood, anger, wine, intensity, impulsiveness, power and sexuality. The phrase ‘seeing RED’ denotes anger and fury, and RED is also characteristic of suppressed aggression, tenseness, sensation and physical strength. RED evokes an association with warnings, war, blood, anger, passion, desire and sexuality, steadfastness and willpower. RED influences and rules a person’s ability to feel secure within themselves, and encourages the will to survive and succeed. RED can also be the colour of complications. The colour RED stimulates, warms, arouses, intensifies vitality and inspiration, encourages persistence, passion and ambition. RED is representative of our survival instincts, security, action and energy, heat, aggression, violence, shame, blood and movement. It also relates to sexuality and sexual impulses and urges, and the sexual organs. Our drive for existence and survival is represented by the colour RED. It stimulates the human body to be responsive and assertive. RED stimulates the heart and increases the vibratory rate. RED also increased the appetite, and is associated with our sexual energy. RED relates to the sensations of pleasure and brings on physical excitement. The RED energy stimulates a passion for self-preservation and self-gratification. The colour RED increases enthusiasm, encourages confidence and action, and provides a sense of protection from fears and anxiety. RED supplies energy and the motivation needed to work towards and accomplish goals. RED is a ‘doing’ colour and is the colour of ‘getting things done’. RED relates to the musical scale of ‘DOH’ and is related to the planet Mars, and the Element of Fire, Summer, and the zodiac sign of Aries, and the direction South. RED is inherently exciting and draws attention. A keen use of the colour RED as an accent can immediately focus attention of a particular element. RED is the highest arc of the rainbow and is the first colour you lose sight of at twilight. Too much RED encourages the tendency to lose your temper, becoming agitated, overbearing, angry, demanding, un-nerving, oppressive and even violent. It also stimulates us towards greed, being domineering and/or egotistical, bossy, highly-strung, hyperactive, dishonest and sly/cunning. Too little RED may make us feel fearful, cautious, lethargic, manipulative and whiny. It discourages us to reach our goals and makes us lack self-confidence. It can make us feel un-loved, weak-willed, un-grounded, frustrated, sexually inadequate, alienated, overly cautious, separate from others, power conscious, possessive, and needing the approval of others. RED resonates with manifesting love, affection, energy and vitality. The colour RED brings passion and strength to your relationships, your work and life in general. RED boosts motivation and encourages us to live our lives with passion and purpose. Throughout human history, the colour RED has had a great significance and impact on our physical, emotional and spiritual identities and beliefs. - In the ancient times of the Norse, ‘Runecasters’ would inscribe the symbols of the Runes with RED juice from native berries. - In Chinese culture, colours correspond with the five primary elements, the directions and the four seasons. RED is associated with Fire, South, and Summer. RED is also associated with good fortune and luck in China. The Chinese New Year is celebrated by wearing RED clothing and decorating their houses with RED. RED envelopes with ‘luck money’ are given to unmarried children to bring good fortune to them for the rest of the year. The belief in the protective powers of RED can be traced back to the old Chinese folklore of the ‘Nian’ (a man-eating beast of ancient China who used to feed on human flesh. Discovering that the creature abhorred loud noises and the colour RED, the people began to make liberal use of the colour in their clothing, home decorations, firecrackers etc to protect themselves from the ‘Nian’). - RED represents beauty in many cultures, traditions and languages. - In Greece, Easter eggs are dyed RED. The Greek expression “piase kokkino” (which translates as ‘touch red’) is said when two people say exactly the same thing at the same time. It is said that when this happens it is an omen that the two people will have an argument in the future, and this can only be broken when the two touch the nearest thing to them that is RED. - In Israel, kosher clothing stores banned the colour RED and sell only loose-fitting clothes for women. - A popular slang term for someone who is ‘under the influence’ or drunk in Jamaica is “RED”. - In India, a RED mark on the forehead is said to bring good luck. - RED symbolizes life, joy, energy and creativity to the Hindu. - Islamic, Hindu and Chinese brides traditionally wear RED. - In England, RED double-decker buses, mailboxes and phone booths are national icons. - In Aztec culture, RED was connected with blood. - RED symbolizes feast days of martyrs in the Catholic Church. - RED amulets were worn in many cultures to prolong life. - In the financial and monetary arena, RED symbolizes a negative direction. Those who choose RED as their favourite colour are often very passionate and motivated people who are determined to pursue and achieve all of their goals, desires and aspirations. Those whose favourite colour is RED often portray a fiery, passionate nature, with a lust for life and are motivational and inspirational characters. Those who prefer RED are generally assertive, competitive and sometimes a little aggressive in their careers. They are brave, courageous, daring and outgoing, and are not afraid to tackle any challenge. At times, these people may be over-impulsive and can take action before considering the full consequences. Those who have an aversion to RED may be over-active, too impulsive, aggressive and/or hot tempered, egocentric or may have difficulties with other people who possess such characteristics. It can also symbolize deeply hidden fears, and of rejecting their own personal power and assertiveness. RED is the colour of passion and action. RED is also considered to be a ‘power’ colour. Wearing RED indicates someone who is vibrant and energetic, and implies a ‘go-getter’ type of personality. Wearing RED helps to motivate and energize us, and brings excitement and passion into our lives. A habit of wearing RED may suggest that one places a particular importance upon sexual drive and eroticism. This energy is better used in creative endeavour, personal expansion and leadership development. Those who wear RED are extroverted and courageous, although they may tend to become easily irritated and bad tempered if they don’t get their own way. People who wear RED tend to be impulsive, energetic and excitable. They are often ambitious and like for things to happen quickly. They also like to be the ‘best’ in everything, and at times, may be insensitive to the feelings of others. Those that love to wear RED like to be the centre of attention. Wear RED when feeling run-down, to improve energy and athletic performance, and when quick bursts of energy is required. Wear RED when you need to get a job done and when you need extra energy. Wear RED when wanting to feel confident and in control, and when you want to feel desirable and sexy. Only truly confident people can wear RED comfortably. When RED is present in food, it denotes sweetness and/or ripeness, the presence of lycopenes, quercetin and Vitamin C. RED vegetables and fruit contain powerful phyto-chemicals such as lycopene and anthocyanins, which are essential for the circulatory system. RED vegetables and fruits promote health of the adrenals, gonads, colon, legs and red blood cells. Red Foods include: Cayenne, cherries, cranberries, dulse (seaweed), goji berries, guava, Hibiscus flowers, kidney beans, pink beans, pink grapefruit, pomegranite, radishes, red apples, red cabbages, red corn, red currents, red peppers, red plums, red tomatoes, rhubarb, rosehips, strawberries, watermelon, wholewheat. When seeing RED in your dream you may wish to consider what your personal associations are with the colour RED in order to decipher whether it symbolizes love and passion, or caution and danger. Seeing a predominance of RED, or a distinctive object or symbol in RED in your dream indicates energy and reaction as well as passion and anger. The phrase ‘seeing red’ suggests anger, and seeing it in a dream can suggest unresolved issues. RED appearing in dreams resonates with our drive for existence and survival, and supplies the energy and motivation necessary to reach and accomplish goals and aspirations. A clear RED in a dream can symbolize pure anger. A muddy or murky RED may suggest repressed and/or suppressed anger. RED appearing in your dream may represent aggression, sensation and physical strength. Having RED appear in a dream can be revitalizing and stimulating, motivating action. RED vibrates with raw energy, intense passion, aggression, courage, power and impulsiveness, and has deep spiritual and emotional connotations and stimulates all of our senses. Appearing in a dream, RED may be implying that you need to stop and think about your actions, and consequent re-actions. It can also suggest action and re-action. If you are a person inclined to dwell in the past, seeing RED in your dreams helps to bring you into the present moment. Seeing the colour RED in dreams inspires: determination, honour, willpower, freedom, activity, strength, independence, initiative, leadership, passion, energy, anger and motivation. Red appearing in a dream releases: anger and frustration, confusion, destructive feelings, revenge, rebellion, impatience and impulsiveness. COLOUR DREAMING - What the Colours in Dreams Mean RED in the TAROT The colour RED is linked to The CHARIOT (7) Tarot card due to its energetic nature. RED is linked to The TOWER (16) and can indicate negative action where rash, hasty, aggressive or violent behaviour is evident. RED is also connected to The EMPEROR (4). Musk, Vetiver, Basil and all root oils. RED CRYSTALS and GEMSTONES - Crystal Healing RED crystals and gemstones offer protection, courage, vitality, stamina and energy. Almandite (Garnet), Apache Tear, Bismuth, Bixbite (Red Beryl), Bluebird (Azurite-Cuprite), Brecciated Jasper, Carnelian (Chalcedony), Catlinite (Pipestone), Chalcedony Quartz, Corundum, Crazy Lace Agate, Cuprite, Dragon’s Eye (Red Tiger’s Eye, Ox Eye), Eudialyte, Fluorite, Garnet, Indian Star Ruby, Jasper, Leopardskin Jasper, Lodestone, Madeira Citrine, Mexican Cherry Opal, Moonstone, Mozambique Garnet, Oligoclase, Pyrope Garnet, Red Adventurine, Red Calcite, Red Coral, Red Dolomite, Red Jade, Red Jasper, Red Sapphire, Red Spinel, Rubellite (Red Tourmaline), Rhodolite Garnet, Rubellite (Tourmaline), Ruby, Ruby Aura Quartz, Sardonyx, Spessartine Garnet, Star Ruby, Sunstone (Oligoclase, Thai Garnet, Thulite. RED in the AURA RED appearing in the aura in a balanced way attests to a great deal of vitality, good physical health, a warm and enthusiastic nature, willpower, strength, independence, openness, alertness, extroversion, motivation, emotionality, leadership abilities, passion, courage, sexuality and sensuality, spirituality and the ‘Divine Fire’. Being the first basic colour tone for those presently on the Earthplane (and this is including a number of different shades of this colour), RED in the aura can indicate a person who has stayed close to the earth and has been materially-centred, with an excessive ambition for power. Bright RED appearing in the aura indicates generosity and positive endeavours. Light RED in the aura tells of sexuality, eroticism, passion, gaiety, femininity, sensitivity and love. CRIMSON in the aura resonates with sensuality, and deep SCARLET signifies lust. DARK RED appearing in the aura attests to willpower, physical strength, masculinity, leadership abilities, yearning, courage, rage and hostility. Cloudy RED can denote cruelty and greed. In an unbalanced way, when RED appears in the aura it attests to anger and aggression, violence, confusion, destructiveness, frustration, vengefulness, rebellion, domination, tyranny, insanity, tension, hyperactivity and impotence. Colours within the Aura RED is the colour of the Base or Root Chakra, and represents the ‘Physical Element’ and houses the karmic forces. The Base or Root Chakra is located at the base of the spine and allows us to be grounded. The Root or Base Chakra connects us to the Universal Energies. RED adds its vibrant energy to the Root Chakra to promote and bolster willpower and courage, and strengthen the body. RED symbolizes the element of Fire which is essential to all creatures. Without heat there is no energy or action, and RED produces heat, which vitalizes and energizes the physical body. When the Root Chakra is blocked, we experience a lack of energy and vitality, and can suffer from depression, anxiety, fear, frustration and anger. Colour Healing and the Chakras RED is used in colour therapy (or healing) for treating conditions of stagnation in order to renew or stimulate the life energy. RED is stimulating and revitalizing and can assist with overcoming depression, inertia, fear and melancholy. RED is a great aid for those who are afraid of life and who feel inclined to want to escape. RED relates to the adrenal glands and is the ‘life force’ from which we draw our strength, ambition and energy. RED energizes all organs and the senses of hearing, smell, taste, vision and touch. The colour RED is linked to the circulatory system, the heart, sexual organs, the kidney and bladder. RED causes haemoglobin to multiply, thus increasing energy and raising body temperature. RED is beneficial to the circulation and energy flow within the body, as it is both activating and energising. RED aids the immune system and helps with detoxification and has an anti-inflammatory effect. RED is used for stimulating the liver; for increasing the production of red blood cells, for anaemic conditions, for stimulating the circulatory system, spinal fluid and the entire nervous system, fatigue, cold chills, it energizes the senses, stimulates ovulation and stimulates menstruation. RED stimulates energy and can increase the blood pressure, respiration, heartbeat and pulse rate. RED is beneficial to stimulate growth, alleviates constrictions, enhances physical strength, the spine, feet, hips, legs, and stiffness. RED is beneficial for states of exhaustion, to treat arthritis, muscle pains and spasms, bacterial diseases, hernias and impotence. RED is also used to treat diseases of the sensory nerves - hearing, taste, slight, smells and touch. RED stimulates slow or inert metabolism and accelerates the expulsion of toxins and metabolic waste. RED helps to relieve constipation, assists in the production of blood and expands the blood vessels. RED helps us to plant our feet firmly on the ground. If you are someone who has a tendency to dwell in the past, the colour RED helps to root you to the present; the here and now. RED is not suitable to treat people who suffer from being too hot, who are ‘hot-headed’ or agitated, or who suffer from high blood pressure and a pre-disposition to hot flushes. An excess of RED can be over-stimulating and may cause irritability. In Colour Therapy and Healing, RED is used to neutralize and energize, and brings fresh, strong energies to boost and aid recuperation after bouts of illness, lethargy, tiredness and depression. Colour Therapists and Healers tend not to use the colour RED on its own due to its ability to warm and stimulate, but rather, use it in combination with BLUE and/or TURQUOISE. Introduction to Colour Healing – Chromotherapy Joanne Walmsley Sacred Scribes 1 comment: 1. And in Christianity, RED represents the fire of the Holy Spirit of God, which rested on the heads of the disciples at Pentecost, allowing them all to speak and understand all the languages of the people who were listening to them!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 BEDA Day 23: Slonimsky's Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns Music theory nerd alert: Stop whatever you're doing right now and look up Nicolas Slonimsky's Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns. It's a collection of virtually (or quite possibly literally) every musical scale imaginable. And I'm not talking only the ones covered in a harmony text book; I'm talking everything. So, I invented a new scale a few months ago, with a repeated interval pattern of: whole step, half step, minor third, half step (repeat ad infinitum). This scale does not replicate at the octave, so its pitches must be register-specific. Also, while the interval pattern repeats every P5, the actual pitch names don't repeat until after seven octaves, meaning that the scale would always have slightly different intervals depending on the octave in which it is played. Info: The range of a piano is just barely over seven octaves. Cool, huh? Click for a graphic (.TIF) or MIDI of the complete seven-octave scale. But alas, it turns out that Nicolas Slonimsky beat me to it by at least 62 years (probably more). I've merely "discovered" scale #950 in his Thesaurus. It's right there under "Diapente Progression", Interpolation of Two Notes, Scale 5 (I think?). My scale. Boy, Ecclesiastes 1:9, you said it. 1 comment: 1. Haha! Javen had to explain the rest of your post to me, but I like the closing line! I flatter myself that you put that in there to get my comment...
Needed Accountability for War Crimes Our nation has had a long history of war and being involved in conflict. With each war, hundreds of thousands of good American troops are being shipped out in order to resolve the conflict. However, in many cases, injustices are committed because too much power is being given to soldiers intended to establish peace. Unfortunately, some of these injustices are heinous war crimes. This happens often with each and every war in which our country involves itself. The worst part about this is that justice is not being served and that accountability is lacking. Oftentimes, some soldiers are guilty of using unlawful methods of torture to extract information from prisoners. For example, waterboarding, which is now illegal, was used frequently at Guantanamo Bay prison facility. However, when it was finally continued to be inhumane and unlawful, those who had performed it were not punished at all. This shows injustice, inaction, and also a lack of accountability In addition to unlawful torturing, some soldiers have committed unspeakable acts against many innocent people. For example, in Vietnam, some soldiers were found to be guilty of pillaging a small village, murdering the men, and raping the women and children. These acts are absolutely repulsive and evil. However, the government has adopted a hush-hush approach to this incident and many other incidents like it. This shows large dishonesty and a lack of integrity and accountability on the part of the federal government. As a result, our government has become a group advocating and sympathizing with dastardly and deplorable academic and human behavior. Leave a Reply
23 September 2011 New York Leaps into the Middle School Trap : Education Next New York Leaps into the Middle School Trap : Education Next 04 September 2011 Developing Responsible Citizens 30 July 2011 7-12 Secondary schools instead of jr. highs Jr. highs have proven to be the worst time of a student's public school experience. That's when kids are most likely to take a nose dive in either behavior or academics. Many people have just written it off to hormones! While that makes things harder, the configurations of middle schools and jr. highs play a big role too. Elementary students typically have anywhere from 50-100 students per grade level, usually with one main teacher per class. They know their teacher and the other students well, usually of the whole grade. They can't hide in the mob. In a jr. high they typically have 200-300+ students per grade level. It takes those kind of numbers, when you only have 2-3 grades in a school, to be financially viable. In that setting students become part of the mob. Their behaviors deteriorate along with their grades. Many districts are now experimenting with K-8 schools, which have shown much improvement. Still better, though not as prevalent, are 7-12 secondary schools. There are many advantages to this configuration, but few have really considered this option. If you turn each jr. high and high school into a 7-12 school, they would house the same number of students, but would reduce the number of students per grade level. By readjusting school boundaries, the schools would be closer to the homes of the students. This would lower the amount of traffic and travel times. Students would be in the same school longer without having to transition to a new school, thus reducing the loss of learning and time of adjustment. Students and teachers would get to know each other better. Parents would tend to be more connected with the school. If the students had siblings near their age, they would be in the same school - family-friendly, one-stop schooling! They could look after each other better. One study shows that students who attend 7-12 schools do better in college. The more you look at 7-12 schools the better they look! 07 July 2011 Ropes and Rods I've been considering how a rope compares to a rod. A rod is strong but not flexible at all. A rope is strong AND flexible, which makes it more versatile. A rope is made of many strands, each of which is made of many fibers. Together they provide strength along with a give and take that allows it to bend without breaking. If we could somehow melt all these fibers and strands into one rod, they would all be the same but without the ability to bend. There would be no flexibility, no give and take. This is how I see the need to maintain the viability and strength of our different levels of governance, such as national, state, and local, rather than concentrating all the power to ever higher levels. Consolidating into ever bigger units undermines this flexibility. When a district grows too big, it operates more like a rod. The bureaucracy becomes inflexible. It cannot bend with needs of differing areas. Dividing into smaller, community-sized districts re-creates the right balance between teachers, schools, and districts (fibers, strands, rope). 05 May 2011 Vouchers: A Trojan Horse My message at the legislature was that vouchers was a Trojan Horse for private schools. It would turn them into government schools when the regulations came. This article from the conservative CATO group backs that up. Vouchers aren't the answer. Smaller districts are.
Monday, March 9, 2009 Normal cell growth and death .. ..versus cancerous growth. We can live a peaceful life when we look within our bodies and compare the intricate and wonderful workings of body-economies . Only the mutations that encourage unrestricted growth and repress the genes for programmed cell death eventually lead to cancer. The word tumor can be frightening to hear, but in medical terminology it simply refers to a swelling or lump of tissue. Through popular usage, this term had been irrevocably linked in the public's mind to the malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous) growth of tissue. We are interested here in a specific type of tumor that derives from pluripotent germ cells; it's known as a teratoma, which comes from Greek for "monster tumor." Teratomas arise only in certain types of cellular tissue: the male testes or the female ovaries. Teratomas make up an incredibly small fraction of all tumors. The majority are benign, and found in the female ovaries - perhaps remnants of eggs that failed to develop beyond a certain stage and so never were properly expelled into the fallopian tubes and onward. A few are found in the male testes, where they can develop into fatal testicular cancer. More help needed, see No comments:
Saturday, June 19 Turtles, Tortoises and Lizards! Sea Turtles enjoy the status of one of the world's most highly protected animals. They are protected under international treaties and by the laws of many nations. Such high protection comes because seven species of Sea Turtles are critically endangered species. Despite strict laws, the Sea Turtle continues to be illegally hunted and traded in many parts of the world. The VSPCA is involved with Sea Turtle protection and conservation off the East Coast of India and works to enforce India's laws which strictly prohibit the sale or trade of Sea Turtles and their eggs. I did not take the following photo of this beautiful Sea Turtle happily in its natural oceanic habitat, but I found it uncopyrighted on the internet!: Prior to the VSPCA's inception in 1996, Sea Turtles and their eggs were openly traded on the streets of Visakhapatnam, India, despite strong national and international laws banning such activity. Pradeep Nath, the founder of VSPCA, used to enforce the laws himself by following such traders down the street, bringing them to police attention, and demanding arrests and prosecutions of the traders. In addition to seeing their numbers threatened by illegal poaching, the turtles were subjected to terrible cruelty by the traders. To kill the turtles, the traders would turn them upside down and slice open their bellies, an act that did not kill the animal immediately but rather allowed it to suffer very much alive. Alternatively, some of these sea creatures were placed over a fire until they could not breathe and had to stick their heads out for air. The poachers then chopped off the head. Finally, sometimes they were simply turned upside down and left in the hot sun. From this position these animals could not escape nor obtain water and it could take 3 days for death to occur. The VSPCA has assisted in preserving one of the ocean's great species and has virtually eliminated this terrible suffering in local areas. In Visakhapatnam today, you will not see any trade in Sea Turtles or their eggs. Obviously the VSPCA is not home to any Sea Turtles because these lovely creatures belong in the ocean. However, the shelter does provide happy sanctuary to many rescued Star Tortoises like this fellow! The tortoises have their own dedicated space at the shelter where they roam and play without fear. Star Tortoises have a lifespan of 40-50 years if left undisturbed. Like the Sea Turtle, the Star Tortoise is a highly protected endangered species. Here is a baby crawling over and around the very patient adults: And wandering on his own: At first, I was a little cautious, being fairly new to cold-blooded creatures: But pretty soon we were holding hands: Star Tortoises are amphibians that live in rocky areas in the hills. They come down from the hill to access water in a stream and this is often where they risk being captured by poachers. Because the Star Tortoise can go without food for 10-15 days, it is an easy target for the smugglers to trade out of India on the international black market. The Star Tortoise is one of the top 10 most endangered species in Asia. They are often illegally sold into China for use in medicinal remedies and as food for the dinner table. They are also sought as pets in several Western nations including the United States, despite international protection, and reach a black market price of $200US per animal. Star Tortoises are nearing extinction, which is why the preservation of Star Tortoises at VSPCA and elsewhere is critically important. They are gentle, curious creatures: He checks me out... Gets a little closer... Then decides I'm cool enough. Last among the cold-blooded friends today is the Monitor Lizard. VSPCA has rescued several Monitor Lizards in the past but does not have any at the shelter right now. Therefore, I am using another picture found uncopyrighted on the internet: These creatures, like the turtles and tortoises, are endangered yet hunted. It India, they are so strictly protected that it is illegal just to be in possession of one. But before the VSPCA sought prosecutions for illegal possession and trade of these majestic animals, these laws went unenforced and traders could be seen walking openly down the city streets with these huge creatures slung over their shoulders in a bag. These animals, when provoked, will fight back. So the poachers would cruelly break the lizard's legs and also its tail, which would have been a good defensive tool for the lizard. The Monitor Lizard also has a terrific set of teeth so the poachers would bang out its fangs. Here is an action shot of Pradeep apprehending a poacher illegally possessing a baby Monitor Lizard. The baby lizard is hung by its neck from the stick the poacher is holding. Pradeep is in the striped shirt: The Monitor Lizard is hunted for meat, and for the oils existing in the animals' skin which is believed to have medicinal qualities. The greatest work the VSPCA has accomplished for Monitor Lizards is to effectively shut down any market for their trade in the Visakhapatnam area, thus conserving this endangered species and preventing needless animal cruelty. Thursday, June 17 No Ordinary Cats! I know you've all been waiting for pictures of the Cats at the VSPCA and the wait is over! Jump for joy! The VSPCA is home to many rescued cats and kittens. They have a beautiful facility built especially for them. When I was preparing to travel to India, I received many donations from my friends of toys, medicines, leashes and collars and other useful things for all the animals at the shelter. Among these donations were dozens of colorful, handmade pockets of catnip that my friend Claudine put together for the kitties in India. Here is Sarada, the shelter manager for all the small animals of the VSPCA, getting ready to give the cats the catnip toys! A few of the cats weren't quite sure about this... While most were overjoyed with their new presents!! Here is the whole group of kitties playing and roaming around with the catnip: The afternoon before my flight to India, my friend Shelly brought by a special delivery for the cats: two long wands, approximately 3 feet long with fuzzy ends that dangle from a piece of string. As I stared at these wands and my already packed suitcase, I decided that if I curved them gently, they would fit from one corner of the large suitcase to the other. I just had to hope nobody would open the suitcase in the airport...the toys would come springing out! Having never had much interaction with cats, I wasn't quite sure how to play with them. I discovered that it isn't very hard, even a dog person can figure it out! At first I thought I was pretty smart and quick... But this fellow was much quicker, here I am extracting the toy from his grasp! These two look like they are going for a jump ball in the NBA: These cats were primarily rescued from the city streets in Visakhapatnam as kittens. Many of the town's residents don't mind having an adult cat around the house to keep the rat population down. But if she has a litter of kittens, who meow as kittens will and demand attention, the humans will throw them away. And I do mean thrown away like garbage. These lovely cats have been found in horrific places: in garbage cans; in bags thrown into the sewers that run alongside the streets; some even have been carried out to the beach in the city runoff and were rescued just short of drowning in the ocean. These kittens make their way to the VSPCA shelter only if some kindhearted person overhears their meowing calls for help, someone who knows these sounds shouldn't be coming from these places, and cares enough to call the VSPCA. Sarada bottle-fed these kittens with specially-donated glass bottles from the US. These bottles had tiny little nipples so the tiny little kittens, some so small they didn't even have hair yet, could be nourished into life. Now these cats have a wonderful life in their beautiful jungle gym home, with toys and lots of love. They have several fully-fenced outdoor areas in addition to their inside playroom: Check out the guy lounging in the sun behind me: New he's joining in the fun! Look at how this "dog-lover" was treated after spending a few hours with the cats! Step One: Contemplating the human. Step Two: Acceptance. These cats love to play... and climb... And wrangle that furious pink monster! VSPCA continues to rescue cats and kittens and welcome them into the shelter. The life they have here is the best and doesn't even compare to life on the street. High Five to Everybody who gave me supplies for the Indian animals (and from the VSPCA cats and for the photos in this post of cats leaping into the air, special thanks to Claudine and Shelly!) Monday, June 14 A face to launch hearts? Like any normal puppy, she opts to chew on them! Here she is looking very proud of herself!! After eating, gentle sleep... Maria thanks you sweetly!
Marsh Arab reed house, Iraq Marsh Arab reed house, Iraq C020/8062 Rights Managed Request low-res file 530 pixels on longest edge, unwatermarked Request/Download high-res file Uncompressed file size: 25.6MB Downloadable file size: 1.9MB Price image Pricing Please login to use the price calculator Caption: Marsh Arab reed house. The marsh Arabs inhabit the Mesopotamian marshes around the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the south of Iraq. The marshes were systematically drained in the mid-to-late 20th century, shrinking to 10 per cent of their original size. This was done to provide agricultural land, but also to destroy the habitat of the Shi'a Muslim Marsh Arabs, who were persecuted by the Iraqi ruling Ba'athist Party. During this time the marsh Arab population fell from 500,000 to only 20,000. Keywords: animal, anthropological, anthropology, building, cattle, fauna, geographical, geography, home, house, hut, iraq, iraqi marshes, livestock, marsh, marsh arab, marshes, marshland, mesopotamia marsh, middle east, middle eastern, middle-east, no-one, nobody, novosti, persecuted, reed house, traditional, wildlife
Freemasonry is a fraternal order of men, originally deriving from the medieval fraternity of operative stonemasons. It is believed that the society arose out of the fraternity and lodges of the English and Scottish Freemasons and cathedral builders of the middle ages. However, there are no known records as to when or where this fraternal order originated. A group of Masons duly assembled with a charter or dispensation authorizing them to meet is called a lodge. The collective assemblage of a group of Lodges working under one jurisdictional constitution is called a Grand Lodge. Grand Lodges are established throughout the world and each is led by a Grand Master. In 1716, four Lodges met in London to form a temporary organization. On June 24, 1717, they elected a Grand Master and established a Grand Lodge. By 1723, the English craft may be said to have become entirely speculative. The organization grew rapidly in numbers and esteem. Thus, Masonry became the subject of widespread curiosity and comment, and was both imitated and opposed. The second quarter of the 18th century witnessed the spread of Freemasonry over the world in what was believed to have been the most rapid and extensive migration of any society, philosophy, or creed in history; and that too, entirely without any missionary zeal or proselyting. By the end of the 18th century, independent Grand Lodges had been established in most of the countries of Europe and, concurrently or later, in most other countries of the Eastern and Western hemispheres. Freemasonry is cosmopolitan. It admits men of every nationality, religion, creed, and political persuasion; the qualifications for membership are few, such as a belief in a Supreme Being, good moral character, a fair degree of intelligence, and absence of injury or defect in body which would prevent the candidate from performing his duties as a Mason. Masonry insists that men must come to its doors of their own freewill, not as a result of solicitation. Their approach should be prompted by a favorable opinion conceived of the Institution, a desire for knowledge, and a sincere wish to be of greater service to their fellow men. Masonry is not to be metered in the hope of personal gain or advancement or from mercenary or other unworthy motives. The institution of Masonry interferes with neither religion nor politics. It has for its foundation the basic principles of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man, has in it nothing inconsistent with one's civil, moral, or religious duties. No atheist can become a Mason. Loyalty to one's country is an essential qualification in Masonry and only those are acceptable who render a cheerful obedience to constituted authority. Masonry is not in any way an insurance society, nor does it pay benefits in case of unemployment, sickness, accident or death. Many of the uninitiated have said that Freemasonry is a secret society. A secret organization is one that would conceal its existence; hide its membership to themselves. Freemasonry does not conceal its existence; it builds its temples on conspicuous corners; the names of its members and officers are published; it prints its Constitution, laws and purposes; its members walk in public processions; Lodges publish bulletins and Grand Lodges publish Proceedings. The rituals used in initiations ect. and the signs and grips by which its members recognize each other are secret. Its secret rites are not in order to hide the truth, but the better to teach it more impressive; to train men in its pure service and to promote union and amity upon Earth. Its signs and grips serve as a kind of universal language and still more as a gracious cover for the practice of sweet charity, making it easier to help a fellowman in plight without hurting his self respect. It can thus be said that Freemasonry is a society with secrets; not a secret society. The objective of Masonry is to teach. It teaches good men to be better men. It teaches Fatherhood in God and in the Brotherhood of Man. It teaches the need of knowledge and the need of virtue. It teaches men to circumscribe their passions. It teaches toleration and uprightness and character. A Mason is taught to live a true, honorable, upright, affectionate life from the motive of a good man. Many people have the impression that the Masonic order is founded and conducted entirely for charity, for relief and assistance. Masonry is not an organization conducted for charitable purposes. It is not a mutual benefit association, but Masonry is devoted to teaching, not to helping with material aid. The true Mason must be, and must have a right to be content with himself; and he can be so, only when he lives, not for himself alone, but for others, who need his assistance and have a claim upon his sympathy. Masonry expects everyman to do something, within and according to his means; and if not alone, then by combination and association. Masonry is not a religion, not a church, but a worship in which men of all religions may unite. It is not the rival of any religion, but the friend of all, laying emphasis upon those truths which underlie all religions and are the basis and consecration of each. Masonry is not a religion, but it is religious. Its great end is to make all men better men and thus the world a better place in which to live.
Most Type 2 diabetes results from being overweight or obese. A well known, large U.S. randomized trial conducted several years ago showed that moderate weight loss from increased activity and diet changes can prevent diabWoman Having dinner in restaurantetes. A group of people at high risk of developing diabetes who had weight loss of only 7% after exercise and diet changes showed a 58% reduction in the onset of diabetes, vs. a control group with no changes. For example, 7% weight loss for a 200 pound woman would equate to just 14 pounds. In the study, medication use also prevented or delayed the onset of diabetes, but not as much as increased activity and diet changes. The moderate weight loss group set an exercise goal of 150 minutes per week (or 30 minutes, 5 days per week) of medium intensity activity, such as brisk walking, and ate a reduced calorie, low fat diet. Your first step is to know whether you are at risk for developing diabetes. Talk with your provider. Next, the National Diabetes Education Program identified several simple things that you can do to help prevent Type 2 diabetes. Here are five of our favorites! 1. Drink water instead of juice or soda. 2. Choose brown rice instead of white rice. 3. Find some type of regular physical activity that you like. Try for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. If you can’t get outside or to a gym, you could even march in place while you watch TV. 4. Compare food labels on packages. Look for lower calorie, lower fat, and lower sodium foods. 5. Write down what you eat for a week, or even a day. It can help you see when you tend to overeat or eat foods high in fat or calories. Author: Jill Powelson
Austria: Upper Austrian gold hats celtic b-black white-01Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) is one of the nine states of Austria. Its capital is Linz. As in southern Germany and parts of Switzerland, a gold hat is part of the women’s traditional costume. Just like the gold hats of Germany and Switzerland, the Upper Austrian gold hats developed from a bonnet worn in the 18th century. The Linzer gold hat was first mentioned in 1782 (Linzer Haubm). Its origins were not actually in Linz but in three Austrian valleys: the Kremstal, Steyertal and Almtal. Originally, it was a type of bonnet made of gold material covering a black velvet base with a broad band of gold lace around the rim. A grey hat edged with gold or silver braid was worn over this bonnet. Linz gold hat ( Linz gold hat ( Picture of a young woman with gold hat by Joseph_Reiner (1892) ( The women who originally wore the gold hat costumes belonged to the scythe-maker guilds, the industrial royalty at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Upper Austrian towns such as Wels and Steyr and also Passau in Germany were also involved in the further development of these hats in addition to Linz. From 1780, the form of the hat changed, the grey hat disappeared and the whole of the bonnet became golden. The base of the hat (Böndl), which was originally the most important part of the hat, virtually disappeared, becoming just a pommel the size of a ball situated at the top of the back of the head. The highly curved form of the headdress tends to be only present in the relatively newer forms (from ca. 1835). The hats were made industrially in this form by special female hatters from 1860 onwards. Black pearl bonnet ( Black pearl bonnet ( Parallel to the gold hats, hats in the Linz form were made of black material (tulle, gauze), too. In the second half of the 19th century, long black glass beads were used to decorate them giving them the name beaded hats (Perlhaube). After 1860, a black silk taffeta scarf became more commonly used. Later on, the skill of making the precious Linz gold hat was lost and the production of these types of hat is no longer done professionally. However, nowadays in Upper Austria, there are 17 groups of women (ca. 18,000) who have formed clubs that are actively involved in nourishing and cherishing this tradition as well as being involved in various charitable works. The hats are worn on special occasions by married women. Younger women wear another style of bonnet, which has a baby-bonnet form (Mädchenhaube). The fine embroidery on the gold hats is done using a spiral made of gold wire known as bullion or purl (Boulliangarn or Kantillen in German), gold sequins and beads. Young girl with gold haube (;art4,369309) Young girl with gold haube (;art4,369309) The Linz or Passau gold hat was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) by the UNESCO in 2015.150px-UNESCO-ICH-blue.svg Source(s) of information–kopftuch–und-hutgruppen/ Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Why Cargo Containers Could Be the Real Secret to Hyperloop’s Success The key to Hyperloop’s success as a viable and profitable transportation system could be a technology that is over 60 years old: cargo containers. A cargo container, or intermodal container, is a giant metal box that is used to ship freight. Such containers have revolutionized international shipping since the 1940s because they eliminate labor and other costs. A shipping container, or a Conex (container express) box, is a brilliant yet simple piece of technology that many people are unfamiliar with. Why Cargo Containers Are So Important Anyway Containerized or intermodal shipping works like this: 1. A shipper in China packs the container with freight. 1. A truck picks up the container and takes it to a port. 1. The container is loaded onto a ship. 1. The ship takes the container to a U.S. port such as Los Angeles or San Pedro. 1. At the port, the container is off loaded onto a truck that takes it to a railyard. 1. At the railyard, the container is loaded onto a train. 1. The train takes the container to its destination in the United States. 1. A truck picks up the container and takes it to its final destination, where it is opened and unloaded. Such containers, as anybody who has seen a modern port such as that of Long Beach knows, are the basis of today’s international supply chain. Containers can be stacked as high as skyscrapers at such ports and on modern container ships. That enables one modern container ship to haul as much freight as dozens of old fashioned freighters. It also enables a container train to haul twice as much freight as a train with freight cars because containers can be stacked. Containers greatly speeded up the shipping process because they only have been loaded and unloaded once. Before containers, items had to be loaded into trucks, freight cars and ships by hand. That led to a lot of loss through breakage and theft and to high labor costs. Containerized cargo made modern trade possible and revitalized America’s railroads. Without containers, modern high-volume retailers like Walmart would not exist because they are what make it possible to ship virtually any good from China to the U.S. at a low price. Containers Could Be the Key to Hyperloop’s Success Containers could be the key to Hyperloop’s success because they would make it possible to quickly move large amounts of freight on the superfast transportation system. If cargo containers could be loaded onto Hyperloop, they could be moved cross country at high speeds (300 to 700 miles an hour) at very low prices because the system runs on limited amounts of electricity. That would make Hyperloop the most competitive means of moving freight available. Hyperloop Tech co-founders Shervin Pishevar and Brogan BamBrogan already grasp that. They have even put a picture of a standard 45-square-foot-high cube cargo container in a Hyperloop capsule on their website. Pishevar also thinks that Hyperloop could greatly reduce fossil fuel use, pollution and possibly global warming by eliminating the need for trains, trucks and possibly cargo ships. A Pipeline for Freight and People This means a good way to think of Hyperloop would be as a pipeline for moving freight and people. Pipelines are one of the cheapest and most efficient means of moving liquids and gases. They can also be very profitable, which is why Warren Buffett owns pipeline companies through his Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) Energy subsidiary. This makes Pishevar, BamBrogan, Elon Musk and Hyperloop Tech CEO Rob Lloyd savvy businessmen as well as transportation visionaries. Lloyd’s vision of the Hyperloop as a sort of Internet for physical goods does not seem that farfetched when containers are added to the mix. Interestingly enough, cargo containers and the Internet share something in common: They were developed by the U.S. military. The Internet was developed by the Pentagon’s think-tank DARPA in the 1960s and 1970s, and modern cargo containers were developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the late 1940s. One result of Hyperloop could be to make containerized freight, which is now available to big business and the military, accessible to almost everybody. Small businesses and local stores as well as individuals could ship through containers that would be delivered to homes or stores by truck. Another would be to eliminate a lot of the resistance to freight infrastructure by getting rid of the noise and pollution associated with it. People that might object to a rail line or a highway running through their neighborhood could be more willing to accept a large, quiet tube. Since the tube would be elevated off the ground it, would eliminate one of the major dangers associated with the U.S. freight railroad system: accidents between vehicles and trains at surface-level crossings. Seamless Movement of Freight Decreasing the cost of freight would also lower the cost of goods and help improve people’s lifestyles by cutting their grocery and other bills. One way this could occur would be to enable grocers like Kroger and retailers such as Walmart and Amazon to take advantage of containerized cargo. Walmart or Kroger could use containers on Hyperloop to ship to their stores, and Amazon or its shippers, such as UPS and the post office, could use it to ship to local distribution centers. truck transport container to a warehouse near the sea truck transport container to a warehouse near the sea The existence of cargo containers could make Hyperloop a seamless means of moving freight and as big a part of our lives as the Internet. It could also be the most disruptive technology yet by making long haul trucking, freight railroads and possibly cargo ships obsolete. BamBrogan and Pishevar think that Hyperloop tubes could one day be built on the bottom of the ocean. By combining an old and relatively simple technology with a new idea, a person or a company could achieve fantastic results. Cargo containers have transformed our world once, and they could do so again through Hyperloop.
White on White (Malevich, 1918) \| Image via Wikimedia CommonsHow could material nature conceivably account for the order and purposes of nature, and, above all, for the adaptation of living entities to their surroundings and to their requirements for survival and procreation? Almost all early-modern learned minds asked that question. “Open your eyes and gaze upon the order of the universe,” work after work of academic and popular theology advised. René Descartes’s and the Cartesians’ antifinalism did not reject such a view. The eminent Cartesian Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle saw the most efficacious proof of God in the mutual dependence of all things upon all others in the infinite number of relationships necessary for survival. For Fontenelle, no hypothesis of chance or gradual development was remotely plausible. All things must have been, from the start, in their current mutually dependent and mutually beneficial condition; otherwise, they could not have survived. Indeed, Descartes himself, in the Discourse, had argued that astute thinkers “will consider the body as a machine, that, having been made by the hands of God, is incomparably better arranged and possesses more admirable movements, than any of those that could be invented by men.” Anatomy, for most early-modern thinkers, demonstrated in the clearest possible manner the indispensability of infinitely wise intelligent choice to coherent explanation. Denial that ears were made for hearing, eyes for seeing, and sexual organs for reproducing seemed inane, a perverse unwillingness to recognize the clear anatomical evidence of divine providence. Isaac Newton spoke for most of his contemporaries when, in Question 31 of the Optics, he argued that blind chance never could explain the uniformity, the suitedness, and the utility of the parts of animal bodies. Before Charles Darwin, how bizarrely speculative it seemed to think of suitedness as the effect not the cause of natural phenomena. For most, it was analogous to thinking that a clock told time because the mechanism had arranged itself blindly. In the seventeenth century, the Epicurean view that form determined function, not the reverse, seemed so incongruous that it was widely expounded to show the benighted state of the human mind before Christianity. That Epicurean tradition, however, was deeply known in the early-modern learned world by means of classical, Patristic, Scholastic, and contemporaneous expositions, paraphrases, commentaries, and explications; by commonplace caricature; by frequent pedagogical reference to its significance as a major school of ancient thought. This transmission was for purposes both of erudition and of refutation from Christian perspectives. It was increasingly known, above all, through Lucretius’s De rerum natura, which between 1600 and 1800 had appeared in over eighty European editions, both in Latin (the majority) and in English, French, Italian, Dutch, and German. Christian theism and its increasingly confident current of physical theology saw the adaptation of all beings to their niche in the world as unanswerable proof of providence and God. The Epicurean reply to such argument provided, for those who otherwise did not see proofs of God as convincing, a naturalistic alternative. As stated in De rerum natura, nature had produced many defective beings that could not propagate because they were not fit for their surroundings. Many kinds of life had perished on earth. The species that survived had lived on because they were suited to sustenance and procreation in their settings. This followed simply from variety and necessity. It was all explicable in natural terms: “For we see that living beings need many things in conjunction, so that they may be able by procreation to forge out the chain of the generations.” As I have tried to show in my larger body of work, orthodox learned Christian culture recounted Lucretius’s narrative and conceptual framework often and in every print medium. In the wake of countless expositions of Epicureanism and the ubiquity of Lucretius in the learned world, however, Epicurean naturalism became a small but vital current by the late seventeenth century. The most influential late-seventeenth-century neo-Epicurean was Guillaume Lamy, doctor-regent of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Paris. His De Principiis Rerum (1669) was a critical comparison of the “three world systems,” Aristotelian, Cartesian, and Epicurean, in which the author favored Epicureanism at every turn. In Lamy’s Discours Anatomiques (1675, reprinted in Brussels in 1679), addressing the nature of anatomy, he argued that purposeful function did not create form, but, rather, form created function. The suitedness of living things was the outcome of chance. To reason from use to purpose was the equivalent of believing that God has created the clitoris so that women could masturbate. Eyes and ears were not made so that we could see and hear; rather, we saw and heard because physiologically we had ears and eyes. The goal of anatomy was to describe according to experience, not to fabricate occult causes beyond its ken. Matter in motion blindly made this or that part, without purpose. The suitedness of species could be accounted for by the Epicurean system: The diverse arrangements of matter had produced a large variety of animals of different species. Most were not suited for survival or procreation, and, unable to feed themselves, or multiply, they were not observable now by natural philosophers. The remainder, some small minority of the original animals, were well suited to preserve themselves, and they composed the species that we observe today. Only the suited survived and procreated, and the world was populated by animals whose arrangements appeared suited for their needs, which wrongly occasioned our wonderment. Lamy claimed that only faith could see God in all this, where philosophy sought knowledge of a system by which all things had come to be as we observed them without the intervention of intelligence. The materialist Julien Offray de La Mettrie drank deeply (and explicitly) from Lamy’s well, and the quintessential Enlightenment atheist, the baron d’Holbach, knew Lamy’s work, knew La Mettrie’s use of him, and had a deep and active interest in Lucretius’s De Rerum Natura. The catalog of Holbach’s library revealed that the baron owned twelve Latin, English, Italian, and French editions of De Rerum Natura and all of Guillaume Lamy’s major works. Further, he sponsored Nicolas La Grange’s prose translation of Lucretius (1768), frequently reprinted through the 1820s. La Grange’s work, with his own introduction and critical notes, was produced while La Grange was the private tutor of the wealthy Holbach’s children, and with the scholarly assistance of Holbach and his atheistic friends Denis Diderot and Jacques-André Naigeon. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions described his debates with the likes of Holbach, Diderot, and Naigeon precisely in terms of whether order could be the product of chance. Indeed, Rousseau put many of Lucretius’s (and Lamy’s) explicit arguments in the mouths of his atheistic interlocutors, in particular the argument that nature had produced many monstrous forms incapable of survival and reproduction, such that we were only seeing the survivors. In Holbach’s Systeme de la nature (1770), all that we meant by “order” was a moment of natural configuration conducive to our human survival and happiness. All that we meant by “disorder” was a natural configuration conducive to our destruction or suffering. For Naigeon, writing in his Philosophie ancienne et moderne (1791-1794) against Francis Bacon’s argument from design, experience disclosed that there was nothing inherently “beautiful” or “horrible” in nature. For human beings who “coexist” successfully with nature, the universe appears a lovely example of art and design; for those who “coexist” painfully with the universe, the very same sequence of eternal causes and effects will appear dark and imperfect. The beings who coexist today will pass away as conditions change, Naigeon concluded, and no one could predict what new forms of material being would emerge. Denis Diderot’s Rêve de d’Alembert speculated that given time, natural processes had generated and would generate an extraordinary diversity of forms, only some of which would be fitted for survival. On August 18, 1770, the parlement de Paris condemned the Système de la nature, known to contemporaries as “the Bible of atheism.” It proclaimed that its author had “revived” and “expanded upon” the “system of Lucretius.” It may have missed many the intervening steps, but it got the heart of it essentially right.
Skip to Content Active substance(s): DIGOXIN / DIGOXIN / DIGOXIN View full screen / Print PDF » Download PDF ⇩ PDF Transcript Ref: 1607/160216/1/F Digoxin 250 micrograms Tablets Patient Information Leaflet may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same. listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist. Your medicine is called Digoxin 250 micrograms Tablets but will be referred to as Digoxin throughout the rest of this leaflet. In this leaflet: 1 What Digoxin is and what it is used for 2 Before you take Digoxin 3 How to take Digoxin 4 Possible side effects 5 How to store Digoxin 6 Further information What Digoxin is and what it is used for Digoxin contains a medicine called digoxin. This belongs to a group of medicines called ‘cardiac glycosides’. They work by slowing down the rate while increasing the force of your heart when it It is used to treat certain heart problems, such as: * heart failure mean that your heart stops. * certain types of irregular heart beats Before you take Digoxin Do not take Digoxin if: * you are allergic (hypersensitive) to digoxin, digitoxin or any of the other ingredients of Digoxin (listed in Section 6) * you have been told that you have any of the following heart problems: -- ‘Second degree’ or ‘intermittent complete heart block’ -- Certain types of ‘supraventricular arrhythmias’ -- ‘Ventricular tachycardia’ or ‘Ventricular fibrillation’ -- ‘Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy’ Your doctor should have checked your heart problem and decided that this medicine will help you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Digoxin. Take special care with Digoxin Check with your doctor or pharmacist before using your medicine if: * you have recently had a heart attack (myocardial infarction) * you have been told that you have low potassium or magnesium levels in your blood (hypokalaemia or hypomagnesaemia) * you have been told that you have high calcium levels in your blood * you have a heart problem caused by a lack of vitamin B, known as ‘Beri-Beri disease’ * you have kidney problems * you have a lung problem * you have thyroid problems * you have digestion problems. pharmacist before taking this medicine. Your doctor may change your dose or you may need a different medicine. Taking other medicines any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription and herbal products. In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist if: * you have taken either digoxin or digitoxin in the last 2 weeks. Your doctor may need to change your dose. Taking Digoxin with other medicines can change how they work or how Digoxin works. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the * medicines for stomach problems, including indigestion, diarrhoea and being sick (vomiting) * medicines for heart problems, including high blood pressure (hypertension) and irregular heart beat (arrhythmia) * medicines for breathing problems, like asthma * medicines for cancer * medicines for epilepsy * medicines for anxiety or depression * medicines for bacterial infections (antibiotics) * medicines for fungal infections (antifungals) * medicines for high cholesterol * medicines for preventing organ transplant rejection * medicines for problems with your immune system * medicines for preventing blood clots during kidney dialysis * water tablets (diuretics) * laxatives * steroids * anaesthetics * the herbal remedy St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum). This should not be taken, when taking Digoxin. If you already take St John’s wort, speak to your doctor, as soon as possible, before you stop taking St John’s wort. pharmacist before taking Digoxin. Taking Digoxin with food Digoxin can be taken with most foods. However, you should avoid taking it with foods that are high in fibre (e.g. brown bread, cereals, fruit, vegetables and pulses), also known as ‘roughage’, as the amount of Digoxin absorbed into the body may be reduced. Pregnancy and breast-feeding become pregnant or are breast-feeding. Driving and using machines You may feel dizzy, tired, have a headache or get blurred vision while taking Digoxin. If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines. Important information about some of the ingredients of Digoxin How to take Digoxin Always take Digoxin exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Your doctor will have decided how much Digoxin is right for you: * It depends on what heart problem you have and how serious it is. * It also depends on your age, weight and how well your kidneys work. * Your dose may go up or down depending on how you respond to the working. These may involve blood and urine tests. Taking this medicine * Tablets should be swallowed whole. * You usually take this medicine in two stages: Stage 1 - loading dose The loading dose gets your Digoxin levels up to the correct level quickly. You will either: -- take one large single dose and then begin your maintenance dose or -- take a smaller dose each day for a week and then begin your maintenance dose. Ref: 1607/160216/1/B Digoxin 250 micrograms Tablets Patient Information Leaflet (continued) Stage 2 - maintenance dose your doctor tells you to stop. Adults and children over 10 years * loading dose -- Usually between 0.75 and 1.5 mg (3 and 6 tablets) as a single dose. -- For some patients, this may be given in divided doses 6 hours apart. -- Alternatively, between 0.25 and 0.75 mg (1 and 3 tablets) may be given each day for a week. * maintenance dose -- Your doctor will decide this, depending on your response to Digoxin. -- It is usually between 0.125 and 0.25 mg daily. -- You may take a lower strength tablet for the maintenance dose. Children under 10 years loading dose -- This is worked out using your child’s weight -- Usually between 0.025 and 0.045 mg per kg of body weight. -- This should be given in divided doses between 4 and 8 hours apart. * maintenance dose -- The doctor will decide this, depending on your child’s response to taken daily. If you use more Digoxin than you should If you take too much or if somebody else takes your medicine by mistake, go to the hospital immediately. You may get any of the side effects If you forget to use Digoxin * Do not take a double dose to make up for the one that you missed. If you stop using Digoxin Do not stop taking this medicine, as your heart problem may get worse. Talk to your doctor if you want to stop. If you have any further questions on taking this medicine, ask your doctor or Reporting of side effects By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine. How to store Digoxin Do not store above 25°C. Store in the original package in order to protect from moisture. Do not take Digoxin after the expiry date, which is stated on the blister label If your medicine becomes discoloured or show any other signs of deterioration, ask your pharmacist who will advise you what to do. Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment. Further information What Digoxin contains: Each tablet contains digoxin 250 micrograms. The other ingredients are lactose, corn starch, rice starch, corn starch hydrolysed and magnesium stearate. What Digoxin looks like and contents of the pack Digoxin are white, circular tablets with DO25 debossed on one side of the score line and plain on the reverse. Each pack contains 30 tablets. Manufacturer and Licence Holder Manufactured by Aspen Bad Oldesloe GmbH, Industriestrasse 32-36, D23843 Bad Oldesloe, Germany and is procured from within the EU and repackaged by the Product Licence Holder: Lexon (UK) Limited, Unit 18, Oxleasow Road, East Moons Moat, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 0RE. pharmacist. They will have additional information about this medicine and will be able to advise you. PL 15184/1607 Digoxin 250 micrograms Tablets Possible side effects Like all medicines, Digoxin can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. In general, the side effects tend to happen if the dose you are taking is too high, your doctor may adjust your dose. Tell your doctor immediately if: * you have palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath or sweating. heart beats. If these happen, tell your doctor immediately. Other side effects that you should tell your doctor about, include: Common (affects less than 1 in 10 people) * slow or irregular heart rate * feeling sick, being sick or diarrhoea * skin rash that may be itchy * drowsiness or dizziness * visual disturbances, with blurred or yellow-green sight. Uncommon (affects less than 1 in 100 people) * depression. Very Rare (affects less than 1 in 10,000 people) * bruising or bleeding more easily than normal * stomach pain caused by lack of blood supply or damage to your intestines * mental disturbances, you may feel confused, indifferent or unable to judge * weakness, tiredness or a general feeling of being unwell * breast enlargement in men * loss of appetite * headache. Digoxin can very rarely cause serious irregular heart rates. Your doctor may do regular checks to make sure Digoxin is working safely for you. Revision date: 16/02/16 Blind or partially sighted? Is this leaflet hard to see or read? Phone Lexon (UK) Limited, Tel: 01527 505414 for help. Expand Transcript Source: Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
What Are Apprenticeship Programs? Copyright Monty Rakusen/Cultura/Getty Images An apprenticeship program combines on-the-job training with academic instruction for those entering the workforce. Also called dual-training programs because of the combined occupational and in-class components, apprenticeships help individuals put their academic skills to practical use in various careers. Whereas internships are often short-term, rarely lasting more than a year, apprenticeships can last as many as four or five years. Apprenticeships also differ from internships in that most apprentices are paid, with salary increasing as the apprentice completes parts of the program. Registered Apprenticeship Programs The Office of Apprenticeship within the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration provides a number of Registered Apprenticeship programs. These are apprenticeships approved by the government which often receive workforce development grants and tax benefits. Registered Apprenticeship programs offer career training in areas such as carpentry, home health care, electrical, law enforcement, and more. Find an Apprenticeship Program The Department of Labor has a tool you can use to find apprenticeships near you. Glassdoor has a tool you can use to find apprenticeship/trainee programs. This tool includes both registered and non-registered trainee and apprenticeship opportunities. Apprenticeships vs. Internships What's the difference between an internship and an apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are formal paid long-term training programs that provide classroom and on-the-job training for skilled high paying jobs. Internships may be paid, but are of a shorter duration and don't provide formal certification or employment opportunities. Data and Statistics During the US Government's fiscal year 2014, there were the following participants in registered apprentice programs: • More than 170,500 individuals nationwide entered the apprenticeship system • There are over 410,000 apprentices • Over 44,000 participants graduated from the apprenticeship system. Also Known As: dual-training program, training program Examples: George was in the electrical worker union's apprenticeship training program. He worked on the job as an apprentice during the day and took classes several evenings a week. Related Articles: What is an Internship?
Bats are cool Yes, bats are definitely cool. More than 1,300 bat species worldwide display an amazing diversity as species evolved over at least 60 million years to survive in wildly varied habitats and food chains. Here’s a few other things you might not know about bats of the world: Read more here A Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) in flight. Credit: Michael Durham / Minden Pictures Here's a few other things you might not know about bats of the world: Bats are mammals that belong to the order Chiroptera (from the Greek cheir - "hand" and pteron -"wing”). The forelimbs of bats form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are the second largest group of mammals in the world. The largest mammal group is rodents. In many languages, the word for "bat" is similar with the word for "mouse" – for example in German where "Fledermaus" means “flutter” and “mouse”. Bats however are not closely related to mice. In fact on the molecular phylogenetic tree of mammals humans and rodents are more closely related to each other than to bats! One genus of bats, Myotis, is more broadly distributed than any other terrestrial mammal genus. Other than Antarctica, bats of this genus can be found on every continent! A female hoary bat perched with her twin young. Credit: Bats are exceptionally vulnerable to extinction, in part because they are among the slowest reproducing mammals on Earth for their size. Most bat species only give birth to one pup, however some species can give birth to multiples. The hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) for example regularly has twins. Most bats moms give birth to a single pup at a time, for good reason. Baby bats can weigh up to one-third of their mother’s body weight. To put that into perspective, just imagine birthing a 40-pound human infant! The largest bat colony in the world roosts in Bracken Cave, Texas where over 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerge from the cave in large columns to feed on surrounding farmland. This cave is a maternity colony, where females of this species migrate from Mexico every year to give birth. The Brandt’s myotis (Myotis brandti) of Eurasia is the world’s longest-lived mammal for its size, with a lifespan that sometimes exceeds 38 years. The bumblebee bat is not only the smallest bat in the world, but also the smallest mammal in existence! Credit: Yushi Osawa Bats range in size from the tiny Kitti's hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai) – better known as the bumblebee bat – that weighs less than a penny; to the golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), which weighs 2.6lbs and has a wingspan of up to 5’6”. You’ve probably heard of bats being nocturnal..but what about diurnal? The Samoan flying fox (Pteropus samoensis) is the only bat species known to man that forages almost exclusively during the day! With 1331 bat species worldwide, the range of habitats and diets of bats is highly varied. Bats are known to eat insects, fruit, nectar, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals and even other bats. The American false vampire bat (Vampyrum spectrum) for example is a top carnivore and isn’t afraid to chow down on smaller bats, frogs and many birds including doves. The False Vampire Bat (Megaderma lyra) from India hunts mice. Credit: Stephen Dalton / Minden Pictures Frog-eating bats identify edible from poisonous frogs by listening to the mating calls of the males. Frogs counter by hiding and using short, difficult-to-locate calls. The pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) of western North America is immune to the stings of the scorpions and centipedes on which it feeds. Fishing bats have echolocation so sophisticated that they can detect a minnow’s fin, as fine as a human hair, protruding only two millimeters above a pond’s surface. And African heart-nosed bats can hear the footsteps of a beetle walking on sand from more than six feet away. The tube-lipped nectar bat (Anoura fistulata) of Ecuador has what is believed to be the longest tongue relative to body length of any mammal. Its tongue is up to 1½ times as long as its body. The Honduran white bat (Ectophylla alba), with its yellow nose and ears, roosts in ‘tents’ it builds by nibbling on large leaves until they fold over. Since at least 1974, biologists have known that some male bats sing very much as songbirds do, and they warble for the same reasons: to defend territories and to attract mates. Researchers have discovered that the tunes of some bats are even more complex and similar to bird song than first suspected. These bats’ melodies are structured, have multiple syllables, phrases, repeated patterns, and, of course, rhythm. Their songs also have syntax, meaning rules for how the phrases can be combined. But the rules are flexible, and a bat can improvise, singing a song his way. So far, scientists have identified 20 species of bat troubadours around the world. What's Singing Got to Do with It? - male lesser short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata) Don't be afraid to serenade - male hammer-headed bats (Hypsignathus monstrosus) Bats are one of the diverse groups of animals on earth. Their faces alone vary from the puppy dog-look of fruit bats and flying foxes, to the compact faces of insect eaters and the long snouts of pollinators that reach deep into flowers for nectar. We think most bats are rather cute and endearing. Check out the video below and see what you think! Articles,62,Audio,16,Backyard,16,Barbed Wire,27,Bat Art,45,Bat Books,83,Bat Box,26,Bat Clothing,16,Bat Issues,572,Bat Stamps,1,Bats,2,Bats for Children,35,Bats for the Home,68,Electrocution,8,Events,39,info on bats,565,Jackie Sparrow,22,Microbats,458,Misc,101,Netting,35,Newsletter,4,Promoting,143,Rehab,76,Rehab 2011,6,Rehab 2012,24,Rehab 2013,17,Rehab 2014,6,Rehab 2015,104,Rehab 2016,117,Rehab 2017,45,Release Cage,2,RESCUE,64,Rescue 2012,4,RESCUE 2013,18,RESCUE 2014,8,RESCUE 2015,25,Rescue 2016,14,RESCUE 2017,10,Rob Mies,11,Shooting,2,Vegetation,23,Video,299,Virus,128,WebSites-Bat,44, BATS. Megabats, Flying-foxes, Fruit bats and Microbats: Bats are cool Bats are cool Bats are cool BATS. Megabats, Flying-foxes, Fruit bats and Microbats
SAP Load Sensing Project A Smart Item is an everyday object enhanced by a digital interface. This interface enables a Smart Item to communicate knowledge about itself to external software systems and people,giving it potential value for business applications. Load Sensing is a technology that can make everyday things smart. Load Sensing technology records primitive weight measurements of objects in a real world environment.Load Cells that are placed under each corner of a table surface constantly transmit weight data electronically from the surface to an external system.
1.3 Projected coordinate systems Projected Coordinate Systems are defined on a flat, two-dimensional surface with different projections causing different types of distortions. Various projected coordinate systems have been developed for different regions that provides a common framework to perform spatial analysis. Choosing the projection for data analysis requires knowledge of the spatial distribution and extent of GPS points (see for example Fig. 1.1; Walter et al. 2011). Figure 1.1 Figure 1.1: American White Pelican with locations spanning 5 UTM zones Use of the geographic coordinate system (i.e. latitude, longitude) is recommended in cases of long distance movements and is often the default geographic collection method for GPS collar data. However, some home range software (e.g. BBMM package in R) requires input coordinate data to be in meters so Albers Equal Area Conic or Universal Transverse Mercator could be used (Fig. 1.2). Figure 1.2 Figure 1.2: Turkey vulture locations only occurring in one UTM zone
Ice Stories Exploratorium Home Penguins’ Best Friends Are Minke Whales CAPE ROYDS, ANTARCTICA– I’m sure Inuits have a name for it, but otherwise it’s the fizzing sound as great expanses of ice dissolve so rapidly that any air still between its spaces or molecules is released into the atmosphere. We heard that sound again two days ago at Cape Royds, having heard it before in January 2005, when a several square kilometer opening appeared in the fast ice just offshore in a matter of hours. The ice was dissolving, or would we call it melting?, and it was happening so fast that you could see it disappearing without even needing your imagination to be going overtime. It’s kind of like putting an ice cube in a cup of boiling tea water to watch it disappear; only here the water is just a degree above freezing. That’s plenty warm as ice goes. In 2005 the fast ice was thinner, so it went from white ice to blue water; this year it was much thicker, so for a couple of weeks it slowly turned darker shades of gray, as it took on more water. Then, fzzzzzzz. Otherwise, except for this new patch of open water within the ice, called a polynya (a Russian word; without a doubt the Inuits have a name for this, too), there is still fast ice to the horizon as I have described in various of my previous dispatches. The Swedish icebreaker Oden going south, very slowly, through the ice a few kilometers out in McMurdo Sound, while a polynya begins to form next to Cape Royds. The south ‘shore’ of the polynya, the day after it initially formed, showing proximity to the Cape Royds penguin colony (tan area on left side of image). The polynya is to the right, beginning to dissolve the gray ice in the center of the image. In fact, in the Arctic, Inuit villages — and, for that matter, seabird colonies — are located near to polynyas. And, wouldn’t you know, so are penguin colonies, although at the opposite end of the Earth. This is because polynyas allow these predators much easier access to their food. Normally, McMurdo Sound is one big polynya, and the penguins are here at Royds because of it. As I’ve been making the point in previous dispatches, the Royds penguins have been having a hard time of it this season, because their polynya didn’t form, owing to calm winds which allowed the ice to thicken until not even the strongest winds could blow it away. So, they’ve had a very long walk to get food. That is, up until a few weeks ago, when the few remaining penguins still having chicks were provided a large crack to feed in, just 4-5 km north of the colony. Now they’ve got a full-fledged, mini-polynya and all is right in the World! Well, just like in 2005, within a day of the polynya forming, a couple of minke whales showed up in it! Where they came from, I’m not sure, but they may have followed the Oden into the ice (35 km from the fast ice edge), and then pealed off when a crack that intersected the icebreaker channel allowed them to get to the Cape Royds polynya. Maybe they heard it fizzing! Or the sounds of joyful penguins! The minke whales, for several hours, cruised around the polynya feeding all the time. They’d submerge for 6-8 min at a time and likely were like big “Hoovers”, i.e. vacuum cleaners. Between dives, they exhaled (i.e. whale “blows”) 4-5 times, clearly audible in the still air from a kilometer away. Within a couple of hours after the whales’ arrival, the penguins’ diet switched from krill to fish. I’d been monitoring it by watching what passes between adult and chick everyday for the past few weeks. Wow! I knew that the whales could do this to the penguins, but I didn’t realize that the whales were so efficient! Not long after the whales left (they’ve not been seen for about 24 hours now) the penguins’ diet switched back to krill. Therefore, this is pretty good evidence for what we call “interference competition”. The whales certainly eat a lot but also their vacuuming causes the krill to try to escape, of course. And what krill do when being pursued, if they can, is to dive deeper and, it seems, deeper than penguins want to go, especially when there are enough fish to be had at shallower depths, though apparently not in a density that in this case would interest a minke looking for easy pickings. If the whales had vacuumed all the krill, when they left, there would be no food for the penguins. As it was, the krill ventured back up into the light (where the phytoplankton occurs that the krill eat), to then be caught by the penguins again. Both whales and penguins go for the easy meal, i.e. that nearest the surface. Parent feeding its chick. With binoculars, if you get the right angle, usually it is possible to determine whether krill (pink) or fish (gray) is being fed to the chick. Well, so, you’d think that maybe whales are an annoyance to Adélie penguins. As it turns out, though, minke whales are life savers! Adélie penguins, if given a choice, would always want to have minke whales around, despite the whales’ appetite and despite the best (?) efforts of the Japanese whalers. You see, minke whales — because, like Adélie penguins, they are pack ice denizens — have evolved a very long and sharp “beak”. When you see the whales in areas were the sea is freezing, it becomes quickly obvious why this is a good thing. The whales use their rostrum to break breathing holes in the new ice. This ice is thick enough that penguins walk over it. With the whales around, though, the penguins can swim between whale breathing holes much faster than walking. In fact, several years ago, when on an icebreaker at the time of ice freeze-up in the Amundsen Sea, one day there were whales and penguins swimming around, and then the next day, with a dramatic drop in temperature and a freeze, there were whale holes but no whales or penguins. Together, they had escaped north far enough to move away from the area of freezing. A minke whale pushing up through recently frozen sea ice, the ice around it being 4-5 cm thick. All but one of these penguins found a hole left by a minke whale; the next whale breathing hole is just behind the lone penguin and this flock of penguins is next going to appear in that hole. These penguins are not walking on frosted glass. They are walking on ice thick enough to support their weight, but not thick enough that a minke whale could not break a hole. It is good for Adélie penguins to have as many minke whales around as possible. This one, like the pied piper, is making a “channel” through new ice, soon to be followed by a flock (school?) of penguins, who would much rather swim than walk. Penguins need whales, especially minke whales, as friends. 2 Responses » 1. David, it’s inspiring to read about this inter-species relationship–both depending on the robust Ross Sea ecosystem. Sure wish I was there to see it, but your dispatch and pictures are the next best thing! 2. koolz dudz awsomz whalez andz penguinz lolz
24 November 2010 Defeating the deathstalker: How bats snack on scorpions “Do not be distracted by the pincers when it is the tail that can kill you.” - The Tao of Shinsei The thing that most people know about scorpions is that they sting. For humans, those stings range from painful to deadly. For a smaller animal, you would expect scorpion stings to be even more deadly and even more to be avoided. But for some bats, scorpions are meals. Hemprich’s long eared desert bat (Otonycteris hemprichii) doesn’t just make the occasional meal of a scorpion. At some points of the year, scorpions make up make up most of what they’re eating. ResearchBlogging.orgThis post was chosen as an Editor's Selection for ResearchBlogging.orgWe know bats can pick flying insects out of the air through echolocation (thanks to the work of my intellectual great-grandfather, Donald Griffin). Scorpions – thankfully! – do not fly. But bats’ world of sound is probably as rich and as detailed to them as the world of light is to us. It’s been estimated that bats can resolve spatial features of less than a millimeter with echolocation. One hypothesis is that the bats are able to feed on scorpions by disabling the stinger with precision strikes. Holderied and colleagues looked at how the long eared desert bat is able to make a meal of scorpions, using a combination of lab and field studies. They gave the bats several choices of their potential dinners, including Leiurus quinquestriatus, which they call the yellow scorpion. Other people call it the deathstalker. If something was called a “deathstalker” in a movie, it would have glowing red freakin’ eyes. It would move in bullet time. And it would only carry a sword, because guns are just too noisy and inefficient. Something that you just know is going to be nasty. And yes, this species is on the high end of the scorpion sting danger scale. How do the desert bats catch these scorpions? They listen for their footsteps, swoop down, and grab them, oblivious to the stings. The bats do echolocate, like many other bats, but their echolocation calls are much quieter than those that are also using echolocation to forage for insects on the fly. There was no evidence that the bats were using these calls to glean. If the scorpion was silent and unmoving (say, a recently deceased scorpion), the bats missed it every time. The bats are using passive gleaning to hunt, rather than active. In some ways, this strategy is very similar to how barn owls hunt. Once a bat get within range of the scorpions, they would start biting. The scorpions would try defending themselves with their stingers, but to no avail (emphasis added): We filmed scorpions stinging bats several times sometimes on head and face, once even under an eyelid. Bats made no attempts to disable or avoid the stinger. The successful bat tore the freshly killed scorpion off the string and flew to a feeding roost to consume it. Scorpions were eaten head first, in the majority of cases including stinger and poison gland. Even the deathstalker had no effect on the bats. When they presented bats with a choice between two species, the bats picked the more venomous species 49% of the time – about as close to a predicted random value as you’re ever likely to get in science. The authors don’t really have a handy explanation for the scorpions’ impotence in the face of bat predators. They speculate that the stings may not be able to pierce the bat’s skin or that the bats have at least partial immunity to the scorpion venom. That the bats seem to be so indifferent to the venom, even going so far as to routinely eat it, makes me favour the latter hypothesis. At the last International Congress for Neuroethology, Ashley Rowe gave a poster just two spots down from mine talked about how grasshopper mice have developed mechanisms for resisting scorpion venom. Some of this work has been published, but isn’t cited in this paper. Bats are the deathstalker’s stalker. Holderied M, Korine C, & Moritz T. 2010. Hemprich’s long-eared bat (Otonycteris hemprichii) as a predator of scorpions: whispering echolocation, passive gleaning and prey selection. Journal of Comparative Physiology A. DOI: 10.1007/s00359-010-0608-3 Rowe A, Rowe M. 2008. Physiological resistance of grasshopper mice (Onychomys spp.) to Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides exilicauda) venom Toxicon 52(5): 597-605. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2008.07.004 Bat picture by Charlotte Roemer on Wikipedia. Scorpion picture by Furryscaly on Flickr. Both used under a Creative Commons license. 1 comment: Daniel Bassett said... Its amazing how detailed echolocation can be. I really grasped this when I was looking at a video of under a turbid river. The video imagery was produced by sound, not light, in a similar vein as echolocation. You could see the details on logs, fish moving around, it LOOKED like vision. There was no way it was vision though because the turbidity of the river was such you could only see in front of you to about 2cm.
Payment Gateways. A payment gateway is an e-commerce service that authorizes payments for all kinds of businesses. It transfers information between shopper and merchant. Eg. E-businesses, online retailers, or traditional, brick-and-mortar stores.This is the actually third party service. The payment gateway is the system that allows a merchant to accept credit card and other forms of electronic payment. In other word payment gateway is communication link between store and integrated billing processor where electronic payment take place automatically. Why use payment gateways? Just because of building various website and due to introducing new hi-tech technology businesses are flocking in e-commerce arena. Buying and selling products and services online become easier and easier day by day. Any business that can’t process online payment is defiantly missing huge customer base. Due to today’s fast life online payment and purchasing is the best option. Online business is always attacked by fraud but modern payment processing includes multiple security measures that verify every credit card number and try to stop potential crime before transaction. Setting up gateway For payment gateway to work,user just have to set up an account. While signing up, they will give customer id or something similar. We just have to login and add products to shopping cart. How payment gateway works? When a customer place order on website from a payment gateway-enabled merchant, variety of task performed by payment gateway to process the transaction. A customer places order on website by pressing the ‘submit’ or equivalent button, or perhaps by entering their card details using an automatic phone answering service. • If the order is via a website the customer’s browser encrypts the information to be sent to the merchant’s server, via ssl (secure socket layer) encryption. • Without redirecting the customer away from the website, PCI-DSS compliance obligation of merchant will reduce if payment gateways allow transaction data to be sent directly to gateway. • The transaction detail then forwarded to their payment gateway. • The transaction information from payment processor forwarded to card association. Eg. Visa/master card. • Bank who issued that credit card receives the authorization request and it will check fraud check for debit/credit and then send response with response code back to gateway processor. Different payment gateway supports various features. (eg. Fraud detection, virtual, recurring fees) • If authorization request is failed, the response code is used to define reason why transaction failed • The authorization response then forward to the payment gateway. • Received response forwarded where it is interpreted as appropriate response then transfer back to merchant and card holder. This is known as authorization. • For settlement via processor merchant submit all approved authorizations, in a batch, to bank. • Then batch settlement request is sent to credit card issuer from acquiring bank. • The credit card issuer makes settlement payment to bank. Security with payment gateway If we look around for the payment gateways we have the following giants ICICI Bank, CITI Bank, PAYPAL, CC AVENUE, EBS, Direct Pay etc. If we talk about Cost almost each gateway costs some installation cost along with commission on each transaction. The transaction cost is somewhere between 4-7% of the transaction amount but on higher volume one may negotiate with them. Before choosing a gateway always see that what are the options, they are providing for transaction. The main criteria is that do they provide off-hour support if you trap in any problem?? For placing order through payment gateway customer is usually required to submit personal detail. Therefore entire communication “submit page” is carried out through https protocol. Payment gateways protect sensitive credit card datathrough special encryption. Be Sociable, Share! Leave a Comment Current ye@r * Please support the site Social PopUP by Timersys
St. Eustatius EUX_Island-300x300A volcanic island with black sand beaches, St. Eustatius features two very different landscapes. The southeast end of the island is dominated by a 600 metres high, dormant volcano, the Quill, full of dense forests and clouds that bring rain forest conditions, while the lower northern hills that formed from an eroded, extinct volcano, have a drier weather pattern and savannah-like vegetation and fauna. The island’s only town, Oranjestad, is on a famous historical harbour that once made St. Eustatius a thriving centre for trade in the Caribbean. The Quill/Boven National Park encompasses around a quarter of the land area of Statia and includes biologically diverse habitats ranging from arid vegetation in coastal areas to rainforest at higher elevations filled with orchids, ferns, mosses, towering Kapok trees and characteristic Balsam trees with enormous aerial roots. Statia is also home to the endemic creeping vine, the Statia Morning Glory, which is the rarest and considered the most endangered plant in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The island has a rich cultural heritage, evident as archaeological sites in the national park including a fort, ten slave villages, industrial complexes, plantations and walls dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The Quill/Boven National Park and the Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden offer some of the best hiking in the Dutch Caribbean with views of neighbouring islands Saba and St. Kitts. The St. Eustatius National Marine Park encircles the entire coastline from the high-water mark to the 30-metre depth contour and extends up to three kilometres offshore. The marine park boasts a network of beautiful, biologically rich patch coral reefs, extensive seagrass beds and open water communities, which are considered amongst the healthiest in the Caribbean. In some parts of the park, abundant stands of rare black coral can be found and general coral cover reaches up to 50%. The reefs shelter an abundance of species, including charismatic seahorses, manta rays, sharks and turtles. The park also lies on the seasonal migration route of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Within the marine park are two well-defined and actively managed reserves in which no fishing or anchoring is allowed. Tenfold increases in some fish species have been found within these reserves.
Bolivia Still Seized by Unrest and Instability With Bolivia Still Seized by Unrest and Instability, there are Lessons to be Learned about Autonomy from Nicaragua’s Comparative Experience • Bolivia’s political crisis somewhat subsided with President Carlos Mesa’s June resignation but efforts by the indigenous majority continue and are in part aimed at holding a constitutional assembly to re-write the constitution and re-nationalize the gas industry. Meanwhile the country’s eastern region continues to demand greater autonomy. • The Department of Santa Cruz, the economic hub of Bolivia because of its abundance of natural resources (including the proximity of the nation’s huge hydrocarbon reserves), intends to hold a referendum on autonomy in order to protect its resources from being under the control of the central government, if plans to re-nationalize the gas reserves are carried through by the proposed constitutional assembly. The push for autonomy is creating an even more divided Bolivia, with an emphasis on race and class permeating Santa Cruz’s motivations for self-rule. • Nicaragua which also had to deal with a divisive autonomy movement provides a comparative study to better comprehend the possible outcome of the current unrest rattling Bolivia. • Bolivians need to re-evaluate the negative effects of the autonomy movement in order to be certain to treat all economic and social sectors fairly, so as to avert a major strife. Bolivia’s ongoing political crisis seems to have subsided temporarily following President Carlos Mesa’s June 5 resignation. In the face of the protests and blockades that paralyzed the country’s economy, Mesa had failed to adequately respond to the seriousness of the indigenous-led manifestations. Although much of the Bolivian and U.S. press claim Evo Morales, the Movement toward Socialism (MAS) presidential party candidate was the instigator of the recent political upheaval, in fact he was a relative latecomer to the popular agitation that was led by numerous community-based organizations headed by indigenous leadership, with the participation of teachers, miners, coca growers in the Yungas and labor activists in El Alto and the Altiplano. There is no question, though, that Morales, whether or not deservedly, has become the iconic face of the indigenous movement to the outside press. Among its demands, the dissidents also call for re-nationalization of the natural gas industry (while MAS called for a 50 percent tax on hydrocarbons for export), a reform of the constitution to include amplified rights for native people and a referendum on autonomy for the eastern region of the country. In Mesa’s place, the ex-head of Bolivia’s Supreme Court, Eduardo Rodriguez, assumed the presidency. On July 5, Congress and President Rodriguez announced that elections will be held by December 2005. As demands for a constitutional assembly continue and a conservative championed autonomy movement gains momentum in Santa Cruz, plans could be in the works for a constitutional assembly and a national vote on regional autonomy a year from December’s elections. Santa Cruz Makes Its Move The residents of the Department of Santa Cruz in Bolivia’s prosperous eastern region, known as cruceños, have decided, regardless of the government’s assent, to hold a referendum on August 12 in order to achieve greater autonomy from the central government. According to the BBC, the region, also known as the media luna, accounts for 33 percent of Bolivia’s economic output, but, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia, accounts for only one quarter of Bolivia’s population. The area also contains the majority of Bolivia’s natural resources such as arable land, oil, soybeans, sugar and gas reserves, which, combined with the gas reserves in the Department of Tarija, are calculated as being the second largest in South America. Tarija has aligned itself with Santa Cruz in the push for greater autonomy. Bolivia in Crisis The conflict over who should control the gas revenues and how they should be divided between foreign companies and the national government has been a sensitive issue since the hydrocarbon industry was privatized in the 1990s at the urging of the IMF and the World Bank. Prior to this, Bolivia and foreign companies shared a 50/50 split of profit of gas revenues, with gas and oil sales accounting for 40 percent of the national government’s revenues. In October of 2003, then President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (“Goni”) proposed a bill to accelerate privatizing the country’s natural gas reserves mainly for export through Chile to California, critics claimed that his scheme would only make some foreign investors and a few local politicians involved in the deal. The bill sparked a wave of protests by various groups, similar to those of last June, which called for a more balanced sharing of profits between foreign investors and the Bolivian government, while some of the indigenous and political left called for the re-nationalization of the entire hydrocarbon industry. To quell the protesters, Goni deployed the armed forces, resulting in sixty people killed in a conflict now known as the “gas war.” Now under extreme pressure, Lozada resigned the presidency and his vice president, Carlos Mesa assumed the post. The autonomy movement has gained momentum in recent months due to the new hydrocarbons measure passed on May 17, 2005, which Congress passed without Mesa’s signature. The bill originally was introduced in a national referendum held last July. Under the law, foreign companies holding gas concessions in Bolivia would have to raise their payments on taxes and royalties from 18 percent to 50 percent paid to the government. The new law also called for the reestablishment of the state oil company, which earlier had been privatized. The higher payments would provide more revenue for the Bolivian government but as the indigenous have long experienced, more revenue for the government does not necessarily mean more funds spent on its citizens. The gas industry is still under the control of foreign interests, which has sparked cries for re-nationalization of the industry. At the same time, critics charge that the higher payments could deter new foreign investment in the region as some capital sources already have threatened to pull out of the country, much to the chagrin of many cruceños. The new law also called for the reestablishment of the state oil company, Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales de Bolivia (YPFB). The reestablishment had been delayed in recent weeks and residents in the town of Camiri in the Department of Santa Cruz held a general strike on August 3. The strike ended, with a pledge coming from the presidential palace to reinstate the oil company in the coming weeks. At the same time, the Federation of Municipal Associations (FAME) and the Executive Committee of Bolivian Universities (CEUB) are planning to stage yet another protest on August 15 if the government doesn’t agree to assign 20 percent of a new gas and oil tax to municipalities and 5 percent to higher education. Finance Minister Waldo Gutiérrez said this demand would be impossible to meet unless municipalities agree to take over completely paying for health and education services. The Autonomy Movement Begins The struggle for autonomy began as a movement by local cruceños business owners, farmers and landowners who complained that they were receiving too little from the central government in return for the foreign currency being earned by the country from the sale of natural resources found in the region and the disproportionate percentage of taxes paid by Santa Cruz to La Paz. According to the pro-autonomy movement, Nación Camba, cruceños are demanding an associate free state status that includes the right to self-determination and sovereignty over the economy, territory, culture and natural resources of the region. Nación Camba has the support of municipal governments in the immediate area, and institutions such as the Santa Cruz Civic Committee. State Department official David Boyle told COHA that the autonomy question resurfaced as a reaction to the recent protests and talk of gas nationalization. A recent poll by El Deber, a Santa Cruz newspaper, has found that 75 percent of Bolivians favor re-nationalization of the gas industry. If, in the constitutional assembly that has yet to be held, nationalization is put on the table and passes, then foreign investors could decide to pull their holdings out of the country, although others argue that this would be an unlikely scenario. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bolivia already has sagged in the last few years due to the country’s political instability. Some cruceños believe that if the region had greater autonomy, they would be better able to thwart nationalization and persuade foreign investors to remain in the region. One group of inhabitants of Santa Cruz, the Guaraní Indians, have aligned themselves with the indigenous movements in the Altiplano which are demanding nationalization of the gas industry. A Divided Bolivia Bolivia is to a shocking degree divided along ethnic lines with, according to State Department figures, about 62 percent of the population being indigenous (Aymara, Quechua and Guarani), with 38 percent being of European and Mestizo descent. Land and wealth is overwhelmingly concentrated in the hands of European elites, while two-thirds of the population lives in poverty. Since colonization through independence and into contemporary Bolivian history, the indigenous have existed as second class citizens who have been for the most part excluded from the country’s political and economic life. While Bolivia is a country rich in resources, and with the continued presence of major foreign investors, it remains still the poorest country in South America and the third poorest in the Western hemisphere. The present political turmoil stems from a desire to drastically reverse these conditions, with the indigenous people believing that nationalization is the critical first step. Nación Camba accuses the central government and the western part of the country of exerting its power through outdated colonial traditions which allow “internal colonies” like Santa Cruz to be exploited for their natural resources. Nación Camba claims that the people of Santa Cruz have inherited a four hundred year struggle for self-determination starting with the invasion and control of the territory by the Spanish conquistadores. The Santa Cruz region, the most developed part of Bolivia, has the highest Human Development Index in Bolivia, with a literacy rate above 93 percent. The relatively high concentration of those with European backgrounds may explain these impressive rates since its residents historically have been far better off than the indigenous population. Recently, Santa Cruz has been able to rapidly develop due to the presence of foreign investors involved in extractive and other commercial activities. As often is the case, race issues underlie the autonomy debate. There has been a push throughout the entire country to reform the constitution to include a proclamation that Bolivia is a multi-ethnic state that gurantees fundamental rights to the indigenous population. Although Nación Camba acknowledges this concern, it is clear that the small, elite-controlled part of the country does not want to continue to bear what it regards as the unfair burden of having to subsidize the impoverished majority. Most of the country supports re-nationalization, yet cruceños are opposed not only to re-nationalization of energy sources but also to higher payment increases on foreign investors. However, if some lasting formula can be found for a balance to be struck between nationalization and higher payments on foreign investments, Bolivia’s natural resources could provide a valuable opportunity for access to the global market and in the process help alleviate the high poverty levels normally afflicting the country. The Department of Santa Cruz strongly supports an autonomy referendum, either on a departmental or national level. The question remains, however, if the referendum passes, will the minority voice of the Gauaraní population who opposes it feel extremely alienated? What happens to Bolivian unity then? It may be true that many cruceños feel exploited due to the draining of resources by the central government which, they insist, disproportionately uses them to subsidize the population of the far less productive, more heavily populated western part of the nation. But the cruceños indignation is somewhat self-inflicted; it is not possible for one region of the country to claim the nation’s patrimony, which happens to be located on its terrain, as exclusively its own. Every country, for that matter, contains parts of the natural domain more favored than others. The nation of Bolivia, not just the Department of Santa Cruz, was formed under a brutal, colonial agenda in which people and resources were and still are unceremoniously manipulated. An easy argument can be made that the state’s natural resources belong to the Bolivian population collectively, who, historically, has been subjected to the full spectrum of the volatile geo-political forces at work in the nation, such as colonialism, imperialism, free-market reforms and globalization. Lesson’s learned from Nicaragua’s Autonomy Movement Bolivia is not the only country in Latin America to be confronted with autonomy issues. Throughout recent decades, Nicaragua also has struggled with questions of separatism, and comprehending Nicaragua’s autonomy movement possibly could help gain insight into Bolivia’s current political strife. In 1987, under the new Sandinista constitution, the country’s Atlantic/Caribbean coastal region was granted autonomy from the central government. The coastal region’s diverse population, known as costeños, is a mix of Afro-descendents, Mestizos and various indigenous groups. For most of Nicaragua’s colonial history, the coast was under the control of the indigenous Miskito. In 1894, the country’s authoritarian president, General Zelaya harshly re-incorporated the region into the rest of the country, when it came under the control of the national government. Since that time, costeños have waged an intermittent struggle to regain control of their territory, culture, natural resources and economy. The Costeños In the 1980s, amid fighting a civil war against the U.S.-trained, armed and financed opposition group, the Contras, the Sandinista government was desperately in need of costeño support. To win our allegiance, the Sandinistas re-wrote the constitution, proclaiming Nicaragua as the first multi-ethnic state in Latin America. The constitution’s Law 28, known as the autonomy provision, divided the coastal region into two parts and granted them the right to self-governance. According to John Hodgson, an autonomy movement leader and local scholar, in his article, Issues that Limit the Development of Coastal Autonomy, the law embraced the concept of “unity through diversity,” ensuring that all coastal ethnic groups maintained the right to representation on the Regional Council, the coastal area’s highest governing body, regardless of the nature of its population, size or level of development. Since the drafting of a new constitution in 1987, the autonomy movement has moved slowly, as the law has been only episodically enforced. While some of its successes include the creation of multi-lingual schools and an autonomous university, as well as the carrying out of elections for Regional Council representatives, its failures unfortunately far outweigh its achievements. Though the coastal region contains the highest concentration of natural resources (fisheries, forests, hydrocarbons and minerals) in Nicaragua, the costeños’ weak presence on the Regional Council have kept it the country’s poorest, most under-developed area. National political parties dominate the body pushing the costeños and their local interests to the sidelines. Coastal people historically have had a very low level of participation in civil society, which has lead to extremely weak local parties that are unable to stage successful electoral campaigns representing their self-interests against national political parties. Hodgson observes that since the concept of autonomy undermines the notion of national interests, the country’s big political parties are unlikely to agree to strictly enforce an autonomy measure. Without more support from the national government, the struggle to make coastal autonomy a living reality will crawl rather than race. Unlike in Nicaragua, where the autonomy movement ostensibly has operated within the parameters outlined by the national government, and essentially with popular support, Bolivian cruceños intend to gain autonomy regardless of popular support. However, as is clear from Nicaragua’s experience, without the support of the central government, autonomy and its supposed benefits will be very difficult to attain. Even if Santa Cruz achieved its own autonomy, it is unclear whether the department could politically insulate itself from Bolivia’s influential national parties, especially given the intensification of migration from other parts of Bolivia to Santa Cruz. The Challenge of Autonomy An autonomous Santa Cruz would also have to face up to the difficulty of obtaining international recognition as an independent state entity. In the case of Nicaragua, though the coast was granted legal autonomy and local control of its natural resources, the international community has failed to acknowledge its independent status. Foreign investors interested in coastal resources still work through the central government, not the Regional Council, as a medium to secure their economic interests. Even more so, if Santa Cruz’s autonomy is not considered to be legitimate by the Bolivian state, it will likely be accorded even less recognition by foreign companies and foreign countries, than its Nicaraguan counterpart. It seems clear that to be recognized as a legitimate sovereign entity, a region must begin with the support of the central governing body in which the territory falls. The people of Santa Cruz would be well advised to acknowledge that successful nation-building requires the support of not just a handful of private entities, but of the central government as well as the community of nations, along with local entities, which autonomy-minded local commercial interests are not likely to easily attract. National parties do not present the only challenge to autonomy; internal conflicts within an autonomy movement can also derail efforts to achieve success. An important observation made by the aforementioned Hogdson is that the various Nicaraguan coastal groups have been unable to make themselves into an influential force because several of them remain deeply divided. The seeds of the division were planted in 1987 in the form of conflicting visions of autonomy. While some supported the pluralist idea of autonomy whose motto was “unity through diversity,”- other groups wanted the condition to apply exclusively to indigenous costeños. Inter-cultural autonomy eventually triumphed, but various costal groups still interpret autonomy in a way that is exclusive and self-serving, including many Miskitos who equate autonomy with the rebirth of the hegemonic rule they exercised from the 17th to 19th centuries. At the same time, some Mestizos claim that an autonomous status naturally belongs to them, which only ended with the annexation of their territory in 1894. Furthermore, some costeños desire complete succession, while others want complete integration with the central government. The problem of competing notions of autonomy has also surfaced in Bolivia. Some indigenous groups oppose any push for autonomy that would incidentally provide more revenue to foreign investors. As more and more indigenous residents of the Altiplano migrate to Santa Cruz, it will become more and more difficult to decipher the demands of this rapidly evolving multi-faceted segment of society, as distinguished from those members of the elite who clearly would economically benefit from a change of status. Cruceños need to find a way to unify conflicting factions in order to arrange for a soft landing on the autonomy issue. In Nicaragua, the demands of such elements were reconciled by guaranteeing each ethnic group at least one seat on the Regional Council. While well-intentioned, this system has accomplished very little. For example, one member of the Garifuna population’s representation on the council has done nothing to balance the Mestizo’s overwhelming elected majority, who typically support the national parties. If autonomy is granted to Santa Cruz, in order to be successful, it will have to create a new system that does more than only guarantees a minimal degree of token representation to dissenting factions. In the June 19th edition of the Santa Cruz newspaper, El Deber, former President de Lozada commented on the autonomy struggle and admitted that there is a social and ethnic problem in Bolivia: “I think that would be the end of Bolivia. Now, of course its [autonomy] is feasible: with a third of the population, they [Santa Cruz] have hydrocarbon resources and soy production and cattle-raising, with attractive markets for its products in neighboring countries.” In other words, Santa Cruz’s self sufficiency and its blessings in the form of its natural resources, makes independence a conceivable possibility. As such, Bolivia’s current political crisis necessitates far greater compromise amongst the different ethnic groups of the country, which is especially true considering the not-so-distant possibility of civil war, in the case of Santa Cruz opts in that direction. According to the Interpress News Agency, Bolivia’s armed forces have publicly stated that they would not accept any division of the country. Thankfully, as the State Department’s Boyle observed, during the unrest in June, the armed forces sided with the constitutional government in seeking to negotiate a peaceful and legitimate political solution to the recent instability, unlike the uncontrolled escalation of events that unfolded during the “gas war.” Nevertheless, Latin America’s armed forces, including Bolivia’s, have a long history of maintaining national stability and security through, if need be, resorting to extremely violent measures. According to the Bolivian constitution, the armed forces’ “fundamental mission is to defend and conserve the independence of the nation and the security and stability of the state.” If Santa Cruz’s autonomy referendum passes and comes to be forcibly implemented, a civil war in Bolivia could very well follow. As for now, the struggle being seen is who will decide who will control the country’s resources continues. The outcome of a possible civil strife due to autonomy demands and an inability to compromise on the issue of re-nationalization, payments of foreign investors and indigenous rights would not only be detrimental to the population and economy of Bolivia, but inevitably to the cruceños’ cause as well. This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Melissa Nepomiachi. © Scoop Media World Headlines Rohingya Muslims Massacred: Restrictions On Aid Put 1000s At Risk Victory Declared: New Stabilisation Funding From NZ As Mosul Is Retaken Gordon Campbell: On The Current US Moves Against North Korea Gordon Campbell: On The Lessons From Corbyn’s Campaign • Pacific.Scoop • Cafe Pacific • PMC
The Reasons for the Collapse of Complex Societies The main reason complex societies collapse is that complexity – like other human endeavors – eventually suffers from diminishing returns. Complex societies are problem-solving machines. They tackle one problem after another by marshaling a society’s resources toward solutions. In the beginning, the problems a society tackles are those that are easiest to solve and bring the greatest rewards. So they are worth the effort and expense of maintaining a complex social structure. Over time, however, societies tend to move on to problems that are increasingly difficult and expensive to solve, so the rewards for solving them decline. Consequently, the cost of maintaining a huge bureaucracy, specialized professions, or upper classes grows increasingly burdensome. The essential currency with which a society finances its complexity is energy. Energy includes food supplies, human and animal labor, fuels (such as wood, fossil fuels, or uranium), and others. As long as energy is plentiful, a society can invest in more complexity. But once energy supplies reach their limit or start to decline, complexity becomes less and less affordable. Eventually, a society may reach the point where trying to solve a new problem is not worth the cost. From then on, it becomes vulnerable. The next crisis or serious problem that comes along may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and the civilization collapses. About Andre This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Monoamine neurotransmitters Monoamine neurotransmitters are neurotransmitters and neuromodulators that contain one amino group that is connected to an aromatic ring by a two-carbon chain (-CH2-CH2-). All monoamines are derived from aromatic amino acids like phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, and thethyroid hormones by the action of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase enzymes. Monoaminergic systems, i.e., the networks of neurons that utilize monoamine neurotransmitters, are involved in the regulation of cognitive processes such as emotion, arousal, and certain types of memory. It has been found that monoamine neurotransmitters play an important role in the secretion and production of neurotrophin-3 by astrocytes, a chemical which maintains neuron integrity and provides neurons with trophic support.[1] Drugs used to increase (or reduce) the effect of monoamine are sometimes used to treat patients with psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.[2] Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Comparative Religion: Investigate the World Through Religious Tradition by Carla Mooney (2015) comparativeAn introduction to the world’s 5 largest religions: Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Recommended grade level: 4-8 Pages: 128 (for ISBN 9781619303058) Genre(s) and keywords: nonfiction Tone/Style: informational Pace: fast Topics: religion, religious conflict, coexistence, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam Themes: moral codes, God/gods, the purpose of existence, the origins of the universe Summary: Over 7 billion people live on the earth, and 84 percent of them describe themselves as being religious. What does that mean? Few topics incite such passion as religion. Why are humans invested in ideas that may never be proved? Why has religion played such an important role in history? Continue reading
17/xi mmxvi A “Bug” is an insect that has sucking mouth parts. The oldest active synagogue in Europe is in Prague. It is called the Old New Synagogue. Humans and elephants are the only animals with chins. The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbede and Baron Soulsby of Swaffham Prior are actual titles in the English Peerage. Australia was discovered by the Chinese. The Dutch were the first Europeans to discover it. William Dampier was the first Englishman to discover it. See other: Quite Interesting Facts Conversations: Genocide and Dogma Consider the Holocaust: centuries before the mid 20th century, Christian Europeans had viewed the Jews as the worst species of heretics and attributed every societal ill to their continued presence among the faithful. In the 1930’s and 1940’s, while the hatred of Jews in Germany expressed itself in a predominately secular way, its roots were religious, and the explicitly religious demonization of the Jews of Europe continued. The anti-Semitism that built the Nazi death camps was a direct inheritance from medieval Christianity. Hang on, what is this so-called blood libel? Continue reading 8/x mmxv The charango, a unique musical instrument found only in Bolivia, is made from the shell of an armadillo. For every American killed by terrorism in or outside the U.S., more than 1,000 died from firearms inside the U.S. during the recent decade. One in four Dutch smokers does not reach their pension-age. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles explicitly forbade Germans form calling their sparkling wine ‘champagne’, so they called it by another, informal name: ‘sekt’ (from the Latin siccus, ‘dry’). See other: Quite Interesting Facts 12/i mmxv Gymnologize [Verb.] To debate whilst naked. The sound of a wave breaking is actually that of hundreds of millions of air bubbles bursting at the shoreline. Martin Luther believed the mentally challenged were the work of the devil. Archaeological evidence suggest that the earliest known purposefully fermented drink, specifically beer, was made all the way back in the late Stone Age around 10,000 BCE, making it one of the earliest known prepared food substance along with bread, which also dates back to around 10,000 BCE. The earliest references to wine being made are found in Egypt around 4000 BCE. As a Dutchman, you are almost 10 times more likely to commit suicide than to be murdered. See other: Quite Interesting Facts 9/x mmxiv In heraldry, a lion with a tail between its legs is called a coward. In the United States, there are 5 times more fast food restaurants than supermarkets. The British XXX Corps fought in the Battle of Arnhem; its first two commanders were Lieutenant-Generals Vyvyan Vavasour Pope and Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie. According to Muslim legend, there are only 10 animals in Heaven including Noah’s dove, Mohammed’s horse and the whale that swallowed Jonah. A honeybee queen is created at the decision of the worker bees; she has sex with several male partners a day and stores their sperm in a spermatheca (from the Ancient Greek σπέρμα, “seed, semen”; and θήκη, “case, box, receptacle”). Once mated, queens may lay up to 2,000 eggs per day. See other: Quite Interesting Facts 18/ix mmxiv Squirrels are from the family Sciuridae meaning ‘he who sits in the shadow of his tail’. At the start of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro boarded a ship called the ‘grandma’. Jiang Qing, the wife of Chairman Mao had a pet monkey who was her constant companion. She dressed it in silk, fed it fine foods and trained it to attack people as they walked through her garden. Mafia means ‘beautiful’ in Sicilian dialect. Currently, the Dutch spend about 5% of their national budget on defence every year. Nevertheless, the Dutch have never successfully defended their land territory in their nation’s existence. See other: Quite Interesting Facts 8/i mmxiv The medieval French poet Eustache Deschamps (1346–1406) wrote some 82,000 verses in his life. colin dexter 1 Colin Dexter, author of Inspector Morse Because of increasing satire of the church, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Arundel (1353–1414) forbade discussing religion in English. The biblical book of Esther contains neither the word God, Lord, Jesus, nor Jehovah. Pope John Paul II visited The Netherlands in 1985. He was the first pope to do so in over 900 years – the last being the 11th century pope Leo IX who pontificated from 1049 to 1054. Even the Dutch pope Adrian VI did not. Colin Dexter’s famous character Inspector Morse was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, to a taxi-driver father with an insatiable interest in Captain Cook and a Quaker mother – a combination responsible for Morse’s uncommon first name: Endeavour. His favourite composer was Wagner, and his favourite poet was A. E. Housman. In the TV series, Morse drove a red, 2.4 liter, 1960-ish Jaguar Mark Il, whereas in the original novels Morse drove a classic Lancia. It was changed to a Jaguar for the TV series and later changed in all subsequent printings of the books. The actor John Thaw (Inspector Morse) read all of the novels, whereas Kevin Whately (Sergeant Lewis) listened to them all on tape. Like the famous inspector, Thaw is known to have had an alcohol problem. Though ironically, Thaw hated the taste of beer – of which Morse drinks quite a lot. Nevertheless, real beer was used during filming. However, apple juice was used to resemble whiskey. Both Morse and author Colin Dexter were crossword puzzle enthusiasts. In fact, the name Morse was chosen for the character in homage to Sir Jeremy Morse, former chairman of Lloyds Bank and a compiler of fiendishly difficult crossword puzzles. Morse and Dexter also shared a birthday: September 29. Morse’s Law, according to Lewis states: “There’s always a 50-50 chance that whoever finds the body did the deed.” The total body count of the Inspector Morse series is 81. See other: Quite Interesting Facts
Why do cats like to sit in high places? Cats, it seems, like to pretend they’re big. Put a cat in a room and they’ll inevitably seek out the highest point in it to perch and get a good overview of the situation. They’ve been known to go to ridiculous lengths and get into a great deal of mischief attempting to get to the greatest altitude in any given space. Many is the shocked pet owner who turned expecting to see naught but an empty shelf only to find themselves face to face with their resident feline, contentedly perched in a seemingly inaccessible area, forced to ask themselves, “How did they get up there.” Cats, it would seem, wish to be Masters Of All They Survey. But why do they want to be up there? – Height can indirectly be a sign of status. If there are multiple cats in a household, the cat who controls the best perches is generally the most dominant. The highest cat is literally “top cat”. – The height gives the cat a better observation point. From that location, the cat can survey his “realm” and be more aware of activities of people and other pets (Master Of All They Survey). In the wild, a higher place may serve as concealed site from which to hunt. – Often, the top perch on the cat tree is located near a heat register, and the top perch is the warmest spot. The tops of refrigerators also tend to be warm. – If a cat is anxious or afraid, a high perch may get him farther away from the cause of his anxiety (e.g., a dog). In the end, why your particular cat seeks higher places may be a combination of these theories, or something only they will ever know. Translate »
Home » The meaning of «coa» Coa may refer to: Coagulation (also known as clotting) is the process by which blood changes from a liquid to a gel, forming a blood clot. Coaxial cable, or coax (pronounced ), is a type of electrical cable that has an inner conductor surrounded by a tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. A coat of arms is an heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement which in its whole consists of shield, supporters, crest, and motto. Coastal management is defence against flooding and erosion, and techniques that stop erosion to claim lands. China is the largest producer and consumer of coal in the world and is the largest user of coal-derived electricity. Choice of words c-oa_ _ co-a_ _ coa-_ _ coa:_ _ _ _ coa_ _ _ _ coa_ - _ _ _ coa-_ _ _ _ coa _ _ _ _ _ coa _ - _ _ _ _ © 2015-2017, Wikiwordbook.info Copying information without reference to the source is prohibited! contact us mobile version
Sentence Examples with the word steps The plan of the Propylaea consists of a large square hall, from which five steps lead up to a wall pierced by five gateways of graduated sizes, the central one giving passage to a road suitable for beasts or possibly for vehicles. In 1880 the Government of India took preliminary steps in the matter within its own borders; in 1881 the importation of arms and ammunition into Persia was made illegal, but with little effect. Corbel) for the steps formed up the sides of the gable by breaking the coping into short horizontal beds. View more They were quietly dropping melted wax into snow and looking at the shadows the wax figures would throw on the wall, when they heard the steps and voices of new arrivals in the vestibule. On the paved platform were three-storey tower temples in whose ground-floor stood the stone images and altars, and before that of the war-god the green stone of sacrifice, humped so as to bend upward the body of the victim that the priest might more easily slash open the breast with his obsidian knife, tear out the heart and hold it up before the god, while the captor and his friends were waiting below for the carcase to be tumbled down the steps for them to carry home to be cooked for the feast of victory. This was the last time that the Ilkhans gave the Egyptian sultans serious trouble; and in the letter written in the sultans name to the Ilkhan announcing the victory, the former suggested that the caliphate of Bagdad should be restored to the titular Abbasid caliph who had accompanied the Egyptian expedition, a suggestion which does not appear to have led to any actual steps being taken. At one end of the trench, steps were cut out and these formed the entrance and vestibule. Before she could answer, Joseph Dawkins came up the steps with Fred O'Connor close at his heels. Approached by a flight of steps partly rock-cut, it had at the rear of the porch a balustrade with marble lions' heads through which the water overflowed. Kiera took two steps back, shuddering in disgust and fear.
Sentence Examples with the word twelvemonth Queen Margaret died in 1551; and a twelvemonth later Gustavus wedded her niece, Catharine Stenbock, a handsome girl of sixteen, who survived him more than sixty years. But provinces are not conquered by manifestoes, and Casimir's acceptance of the homage of the Prussian League at once involved him in a war with the desperate Teutonic Knights, which lasted twelve years, but might easily have been concluded in a twelvemonth had he only been loyally supported by his own subjects, for whose benefit he had embarked upon this great enterprise. An engaging account of Zumalacarregui will be found in The Most Striking Events of a Twelvemonth Campaign with Zumalacarregui in Navarre and the Basque Provinces, by C. F. View more He thus visited in succession Colmar, Nuremberg, Appenzell, Zurich, Pfaffers, Augsburg, Villach, Meran, Middelheim and other places, seldom staying a twelvemonth in any of them. Within a twelvemonth he became more widely known by his Castigo y Perdon, and by a more humorous effort, Los dos Guzmanes; and shortly afterwards he was appointed by the Moderado government to a post in the home office, which he lost in 1854 on the accession to power of the Liberal party. The death of Barbara, five days after her coronation (7th of December 1550), under very distressing circumstances which led to an unproven suspicion that she had been poisoned by Queen Bona,.compelled Sigismund to contract a third purely political union with the Austrian archduchess Catherine, the sister of Sigismund's first wife Elizabeth, who had died within a twelvemonth of her marriage with him, while he was still only crown prince. In December 1861 he was rewarded with the see of Gloucester and Bristol, and within a twelvemonth he was elevated to the archiepiscopal see of York.
Turn a Photo or Graphic Into a Thumbnail A Simple Lesson Hand on computer mouse Hoxton/Tom Merton/Getty Images Photos and graphics use a lot of server space. This can make Web pages load a lot slower. One option you have is to use thumbnails of your pictures instead. A thumbnail is a smaller version of the same picture. From it you link to the original picture. When you use thumbnails you can fit more graphics on one page. Your reader can pick and choose from all the graphics on the page and decide which ones they want to see. Creating a thumbnail is not hard and really doesn't take very long. The first thing you will need to do is download a photo or graphic editing program. I use Irfan View. It's free and simple to use. It's not as comprehensive as something like Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop but it's good enough for resizing, cropping and changing the way the colors look. I'm going to use Irfan View for this lesson. The instructions are not that much different if you are using another program. The first thing you are going to do is open the image that you want to resize. You do this by clicking "File," "Open," find the image on your computer and click the "Open" button. With the image open in your graphic editing program you can now crop it or resize it. Cropping is what you do when you have an image that has more on it than what you want to use. Say you have a picture of you and another person but you only want to use the part with you on it and cut off the other person, that's cropping. To crop it you first need to choose the area you want to keep. Place your mouse cursor at one corner of the area you want to keep, hold down the mouse button and drag your cursor to the opposite corner of the area. You will see a line being created around the area as you do this and a thin border around it when you're done. Now click on "Edit," "Crop selection." The area you selected will be left and the rest of the picture will be gone. If you like what you see you will want to save the image at this point so you don't accidently close the program and lose the cropping. If you don't like it, click on "Edit," "Undo" and it will go right back to the way it was before you cropped it. If you want to cut something out of the picture you can do this using the "Cut" feature. You can also add text to your picture at this point using "Insert text into selection". Both of these features are under the "Edit" menu. Remember to save the image after you make a change you like so you don't lose your work. Now to create our thumbnail. Click on "Image," "Resize/Resample." A box will pop up that will allow you to resize your image. You can choose to resize your image by height and width or by percentage. For example, you can put in a width of 50 pixels or you can have it just make the image 10% of its original size. If you are creating the thumbnails to use as a photo gallery I suggest trying to make all your images close to the same size so they fit on the page better making nice straight rows or columns. If your image seems to have lost some of its clearness when you resized it you can use the "Sharpen" feature in the "Image" menu. When you save the image after resizing it make sure you use the "Save as" feature, NOT the "Save" feature. You will want to give it a different, yet similar, name. If you just save it, it will overwrite your old image and you will loose the original. If your original was called "picture.jpg" then you could call the thumbnail "picture_th.jpg." If your hosting service does not have a file upload program to help you easily upload pages and graphics to your Web site then you will need to have an FTP client to upload them. The hosting service you are with should give you the settings you need to put into the FTP client so you can upload the files. I suggest uploading your graphic or photos to a folder named "graphics" or "photos" so you can keep them separate from your pages and so you can find them easier when you need them. I like organizing pages and graphics using different folders. Keeps your site nice and neat so you can find whatever you are looking for quickly and so you don't have long lists of files that you have to comb through when you need something. You will also need to upload the thumbnail to your hosting service. Consider putting it in a separate folder possibly called "thumbnail." Now you will need the address of your graphic. Example: Let's say you host your site at Geocities and your username is "mysite." Your main graphic is in a folder called "graphics" and named "graphics.jpg." The thumbnail is called "thumbnail.jpg" and is in a folder called "thumbnail." The address of your graphic would be http://www.geocities.com/mysite/graphics/graphics.jpg and the address of your thumbnail would be http://www.geocities.com/mysite/thumbnail/thumbnail.jpg. All you need to do now is add a link to your thumbnail to your page and add a link to your graphic from your thumbnail. Some hosting service offer photo albums. All you have to do is follow their directions to add your photos to the pages. If you prefer to use HTML to create your photo album you still don't have to start from scratch. Use a photo album template instead. Then all you have to do is add the links and you have a photo album. If you are just linking to the graphic itself so that the main graphic will show up on your page then the code you need to use is this: Text for Picture Where you see graphic.jpg in this code you will change it to http://www.geocities.com/mysite/graphics/graphics.jpg or you can use the short form which looks like this /graphics/graphics.jpg. Then change where it says Text for Picture to whatever you want it to say under the picture. If you are going to use the thumbnails and link to the graphic from there then the code you will use will be a little different: Where you see http://address_of_graphic.gif you add the address of your thumbnail. Where you see http://address_of_page.com you add the address of your graphic. Your page will show your thumbnail but will link to your graphic directly. When someone clicks on the thumbnail for the graphic they will be taken to the original. You will now be able to link to more graphics on one page without bogging down the server causing your page to load slowly. This is not your only option for creating a photo album but it does give you a way to add a whole bunch of pictures to one page so people don't have to click through pages and pages of photos. They will also be able to choose which photos they want to see in regular size instead of having to see all of them if they don't wish to.
Cloud computing technology has freed businesses and general users from the bondage of limited memory storage that computers and external hard drives impose, and has brought around many more advantages – including lower costs and augmented production—especially to small businesses and start-ups. In the modern age of global IT/Cloud/AI technology expansion, we are now able to store, secure, access and share infinite volumes of data of any format on online servers hosted by Public Cloud/IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) providers—or choose to have a Private Cloud server installed directly in the company’s IT/database infrastructure with the aid of security experts and IT/Cloud computing technicians provided by a Private Cloud service. Some services also offer both Public and Private Cloud deployment, as in the case of Microsoft’s Azure Hybrid Platform which can handle tasks simultaneously on both the Cloud server and the client data center, and is mostly used by companies who do not want to do away completely with their data center but migrate only some of their data to the Cloud. The-Financial-Benefits-of-Cloud-ComputingImage Credit General Cloud Advantages The Cloud really has optimized every business across every industry: Transportation, Education, Agriculture, Health, Travel all have benefited by migrating to the Cloud and drawn enormous advantages. These include but are not limited to reducing bureaucracy,reorganizing the company infrastructure so that all levels can access the same data simultaneously and in real-time across all their smart devices (laptops, smartphones, Tablets, digital cameras, etc.), save time with AI applications that can process and filter valuable business data through text mining and semantics/cognitive processes, and use AI applications that can recognize human behaviour, mass consumer trends, and predict any fluctuations in customer demand/satisfaction to offer business solutions or strategies well ahead of any future crisis. Lowering People Costs All other benefits aside, the benefit we will be focusing on in this article is that cloud computing can cut costs, and allow businesses to use their finances to improve other areas of their company. There are three basic ways to save money through the Cloud. The first is that cloud computing can lower people costs. Within a company, staffing costs for technology can become on of the largest costs in this area, since you need to recruit the right people with the right expertise, and also make sure they get a decent salary with benefits. When the cloud is implemented into a company, IT employees can diversify and acquire extra skills (even in Cloud technology) after you migrate to the Cloud, and can contribute their valuable services and expertise to many other aspects of the company infrastructure. There may not be a need to have employees focus on data storage. In effect, staffing fees charged by your Cloud provider for the services of its technicians are significantly lower than the salaries you pay to your IT people. Lower Power Costs The second financial benefit of cloud computing is lower power costs, since you won’t have to rely on 20 or even a hundred external drives and computers, and the myriad of electric cables that can fill up an office. This not only saves you money on the electricity bill, but the added advantage is that you can also transform your company into a ‘mobile office’ so that employees can work remotely through their smart devices (and thus you can save on office space rent as well!). Amazon’s AWS has been highly successful worldwide (over one million clients in over 190 countries) because it delivers high computing power capacity which is 10 time higher than that of the other 14 big competitors. Processing speed and power capacity is a factor that influences power consumption, so that is another factor to keep in mind, and Cloud providers charge less for electricity than you spend on your data center and server. Zero Capital Costs Thirdly, there are zero capital costs when it comes to cloud computing, as opposed to running your own internal server which requires an up-front capital investment; that investment is lost money that cannot be put back into the company and wasted on maintaining your server. However, in the world of cloud computing, someone else will be handling/worrying about the capital investment. Cloud costs are also scalable, and you can start small then progress to higher memory storage as your business grows Cloud Careers Handing over your private data to be deployed and managed by an external party (IaaS) can seem dangerous to some companies due to security concerns, but the fact is that Cloud computing services have highly skilled and competent professionals who deal with every aspect of Cloud technology, including cyber security: in fact there is a very high demand by companies and providers for Cloud computing experts nowadays, and plenty of jobs in the Cloud computing/IT/AI industry conglomerate. However there is a lack of skilled experts and so this is why, as advancements in technology and upgrades continue to increase progressively, careers in Cloud Computing are expected to boom in the near future. If this looks like a potential investment for your company, you might think about training your employees and IT department directly in Cloud computing technology so they can gain the right skills to manage and implement the Cloud system and varied applications (or use free services if you are small and want to start to invest at a minimum before then incrementing as your business and data volume grows). There are numerous courses offered by accredited institutions such as Cloud Academy that offer cloud certification for the major cloud platforms on the market today (Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Oracle, IBM, and more), but it is essential to identify first what specific Cloud services and applications you need for your business and for what purpose.
Books Evolutionary Biology Human Evolution & Anthropology How Humans Evolved TextbookOut of Print There is a newer edition How Humans Evolved How Humans Evolved teaches the processes that shape human evolution with a... NHBS Price: £47.50 $63/€53 approx By: Robert Boyd(Author), Joan B Silk(Author) 550 pages, colour photos, b/w illustrations, tables W.W. Norton & Co. Paperback \| Jan 2009 \| Edition: 5 \| #178422 \| ISBN-13: 9780393932713 Out of Print Details About this book With its unique blend of evolutionary theory, population genetics and behavioral ecology, How Humans Evolved provides students with the most contemporary and complete introduction to physical anthropology available. Robert Boyd and Joan B. Silk's modern presentation of genetics and observable behaviors in living humans and non-human primates moves beyond merely describing anthropological finds to showing students the "big picture" ideas behind human evolution. For the Fifth Edition, Boyd and Silk have updated the text to include the best of current research in the areas of genetics, behavior and the fossil record that conveys the excitement of anthropological discovery. This new coverage reflects strengthened coverage of molecular genetics and a streamlined presentation of primatology. Part I: How Evolution Works 1. Adaptation by Natural Selection 2. Genetics A new introduction to the molecular genetics section emphasizing the importance of molecular data in studying human evolution. 3. The Modern Synthesis Expanded material on genes known to affect beak morphology in Darwin's Finches and provide real examples of genes creating quantitative variation and explanations of how pleitropy causes genetic correlations. 4. Speciation and Phylogeny New evidence for character displacement from the Grant's study on Daphne Major and new data on gene flow between species from a wide range of taxa from a recent Nature paper by Riesenberg, et al. Part II: Primate Ecology and Behavior 5. Primate Diversity and Ecology Important ideas from the previous edition are preserved, but with less distracting detail and more streamlined discussions of primate taxonomy, dietary specialization, territoriality and sociality. New data on evidence for predation in primates. 6. Primate Mating Systems Expanded treatment of sources of variation in female reproductive success to include effects on female age, longevity, and quality of social bonds. Simplified discussion of sexual selection by eliminating processes not likely to be important in primates and incorporate new data on incest avoidance. New research is cited in the discussion of relationship between male rank and reproductive success. 7. Evolution of Cooperation Changed the focus of this chapter from `social behavior' to `cooperation' for more focused analysis. Integrated parent-offspring conflict into the discussion of kin selection and add new material on cooperative breeding primates, including fascinating data on the effect of chimeric individuals in marmosets and tamarins. 8. Primate Life Histories and the Evolution of Intelligence New evidence of a link between ecology, life history, and brain size in orangutans and additional examples of primates `knowledge of others' minds. Part III: The History of the Human Lineage 9. From Tree Shrew to Ape 10. From Hominoid to Hominin A chronological account of hominin species (rather than in the order in which they were discovered) and new information about A. kadabba. 11. Oldowan Toolmakers and the Origin of Human Life History 12. From Hominin to Homo New information about diversity in size, morphology and life-styles of H. ergaster in Africa and Europe, including a new description of H. ergaster from Ileret. New take on evidence for use of fire and cooking and on postcranial material from Dmanisi. 13. Homo sapiens and the Evolution of Modern Human Behavior A new discussion of genetic differences between humans and other primates based on new evidence from sequencing of both genomes. Completely revised and updated section on genetic evidence for a recent African expansion, including information from autosomal genes and geographic patterns of genetic diversity. Part IV: Evolution and Modern Humans 14. Human Genetic Variation Updated discussion of FOXP2 and the evolution of lactose tolerance, including information on independent evolution of lactose in East Africa. New evidence about selection and genetic diversity drawn from genome sequence data including a detailed explanation of how selection is detected from patterns of linkage disequilibrium. Chapter 15: Evolution and Human Behavior Chapter 16: Human Mate Choice and Parenting Write a review Robert Boyd has written widely on evolutionary theory, focusing especially on the evolution of cooperation and role of culture in human evolution. His book Culture and the Evolutionary Process received the J. I. Staley Prize. He has also published numerous articles in scientific journals and has edited volumes. He is currently Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles and on the faculty of the Santa Fe Institute. Joan B. Silk has conducted extensive research on the social lives of monkeys and apes, including extended fieldwork on chimpanzees at Gombe Stream Reserve in Tanzania, and baboons in Kenya and Botswana. She is also interested in the application of evolutionary thinking to human behavior. She has published numerous articles in scientific journals and scholarly edited volumes, and is currently Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles Bestsellers in this subject Early Humans Testosterone Rex NHBS Price: £8.99 $12/€10 approx The Origins of Creativity The Philosophy of Human Evolution NHBS Price: £20.99 $28/€24 approx Grand Canyon, a Century of Change NHBS Price: £30.50 $40/€34 approx VAT: GB 407 4846 44 NHBS Ltd is registered in England and Wales: 1875194
Attack on Pearl Harbor observed 75 years later Attack on Pearl Harbor observed 75 years later December 7, 1941 is known as the day that will live in infamy, marking the US’ official entrance into World War II, which helped shape the role the US plays in the world today. Many are gathering to honor the 2,403 American lives lost at Pearl Harbor 75 years ago. The 75th anniversary of the attack by Japan on the US naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii will be remembered on Wednesday. The remaining survivors, such as 104-year-old Ray Chavez, will go to Hawaii to honor those who lost their lives. "I can't forget it. I never will," Chavez told NBC News. "I got very emotional that day. There were so many, many innocent people that were lost." For those who lived during the attack, the day is full of painful memories. Edward Waszkiewicz, 95, was a 20-year-old when he heard what sounded like the “end of the world coming,” he told USA Today. He looked up and watched three planes fly to “Battleship Row,” a group of eight US battleships, and watched as “all hell broke loose. As history is remembered and memorialized, it will also be made Wednesday, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe visits Pearl Harbor, the first time a Japanese prime minister has ever done so. In total, 18 ships were sunk by the Japanese, including the USS Arizona, which lost 80 percent of its crew, who were trapped inside. In addition to the over 2,000 Americans who were killed, 1,000 were injured and over 300 airplanes were destroyed. The USS Arizona wreckage is part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument that can be visited by boat. Over 1.6 million people make the voyage annually, USA Today reported. The oil that poured out of the USS Arizona continues to float up three-quarters of a century later and can be seen by visitors as it bubbles to the surface. While many observances will be held December 7, there are events happening throughout the week in Hawaii. The list below comes from the 75th Anniversary Commemoration Fund website, set up by Hawaii Governor David Ige (D) and a partnership of Pearl Harbor Historic Sites. Wednesday, December 7 The National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration begins at 7:45am at Kilo Pier, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. A live stream is said to be available on the website. The Annual Wreath Presentation begins at 8:00am at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The USS Oklahoma Memorial Ceremony begins at 1:00pm at the USS Oklahoma Memorial. The 25th Infantry Division Commemoration Ceremony begins at 3:00pm at Fort DeRussy. The Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade and Public Ceremony begins at 4:30pm at Fort DeRussy in Waikiki then ends at Kapiolani Park. Thursday, December 8 The 108th Army Band Performance begins at 2:00pm at the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor. Friday, December 11 The Honolulu Marathon begins at 5:00am in Honolulu.

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