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Understanding API Invocations API developers who provide or consume APIs will benefit a great deal from being able to understand the anatomy of an API implementation. The API provider implements the API and publish the API for consumers. The API will reside on a server waiting for requests to come in. API invocation when consuming an API is always initiated by the client side. That involves constructing a request message and sending that over a network to the server. Sometimes, the consumer is termed the front end. Upon receiving the request message, the server processes the request at the backend. Before dispatching the request to the resource, the message validation and operation identification would be done by the middleware stack, or the application framework, being used to implement the API. Then, the API will be presented with the request message. The server will process the request and carry out the operations invoked and prepare the response message. The response message from the API with the intended representation will be handed over to the network layer to be delivered to the API consumer. When the client application, in other words, the API consumer, receives the response message, it can validate the message format and had it over to the client application logic to be processed. As you can notice so far, API invocation involves a request response pair. Here is the sequence of activities involved in the invocation. 1. API consumer client application creates the request message 2. Request message is sent to the API server over the network 3. API provider receives the request message 4. API request is handed over to the API for processing and carry out the intended operations 5. API creates the response message based on operation execution 6. Response message is sent to the consumer client application over the network 7. API consumer receives the response message 8. API consumer process the API response and acts accordingly This sequence of execution needs to be well understood by API developers to be able to understand the execution flow and be able to debug the applications and APIs. API request and response sequences along with the invocation semantics such as HTTP methods are documented in the API documentation. APIs are documented using a markup language like Swagger. The documentation provides details on • What operations the API supports? • What are request and response message formats? • Does your API need some authorization? When you relate the API invocation sequence of activities and relate the same to the documentation in terms of request and response message formats, it becomes much simple for API developers to test, debug and verify the API usage. There are tools to help capture messages while in transit to help look at the request message body and HTTP headers. If you want to make sure that the API responds properly from the API server, you can use a tool such as Postman API client to send requests to API to inspect and verify responses. For debugging on the server side to see if you received the correct request form the API client, you can use logging and tracing capabilities of your API platform to help debug the requests.
Recently, a problem was brought to my attention by one of our MTGK staff. The problem is this: Twenty-five chips, each marked with a different integer from 1 through 25, are placed in a jar. A student draws a chip from the jar and tells everyone the number. The chip is then returned to the jar. Nine more students do the same thing. What is the probability that at least two of the ten students draw the same chip? Express your answer as a decimal to the nearest hundredth. Try to solve it yourself before reading the solution below. Alright, did you get it? It’s quite a tricky problem, especially if you haven’t seen this kind of thing before. In general, probability is quite a difficult subject for anyone uninitiated to wrap their head around. To understand this solution, you will need some familiarity with calculating probabilities, probability spaces, and permutations. Let’s give it a shot. When tackling a difficult probability problem, one of the first questions I ask myself is, “What are some possible results that would happen if we were to conduct an experiment similar to the one in stated in the problem?” Often, a great way to grab a foothold on understanding complex probability problems is to conduct the tasks described. For our problem, I decided to have generate 100 numbers between 1 and 25. This gives us 10 sets of 10 numbers each. We can then compare each set so see how many contain two or more repeats. For readability, I used 10 columns, and had each column represent one execution of the experiment laid out in the problem. Here are the results (with repeats boxed): Surprisingly, 9 out of 10 of the sets/columns of numbers contain repeats. The seventh set even went over and beyond our requirements, containing three 15s, three 16s, and two 13s. There were only five distinct numbers in that set! Overall, we recorded an experimental probability of 0.9, or 90% for sets containing more than one repeat! Although this is a rather low sample experiment, it’s still rather eye opening. The chance of getting repeats seems to be rather high. But how is that possible, you might be thinking. We are only selecting 10 numbers each time, less than half of the total numbers available to pick from. Surely, our data set was just a fluke, an lucky accident? Well, there’s only one thing to do now to see if our results were accurate, or out of the norm–the math! Mathematically, the probability of an event is defined as the total number of anticipated outcomes divided by the number of total possible outcomes. This yields a number between 0 and 1. For our problem, calculating the total number of outcomes is easy, although it admittedly requires some computational might. Because each number has 25 possibilities, we have to multiply 25 by itself ten times (25 to the power of 10). Doing this (in a calculator) gives us a whopping 95 trillion (95,367,431,640,625 to be exact) possible ways to select 10 numbers, each from 1 to 25 inclusive, with repeats. And that’s just our denominator–half the problem. Keep in mind this number counts separately different orders of the same ten numbers. For example, {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10} is a different outcome from {10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1}. This is because our calculation, by default, takes into consideration different orders. In this sense, we are working with permutations, not combinations. Calculating the anticipated, or wanted outcomes, is a bit trickier. How do we possibly count all the ways in which we could have at least two numbers repeat? Do we list out each case? But there’d be too many. Even finding the total number of outcomes with only two numbers repeating is no walk in the park. The key to answering this question lies in an observation of our problem. The problem asks “What is the probability that at least two of the ten students draw the same chip?” In our set of ten, at least two numbers repeating is the exact complement of no numbers repeating. The sum of the probabilities of these two events would be equal to 1! If you can calculate one of these probabilities, you can find the other. And calculating the probability that no numbers are repeating is much easier. To do that, we need a simple permutation. We want to count the number of orderings of 10 numbers out of 25 possible numbers. Using the formula, we get another staggering 11 trillion permutations (that is, 25! / (25-10)! = 11,861,676,288,000). This means that the probability that no numbers are repeating is 11,861,676,288,000 / 95,367,431,640,625 ≈ 0.1243. Our last step, we take the complement: 1 – 0.1243 = 0.8757. Thus, our answer, when rounded to the nearest hundredth, is 0.88. Looking back, our experimental probability of 0.9 was right on the mark! Even after studying probability for years, the numbers and solutions can still be quite surprising. I’d like to provide some context to the problem we tackled today. In probability theory, there is a famous and counter-intuitive problem (these often go hand-in-hand with probability problems) known as the Birthday Problem. In fact, it feels so counter-intuitive that some call this problem the Birthday Paradox (though it is not a true paradox). The problem itself is a simple one: In a set of n people, selected randomly, what is the probability that at least two of them have the same birthday? Sound familiar? This problem is conceptually identical to our original problem. What makes this problem counter-intuitive are some of the resulting solutions. When n is 23, the chance of some pair having the same birthday is a just over 50%. Only 23 people! With 70 people, the chance of two sharing a birthday increases to 99.9%! (Keep in mind, this is the chance that any two could have the same birthday. If you wanted to calculate the probability that you share a birthday with someone else in the room, you would use a different calculation.) Even so, these probabilities are shocking and unexpected. If you picked 70 days out of the year, that is less than 20% of the total number of days. Yet, picking randomly, you have only a 0.01% chance of picking 70 unique days. These matter-of-fact statements show the power of mathematics, and expose how our brains play tricks on us through making assumptions and expectations about things that we really have little true understanding of. Related posts
LEGOs, Revolutionaries and YouTube – The Challenges of Using YouTube as a Tool of Historical Study In an age of digital media where images come fast and cheap through wireless connections as abundant as 747s flying through the ether, YouTube has emerged as a sourcing way point for video media. As humans, we are primarily visual creatures and thus have not only embraced the acceleration of increased visual access through digital media, but have thrived upon it. Yet, in our headlong rush into increased visual re-representation of the world around us, we may be losing precious substance in the experience. Yes, increased megapixel displays on smart phones, tablets, televisions and computer screens have brought increased visual clarity, but have they helped to add any historical clarity? One would imagine that a media source such as YouTube would add to the expansion and understanding of our collective past through vivid depictions and recreations of historical events, but more often than not, it serves only to provide very superficial access and representation. YouTube and History Class As an elementary school teacher I am constantly looking for visual representations of historical and scientific elements to show to my students. Since all my students were born well into the new millennium, I’ve tried to embrace the fact that their default experience for many things is going to be visual. Laptops, smart phones, and tablets are all common interface methods for them. There is no anachronistic time lag as they seek to interact with the digital medium. For them, YouTube is a common and anticipated place to start research on any variety of topics. When my class read and discussed the westward expansion in the United States and the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889, it seemed only natural to include a clip from the 1992 film, “Far and Away.” No matter how well the text sought to describe the scene, my students did not seem to grasp the intensity of the moment – until they experienced it through video. Suddenly they had questions and comments and went back to the original text with renewed interest and zeal. The access to modern reinterpretations of past events in film serves as a wonderful bridge for the next generation. It plays to their strengths (or weaknesses as it may be) and provides context in color and sound that no primary source document can. While it can spur further interest into research, it fails more often than not as a research tool itself. These clips rarely offer citations for sources and the viewer must back track information about the information through other sources anyway. The veracity of the events displayed is also always in contention because the viewer cannot be sure whether these recreations are wholly accurate or “Hollywood-ized” for greater mass appeal. The final issue with using movie clips for historical study lies in perspective. While movie clips provide a rich visual experience, they are only as reliable as the research team hired to re-create the given event. Furthermore, the point of view of the director and/or writer may influence how the material is presented to the public LEGOs, Bunker Hill, and The Arab Spring Probably the biggest problem with trying to use YouTube as a research tool is the abundance of material that is purely for entertainment purposes and is therefor largely un-sourced or cited. After all, YouTube was never meant to serve an archival research tool. Founders Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim conceived the idea as merely a simple way for people to share videos. While YouTube can serve as a gateway to developing or expanding interest in historical topics, it is severely limited in its capacity to provide viable research information on any historical material that is pre-video. One popular (and admittedly entertaining) way for students to portray research on historical topics has been the use of LEGO toy blocks to recreate past events. Whether it’s the Battle of Bunker Hill or John Smith settling the New World, amateur historians/animators have used stop-motion animation to create humorous and somewhat informative presentations. Yet this comes back to the original intention of YouTube, to share videos between friends that entertain. In contrast to this, YouTube has also become a source for material that will be immeasurably important to future historians. In 2011, as the “Arab Spring” swept through Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, protesters and witnesses to history-in-progress used YouTube as an archive for their videos. Whether it was to catalog historical protests in Tharir Square in Cairo, Egypt or mass celebrations in Tunisia, these videos, both amateur and professional serve as a digital record of history as it happens. In Syria, where protesters continue to battle against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the videos on YouTube have become, in some instances, the sole source of media documenting the conflict. The massive upload of these type of user-generated videos around a singular historical event is a relatively modern occurrence. The increased capability of hand-held devices to record video with ease has changed the manner in which videos are now being utilized. The near-broadcast quality of amateur recordings has enabled the public to flood video archives like YouTube with their own recordings of global events. This has created the post-video era in which we, as a society, find ourselves. While the key difference between the two different examples cited above is the distinction between representing historical information from the pre- and post-video eras, the problem of sourcing remains. Watching a YouTube clip from might drive you to a web page with further material, but it does not in itself provide citations. Similarly, there are often questions about the authenticity and accuracy of user generated videos, especially in conflict zones, leaving the definitive sourcing in question. In the end, it may well be that YouTube should be left to remain as what it was originally intended to be – a site where people can share videos with others. If one is looking to research historical information about a given subject, there are other, more focused sources in which to delve. YouTube is simply too cluttered with random un-sourced and un-cited material to be of any real relevance for historical research. While YouTube has created “channels” to help guide users to specific content, the search for “history” as a channel provides over 57,000 options alone. HistoryTube, which seems to have been around since July of 2008 is one of these channels that has attempted to collate some of the videos produced for mass consumption. Yet even here, unless there is a tag on the video linking it to the Discovery Channel or the BBC, the source of the video may be unclear. It may be that either YouTube continues to evolve and provide even more specialized channels, or other sourcing engines/archives will appear to take on content specific loads. For now, YouTube is driven like any other search engine by popularity in views. While a search for George Washington directs users to a highly entertaining rap with over 4 million views, the value of most videos, especially those depicting historical information from the pre-video era, is going to be simply as stated by the video label – entertainment. Final Queries I recognize that I am only beginning to delve into the use of YouTube as a historical research tool. I have found it much better as an illustrative aid. I am curious though if others have had a more positive experience and if so, in what manner? Is there a better way to search through combining filters? Is there a way of going beyond the use of “channels” to better find specific material. Finally, what alternatives have others found (if any) that are a more useful and citation-rich video search tool? About Steve Sandor This entry was posted in Archival Resources, Digital History, Interesting Web Resources and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 6 Responses to LEGOs, Revolutionaries and YouTube – The Challenges of Using YouTube as a Tool of Historical Study 1. Paul Rosetti says: Interesting stuff, Steve. I especially agree with your comment about superficiality. The events are captured in many cases without a necessary sense of time and place, robbing them of proper historical context. 2. R. Medina says: Interesting article, Steve. I had never thought about Youtube in this light before. Events such as the Arab Spring, show us that Youtube can be a powerful ally in the Post Internet/Post Youtube World. On the other and, you are correct that material pertaining to past historical events may be found, but finding proper citations for much of this work proves to be difficult. One time that this did not apply was during an American Civil Rights Movement course i took. In this one instance, I was fortunate to find the Eyes On The Prize documentary series, and proper citations. In most cases though, this was not the case. I do think that it is very creative for you to use clips that you find, to bring history to life for your students. 3. MissO says: As a high school history teacher, I also have a difficult time selecting media for classroom use. Even the best Hollywood interpretations of historical events, are still too “Hollywood.” However, I’ve also found them to be incredibly helpful as a medium for visually translating the material. When the students question the credibility or accuracy, I have them research the facts for themselves. When I give them primary sources to analyze, they are eager to make the connections. Talk about a motivating activity…Iron Jawed Angels in particular really inspires them into researching the Woman Suffrage Movement. The acting moves them to appreciate the significance of the movement. It makes it personal for them. Whenever I play it, my former students find excuses to come into my classroom to watch it again, and again! In a related topic, this week, I was having a conversation with my colleagues, regarding media in the classroom. I was defending the fact that some of my students use their phones to take notes, in lieu of notebooks. My colleagues concerns were that the students are too “digitized” and that the act of taking notes in the more traditional fashion helps them to retain the information. While I agree that the act of writing is still important, I think, much like your comment… “I’ve tried to embrace the fact that their default experience for many things is going to be visual”…transversely, this generation’s “traditional” way of communicating what they learn, is simply more digital. The conversation actually escalated into “writing” becoming almost a lost “art” or “language.” But, when you think about prepping the kids for the next generation, when educators use youtube/video projects and podcasts, or even power point presentations, in addition to assigning research papers, I feel like we’re shortchanging them if we don’t meet them halfway. If they connect so well to media as a learning tool, can’t they assess them the same way? 4. Ms. Hamilton says: This is an interesting post and it’s nice to see what educators feel about how students use the internet for research purposes, especially historical research.. I think today’s youth are lost in world where everything is digitized and simply a mouse-click away. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. A lot of younger students may not verify sources and may have that “It’s-true-because-it’s-on-the-internet mentality”, which is not good. Much of the information found online is just opinions from people who are not experts, but simply feel that they have something to share, whether it’s right or wring. It could lead to a lot of false and misleading knowledge for young people. They often do not verify sources, but take the fast way out when it comes to doing research. I’ve heard many teachers complain about the use of Wikipedia, which is a wonderful site, but students often rely too much on it. A teacher I know once gave an assignment and when the papers came in from the students, it was clear that almost the entire class had used the same exact Wikipedia source, so they all came out with almost the same exact paper. I would imagine that students will have to be taught how to use the internet for research purposes and understand the difference between reliable and unreliable sources and also what constitutes copyright infringement and plagiarism. This is important stuff. Thanks. Good post. 5. Theresa Hunt says: The “post-video era” is a great phrase, Steve. I wonder, though, how much legacy “Hollywood-ized” re/visions of history have left on what we think is more raw or real. YouTube democratizes, but in some ways also restricts and continues the patterns of accessibility for the privileged. There is still limited perspective in what we see there… 6. Very thought provoking Steve. I recently had a discussion about the implications of new tools like youtube, twitter, and facebook on our history. Now, we can record events from a personal perspective and upload in real time with video anywhere in the world. I am also very curious as to the effects this will have on our own current history, and the way future historians will use this data. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Google photo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
Nova Scotia Archives African Nova Scotians in the Age of Slavery and Abolition Petition of John Taylor and other slaveholders view page 1 2 3 4 5 6 Twenty-seven Loyalist slaveholders from Annapolis petition the Assembly to uphold their 'rights' as slaveholders. Among them they claim ownership of eighty-eight slaves. Taylor and the others claim that they are entitled to hold slaves because "property in Negroes was maintained, and acknowledged, if not encouraged" by the British government. Although the petitioners claim not to advocate the system of slavery, they believe that the King's subjects have the right to hold "property in Negroes." Yet the Nova Scotian courts have not upheld these rights, and this has caused the petitioner's slaves to run away or defy orders. The petitioners hope that the government will enact a law to secure their property. Or, should slavery be abolished, that the government will provide them with "equitable compensation." Such a bill was introduced but it did not pass. Date: 3 December 1807 Reference no.: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 series A vol. 14 no. 49 (microfilm no. 15591)
Aach Spring Useful Information the "entrance" to the Aach spring. Location: A81 exit Engen, B31 to Aach, in the village. Open: no restrictions. Fee: free. Classification: KarstKarst Spring Upper Jurassic (Malm) limestones. Light: n/a Dimension: see table below Guided tours: path of the water from the Danube sink length 11.7 km downward slope 1.5 % velocity 195 m/h average 8,590 l/s max 24,100 l/s min 1,310 l/s length 400 m depth (below water level of the spring) 18 m altitude 481 m asl catchment area 240 km² amount of limestone in the water 3,000 m³ the spring itself. Below the bridge the cave starts. 1705 a loss of water between Immendingen and Möhringen is first mentioned. 1719 first hypothesis about an connection between Aach spring and Danube sink. 1886 ein Helmtaucher erkundet den Eingangsbereich des Aachtopfes. 1962 Jochen Hasenmayer dives 300 m into the Aach spring cave. 1963 mortal accident of an diver in the Aach spring cave. 1969 Jochen Hasenmayer dives 400 m into the Aach spring cave. 1979 mortal accident of an diver in the Aach spring cave. mid 80s Harald Schetter revives exploration of the cave. The Aachtopf (Aach spring) is the resurgence of the KarstDonauversickerung. This was proved by a dyeing experiment. The water is swallowed in Malm beta reappears in the Aach spring in Malm zeta. This means, the water flows from the older and lower strata into the younger and higher strata. The explanation is easy: the layers fall steeper than the karst water table. the other direction, view down the Aach river. The time, the water needs from the Danube to the Aach spring, is rather short. During this time, the water changes its temperature only a little bit, the temperature of the spring water depends very much on the temperature of the Danube water. And of course, the water looses very little of its contents, unlike water in detritus, which is cleared by microorganisms. All this facts proof the existence of a huge cave system betweendanube and Aach spring. Its not really sure, they are big enough to allow humans to enter them, but it is very likely. The Aach spring forms a small lake, similar to the one at the SpringBlautopf, but unlike the Blautopf, this spring is not deep with a cave at the bottom. The lake and the cave are rather shallow. The first one to explore the cave was Jochen Hasenmayer, the most famous German cave diver. He exploerd 1962 300 m of the cave, and in a second try 1969 he diver 100 m further. He found that the cave runs straight to the North. At 130 m he discovered a big chamber, which he named Strömungsbahnhof (train station of the stream). In 1971 he discovered Explainrimstone pools and other dripstones at 17 m below water level, which proofs that this cave once was a Speleologyriver cave, only partially filled with water. In the neighbourhood of the Aachtopf are 11 more little springs, most of them inside the Aach river, some at the shores of the river.
Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg) parliament of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg The Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourgish: D'Chamber, French: Chambre des Députés, German: Abgeordnetenkammer), abbreviated to the Chamber, is the unicameral national legislature of Luxembourg. The Chamber is made up of 60 seats. Deputies are elected to have five-year terms by proportional representation in four multi-seat constituencies. Voters may vote for as many candidates as the constituency elects deputies.[1] 1. "Histoire parlementaire" (in French). Luxembourg. 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
The Third Education Revolution Previous shifts in how people work have typically been accompanied in the United States by an expansion in the amount of education required by employers to get a good job. In the early 1900s, the “high-school movement” turned secondary schools into a nationwide system for mass education that provided training for life instead of small-scale institutions designed to prepare a select group of students for college. In 1910, just 9 percent of American youths earned a high-school diploma; by 1935, 40 percent did.This expansion of high schools was the first wave in a century-long broadening of education in the United States in response to the changing needs of the economy. The high-school movement was “truly path breaking,” wrote Claudia Goldin, a Harvard University economist, in a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. “No other country underwent the transformation to virtually universal public secondary education” so early and so quickly. “Without the rapid rise of the high school,” Goldin argued, “America could not have put the GI Bill of Rights … into immediate action after 1944 for American youth would not yet have graduated high school.”The second wave in expanding education for a changing workforce occurred in the 1960s with the “college-for-all” movement. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Higher Education Act, which bolstered federal aid for higher education. Meanwhile, states built community college campuses and widened the mission of state teachers’ colleges by adding a bevy of programs in all academic fields. Between 1970 and 2016, enrollment in higher education more than doubled from 8.5 million to 20.5 million students. Now a third wave in education and training has arrived, argue economists, educators, and workforce-development officials. The level of preparation that worked in the first two waves—adding more time to education early in life—does not seem sufficient in the 21st-century economy. Instead the third wave is likely to be marked by continual training throughout a person’s lifetime—to keep current in a career, to learn how to complement rising levels of automation, and to gain skills for new work. Workers will likely consume this lifelong learning in short spurts when they need it, rather than in lengthy blocks of time as they do now when it often takes months or years to complete certificates and degrees.With this third wave will come a shift in how workers perceive retraining, said Brent Parton, deputy director of the Center on Education and Skills at the think tank New America. “We tend to think of retraining now as something that follows a traumatic event—a job loss, for instance,” said Parton, who served as a policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Labor during the Obama administration. “We’re entering a stage where retraining will be the day-to-day world that people live in. It will be part of their daily life and a much quieter set of traditions compared with now.”One big worry, however, is that the arrival of lifelong education will only exacerbate the economic divide that already exists in the United States. Education levels in the U.S. are closely tied to income. Simply put: Rich kids are far more likely to graduate from college than are their poor and working-class peers. There’s no reason not to believe that trend won’t continue in this third wave of lifelong learning. It is likely to help workers who already have high levels of education get the training they need rather than assist underemployed or unemployed workers who need to upskill to keep a job or get a new one. Two simultaneous forces in the job market are driving this push toward lifelong learning. The first is automation and the widening divide between the lifetime earnings of high-school and college graduates. While experts predict that few occupations will ever be totally automated, most jobs are likely in the future to have many of their basic activities performed by a computer. In its report, McKinsey estimated that in about 60 percent of occupations, at least one-third of activities could be automated by 2030. “The shift could be on a scale not seen since the transition of the labor force out of agriculture in the early 1900s in the United States and Europe,” the report warned. The second is the emergence of the gig economy, which is reshaping the traditional employer-employee relationship as more contractors and freelancers fill roles once reserved for full-time workers making good salaries. While the term “the gig economy” conjures up images of popular apps for temporary work, such as Uber and Task Rabbit, the army of professional white-collar freelancers is larger than that encompassing the services we can request on our smartphones. In a 2016 study, two economists, Lawrence F. Katz and Alan B. Krueger, found that all net employment growth in the United States since 2005 appears to have come from what they termed “alternative work”—that is, contract and freelance work, which has ballooned by more than 50 percent over the last decade. Both trends in the job market have the potential to upend the current federal workforce-training system that is largely run by the government and depends on solid projections about future jobs with traditional employers. Automation adds “much more uncertainty about what jobs are in high demand,” said Harry Holzer, a professor at Georgetown University and former chief economist for the Labor Department. “What might look like a job or skills in high demand today, might not be by the time someone is done training for a new job.” What’s more, federal retraining programs deliver funds through local workforce boards, which operate one-stop centers where job seekers go for help largely to prepare for full-time work, not to become independent contractors or entrepreneurs. If more people are employed as freelancers in the future, workforce-development officials worry that it might be difficult for some workers to know when they need a new set of skills to remain employed. One role traditional employers have always played is in the professional development of their workers. On a yearly basis, usually through annual performance reviews, employers would advise employees about the skills needed to keep their job or to receive promotion. In many cases, employers would suggest training programs and pay for them. But freelancers get no such guidance nor help on finding or paying for continuing education. Policy officials maintain that the realities of the modern workplace demand that government-run job-training programs in the future play a different role. Rather than focus on routine skills that can be replaced by technology, job training needs to target key skills that complement technology, such as problem solving, teamwork, and communication.At the same time, training must occur more regularly and less episodically than it does now in order to keep pace with the increasing churn of jobs. Already colleges are responding to this need by expanding noncredit programs; such courses can be up and running more quickly than credit-based programs can, and they take much less time to complete than do full-fledged degrees and certificates.But those noncredit programs are small compared to degree programs, and most higher-education institutions still operate with a mentality that it’s not their job to train people for a job, economists say. “What worries me,” Holzer said, “is that the system today is not great at providing training to workers who need it, and the demand is only going to grow in the future with more workers, in more occupations.” The classic image of job retraining in the U.S. remains that of laid-off blue-collar factory workers learning new skills. But if greater numbers of white-collar workers with college degrees tap into the federal job-training system in the future, it risks collapse trying to take into account their training needs as it is also starved for money. (Federal training dollars have been slashed by 22 percent since 2009, and in his second budget this year, President Trump proposed further cuts.) Increased funds for federal job-training programs will only come when white-collar workers use the benefits in addition to laid-off blue-collar workers. “It needs to be seen as a benefit for everyone,” said Josh Copus, the chief operating officer of the National Association of Workforce Boards. “If the more advantaged [white-collar workers] don’t use career centers, we’re never going to expand the social capital and networks of those who do use them.” Experts agree that to adequately serve an increasingly diverse set of workers and industries, the current patchwork of federal training efforts needs reform. An important first step was taken in 2014 when Congress replaced the 1990s-era Workforce Investment Act with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Among other things, the new law emphasized “career pathways,” which offer workers a sequence of educational opportunities and credentials that they can earn as they work in progressively more advanced jobs. For example, instead of training to become a nurse, workers could first pursue certificates as nursing aides. If training and education become a lifelong pursuit, the big question is how to pay for it. But further reforms are needed for the third wave of education and lifelong learning, so that training isn’t seen as something that happens only when there is a shock to the economy, such as a recession or a massive factory layoff. One idea that has been suggested by economists and workforce-training officials: “work sharing,” which allows employees to retrain while they’re still employed. Work sharing is a program in place in more than 25 states in which employers reduce their workers’ hours and pay and the states make up some of the lost wages. Right now, it’s typically used as an incentive in an economic slowdown to keep skilled workers employed, but it can also provide workers the flexibility to improve their skills while in a job. If training and education become a lifelong pursuit, the big question is how to pay for it. Many people enter the workforce already in debt from college. Student debt has doubled since 2009 to $1.3 trillion. Given these circumstances, few people have money for further training. In response, some states offer Lifelong Learning Accounts, a 401(k)-like plan that allows employers and employees to contribute to an account for retraining purposes.Michael Horn, a higher-education consultant who has written extensively on the future of training, recently suggested similar plans that he dubbed “renewable learning funds.” They would be paid for by an alternative form of financial aid called income-share agreements. Such agreements provide students money to cover college costs, and, in exchange, students agree to pay back a percentage of their future income rather than take on a fixed amount of debt.“Continual education is not just about paying for tuition,” Horn said. “Training carries an opportunity cost in terms of lost wages, and so we need to figure out how to support some of their living expenses, too.” Faced with a skills gap, employers are increasingly working with community colleges to provide workers with both the academic education needed to succeed in today’s workforce and the specific hands-on skills to get a job in their companies. In the long race between education and increasing technology in the workforce, education has historically always won, according to Goldin, the Harvard economist. In other words, for much of the 20th century, simply having a college degree and, even better, an advanced degree, was seen as a key advantage in the job market. But it’s unclear whether that dynamic will remain true in a job market undergoing massive changes. A college degree will certainly remain a differentiator in the future, but not just any degree, argues Alssid, the vice president of workforce development at the Community College of Rhode Island. “While we don’t know what skills will be required for the human-centric jobs of the future [such as health care, management consultants, and financial planners],” said Alssid, who has spent more than two decades in the workforce-development field, “we do know that these jobs will require a highly adaptable workforce that can think critically, creatively, and work collaboratively to find solutions to rapidly developing, complex problems.”Such skills, often referred to as “soft skills,” are typically seen in liberal-arts graduates, but those individuals often lack the technical skills employers want. Alssid said a hybrid of liberal-arts and technical education is what is most needed in training programs to allow workers to better navigate the ambiguity of the future job market. That’s the goal of his school’s partnership with Infosys—to introduce liberal-arts students to technical fields that they might not have previously considered, while other programs will introduce the flexibility of the liberal arts to technical workers.More than a century has passed since the universal high-school movement took off in the United States and 50 years since the college-for-all movement began. Those first two waves of education helped the U.S. build the world’s most successful economy. Now it’s clear a third wave in the evolution of education is needed to compete in a new economy in which learning can never end. This article is part of the “What Makes a Worker?” project, which is supported by a grant from Lumina Foundation. • JEFFREY SELINGO is a contributing editor to The Atlantic and the author of There Is Life After College. This article first appeared in The Atlantic on March 22, 2018. It is a great read. You can find the original here: Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Google photo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
Analysis Of Salinger 's ' The Catcher Rye ' 1074 Words5 Pages Journal Responses Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye has been pronounced a literary classic for its atypical portrayal of adolescence, to effectively convey the protagonist’s alienation and confusion. The introduction of The Catcher in the Rye is underpinned by disorder and confusion through a stream-of-consciousness narration, which digresses from one subject to another. Consequently, Holden’s multitudinous thoughts and feelings appear to lack a cohesive pattern. Additionally, Holden’s prevalent ascription of other students as “phony” (Salinger, p.3) alludes to his alienation and isolation as a form of self-protection; he rejects those he does not understand. Furthermore, the vocabulary encapsulates typical adolescence dialect of the 1940s, and resultantly, alienates contemporary reader. This is typified through Holden’s use of colloquial speech, in particular, his exclamation “that killed me” (Salinger, p.42) to express his amusement. Therefore, the introduction of Holden’s disjointed monologue in The Catcher in the Rye foreshadows Salinger’s unique interpretation of adolescence. Holden’s narration in The Catcher in the Rye poses a fundamental problem in critically analysing the story. Holden’s first person narration provides a one-dimensional, biased interpretation that manipulates the reader. This uncertainty of the authenticity of the narration through a pervasive hyperbolic tone is exemplified when Holden exclaims, “…my parents would have about two haemorrhages apiece Open Document
Jotrin Electronics Description Quantity Total (USD) Operation Shopping cart products Shopping cart products : 0 Home > Other > How is the price of a chip defined? How is the price of a chip defined? Published time: 2019-12-20 11:15:10 The chip design industry is a typical high-input, high-yield industry, but it is also a very risky industry. In case the design of the chip fails to meet expectations, the huge investment will be overwhelmed. Let's talk about the cost structure of a chip and how the price of a chip is defined. The cost of the chip includes the hardware cost of the chip and the design cost of the chip Chip hardware cost The chip hardware cost includes four parts: wafer cost + mask cost + packaging cost + test cost. A formula written is chip hardware cost = (wafer cost + mask cost + packaging cost + test cost) / final yield Wafers are the raw materials for making chips. The cost of wafers can be understood as the cost of the materials (silicon wafers) used for each chip. When the output is large enough, in terms of 100 million units, the cost of wafers is the highest in hardware costs. The mask cost is the cost of using different process technologies. For example, the 40 / 28nm process is very mature. The mask cost of the 40nm low-power process is $ 2 million; the 28nm SOI process is $ 4 million; the cost of 28nm HKMG is $ 6 million. But the most advanced process technology is sky-high. When the 14nm process was first put into production in 2014, the mask cost was 300 million U.S. dollars; and for the next 10nm process, according to Intel ’s official estimates, the mask cost required at least $ 1 billion. The packaging cost is to stack the substrate, core, and heat sink together to make a chip that everyone commonly sees. The cost of this process is generally about 5% -25% of the cost of the hardware, but some of IBM's chip packaging costs account for about half of the total cost, it is said that the highest has reached 70%. Test cost refers to testing the characteristics of each chip, such as maximum frequency, power consumption, heat generation, etc. And determine the cost of the chip level. For example, Intel divided a bunch of chips into categories: I5 4460, I5 4590, I5 4690, I5 4690K, and then offer different prices. However, the proportion of test costs is small, and if the chip output is large, it can even be ignored. Chip design cost The hardware cost is better and clearer, but the design cost is more complicated. This includes not only the salary of engineers, the cost of development tools such as EDA, equipment costs, site costs, etc., but also a large amount of intellectual property costs. The cost varies greatly. At present, the first few expenses are already at a stable level. The difference between the companies is not large. The major difference in the cost of chip design is intellectual property costs. The cost is much higher than Qualcomm. Chip pricing The internationally common chip pricing strategy is the 8:20 pricing method, that is, when the hardware cost is 8, the pricing is 20, and Intel's general pricing strategy is 8:35. AMD's history has reached 8:50. A chip uses the 8:20 pricing method, with a production of 100,000, it sells for $ 305; with a production of 1 million, it sells for $ 75; with a production of 10 million , Which sells for $ 52.5. It can be seen that to reduce the price of the chip, production is crucial. If the chip is mass-produced in units of 100 million, such as Apple's chip, even if the mask cost is as high as 1 billion U.S. dollars, the cost will be 10 U.S. dollars. The mask cost of a chip is as high as $ 1,000, which is obviously not competitive. Newer processes can bring lower chip prices and thus stronger market competitiveness. This is why giants such as Apple and Qualcomm use TSMC and Samsung's most advanced and expensive process technology, which can still make a lot of money. This is why IC design has the characteristics of winner-take-all. Tag: chip Account Center Live Chat
Skip to main content Collection The Library of Congress Celebrates the Songs of America Western and Cowboy Songs Although it is often spoken of in the same breath as "Country" music, "Western" is a distinct area of American popular music whose roots reach into the frontier era of the 19th century. Distinctly "Western" songs began to emerge in the mid-19th century, reflecting the Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma region's unique mix of peoples of Anglo, Celtic, Spanish, and Other European; African; Native; and Central American heritage. In addition, the great trail drives of the 1860s to the 1890s drew young men from all over the country and abroad to work as cowboys. They refashioned old folk and popular song forms to their own tastes, and added serious and comic lyrics about their lives and work, as well as specials calls and hollers to herd cattle and communicate with each other over the vast expanses of the trail. Cowboy poetry also flourished. The westernmost terminals of the railroads became points where cowboy songs were sung, shared, and then taken to new parts of the West by the cowboys returning home. For example, the railhead at Abilene, Kansas brought cowboys together from many Southwestern territories. The pioneer song "Home on the Range," written by Dr. Brewster M. Higley and set to music by Daniel Kelly in about 1874, not far from this railhead, was spread rapidly across the West in the 1870s by cowboys on cattle drives. As the settlement of Mexico included portions of what became the Western United States in 1848, the Corridos, or ballads, sung by those close to Mexican culture often include both United States and Mexican history. An example is "Corrido villésta de la toma de Matamoros," which concerns the taking of Matamoros by Mexican revolutionary forces in 1913, a battle that had an impact on the United States as many people of the town fled the violence by crossing into Brownsville, Texas. (See also, "Mexican American Song.") Gene Autry, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing front. 1953. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection Prints and Photographs Division, Reproduction Number: LC-USZC2-5863. Autry, who grew up on a ranch in Texas, popularized cowboy music on stage, television, and radio beginning in the early 1930s. Songs of the pioneers, Texas Rangers, and the gold rush also became part of the mix that we call Western music today. Some examples of pioneer songs include "Root Hog or Die," and "Freighting from Wilcox to Globe," and the Mormon pioneer song "St. George." A song of the difficult life of the Texas lawmen is "The Texas Ranger." There are many gold rush songs including "Clementine," about the California Gold rush, and "The dreary Black Hills," about the South Dakota gold rush. The Western frontier was mythologized in the popular press, and numerous songs celebrating cowboys, Indians, outlaws and the wonders of the western lands were written by tunesmiths who had no firsthand knowledge of the West. Traveling shows such as Buffalo Bill's Wild West were similarly dramatic, but more authentic, and featured frontier personages such Buffalo Bill Cody himself, sharpshooter Annie Oakley and Chief Sitting Bull. Buffalo Bill's show traveled with a full brass band, playing popular favorites of the day, cavalry marches and program material such as Karl I. King's "The Passing of the Red Man." "At the Bully Wooly Wild West Show" by the Peerless Quartet, is a 1913 evocation of these shows. The region produced distinctive social dance music as well, as Mexican musicians adapted the accordions played by German and Bohemian immigrants to their own music, and even gave their waltzes and polkas distinctive Spanish interpretations. Texas fiddlers developed a repertoire markedly different from that of fiddlers elsewhere in the country, playing many waltzes and other European forms, and favoring tunes with three or more parts, in contrast with the two part tunes that dominated Appalachian and other fiddling traditions. In the 20th century, the Texas "long bow" style of fiddling blossomed, and incorporated blues and jazz influences. The era of the great cattle drives ended in the 1890s, but even with the closing of the frontier, the appeal of cowboy songs and western music endured. Though cowboys no longer rode the Chisholm Trail north, there was still plenty of work with cattle to be had on ranches and in rodeos, and in songs, drama, popular fiction and movies, the cowboy had fully emerged as an authentic and truly American hero, a kind of knight of the plains. In the cities, this could be somewhat anachronistic, and it was the site of a young Brooklyn boy dressed up as a cowboy that inspired the 1912 song "Ragtime Cowboy Joe," which has since become as standard of the western repertoire. But for those who still own, work, or live on ranches in the west, "real" cowboy songs are generally those written by the people who shared that life as well as pioneer songs of the west that made their way into the cowboy repertoire. Cowboy songs are still written and sung today. Examples available in this presentation include concerts by D.W. Groethe of Montana and South Dakota,The Bar J Wranglers of Wyoming, and Wylie Gustafson and Paul Zarzyski of Montana. In 1908 and 1910 two pioneering print collections were published: Jack Thorp's Songs of the Cowboy and John Lomax's Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads. Both helped ensure that in the future at least some of the best known cowboy songs could be traced back to real cowboys. A few such songs were recorded commercially, some even sung by former cowboys such as Jules Verne Allen and Harry McClintock, or by singers with first hand experience of the West, such as Carl T. Sprague, who popularized "When the Work's All Done This Fall" and "The Dying Cowboy." [1] Beginning in 1933, John Lomax and his son Alan recorded the songs and stories of many real-life cowboys in English and Spanish as they gathered field recordings for the Library of Congress. A few cowboy songs found their way to other genres. In 1923, Massachusetts-born baritone Royal Dadmun recorded art song settings of two cowboy songs: "Rounded Up in Glory," a song collected by John Lomax, which was set to music by Oscar J. Fox, a Texan from a ranching family who set other cowboy songs; and "A Roundup Lullaby," written by cowboy poet Charles "Badger" Clark, and set to music by composer Gertrude Ross, who taught composition to Eleanor Remick Warren. "A Roundup Lullaby" found a wide audience and was even sung by Bing Crosby in a 1936 film, Rhythm on the Range. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing front. 1953. National Broadcasting Company, 1954. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection. Prints and Photographs Division, Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-126394. Roy Rogers formed the cowboy music group The Sons of the Pioneers with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer in 1934. When sound films arrived in the late 1920s, the singing cowboy became a staple hero of Westerns. Ken Maynard, a rodeo cowboy and veteran of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, started in silent films, but came into his own in the talkies as the screen's first singing cowboy. Many singing cowboys followed, and Maynard was eventually eclipsed by enormous success of Gene Autry, who came from a Texas ranching family, and Roy Rogers, an Ohio native who cofounded the Sons of the Pioneers, a Western singing group whose other members hailed from Oklahoma, Texas and Canada. Autry enjoyed many national hits, some of which he co-wrote such as his theme song "Back in the Saddle Again" and "That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine." Before he left the Sons of the Pioneers to pursue his movie career, Rogers recorded "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" with the group, a major hit, and a celebration of the romantic image of the wandering, footloose cowboy. The Sons of the Pioneers regrouped without Rogers, and continued to great success with a combination of tight harmonies, western themes, and the unique swing flavorings that Hugh and Karl Farr, two Texas bothers of Scotch-Irish and Cherokee descent, added with their fiddle and guitar work. In the 1930s a large migration of people fleeing the dust bowl of the Southwest and Midwest occurred. A large portion of these people heading for California to become migrant workers. They brought their music with them, and so this migration had an impact on Western music as traditional music of agriculturalists blended with the popular Western music that was emerging. Most notably, singer Woody Guthrie emerged as a singer and songwriter who called attention to the plight of the dust bowl migrants. His album Dust Bowl Ballads, published in 1940, was the most successful album of his career. [2] In this period, the style now known as "Western Swing" emerged. Groups such as Milton Brown and his Musical Brownie and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys led the way, playing an often raucous mixture of Western, pop, jazz and folk influences, and featuring electric guitars and drum kits, setting themselves apart from the Appalachian based styles produced by the emerging country music establishment in Nashville, Tennessee A western swing tune might feature an old fiddle tune enlivened with blues and jazz phrasing, a bit of a German or Czech melody played with a Spanish lilt, set to a fast, driving Dixieland rhythm. Western Swing also took western music all the way west to California, where many artists entertained before huge audiences of recent arrivals from Texas and Oklahoma in the 1940s and 1950s. Texas and Oklahoma singers such as Ernest Tubb, Hank Thompson, Lefty Frizzell and Floyd Tillman also emerged in the 1940s. Though they were not thought of as Western Swing artists, they incorporated its influence in their style. Their songs often celebrated (or cursed) what Hank Thompson called "The Wild Side of Life" in one of his songs. By this time, the influence of the western scene was so strong that country artists began to copy it. Hank Williams, a native of Alabama, called his band "The Drifting Cowboys," and their sound owed much to the Western style. In the 1950s and 1960s, a generation of Western singers and songwriters emerged with a style influenced by Western artists, as well as a frank, plainspoken lyrical approach that set them apart from the Country and pop music establishments. Bakersfield, California, where many westerners had settled in the 1930s and 1940s, became a new center for western music, with Buck Owens and Merle Haggard leading the way. Texas born artists such as Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings returned to Texas after sojourns in Nashville, and pursued their individual styles to eventual great success. George Jones, considered by some to be the greatest singer in the Country or Western fields, is also a native of Texas. In the 1970s, Western Swing experienced a revival in popularity that has carried it down to this day. Merle Haggard recorded two tribute albums to Bob Wills in 1970 and 1973, and performed Wills's material live with many original Texas Playboys. Young groups such as Asleep at the Wheel and Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen played Western Swing for audiences raised on rock. More recently, Texas singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett has incorporated and adapted much Western Swing into his work. Riders in the Sky, a highly skilled trio inspired by the Sons of the Pioneers achieved wide popularity and even hosted a children's television show with a mix of classic Western Swing and the singing cowboy styles of Hollywood. Today, young groups like the Quebe Sisters, a trio of fiddlers from Fort Worth, are keeping Western music alive and swinging in the 21st Century. 1. This presentation includes field recordings of "The work's all done next fall" sung by Beal Taylor and "The dying cowboy" (also known as "Bury me not on the lone prairie") sung by Frank Goodwin. [back to article] 2. This presentation includes songs of dust bowl migrants collected in California by Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin in 1949 and 1941. See the article: "Songs of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl Migrants." [back to article] Back to top
How Do I Cite My Own Ideas? If I've Never Written Them Down Before? If you are putting thoughts and words into your paper that are both original to you and are not things you’ve written before, then there is generally no need to cite them in your work. Citation has a very specific purpose in a paper and it’s to draw attention to any content, whether it’s ideas, facts or words, that are not original to that paper and are not considered common knowledge. This includes both elements that you have written before in earlier papers and content from outside sources. The reason for that is actually very simple: When you put your name on your paper, you’re basically saying “This is my original work, except for the parts specifically mentioned that are not.” As such, anything that is not cited in your work is presumed to be yours. This actually comes up regularly in cases of academic plagiarism. Many students wonder why they can be accused of plagiarism when they did not explicitly say they created the work. What they fail to realize or don’t understand is that, once a work carries your name, it’s presumed to be an original work by you. As such, it’s important to think of your name appearing on the cover or at the top of your work as something of a citation line. Where a quote in the text indicates someone else’s words and an in-text citation indicates a thought or fact from an outside source, the name at the top of the paper indicates who wrote the rest of the work. Thinking of citation from this standpoint, it becomes much more clear when, where and how you should cite. Basically, anything that you wrote specifically for this paper doesn’t need to be cited directly because you’ve already cited it in the beginning. All of this being said, you do need to make sure that the the passage is truly original and that the information is either yours or is otherwise common knowledge. Even if the thought is yours, it might benefit from finding a citation for it. For example, if you have any opinion that you believe, it can be bolstered by finding an expert that shares it or a study that backs it up. While it’s poor research to work backwards and find sources that support your conclusions, if the thoughts are yours then you likely have sources that share those opinions that you can cite. In those cases, your paper and your writing will be stronger for those citations, plus it avoids any potential for plagiarism allegations. Still, there are times that isn’t practical, such as when you’re describing things you did or thoughts that are entirely personal to you. In those cases, citation isn’t necessary or appropriate. If anything, it’s redundant. Just remember, with everything you write in a classroom, the presumption is that the entire paper is your original work unless you clearly state otherwise. Use citations to point out the exceptions to that, not the passages that follow that rule.
Summary Blood And Breathing Page 69. Releasing energy We need energy to keep alive. For energy we need Glucose (sugar) + Oxygen à carbon dioxide + water + energy Glucose is sugar, we need it to make energy, you find it in your food. We call this process respiration. because we need oxygen for it to happen, it is called aerobic respiration. All living things carry out respiration. Even plants. Page 70 Using energy Your body needs energy for many different things. Energy is used up: - Working yours muscles - Transporting chemicals - Absorbing food - Sending messages along nerves - Building cells for growth - Keeping your body temperature constant. Respiration takes place in all our cells all the time. Our cells contain tiny structures called mitochondria. This is where energy is released from glucose. Muscle cells use up lots of energy. They have lots of mitochondria. We did a experiment with seeds, boiled and living seeds. We saw that the living seeds produced more heat than the boiled seeds. This is the reason: - The boiled seeds are dead, so they don’t respire, so they don’t produce heat. - The living seeds respire, because they are living, so they produce heat. Page 71. Carbon dioxide is a waste gas made in respiration. It can become toxic if it builds up in our cells. This is called lactic acid. We also did a experiment with that lime water thingy. It show us that there is water vapour in carbon dioxide, because it gets cloudy. Page 72. Below you can see a table with what you breath in and what you breath out. Gas Inspired air (breathing in) Expired air (breathing out) Oxygen 21 % 16 % Carbon Dioxide 0.04 % 4 % Nitrogen 78 % 78 % We breath less oxygen out than in, because our body need to make energy, and you need oxygen to make energy. We breath more carbon dioxide out than in, because our body makes carbon dioxide, and we don’t need it. We don’t produce or need any nitrogen, so we breath the same amount in as out. Page 73 · Your breathing system you breath in air to get oxygen, and you breath out the get rid of the carbon dioxide. This is called a gas exchange. It takes place in our lungs. Lungs are inside your chest or thorax. They are surrounded and protected by your ribs. One lung is as big as a rugby ball. The muscles below your lungs are called diaphragm. It separates your thorax from your abdomen. To breath you need your ribs and diaphragm. Air enters trough your nose and mouth and then down trough your windpipe or trachea. Cold, dry and dirty air might damage your lungs so it is first: - warmed up - moistened - filtered and cleaned the cells in your nose and trachea makes slimy mucus. Dust and germs get trapped in the slime. The cells have tiny hair or cilia on them. These beat to carry the mucus up to your nose and throat. The air which enters your nose is cleaner. · Two-way trip to your lungs Before air enters your trachea it enters your larynx. It’s a knob in your neck and you can feel it on the outside, sometimes it’s called the Adam’s apple. The larynx contains vocal cords, when air blows over these you make sound. when you swallow, a flap of skin called the epiglottis drops over the opening to your larynx. that’s why food can’t go down your windpipe. your windpipe doesn’t collapse because the windpipe is kept open by rings of cartilage, they are C-shaped. your lungs are spongy , they are surrounded by the pleural membrane. this makes a slippery fluid. · Breathing in · Your intercostal muscles contract. they raise your ribs upwards and outwards. · The muscle in your diaphragm contracts. your diaphragm flattens. · These increase the volume of your thorax. The pressure inside your thorax decreases. · Air is sucked into your lungs. · Breathing out · Your intercostals muscles relax. This lowers your ribs downwards and inwards. · The muscle in your diaphragm relaxes. Your diaphragm bulges upwards. · These decrease the volume of your thorax The pressure inside your thorax increases. · Air is forced out of your lungs · Deeper into your lungs windpipe à bronchus à bronchioles à alveoli (air sacs) Each air sac is surrounded by a network of blood capillaries. The air sacs have thin walls, and they are moist. · Swopping gasses oxygen dissolves in the water lining each air sac. it diffuses through the air sac wall and the capillary wall into the blood. Page 78 / Page 79 An adult can take in about 5 litres of air in their deepest breath. At rest, about half a litre of air is breathed in and out. During exercise, an extra 2 litres of air can be taken in. We did also a experiment with lung capacity. It showed us that men have a larger lung capacity than women. If you are older, about 25 – 45 than is your lung capacity the largest. That’s because you grow if you are a child, and if you become older, your lung capacity will be a little smaller. You have also a bigger lung capacity if you do lots of sport. If you are resting, you take about 16 breaths a minute. If you just did exercise, than you take more breaths because you need more oxygen, because they move faster. When you doing exercise, you produce more carbon dioxide. Your brain sends messages via the nerves to your chest muscles. Then they know that they have to work harder to lower the carbon dioxide in your blood. Page 80 If someone has a accident their breathing might stop. Artificial respiration is a way of starting their breathing again for them. This is also called mouth-to-mouth ventilation (mond op mond beademing) or kiss of life. Than you breath oxygen into the mouth of the person who needs oxygen. Your oxygen goes into the windpipe, or trachea, and than they can get oxygen again. It can save your life. Page 81 Sometimes we can respire without oxygen. That is called anaerobic respiration. Many microbes can respire without oxygen. When it respires without oxygen it is called fermentation. Glucose à alcohol + carbon dioxide + energy © Eric and Nina , B2a & B2b
From Battlepedia Jump to navigationJump to search Collision Table Type Binary Object ID - Games used Battle for Bikini Bottom The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie The Incredibles Rise of the Underminer A collision table is used to give some models a specific mesh for collision detection by other objects and the in-game camera. This is commonly used to give high-poly models much less lower detailed versions of themselves, in order to reduce the amount of processing required during collision detection. By default, any model not included in this table uses itself as its collision mesh against other objects, and no collision mesh against the camera (meaning the camera can pass through it). The asset data starts with an int which defines the amount of entries in the collision table, then the entries themselves. Each entry has the following format: Offset Type Description 0x00 AssetID (Model) Model 0x04 AssetID (Model) Collision model. If null, defaults to the same model. 0x08 AssetID (Model) Camera collision model. If null, defaults to no model (camera can pass through it).
Daneil-Tiger-putting-on-his-sneakers copy You remember Mr. Rogers, don’t you? The red sweater. The shoes. The songs. Your kids may not know who he is, but they likely know who Daniel Tiger is. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is the animated descendant of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, and features children of several characters from the original Neighborhood of Make-Believe. In order to be successful once they enter elementary school, it is essential that kids develop certain social and emotional skills during their preschool years. A lot of things can help kids develop these skills. Researchers at Texas Tech University wanted to see if watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood could also help. In the study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Journal of Children and Media, 127 preschoolers watched 10 episodes of either Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood or a nature show over a two-week period. Children who watched Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood exhibited higher levels of empathy, self-efficacy (basically, confidence in oneself in social situations), and the ability to recognize emotions than those who watched the nature show. There is a kicker, though. In order for kids to benefit from watching the show, their regular TV-watching experiences had to be accompanied by frequent parent-child conversations about media content. In other words, it is the combination of watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and parents’ involvement while watching that seems to make the difference. This appears to especially be true for younger children (ages 4 and younger) and low-income children. When we take frequent parent-child conversations about media out of the equation, kids don’t seem to benefit as much from watching the show. What does this research mean? This means that certain educational TV programming is becoming sophisticated enough that they have the ability to maintain a child’s attention, they are developmentally appropriate, they have characters with whom children can identify, and they use teaching techniques that help kids learn. It also means that parents need to be intimately involved in helping reinforce the lessons taught in educational TV programming. It is not enough to plop your kiddo in front of the TV and expect them to become academic and social geniuses. The lessons in the show need to be reinforced by regular parent involvement. In addition to teaching social skills, the show also teaches certain skills that preschoolers often find difficult, such as potty-training, trying new foods, and brushing teeth. It does so through songs that reinforce the lessons. In other words, the legacy of Mr. Rogers lives on in this cartoon remake of one of the classic shows of our generation. Leave a Reply to How a Cartoon Mom Became My Parenting Idol \| Parents Cancel reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Google photo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
The modern data center is the supercomputer re-invented. This is the reason why Cumulus Networks is taking a popular computer system OS and adapting it for networking. This grand large computer whilst made up of “compute nodes” and “storage nodes” interconnected by a network, still operates as a single system. For all practical purposes, it operates a lot like the shared use mainframes but enhanced by the ability to induct the most modern components, use the latest technologies and benefit from the economies of scale. The last point alone is what doomed the ever more complex mainframe computing paradigm. Let us examine the things that a big iron box provided then. It allowed an application to lasso a collection of compute blocks, some storage elements and data elements and perform the task that is needed. The operating system logically connected all elements needed by an application and overlaid it on top of the system bus, thus allowing multiple applications to run on the same infrastructure. Fast forward to today where scale out has replaced scale up as a way to build data centers. The modern data center is a collection of compute elements connected via a network. What used to be a thread is now a process running inside a virtual machine or a physical machine, and storage lives locally in a server or on a SAN. So what is needed is simply an ability to consistently and coherently connect the compute elements to each other and to storage irrespective of where they live and how they are physically connected. And voila, you get fast application delivery! To achieve this goal, you just need two layers: 1. A physical connectivity layer that uses standard mechanisms (let’s say IP/ethernet) and allows all end ports to connect to each other with massive bandwidth, multiple paths and QoS. 2. A controller that connects subset of ports to each other exclusively and securely using logical ports layered on top of the physical connectivity layer. Enter Cumulus Linux and VMware NSX controller shown below. Cumulus Linux is the first Linux Distribution for networking gear and it’s finally bringing the economics of Linux to networking. It takes an industry standard networking box and makes it look like a server with a large number of 1G, 10G, or 40G NICs connected at wire-rate. The operating system accelerates the datapath in networking hardware using the existing Linux kernel constructs. So, Cumulus Linux IS Linux and customers can use the best automation, monitoring and orchestration tools onto their networking gear. Cumulus Networks teamed with a large ecosystem of hardware vendors to decouple networking operating system from networking hardware and provide the best hardware choice with no lock-in. The result is affordable, high capacity IP fabrics. VMware NSX provides an abstraction to enable connectivity between any compute node on virtual networks. It decouples the physical network infrastructure from the virtual networks using overlay transports. In doing so, virtual networks can be spawned and destroyed on demand. VMware NSX also reproduces all the traditional network functions through a rich set of API that enables the best ecosystem of service nodes, gateways, and orchestration tools for network virtualization. The main overlay transport used is VXLAN. VXLAN is a standard Layer 2 overlay scheme over a Layer 3 network and it represents a unique virtual network or tenant. Besides the multi-tenancy flexibility, VXLAN scales the number of tenants to 16 Million tenants with a 24bit identifier. Consider the many high performance applications such as Hadoop that will remain on physical servers, the backup servers, the services appliances, the legacy servers and their migration to virtual servers, the test platforms and their migration from virtual to physical server databases. Physical workloads need to access virtual networks and their entry point to the network is Top of the Rack switches. These Top of Rack switches are thus the logical place to connect physical workloads to virtual networks. Instead of being placed in a VLAN, physical ports are now placed in a VXLAN, and the Top of Rack switch’s job is to terminate VXLAN tunnels in hardware for the physical workloads attached to it. A switch supporting VXLAN tunnel endpoints (VTEP) is also referred to as a Layer 2 gateway switch. This is the crux of the announcement we are making at VMworld. Cumulus Linux supports Layer 2 gateway services at wire rate on networking gear running Cumulus Linux. Multi-tenancy support wouldn’t be complete without a single point of orchestration for ALL workloads. This is where the integration of Cumulus Linux with VMware NSX is key. The Cumulus Linux switch registers with the VMware NSX Controller as a Layer 2 Gateway service, such that physical workloads attached to it can now be orchestrated and placed in virtual networks from one single point. Cumulus Linux presents itself as an Open vSwitch Data Base (OVSDB) agent and is managed by the NSX controller as an Open vSwitch. Networks are no longer the bottleneck for application deployments. All networks are orchestrated from one single point of management. They are created, modified and destroyed with no performance impact in a matter of minutes and can react quickly to any application requirement. Another great step for modern data centers… Software-only business models decoupled from hardware with automation, large scale orchestration, high performance for both the physical networks and the virtual networks… This is the reality today with Cumulus Linux and VMware NSX!
Skip to content Skip to navigation Research & Ideas Search this site ‘Flow batteries’ could offer cost-effective storage for renewable power The technology has the potential to deliver solar and wind energy quickly, affordably and at normal temperatures using a liquid metal made of sodium and potassium. Liquid metals mixing in a marble-like effect Previous liquid metals that could produce an electrical current have required extremely high temperatures. \| iStock/Asya_mix A new combination of materials developed by Stanford researchers may aid in developing a rechargeable battery able to store the large amounts of renewable power created through wind or solar sources. With further development, the new technology could deliver energy to the electric grid quickly, cost effectively and at normal ambient temperatures. The technology — a type of battery known as a flow battery — has long been considered as a likely candidate for storing intermittent renewable energy. However, until now the kinds of liquids that could produce the electrical current have either been limited by the amount of energy they could deliver or have required extremely high temperatures or used very toxic or expensive chemicals. The group published their work in the July 18 issue of Joule. Separating sides Improvements ahead
The Main Critiques Of Liberal Democratic Model One of the most important political ideologies used in the modern era especially by the Western countries is liberal democracy. A liberal democratic state involves of the goals of both liberalism and democracy. This essay will talk about the critiques of liberal democracy explaining the four criteria of liberal democracy and why it works or does not work in the context to the case study countries. In a liberal democratic model, it is necessary to have some basic criteria on liberal democracy. The four criteria that will be explored in relation to the case study countries are multiple distinct political parties, separation of power into different branches of government, an idea of equality and lastly secularism. According to Gordon Smith political parties are, ‘the summation of pluralist tradition’. This means political parties are very important because of the role they play in society. Pluralists debate that there should be multiple contenders in opposing centres of power as the power should not rest in one group rather be divided and diffused (Schwarzmantel, 1994:51). Political parties represent the public interests. Likewise, multi- party system creates diversity and competition in turn parties makes efforts and try out to reach to a larger group of people making their policies relevant. It emphasises different groups of interests within the liberal democratic state which prevents any one group from dominating. As each human being have different perspective of looking at the world, similarly each party might have a different interpretation on a policy because of the different ideals and values. The main aim of political parties is to capture state power. This pluralist view applies to a country like Russia where they have multi-party system. It is practically accurate to argue that at the national level Russia has attained at least a semi-pluralistic political system, with number of national parties and the strong influence of business interests. On the other hand Elite theory rejects the pluralist theory that power can be diffused and can be divided and spread among different groups of society. Elite theory argues that the power rests in the hands of few, who are wealthy. They assert that the average person cannot be heard because the power is usually concentrated in a few at the top. Democratic elite theorists argued that the decrease in internal party democracy and meeting process did not matter much, so long as competition between parties still give voters the final power. Elite theory says that two-party or multi-party system is usually dominated by an elite. For example in a country like USA elite theory works more than the pluralist theory. United States has two parties unlike the other countries that have multi-party system. In a multi-party system, political parties usually have specialised agenda which in turn represents their interests like environment, labor or business. But in America with a more generalised system, the two parties have to please a wider range of people to be elected. Consequently, both parties act neither too liberal nor too conservative. Many people agree that United States has a two-party system but there have been few cases where third party candidate won an election. Third party candidates have to struggle to get elected. The last time when the country saw a third party presented elected was in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln became President. In the view of elite theory they agree with the two-party system in United States as campaigns costs a fortune in this country. In their view the ‘wealth buys the political power by recruiting capable individuals to serve the interests of the ruling class, and by financing the campaigns of politicians and the operation of political parties'(Module guide).Political parties are important for keeping the check and balance of power through peaceful means and are thus important in a liberal democracy. ‘Without having any form of competition then from an elitist, then there would be only one outcome and that is whatever the elite considers the best then that will be the decision’. In a country to be liberal democratic state power should be divided among different groups so that state cannot rule the masses on their own and the power is distributed among different factions of government. Pluralism critique of the state suggests a solution to how democracies can be realised in large and complex societies and how to achieve popular power and at the same time limit the power of the state. Pluralism is strictly against the totalitarian government. A pluralist society is on in which the decisions are taken by associations of citizens, acting independently of state. They assume state as a neutral actor which helps control conflicts and negotiations among groups. As all groups do not have equal resources or influence as some of the other groups in society, state does not favour any of the group rather remain neutral. Pluralism prefers a federal system of government in which power is divided among executive, legislature and judiciary. So that there is checks and balances and no one can misuse the power. Madison advocated a simple logic stating that, ‘grant independent power to the different branches of government, and each member of that branch will have a personal interest in maintaining that power and preventing the other branches from carrying out their repressive designs’. It means if the power is distributed among different bodies in the government, no person will be able to impose his or her will. Pluralist theory can apply to a country like France where there is a federal system of government although the executive is body is slightly stronger than that of legislature. However all the power does not rest with the executive, power also lies within the two remaining branches of government, the legislative, and the judiciary. The second critique which describes the state is elite theory. In their view, the separation of power is unimportant within the state because in the end unified elite hold the power. They assert that the elites will always hold power in the society in different forms and their nature will directly determine the properties of society in which they live. The post- war elite theory critique C. Wright Mills argued that important decisions made in United States policy making were most of the times made by unelected power elite. For example, Unites States has a federal system of government in which power is evenly distributed among the 3 bodies of government , namely legislature, executive and judiciary but there certain cases where there are power elite makes the decisions. For instance the head of a big American business corporation or even the President or his appointed staff. On the contrary, Marxist theory argues that economy is the most important element in the society and that the society should grow towards a classless structure with an equal distribution of power. Each citizen should be treated equally irrespective of gender, cast and religion to live in peace. Thus, idea of equality should be present in every country which makes it an important aspect of a liberal democratic country. Marxist Theory can best explain that why there is inequality among countries. Marxists states that unequal distribution of wealth is caused by exploitation in production as well as distribution of wealth. Capitalism and notion of private property creates class differences and unequal distribution of power. Private property maximises the gap between rich and poor. For instance if a person owns a property, he gets to exploit people who don’t which leads to other people working for the person who owns the property and can provide them with money. This form of organisation develops two classes, the bourgeoisie or ruling class who control and profit from the system and the working class who are much more numerous. In Marxist view wealth should be equally distributed among people. Rejecting this theory of Marxism, elite critiques argue that economic or social class forces do not determine what happens in society rather elites do. Italian writer Vilfredo Pareto criticises Marxists for overlooking the control of elite. For example in a country like America and Nigeria there is a huge income gap between rich and poor due to capitalism. The wealth is concentrated in the hands of elites which gives an adverse effect on the welfare of citizens. Utter poverty for a large percentage of the people of Nigeria is because of the mismanagement of the economy and widespread corruption by political elites. Therefore both the theories can be applied in the countries like Nigeria and United States. All the liberal democratic countries should accept that citizens should not be prevented from practicing their religion and the state is no one to interfere with the religious decisions of citizens or their institutions. Marxist sees religion as a feature only of a class-divided society. The theory argues that whichever class controls the economic production also controls the production and distribution of ideas in society via institutions such as church, education system and the media. For example, France has declared herself as a secular country having divided church and state during the French Revolution. However, over 80% of her citizens claim to be Roman Catholics, on the other hand 10% claim to be Muslim (CIA).In spite of being a secular state France does not allow manifestation of religion in public sphere. In 2004, an anti-religious law passed through legislature that banned the wearing of headscarves, turban, skullcaps, or large crosses in the public schools as (Graham, 109).Therefore looking at this example of France it can be said that the Marxist theory can describe secularism in France as the person who is ruling is passing all the laws which controls all the power in the government and can influence any law in his favour. Moreover this law in the end can lead to divisions in society. Similarly, Pluralism accepts all the religions in the society and rejects the notion that there can be a single belief in religion or culture. That is, pluralism is a simple recognition of the fact that there are many different faith groups active in the country. Pluralist theory works well in the liberal democratic countries as they demonstrate well about secularism. Pluralist theory works well in religious country like United States which is a multi-cultural society consisting of many religious groups such as Christians, Muslims, Hindus.
Why There Is No Such Thing As ‘Safe’ Tap Water Green Med Info – by Sayer Ji Water is life, as the saying goes. And it’s more than just a poetic phrase. Water is so intrinsically connected to life, if you counted all the molecules in the human body, 99% of them would be water! On average, a human life can be sustained for up to three weeks without food, but a person won’t survive more than a few days without water. Under extreme conditions, an adult can lose around one liter of water per hour, all of which needs to be readily replaced to maintain a healthy fluid balance. So, what could be more important than consuming high quality, non-contaminated water? In the United States, most of the water we utilize comes from our domestic water tap. We cook with it, we bathe in it; we use it on our yards, and in our pools. And we rarely, if ever, consider how clean or safe it is to do so. But when it comes to drinking water, quality is not something that can be sacrificed in exchange for plentiful supply. One of the most profound technological developments in the modern era was the implementation of mass public sanitation infrastructures and the subsequent availability of water free from feces and other biological contaminants. Indeed, this, along with improved nutrition and refrigeration technologies, was what was behind the widespread reduction in epidemic outbreaks in ‘infectitious diseases’ in the mid-tweintieth century and not the introduction of mass vaccination campaigns which came afterwards. Drinking unclean water can cause either acute or chronic effects, depending on the nature of the contaminant, and the concentration. Dysentery, a common water-borne bacterial infection, causes acute reactions such as intestinal inflammation, and severe diarrhea. A serious condition, dysentery causes rapid dehydration, and an infection which can be fatal, if left untreated. It is still a common third-world killer today. Yet, with the introduction of modern water sanitation technologies, another problem emerged: chronic, culminative poisoning to nonlethal doses of contaminants, such as most industrial chemicals. Fertilizer runoff, and other industrial pollutants, contaminate streams and rivers worldwide. The Illusion of Safety / Not MY Tap! It’s easy to think that living in the United States gives us a free pass from such concerns. But recent headlines speak to a darker reality. You’ve heard about the ongoing battle for clean water in Flint, Michigan. But unsafe tap water is not a localized phenomenon. Recent reports have found that 62 million Americans are exposed to unsafe drinking water, and that chemical contaminants in tap water could be the cause of 100,000 cancer cases in the United States. Yet often, these flag-raising issues don’t trigger safety responses until people start getting sick. Safeguarding the health of our bodies includes ensuring that the water we drink has been properly filtered, or comes from a known-clean source such as a spring or an uncontaminated well. Only trust bottled water that comes from a reputable company. And don’t let being in a nice restaurant in a big city lull you into a sense of complacency. From New York City to Encinitas, Portland to Boulder, veritable meccas of food quality and health consciousness are serving unfiltered tap water. You don’t have to see it to believe it. Lead and Fluoride: Lethal Offenders Among the most common water contaminants, none are as dangerous to our health as lead and fluoride. Studies show even low-dose lead exposure can cause brain damage and developmental problems in young people. Lead leaches into water systems through old, corroded pipes like the ones found in many turn-of-the-century cities and towns. This problem will worsen in coming years, as 20th century infrastructure continues to decay, and increased testing efforts raise awareness. Fluoride is one of the greatest cons ever perpetrated on the American public. While some areas of the country can have high-levels of naturally occurring fluoride, the type that is added to about 90% of municipal water supplies are the silicofluorides, fluorosilicic acid (FSA) and sodium fluosilicate (NaFSA), by-products of the aluminum industry. Done under the assertion that it helps prevent dental caries in underserved populations, this claim has been widely debunked in recent years. Authors of A Critical Review of the Physiological Effects of Ingested Fluoride, concluded that “Available evidence suggests that fluoride has a potential to cause major adverse human health problems, while having only a modest dental caries prevention effect.” These studies show that dental remineralization occurs when small amounts of fluoride are topically applied to teeth, not when ingested. Although the medical establishment works hard to hide the dangers of fluoride, science is beginning to sound the alarm. In 2014, fluoride was added to a growing list of developmental neurotoxins, and the evidence of a link between ingested fluoride and the development of cancer is deepening. What are some of the lesser-known but still frighteningly common contaminants being found in our drinking water? We’ve compiled five of the top reasons to find an alternative to tap water. (And no, single-step carbon filters don’t fix the problem.) Read the rest here: https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/why-there-no-such-thing-safe-tap-water 6 thoughts on “Why There Is No Such Thing As ‘Safe’ Tap Water 1. “Only trust bottled water that comes from a reputable company.” Only two I know of that passed the ‘reputable’ test. Evian (which I don’t care for) & Fiji water, which I consider to be the best TASTING water I’ve ever had. btw… it costs just as much there as here. 2. We had good well water until a neighboring municipality took it over, UN Agenda 2030 style. Now, they “treat” it with chlorine, so they tell us. And we now pay $100/month. 3. Microcystin This is the shit that’s in my water Has been for decades and getting worse They won’t talk about it , they don’t want you to know I refuse to cook with it or drink it ( boiling only concentrates the issue ) Amazing how many people are totally unaware of it I truck my water home and have a safe reservoir in my barn to store it in ,60 gallons at a time Only flushing their water in my toilet and showering with it And doing this is also saving me money Less on my water bill which is pro rated for my sewage bill so less on my waste water bill too These water clowns have done enough health damage , I’ve decided not to play But for dam near 15 years before I was made aware and did my own research and came up with a solution 4. I use a table top stainless steal distiller that distills 1 gallon at a time and only drink and cook with distilled water. I take trace minerals from a reputable source. All you have to see is the crud in the bottom of the distiller to never want to drink tap water again. 1. Been thinking of getting a RO unit for my kitchen sink Or a whole house water line filter Just not convinced yet that it would solve my problem, without adding another issue or problem to deal with Join the Conversation
Don't Miss a Chance to Chat With Experts. It's Free! Bluetooth Simulation Essay Topic: Stop Using Plagiarized Content. Get a 100% Unique Essay on Bluetooth Simulation for $13,9/Page. Get Essay WHAT IS BLUETOOTH? 4. BLUETOOTH SPECIFICATIONS 5. BLUETOOTH NETWORKS 6. HOW DOES BLUETOOTH WORK? 7. BLUETOOTH PROTOCOL STACK 8. BLUETOOTH SECURITY 9. APPLICATIONS 10. MERITS AND DEMERITS INTRODUCTION: Bluetooth was originally conceived to replace the rat’s nest of cables typical in any PC setup today and this remains a compelling home application. However, as the Bluetooth evolved it became clear that it would also enable a totally new networking paradigm, Personal Area Networks (PANs)! With PAN technology a user will be able to organize a collection of personal electronic products (their PDA, cell phone, laptop, desktop, MP3 player, etc. ) to automatically work together. For instance the contact manager and calendar in the PDA, laptop, and desktop could all automatically synchronize whenever they are within range of each other). Over time PANs will revolutionize the user experience of consumer electronics. Finally, Bluetooth’s dynamic nature will also revolutionize connectivity to the rest of the world. Bluetooth will automatically discover devices and services nearby so available servers, internet access, printers etc. will automatically become visible to a Bluetooth device wherever it is. HISTORY: Bluetooth is an open specification for short range wireless voice and data communications that was originally developed for cable replacement in personal area networking to operate all over the world. By enabling standardized wireless communication between any electrical devices, Bluetooth has created the notion of a personal Area Network (PAN), a kind of close range wireless network that looks set to revolutionize the way people interact with the information technology landscape around them. In 1994 the initial study for development of this technology started at Ericsson, Sweden. In 1998, Ericsson, Nokia, IBM, Toshiba, and Intel formed a Special Interest Group (SIG) to expand the concept and develop a standard under IEEE 802. 15 WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network ). In 1999, the first specification was released and accepted as the IEEE 802. 15 WPAN standard for 1Mbps networks. The Bluetooth SIG considers three basic scenarios: • The first basic scenario is the Cable Replacement ie. the wire replacement to connect a PC or laptop to its keyboard, mouse, microphone, and notepad. It avoids the multiple short range wiring surroundings of today’s personal computing devices. • The second scenario is ad hoc networking of several different users at very short range in an area such as a conference room. The third scenario is to use Bluetooth as an AP to the wide area voice and data services provided by the cellular networks, wired connections or satellite links. Why the name Bluetooth? The story of origin of name Bluetooth is interesting. ”Bnluetooth” was the nickname of Harald Blaatand, 10th century Viking who united Denmark and Norway. When Bluetooth specification was introduced to public, a stone carving, erected from Harald Blaatand’s capital city Jelling was also presented. This strange carving was interpreted as Bluetooth connecting a cellular phone and a wireless notepad in his hands. The picture was used to symbolize the vision in using Bluetooth to connect personal computing and communication devices. What is BLUETOOTH? [pic] Figure1: Bluetooth system blocks The Bluetooth system consists of a radio unit, a link control unit, and a support unit for link management and host terminal interface functions (see Figure 1). The Host Controller Interface (HCI) provides the means for a host device to access Bluetooth hardware capabilities. For example, a laptop computer could be the host device and a PC card inserted in the PC is the Bluetooth device. All commands from the host to the Bluetooth module and events from the module to the host go through the HCI interface. The protocol stack is above the radio and baseband hardware, partly residing in the Bluetooth unit and partly in the host device. A Bluetooth solution can also be implemented as a one-processor architecture (embedded solution) where the application resides together with the Bluetooth protocols in the same hardware. In that case, the HCI is not needed. This is a feasible implementation for simple devices such as accessories or micro servers. Requirements of Bluetooth technology: • If Bluetooth technology is to replace cables, it can not be much more expensive than a cable or nobody will buy it. • Because Bluetooth technology is designed for mobile devices it must be able to run on batteries. So it must be very low power and should run on low voltages. • It must also be lightweight and small enough not to intrude on the design of compact mobile devices such as cellular phones, handsets etc. • It must be as reliable as the cable it replaces and also it must be resilient. • Bluetooth devices operate at 2. GHz in globally available, license free ISM band, which obey a basic set of power and spectral emission and interference specifications. THUS Bluetooth has to be very robust, as there are many existing users and polluters of this shared spectrum. Thus Bluetooth aims to be widely available, inexpensive, convenient, easy to use, reliable, small and low power. Specifications related with Bluetooth: \|PARAMETER \|VALUES \| \|Frequency Range \|2. – 2. 4835 GHz \| \|Bandwidth of each channel \|1MHz \| \|Data rate \|1 Mbps \| \|Frequency hopping rate \|1600 hops per seconds \| \|Range of operation \|10-100 meters \| Bluetooth system operates in 2. GHz Industrial Scientific Medicine (ISM) band. The operating band is divided into 1MHz spaced channels each signaling data at 1 Mbps so as to obtain maximum available channel bandwidth with chosen modulation scheme of GFSK (Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying). Using GFSK, a binary 1 give rise to a positive frequency deviation from the nominal carrier frequency while binary 0 gives rise to a negative frequency deviation. After each packet both devices retune their radio to a different frequency, effectively hopping from radio channel from radio channel. In this way Bluetooth devices use the whole of available ISM band and if transmission is compromised by interference on one channel, the retransmission will always be on a different channel. You read "Bluetooth Simulation" in category "Papers" Each Bluetooth time slot lasts 625 microseconds giving rise to frequency hopping rate of 1600 hops per seconds. Generally devices hop once per packet. .For long data transmission, particular users may occupy multiple time slots using the same transmission frequency thus slowing instantaneous hopping rate to below 1600 hops/ sec. BLUETOOTH NETWORKS: PICCONETS AND SCATTERNET: The Bluetooth network is called a piconet. In the simplest case it means that two devices are connected (see Figure 2a). The device that initiates the connection is called a master and the other devices are called slaves. The majority of Bluetooth applications will be point-to-point applications. Bluetooth connections are typically ad hoc connections, which means that the network will be established just for the current task and then dismantled after the data transfer has been completed. A master can have simultaneous connections (point-to-multipoint) to up to seven slaves (see Figure2b). Then, however, the data rate is limited. One device can also be connected in two or more piconets. The set-up is called scatternet (see Figure 2c). A device can, however, only be a master to one piconet at a time. Support for hold, park, or sniff mode is needed for a device to be part of the scatternet. In these modes a device does not actively participate in a piconet, leaving time for other activities such as participating in another piconet, for example. The master/slave roles are not necessarily fixed and can also be changed during the connection if, for example, the master does not have enough esources to manage the piconet. Master/slave switch is also needed in the scatternet. Master/slave switch support is not mandatory. Most of current Bluetooth implementations support piconets only. Point-to-multipoint support depends on the implementation Figure 2. Bluetooth piconet and scatternet scenarios: a) Point-to-point connection between two devices b) Point-to-multipoint connection between a master and three slaves c) Scatternet that consists of three piconets Modes of operation: In connection state, the Bluetooth unit can be in several modes of operation. Sniff, hold, and park modes are used to save power or to free the capacity of a piconet: Active mode: In the active mode, the Bluetooth unit actively participates on the channel. Sniff mode: In the sniff mode, the duty cycle of the slave’s listen activity can be reduced. This means that the master can only start transmission in specified time slots. Hold mode: While in connection state, the ACL link to a slave can be put in a hold (possible SCO links are still supported). In hold mode, the slave can do other things, such as scanning, paging, inquiring, or attending another piconet. Park mode: If a slave does not need to participate in the piconet but still wants to remain synchronized to the channel (to participate in the piconet again later), it can enter the park mode. It gives up its active member address. Park mode is useful if there are more than seven devices that occasionally need to participate in the same piconet. The parked slave wakes up regularly to listen to the channel in order to re-synchronize and to check for broadcast messages sent by the master.. FREQUENCY HOPPING : Bluetooth technology uses a frequency hopping technique, which means that every packet is transmitted on a different frequency. In most countries, 79 channels can be used. With a fast hop rate (1600 hops per second), good interference protection is achieved. Another benefit is a short packet length. If some other device is jamming the transmission of a packet, the packet is resent in another frequency determined by the frequency scheme of the master. This scenario is depicted in Figure 3 where packets of device 1 (colored packets) and device 2 (banded packets) are trying to use the same frequency. Note that this case only refers to situations where there are two or more simultaneous active piconets or a non-Bluetooth device using the same frequency in range. The error correction algorithms are used to correct the fault caused by jammed transmissions Figure 4. Three-slot and five-slot long packets reduce overhead compared to one-slot packets. 220 µs switching time after the packet is needed for changing the frequency. Subsequent time slots are used for transmitting and receiving. The nominal slot length is 625 (s. A packet nominally covers a single slot, but can be extended to cover three or five slots, as depicted in Figure 4. In multi-slot packets the frequency remains the same until the entire packet is sent. When using a multi-slot packet, the data rate is higher because the header and a 220 (s long switching time after the packet are needed only once in each packet. On the other hand, the robustness is reduced: in a crowded environment the long packets will more probably be lost HOW DOES BLUETOOTH WORKS? Bluetooth devices have 4 basic States. They can be a Master (in control of a Piconet — represented by a large blue circle above), an Active Slave (connected and actively monitoring/participating on a Piconet — medium orange circles), a Passive Slave (still logically part of a Piconet but in a low power, occasionally monitoring but still synchronized, inactive, state — medium gray circles), and Standby (not connected to a Piconet, occasionally monitoring for inquiries from other devices, but not synchronized with any other devices — small white circles). IN IDEAL STATE Bluetooth devices initially know only about themselves and in this state they will be in Standby mode. Standby is a passive mode where a Bluetooth device listens on an occasional basis performing what are called Inquiry and/or Page Scans for 10 milliseconds out of every 1. 28 seconds to see if any other Bluetooth devices are looking to communicate. Passive behavior is inherent to half of Bluetooth’s states and is a key mechanism to achieving very low power. In Standby mode the Bluetooth device’s occasional attention reduces power consumption by over 98%. While all of the Bluetooth devices in the same mode it is important to note that they are NOT synchronized or coordinated in any way. Thus they are all listening at different times and on different frequencies. [pic] Enquiry and page procedures lead to connections ENQUIRY: Inquiry is how a Bluetooth device learns about other devices that are within its range. In the illustration above Node A executes a Page Function on the BT Inquiry ID and receives replies from other devices. Through these replies device A learns the explicit identity of these other devices (i. e. their unique Bluetooth device ID). During the Inquiry process device A continuously broadcasts the Page command using the reserved Inquiry ID which identifies it as as a Page Inquiry. These broadcasts are spread across a standard pattern of 32 Standby radio frequencies which all devices in Standby mode monitor on an occasional basis. Over a duration of some seconds it is certain that every Standby device within range will have received the Inquiry Page even though they are not synchronized in any way. By convention these nodes will respond with a standard FHS packet that provides their unique BT ID and their clock offset. With these parameters the Inquiring node can effect low latency synchronized connections. Node H (the dotted circle above) illustrates how a Bluetooth device can be programmed to remain anonymous (Undiscoverable in BT jargon). This is a user controlled feature that suspends Inquiry Scanning, and thus device A’s Inquiry Procedure cannot discover Device B It is important to note that device H will continue to support Page Scanning however, and thus a user’s other personal devices (i. e. PAN) can penetrate this barrier by Paging directly to its unique Bluetooth ID. This is information that PAN devices can be configured to know and remember thus enabling private collaboration even when devices are undiscoverable. PAGING: In its general form the Page command establishes a formal device to device link between a Master (the originator) and a Slave. Master/Slave connections in Bluetooth are referred to as a Piconet. To create the piconet device A broadcasts the Page command with the explicit device ID of the target Slave (B in the illustration above) which was learned earlier through an Inquiry Procedure. Further, this connection can be very low latency if the Inquiry data is recent (and thus synchronization can be accurate), but the process will simply take longer if this is not the case. All Bluetooth devices except B will ignore this command as it is not addressed to them. When the device B replies, device A will send it an FHS packet back and assign it an Active Member Address in the Piconet. As an Active Slave device B will begin continuously monitoring for further commands from device A in synchronization with device A’s hopping pattern and clock offset. Further, standard Piconet activity continuously updates the clock offset data keeping the synchronization extremely accurate. Thus the Master and Slave states are not low power but exhibit very low transaction latencies. EXPANDING A PICCONET: Through successive Page commands a Bluetooth Master can attach up to 7 Active Slaves. 7 is a hard limit as only 3 bits are allocated in Bluetooth for the Active Member Address (AMA) with 000 reserved for the Master and the remaining addresses allocated to Slaves. Practically, 7 is more than sufficient given Bluetooth’s modest performance and dynamic configurability. Again, all Active Slaves to A continuously monitor for further commands addressed to them in synchronization with device A’s hopping pattern. PARKING: Parking is a mechanism that allows a Bluetooth Master to connect to an additional 256 devices. 56 is a hard limit as 8 bits are allocated in Bluetooth for the Parked Member Address (PMA). To Park a device the Bluetooth Master issues a Park command to an Active Slave and assigns it a PMA. This Slave then enters the Parked mode and surrenders its AMA. As a Parked Slave the device will revert to a passive mode and only monitor for commands on an occasional basis. The difference between Standby and Parked however is that the Slave will remain synchronized to the Master’s hopping pattern and regularly update its clock offset. Thus this device can be reconnected at any time with a minimum latency. BLUETOOTH PROTOCOLS: Protocols are needed to implement different profiles and usage models. Every profile uses at least part of the protocol stack. In order to achieve interoperability between two Bluetooth devices, they both must have the same vertical profile of the protocol stack. Bluetooth Core Protocols Baseband and Link Control together enable a physical RF link between Bluetooth units forming a piconet. This layer is responsible for synchronizing the transmission-hopping frequency and clocks ofdifferent Bluetooth devices [Whitepaper1, p. ]. Audio is routed directly to and from Baseband. Any two Bluetooth devices supporting audio can send and receive audio data between each other just by opening an audio link . Link Manager Protocol (LMP) is responsible for link set-up (authentication and encryption, control, and negotiation of baseband packets) between Bluetooth devices and for power modes and connection states of a Bluetooth unit. Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol (L2CAP) takes care of multiplexing, reassembly, and segmentation of packets. Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) is needed when requesting device information, services, and the characteristics of other devices. Devices have to support the same service in order to establish a connection with each other. Cable Replacement Protocol RFCOMM emulates RS-232 signals and can thus be used in applications that were formerly implemented with a serial cable (e. g. , a connection between a laptop computer and a mobile phone). Telephony Protocol Binary (TCS-BIN) defines the call control signaling for the establishment of speech and data call between Bluetooth devices. AT commands provide means for controlling a mobile phone or a modem. Adopted Protocols OBEX (Object Exchange) is adopted from IrDA. It is a session protocol that provides means for simple and spontaneous object and data transfer. It is independent of the transport mechanism and transport Application Programming Interface (API). TCP/UDP/IP is defined to operate in Bluetooth units allowing them to communicate with other units connected, for instance, to the Internet. The TCP/IP/PPP protocol configuration is used for all Internet Bridge usage scenarios in Bluetooth 1. and for OBEX in future versions. The UDP/IP/PPP configuration is available as transport for WAP. PPP in the Bluetooth technology is designed to run over RFCOMM to accomplish point-to-point connections. PPP is a packet-oriented protocol and must therefore use its serial mechanisms to convert the packet data stream into a serial data stream. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) stack can reside on top of RFCOMM (based on LAN Access Profile) or on top of L2CAP (based on PAN Profile). The latter reduces overhead and is likely to become the preferred solution for WAP over Bluetooth. Wireless Application Environment (WAE) hosts the WAP browser environment. Dial up networking (DUN) profile protocol stack: DUN profile is inside the Serial Port Profile and therefore partly reuses the capabilities of the Serial Port Profile. For the DUN Profile, there are two device configurations (roles): • Gateway (GW) is the device that provides access to the public network (typically mobile phones and modems) • Data terminal (DT) is the device that uses the dial-up services of the gateway (typically PCs) The DUN Profile needs a two-piece protocol stack and an SDP branch. PPP over RFCOMM is needed for transferring payload data. AT commands are delivered over RFCOMM to control the modem (mobile phone). The application on top of the stack is either a driver application on a PC (data terminal) or the modem emulation on a phone (gateway). Bluetooth security: secret key All Bluetooth devices (master and slave) share a secret key in a particular system. This key is used during the authentication and encryption process. This key is not transmitted over the channel but is rather in-built by the manufacturer. AUTHENTICATION Authentication ensures the identity of Bluetooth devices. Authorization is a process of deciding if a device is allowed to have access to a specific service. User interaction may be required unless the remote device has been marked as “trusted. ” Usually the user an set authorization on/off to every remote device separately. Authorization always requires authentication. Authentication in Bluetooth is performed by an encryption engine which uses the SAFER+ algo. This algorithm requires the following: • Number to be encrypted or decrypted • master address • Master clock secret key shared by master and slave. A random number is generated by the encryption engine using various keys. This random number is encrypted by the master using the secret key. This number is also sent to the slave. The encrypted reply of the slave is compared with the master encrypted data. If it is a match then the slave is authentic. BONDING AND PAIRING Pairing is a procedure that authenticates two devices based on a common passkey, thereby creating a trusted relationship between those devices. An arbitrary but identical passkey must be entered on both devices. As long as both devices are paired, the pairing procedure is not required when connecting those devices again (the existing link key is used for authentication). Devices without any input method, like headsets, have fixed passkeys. When two devices are linked with a common link the connection is called as bonding. There are two types of bonding: • Dedicated bonding: Used to create and exchange a link key between two devices. • General bonding: Data over the link is available for higher layers. ENCRYPTION Encryption protects communication against eavesdropping. For example, it ensures that nobody can listen to what a laptop transmits to a phone. Encryption demands the following: • Negotiating encryption mode • Negotiating key sizes-The key size could vary from 8 to 128 bits • Starting encryption • Stopping encryption SECURITY LEVELS A trusted device has been previously authenticated, a link key is stored, and the device is marked as “trusted” in the security database of a device. The device can access Bluetooth services without user acceptance. An untrusted device has been previously authenticated, a link key is stored, but the device is not marked as “trusted. Access to services requires acceptance of the user. An unknown device means that there is no security information on this device. This is also an untrusted device. Security Level of Services Authorization required: Access is only granted automatically to trusted devices or untrusted devices after an authorization procedure (‘Do you accept connection from remote device? ’). Authentication is always required. Authentication required: The remote device must be authenticated before connecting to the application. Encryption required: The link must be changed to encrypted before accessing the service. It is also possible that a service does not require any of these mechanisms. On the other hand, the application (service) might have its own user authentication mechanisms (a PIN code, for example). APPLICATIONS: 1. Bluetooth in the home will ultimately eliminate most every cable related to consumer electronics (except power). Your PC, scanner, and printer will simply need to be within 10 meters of each other in order to work. Your PDA, digital camera, and MP3 player will no longer need a docking station to transfer files or get the latest tunes (the exception will be to recharge, that power thing again). And, your home stereo and other equipment will join the party too. On the telephone front your cell phone will synchronize its address book with your PC and function as a handset to your cordless phone in the house (answering incoming calls to your home number and calling out on the cheaper land line too). Finally, even though its only 720Kbps, Bluetooth is still pretty fine for broadband internet access since DSL and cable modems are typically throttled to about 384K anyway. Bluetooth access points could well be as ubiquitous as 56K modems in 2 or 3 years. . On the road much of your Bluetooth PAN goes with you. Even when your laptop is in your briefcase and your cell phone is in your pocket they will be able to collaborate to access e-mail. And, next generation cell phones featuring Bluetooth and General Packet Radio (GPR) technology will function as a wireless modems with internet access at 100Kbps+. With such performance it is likely web based e-business will flourish and these devices will become the most prevalent Bluetooth access points. This may well be the Killer App that ensures Bluetooth’s widespread adoption and success. When you are literally on the road your car will join your PAN too. Here your cell phone may operate in a hands free mode using the car audio system and an in-dash microphone even while comfortably in your pocket. Or you may use a wireless Bluetooth headset instead. And, your MP3 player will likely play music in 8 speaker surround sound, rip music right off of an FM broadcast, or record your phone calls for later review. And all without wires!!! Fixed land line access points (supporting up to 720Kbps) such as a pay phone in the airport terminal or lounge, or the desk phone in your hotel, will provide true broadband access in these strategic locations. Also look for the pay phone to evolve to compete for your cell phone calls too with its low cost land lines. In the world of deregulation and open competition future smart phones may even put your calls out for bid and channel the traffic over the carrier offering the lowest cost! 3. Telephone applications • Hands free use • File synchronization • Calendars • Contact management Land line I/F for voice and data 4. Consumer applications • File transfer • MP3 • Digital pictures • Peripheral connectivity • Keyboard/mouse/remote • Printer ADVANTAGES: 1. Point to point and point to multiple links 2. Voice and data links 3. Compact form factor 4. Low power 5. Low cost 6. Robust frequency hopping and error correction 7. Profiles ensure application level 8. High level of security through frequency hopping, encryption and authentication 9. Non directional 10. Unlicensed ISM band LIMITATIONS: 1. 8 Devices per piconet with limited extension via scatternet 2. Short range 3. No handover facility 4. Maximum data rate of 723. 2 Kb/s 5. occupies the crowded ISM band 6. Slow connection setup References: • Bluetooth 1. 1 —Jenifer Bray • Wireless Communication -Krishnamurthy • Bluetooth Specifications, Bluetooth SIG at http://www. bluetooth. com • Bluetooth Protocol Architecture v1. 0, Riku Mettala, Bluetooth SIG, August 1999 http://www. bluetooth. org/foundry/sitecontent/document/whitepapers_presentations • Bluetooth Security Architecture, Thomas Muller, Bluetooth SIG, July 1999 http://www. bluetooth. rg/foundry/sitecontent/document/whitepapers_presentations • Comprehensive Description of the Bluetooth System v0. 9p, Dan Sonnerstam, Bluetooth SIG, May 1998 http://info. nsu. ac. kr/cwb-data/data/ycra2/comprehensive_description_of_the_BT_system. pdf • Bluetooth Technology Overview, version 1. 0, April 2003 http://forum. nokia. com ———————– [pic] Digital Camera Computer Scanner Home Audio System MP3 Player PDA Cell Phone Operational States Master Active Slave Parked Slave* Standby* ON THE ROAD Laptop PDA Cell Phone MP3 Player Headset Hotel Phone & Access Point How to cite Bluetooth Simulation, Papers Choose cite format: Bluetooth Simulation. (2017, Feb 22). Retrieved June 6, 2020, from
Chinese English Dictionary 中文, 汉语, 漢語 - English 中国 in English: 1. China China hand painted china China shares borders with Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Mongolia and Russia. Of course, I learnt about China from textbooks when I was in Japan, but what I see for myself in China is completely different from what is described in those textbooks. During the 15th century, the Ryukyu Kingdom was a tributary state of Imperial China. The giant panda is recognised as a national treasure of China, but in some conservation areas it is still killed by poachers. What would happen if two powerful nations with different languages - such as United States and China - would agree upon the experimental teaching of Esperanto in elementary schools? As figures from the National Development and Reform Committee show, the Internet has developed rapidly in rural China. As commercial and cultural contacts between East and West developed, Arab and Persian traders began calling on China along the Silk Road in increasing numbers. I still remember the first time I was in China; I was in Shandong, and I realised that that province alone is twenty six thousand square kilometres bigger than England. For instance, there are shops in which one can buy hats, umbrellas, toys, stationery, china, jewellery, records, flowers, cameras or electrical appliances. In the midst of the dollar falling hard against the Yen and other major Eastern currencies the Chinese Yuan, with China effectively taking a 'dollar peg' policy, has become cheap. It is estimated that only a few hundred pandas remain, with a small number of them being raised in zoos in China and abroad. English word "中国"(China) occurs in sets: 1000 most important Chinese words 1 - 50 HSK1 101 - 156
Chinese English Dictionary 中文, 汉语, 漢語 - English 葡萄 in English: 1. grapes grapes I like grapes. These grapes taste sour. Tom bought a bunch of grapes and I ate them. Someone has brought us some grapes. Mother sent us grapes packed in a box. Do you prefer red or green grapes? He was too short to get at the grapes. They shall no longer say: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ Criticisms that Japan's market is closed are just sour grapes. I like such fruits as grapes and peaches. In Aesop's Fables is a story called "Sour Grapes". White grapes aren't really white. They're green or yellow. one of a number of small round green or purple fruits that grow together on a vine. Grapes are often used for making wine: a bunch of grapes She is picking over a basket of grapes. English word "葡萄"(grapes) occurs in sets: Fruit in Chinese
Veterinarian-written / veterinarian-approved articles for your cat. Clicker Training for Cats: Sit Clicker training sit stay for cats. Many people believe that it's impossible to teach a cat to come or to sit. These are dog tricks, surely! But it is entirely possible to teach these things to your cat, and they will help you both to enjoy your relationship more. Clicker training cats to sit and stay is not only possible, it's fun for you and your cat. Teaching your cat how to sit on cue is a foundation behavior that will come into play in many situations. From having your cat stay put when needed to redirecting her away from inappropriate behavior, the sit command will give your cat something positive to do and help her to focus on you instead of a stressful or exciting situation. Sitting is a natural behavior for your cat but doing so on cue is a different story. Most cats would rather come and rub on you. Some might come and investigate what you are up to and then leave again. Useful Situations for Sitting There will be many times when you will need your cat to sit. Not only is it a prelude to the sit/stay command and other behaviors, but it is also a means of reducing your cat's stress during new or stressful situations such as these: • Getting a health check • Learning to stay off of counter tops • Meeting new people • Grooming and bathing • Making sure she doesn't escape outside when doors are open Targeting Into Position Once your cat has a full understanding of the meaning of the clicker and the target spoon, as described in this article, you can use the target spoon to guide your cat into a sitting position, then click and reward her. 1. Begin the training by having your cat target on the spoon. When she puts her nose near it to sniff the food on the spoon, click and reward her. 2. During the next attempt, hold the target spoon just over your cat's head. When she looks up at it, click and reward her. 3. Repeat this step 2-3 more times until your cat readily puts her head up while targeting on the spoon. 4. Next, bring the spoon back further over her head so that she has to lower her rear end in order to follow the spoon with her eyes. As she does this, click and reward her. 5. Gradually require more and more of an actual sitting position prior to each click and reward. Be sure not hold the target spoon so high over your cat's head that she feels that she must rise up into the air in order to target on it. Keep it just a few inches over her head so that she shifts her weight onto her haunches as she follows the spoon. Come and Sit Commands Eventually, you will want your cat to come to you and also sit when she arrives. This keeps her near you for other purposes, such as more training exercises or whatever you need to do with her. Up to this point, you have had to use the target spoon to gain your cat's attention for both the come and the sit commands. Now it's time to add another cue for when your cat can't see you-tapping a surface. Once she's nearby, you can use the target spoon to lure her even closer and into a sitting position. 1. Begin by using the target spoon as a lure while your cat is within sight of you. Tap a hard surface with your free hand as you tell your kitty to come. 2. After several repetitions, your cat will associate the hand-tap with the verbal command to come. Test this by moving further and further away from your cat with each repetition. If she should not come to you directly from a certain distance, move closer and try again. Repeat each distance as many times as is necessary for your cat to come to you consistently from that distance before moving further away. 3. Once your cat has learned to come to a tap, lure her into a sitting position with your target spoon. Always click and reward your cat the moment that she attains the proper sitting position. Training sessions generally work best when they are kept to five to six repetitions. If your cat acts frustrated or becomes disinterested, give her a break and try again later. Never use punishment to try and train your cat! Your cat may learn to be afraid of you, hide, become aggressive, or develop negative behaviors if she is stressed because of the punishment. Throughout the training process, offer lots of enthusiastic praise and petting immediately after a training session. Many cats enjoy your touch as much as they enjoy the food rewards and, eventually, the praise may be all that is required to reinforce the behavior that you're looking for. You May Also Like These Articles: Clicker Training for Cats: An Overview How to Train Your Cat to Walk on a Leash Training Your Cat To Use A Pet Carrier Training Your Cat To Stay Off The Kitchen Counter Cat Training: Know the Basics Clicker Training for Cats: Sit
Coronavirus, Summer Heat, And Poverty Could Create A ‘Triple Whammy’ In The U.S. More people in the U.S. die a year due to heat than all other forms of weather. As the country approaches summer, the risk is even more dangerous due to the coronavirus pandemic. Not everyone has access to air conditioning or cooling at home during heat waves. That’s especially true for low-income families or communities of colour in the U.S. Typically, cities and towns open up cooling centres in public spaces such as libraries or schools to prevent heat-related illness. Or families will flock to beaches or pools in search of relief. However, social distancing measures make this more complicated, forcing people to choose between risking covid-19 and heat-related illnesses. The people most at risk from heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke or death, are the same people at risk of covid-19. The virus is most lethal to older individuals—though not even young people are safe—and people already suffering from underlying health issues. In the U.S., that puts a target on communities of colour, particularly black people who already face higher rates of asthma and diabetes. We’re already seeing the virus take a disproportionate toll on communities of colour, especially black, indigenous, and Latinx communities. The U.S. is already seeing the consequences of extreme heat play out as record temperatures hit the Southwest. An excessive heat warning was in effect in Death Valley National Park over the weekend. Los Angeles County opened its cooling centres last week in response to extreme heat, but it did so in accordance with social distancing measures. In the LA region, 40 per cent of homes still don’t have access to cooling, according to a 2019 study. A follow-up analysis of that study found that most of these homes are located in low-income census tracts. History’s probably got a lot to do with it: Research has found that communities across the U.S. that experienced redlining—the government-sanctioned practice of segregation—are hotter than those that were don’t. That’s likely due to a confluence of factors, including more paved infrastructure like highways that traps heat and a lack of parks and greenspace. “We see that a lot of the same populations that are most vulnerable to extreme heat events because they don’t have access to air conditioning at home are also the populations that are particularly susceptible to covid-19,” Kelly Sanders, an engineering professor at the University of Southern California and co-author to the redlining research, told Earther. “There are certainly overlaps between these two public health crises .” A group of men social distance at a cooling centre as temperatures rise amid the pandemic on May 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Photo: AP) While May has been largely cool so far for the eastern half of the U.S., that’s likely to change with the summer, according to the National Weather Service. The heat could be particularly brutal in the South where humidity and high temperatures make a deadly mix. The risk of coronavirus infection will make this all the more dangerous, especially as southern states begin to prematurely reopen their economies. In Georgia, where businesses began to reopen in late April, projections show the number of deaths may rise. The last thing this region needs is increased heat that will put a population not social distancing in even more contact. In the face of the virus, it’s never been clearer people need regular access to air conditioning or cooling at home. Until poverty is alleviated, however, an amenity many take for granted will remain out of reach for the families that need it most. The energy required to power these machines isn’t cheap, and right now, households are having a tough time as is paying utility bills as the unemployment rate skyrockets and people are left without income. Utilities aren’t making this any easier. Shutoffs—whether they are related to water or power—are a very real threat for people across the country who can’t pay their bills. Even people who own an air conditioner may be hesitant to run it if they can’t afford the cost, especially if they’ve lost their job. “It would be a triple whammy right for people who are low income and minority people of colour who don’t have access to air conditioning at home or cannot afford to run it ,” Astrid Caldas, a senior climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists’ climate and energy program, told Earther. Different municipalities are taking different approaches to deal with this. The New York Times reports some cities are considering renting out hotel rooms to keep homeless people out of scorching heat. Others are looking to subsidise energy costs or the purchase of cooling units altogether. These are fine short-term solutions, but neither will erase the problem entirely. So long as communities remain in the throes of poverty, the problem will persist. “A lot of people are now criticising our response to this global pandemic because we were warned that there was a risk of something like this, and we were clearly not as ready as we could’ve been,” Sanders said. “I think you could say the same thing about climate change. We know that these extreme heat events are already happening, and we know that in the future they’re going to be happening with more frequency, so we really have to get out in front of it and start to prepare so that we have plans in place to protect our most vulnerable communities.” The climate crisis will further test the limits of the heat people can handle. Communities need long-term solutions—and fast. Summer is around the corner. So is hurricane season. So is wildfire season. As for the climate crisis, it’s already here. We need to get ready.
All You Ever Wanted to Know About the Titanic Donald S. Roberts (Letters, Sept. 21) suggests that the Titanic be raised and kept in a state of preservation for historic studies. Should this be done, care will need to be taken that “vultures” don’t pick her to pieces on land as some have proposed to do to her underwater. She’s much more valuable in her two pieces (the stern is detached) than she would be as flagpoles, bells, whistles, steel plates, etc., in lots of people’s garages. The news media have ignored, so far, a few anecdotes about that great liner. When news of her discovery was announced, Associated Press sent out a photo of the Titanic’s twin sister, Olympic, claiming her to be the Titanic. The two had the same silhouette, but the forward portion of the Titanic’s promenade deck was glass-enclosed, while it was open to the chilly North Atlantic breezes on the Olympic (1911-1937). The Olympic was scrapped in 1937 as a Depression casualty, but the paneling from her Jacobean dining room, similar to the Titanic’s, was saved and reinstalled in a British hotel, where it remains today. A third sister ship, the Britannic (1914-1916), became a hospital ship in World War I, struck a mine in the Mediterranean area, and went down rather fast. She was explored several years ago. Most people on the Titanic did not “go down” with the ship but soon froze to death in the icy water. Many bodies were discovered later and now rest in graves in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. The White Star Line, which owned the Titanic, was a subsidiary of the International Mercantile Marine, which had been put together early in the century by American financier J.P. Morgan. The Leyland Line, owner of the Californian, which did not go to the rescue, was also an IMM subsidiary. While the Californian has received much bad publicity for not going to the rescue, and I’m sure deserves the negative comments, there is a later controversy about a Norwegian sealing vessel named Samson, claimed to have been in the area but avoided the Titanic because of having a cargo of illegal seal pelts. In 1962 the wire services carried a report of an old Norwegian captain on his deathbed admitting to having steered away from the Titanic to avoid detection of his illegal cargo. However, there have been subsequent reports placing the Samson on the other side of the world on April 14-15, 1912. The Samson story needs more research. I talked with Titanic survivor Edwina Celia Troutt MacKenzie (1884-1984) of Hermosa Beach and she told of being in Lifeboat No. 13 and seeing the lights of a ship coming straight toward them, then turn away. If the Californian was dead in the water, it would seem that some other vessel must have been nearby. Pico Rivera
Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark Read Caption A rainbow trout photographed at Genoa National Fish Hatchery in Wisconsin Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark Rainbow Trout Colorful Appearance Rainbow trout, also called redband trout, are gorgeous fish, with coloring and patterns that vary widely depending on habitat, age, and spawning condition. They are torpedo-shaped and generally blue-green or yellow-green in color with a pink streak along their sides, white underbelly, and small black spots on their back and fins. Size and Weight They are members of the salmon family and, like their salmon cousins, can grow quite large. They average about 20 to 30 inches long and around 8 pounds, but can grow as long as 4 feet and weigh up to 53 pounds. They prefer cool, clear rivers, streams, and lakes, though some will leave their freshwater homes and follow a river out to the sea. These migratory adults, called steelheads because they acquire more silvery markings, will spend several years in the ocean, but must return to the stream of their birth to spawn. Rainbow trout survive on insects, crustaceans, and small fish. Their populations are healthy worldwide and they have no special status or protections. However, they are now considered a non-native pest species in some areas where they have been introduced.
India and the United States have signed a MoU to enhance mutual cooperation on conserving wildlife and combating its trafficking. MOU features: 1. The two countries agreed to cooperate and strengthen capacity for wildlife conservation and management in India, including efforts to protect critical habitats. 2. India and the US also committed to cooperate regionally and globally for combating of illegal trade in wildlife through capacity building, strengthening cooperation and sharing best practices. 3. The two countries also agreed to share best practices, capacity-building, awareness campaign and law enforcement that contribute to improved environmental health. 4. To cooperate with each other to deny space to poaching and illegal trade in wildlife products.
Forum -- History of Chinese Classical Carpets Source: 751info Date: 2014/9/28 14:53:00 Click: Guest Speaker: Boris Wieser Through out the history, shapes of Chinese classical carpets are mainly using the typical designings, dragon, phoenix and Bogut are the top three patterns of it. Traditionally speaking, plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum are the most popular factors used in Chinese carpets, but the styles are also varied by the diffent ethics and producing areas. Some say the different patterns in the carpets express the unique charms of their cultures. But nowadays, modern designers are not willing to follow the old thought at all but to absorb more fashionable factors on shaping and coloring. Combining both of the beauty of eastern and western and put it to modern carpet designings then to discover a new era of mixture between Chinese tradition and modern lives is becoming the new trend of current designing. Guest Speaker: Zhang Qi For more information: Official WeChatdesign_751DPARK Trends more
What does the word pharmacy mean? Usage examples for pharmacy 1. According to an analysis made recently in the School of Pharmacy at Paris, the Water- cress contains a sulpho- nitrogenous oil, iodine, iron, phosphates, potash, certain other earthy salts, a bitter extract, and water. – Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by William Thomas Fernie Each person working in the medical industry sometimes needs to know how to define a word from medical terminology. For example - how to explain pharmacy? Here you can see the medical definition for pharmacy. Medical-dictionary.cc is your online dictionary, full of medical definitions.
Since many years, bark has been additive for potting soils.  In the past the Pinus sylvestris was used as it is plenty available. The disadvantage of this bark is the stability: as it is a rather weak bark, it breaks down rather fast and this is something we don’t like in potting soils. During the decomposing of the bark, two things happen simultaneously: 1. The structure will be finer and therefore the potting soil will lose air porosity and will stay wet for too long; 2. The bacteria will use the nitrogen so N will be fixated in the bacteria, which eventually can hurt the culture, as there is often a lack of Nitrogen found. For these reasons a bark from the Pinus maritima is used.  This bark, with a more red colour, is much stronger than other types of bark. Therefore the decomposition is slower and the retraction of the Nitrate is reduced. The origin of the Pinus maritime is mainly the south west of Europe.  The Landes de Gascogne (just below Bordeaux, France) is famous for the culture of this tree. You can also find this tree in Portugal and Spain (and smaller amounts in Italy and Croatia). Finally the bark was a rest product, used for the ceramic industry (heating), but in the last decades this bark became more popular for orchid growers, tree nursery and also for mulching gardens and others.  Now that there are more possibilities (more fractions are available) the bark is used in many types of potting soil. As some years ago problems occurred with bark from Portugal (they found the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) the restrictions for exporting have increased. At the moment the obligation is to heat the wood up to 60oC in a special chamber and although the rule was for some time for the bark the same temperature should be reached by self-heating (like compost factories do), nowadays the bark is also steamed.  After this procedure, no infection was found and therefore the bark is safe to use.  The reasons to use bark in potting soils can vary.  When Bark is used in potting soil mixes for Orchids, this makes sense because an Orchid is a Epiphyte which means the roots need “humid air” as they usually grow against trees etc.  Therefore bark is often used in mixes for Orchids, sometimes mixed with course coco chips or Sphagnum moss.  Another reason can be the demand for “peat-free potting soil”. Then alternatives like coco, compost and also bark are rather popular. Pinus sylvestris Pinus maritime
Culinary Healthcare Registered Dietitians—Agents of Change In today’s culture, there is an abundance of misinformation regarding healthy eating and diets, making it hard to decipher what is legitimate and what is really just a marketing ploy. This has become increasingly more problematic as individuals with newly diagnosed health issues are quick to take to the internet to try to find solutions, leading to mixed messages that can impact their health. That’s why healthcare teams are a crucial part of proper healing, as they provide guidance and plans to ensure each patient is fully equipped with the correct information. A key component of that process is the work of dietitians. Registered dietitians are agents of change, helping develop plans specific to each person’s needs that include behavioral modifications and education on proper nutrition. HHS registered dietitians Mary Hall and Maddy Davis share exclusive insight on how dietitians serve as an advocate for patients. “Dietitians are specifically trained in medical nutrition therapy, clinical nutrition, and nutritional education, and have a broad knowledge base of how food can impact a patient’s overall health,” states Mary Hall. CNS-BOH Kitchen-119Whether a patient has one or multiple comorbidities, dietitians play a critical role in supporting a positive prognosis and helping patients to maintain quality of life. “One of my best practices is making sure patients with newly diagnosed diseases, like diabetes or congestive heart failure, are seen as soon as possible,” says Maddy Davis. “Diagnoses such as these can be overwhelming, and patients rely on their medical team to provide them with the information needed to manage their condition properly.” Dietitians serve as advocates for the patients, and collaborate with the clinicians to ensure a fully developed plan for improved health. “During rounds with the medical team, I provide the most recent nutrition recommendations from reliable nutrition journals and discuss them in detail with the physicians,” states Hall. “This best practice helps combat malnutrition throughout the healing process.” During a patient’s stay at the hospital, their nutrition starts with what is served during mealtimes. “It’s vital for the culinary department and the dietitians to work together to create menus for patients. Where the culinary department’s focus is more on flavors, trends, and plating, the dietitian’s role is to ensure that each item being served is backed by research-based evidence for the best outcomes for the patient,” says Davis. “Even though we approach food from different angles, both the culinary team and dietitians have open communication and meet on common grounds to ensure meals are both healthy and flavorful.” To reduce readmission rates, dietitians are pivotal in creating a plan to help patients manage their condition after discharge. “Dietitians are specifically trained in motivational interviewing and behavior change. These skills are used often in order to really reach patients and help bring them to their ‘why’ for making a lifestyle change, then building a plan with short-term goals that drive them to accomplish it” says Hall. “To influence behavior change, we first discuss their background. Are they food insecure? Are controllable factors affecting their life?” The dietitian’s assessment provides an opportunity to establish goals, keeping the big picture in mind, and form a relationship with the patient that gives them a strong support base. Dietitians have the ability to influence change—whether it is reaching out to the clinical team to devise short-term and long-term goals for patients, teaming up with culinary services to provide menu options fit to specific dietary needs, or building a unique nutritional plan and supporting each patient through their journey. Their diverse roles within a healthcare setting allows for continual education regarding nutrition to be shared among all departments to benefit each patient’s overall health. Dietitians are reducing readmission rates, length of stays, and ultimately providing cost savings for hospitals by providing a key element for healing—proper nutrition. By staying proactive instead of reactive, dietitians are truly serving as positive agents of change. Registered Dietitian Maddy Davis joined HHS in April 2017, serving as a champion dietitian, where she not only develops nutrition plans for patients, but also oversees dietetic interns at her facility. Maddy has a wide array of experience across many settings, including school food service, long-term care, and acute care. Maddy is a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. Registered Dietitian Mary Hall serves as the Director of Food & Nutrition at an HHS partner facility in Martinsville, Virginia, where her responsibilities include supporting the nutritional needs of patients, while also managing and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the culinary department. Mary earned her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the State University of New York at Oneonta, and a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from New York University.
Profile of a Glasgow Merchant Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive Colonel William McDowall When anyone makes a great fortune, somewhere further down the line, large numbers of people have to labour away for very little return, even as slaves. The big question for Glasgow and Mearns is, how direct was the connection between the rich merchant and the enslaved labour? Compared with slave trading, owning slaves on plantations was a bigger personal issue for Glasgow merchants. By the eighteenth century, the colonies were a common destination for younger sons of mercantile or landed families. Looking into the stories of many Glasgow families reveals apprenticeships spent on sugar or tobacco plantations. Those who survived the harsh climate achieved wealth way beyond their dreams, far greater than from any other venture at the time. A prominent example was Colonel William McDowall. Colonel McDowall (1678-1748) was the 5th son of a landed family from the Garthland estate in Galloway. Since, as a younger son, he was unlikely to achieve a significant inheritance, he used his father’s connections to secure an apprenticeship in the Caribbean. Glasgow and the Clyde ports had been trading with the volcanic Leeward Islands of St Kitts and Nevis since the 1640’s and there were three sugar houses in Glasgow at the time William McDowall set sail for the Caribbean in the 1690s. He was apprenticed for 10 years to Colonel Daniel Smith on a sugar plantation on Nevis as an overseer. Overseers were described as “poor Scotch lads who by their assiduity and industry frequently became masters of the plantation”. McDowall served in the island militia, from where he took the title of Colonel, but was never involved with the British Army. He quickly worked through the plantation system and eventually managed one of the largest plantations on the island. By 1707 McDowall owned his own small plantation on St Kitts and purchased 12 enslaved Africans. When the French were ousted from half of the island, he was granted the 800 acre Canada Hills plantation which was to be his family’s core plantation for the next century. The plantation comprised a plantation house, 2 horse mills, a boiling house, a still house and later a windmill. The windmill on Canada Hills Plantation St Kitts The windmill on Canada Hills Plantation St Kitts The Windmill on Conference Plantation Grenada The Windmill on Conference Plantation Grenada Colonel McDowall then married Mary Tovey, the daughter of a neighbouring planter from his early years on Nevis. Mary Tovey’s family originally came from Bristol. Once Colonel McDowall had secured his family fortunes he returned to Britain in 1724, relying heavily on his military “pedigree” to climb into society. From this time, other young Glasgow men and members of the McDowall family had arrived in the islands to manage and expand the business to other Caribbean islands, including Grenada, where the McDowall’s main holding was the Conference Plantation. Shawfield Mansion Shawfield Mansion At home in Glasgow, Colonel McDowall repaired the Shawfield Mansion, damaged in the Shawfield riots of 1725, making it one of the first palatial houses built upon trade profit. He then bought the Castle Semple Estate in Lochwinnoch for £10,000 and subsequently owned land in many other parts of Renfrewshire, stretching from Lochwinnoch, to the fringes of Mearns at Cathcart. He had the castle on the Lochwinnoch estate demolished and built a modern Palladian villa in a similar style to the Shawfield Mansion. In 1726, he decided that, “Sugar will sell as well at Glasgow as in any other part of Britain”. He bought shares in Glasgow’s South Sugar House and diverted the route of some of his sugar ships from London to the Clyde. He retired to his Castle Semple estate but was still involved in the shipping of slaves from Africa to the Caribbean. For example the ship “The Fair Parnelia” carried 273 slaves from the Gold Coast in 1727 but it was overcrowded and capsized in the mid Atlantic, drowning all but one of the Africans on board. Colonel McDowall’s wife Mary Tovey succumbed to smallpox on coming to Glasgow from St Kitts and is buried in Glasgow Cathedral. Her husband died in October 1748 aged 71. His epitaph in The Glasgow Journal stated: ’He was a gentleman of fine character...... the most notable figure in Glasgow.’ The accolades for the Colonel, his son and grandson, (all named William McDowall) applauded their noble pedigree, fine character, gallant, romantic, virtuous, talented and praise-worthy nature, stating they were amongst the elite of 18th Century Scotland. Colonel McDowall’s family continued to be involved in plantations and in the sugar trade and rose to the highest positions of society as provosts, MP’s, sheriffs, and rectors of Glasgow University. Evidence from the archives and his letters shed a different light on this most prominent Glasgow merchant of the 18th Century. Each of the McDowall plantations required the labour of about 200 enslaved African men, women and children. These Africans appear in surviving documents, listed along with other “chattels” such as the plantation horses and cattle. Many of Colonel McDowall’s slaves were given traditional Scottish names e.g. Agnes, Kilbarchan, Glasgow, Flora. Colonel McDowall was a most frugal planter, providing the minimum of food and shelter and expecting the maximum effort. He provided no nursing or medical facilities for the sick or dying. The intensity of the sugar planting left little room for food cultivation therefore the slaves were dependent upon the overseer for food which was in meagre supply and dependent upon the shipping trade. Ironically their main food was imported salted herring from the Clyde. If the trade ships did not complete the hazardous voyage there was no food and many slaves died of starvation, however others could be cheaply bought to replace them (evidence of 10 Negro boys bought for £23 each) such was the disposable nature of the trade. Slave insurrection was harshly dealt with, usually involving hanging or burning. Reported evidence of a gangmaster absconding was swiftly dealt with by “the ruthless Scottish militia officer, Major James Milliken”. The conditions on the plantations have been likened to a concentration camp where maximum effort was demanded, with maximum care and sustenance. gm5Colonel McDowall also brought more than a dozen Africans back to Glasgow in the 1730s as servants. From this time, Africans would have been a fairly common sight in Glasgow’s streets, dressed up as footmen, following the colonial merchants around the city or as exotic house servants. Their life may have been good compared with their countrymen toiling in the Caribbean, however they were still the personal chattels of the merchants. The fact that many ran away suggests that they were far from happy. The eighteenth century Glasgow press contains many notices offering rewards for the recapture of Africans who had run away, not least from Colonel McDowall in 1748: Run away from Colonel McDowall of Castle-Sempill, a Negro Man, named CATO, alias JOHN: he is middle aged, pretty tall, ill-legs, with squat or broad feet. Any person who apprehends him, or gives any Information of him to Colonel McDowell, shall have A sufficient reward paid him. From this period, Scots were dominant on most of the British Caribbean sugar islands. A generation later, at the peak of the tobacco period, Glasgow was the leading player in trade with North America. By the abolition of slave shipping in 1807, Scots were well represented in the process of ending slave trading. However an obsession with the ‘happy ending’ of abolition may be misplaced. By the abolition of plantation slavery a generation later (1834), hundreds of Scottish and Glasgow merchants were paid substantial sums of money for the loss of their slaves. The slaves received no compensation at all. Stuart Nisbet (2012) User Rating: 5 / 5 Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Active In 2012, Mearns History Group were involved in looking at aspects of local history with a group of second year pupils at Mearns Castle High School. One of the questions which the pupils asked was: “Were Glasgow and Mearns directly involved in slavery?” The Present Context Unlike most historical questions, we tend to approach slavery with preconceived views. Due to the troubling nature of the subject, they can’t be posed like any other historical enquiry. We reserve the option almost to disbelieve, if the subject matter becomes too traumatic. This is particularly common when the questions are specifically about our home area, rather than about Britain in general. This can stir up a defensive reaction, spurred partly by pride. Will it tarnish the reputation of our city or our home area? The main issue is to understand the facts, and leave judgement for later. mas1During the eighteenth century British merchants carried several million enslaved Africans to America and the Caribbean to work on sugar, tobacco and cotton plantations. The trade became known as the Transatlantic Trade Triangle. Ships set out from a British port carrying goods for sale on the coast of Africa. When the ship arrived, its cargo would be sold or bartered for slaves. They were loaded onto the ships which then made the journey across the Middle Passage from Africa to the Caribbean. Once the slave ship reached there, enslaved survivors were sold to the owners of the plantations. The ships were then loaded for the return voyage to their home port carrying a cargo of mainly sugar, tobacco or cotton. Throughout the eighteenth century, the three British ‘Port Cities’ of Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow all became very large and successful thanks to Atlantic trade and Glasgow became the most successful of all three cities. As part of this trade, Bristol and Liverpool have come to terms with deep involvement in transatlantic slavery. If you ask anyone in the streets of Bristol and Liverpool, they will be able to tell you something about their city and slavery. In Glasgow, much less is known. One could ask therefore; Were Glasgow’s colonial merchants involved in African slavery? But a more appropriate question might be ‘Why does it seem that Glasgow was not involved in African slavery?’. mas2Despite a lack of information in Glasgow’s history, there were many connections. Scots were partners in the leading slaving firms in Bristol, and various Scots managed Liverpool slaving companies. In the 1750s, one tenth of London’s African traders were Scots, and this grew in succeeding decades. Scots managed the leading British slaving firm, the ‘Company of Merchants Trading to Africa’. From its founding in 1750, Scots comprised at least a fifth of the directors. Scots were actively involved in Africa, where Scottish traders plied the coastal waters and inland rivers in search of slaves. In the Americas, Scots figured prominently among the factors and planters who shipped and purchased the slaves. Moving from Scotland in general, to Glasgow in particular, many of the city’s leading merchants were directly involved in slave trading. One of the most prominent of these was Colonel William McDowall.To find out more about him, click here. In 1748 the Oswalds purchased an African slave fort which exported tens of thousands of Africans to the Americas. In the 1760s, the Buchanans of Buchanan Street purchased slave ships and engaged in slave trading. Evidence of Glasgow’s connection with the slave trade lives on in the names of streets named after the merchants who were involved in the sugar trade. For example, Buchannan Street, Oswald Street, Glassford Street. Despite such prominent examples, and the large numbers of Glasgow merchants operating in the slave trade through English ports, very few slaving ships actually left from the Clyde. The main source, the International Slavery Database, reveals that about twenty slavers sailed directly from the Clyde, picking up just over 4,000 slaves on the African coast and carrying them across the Atlantic. This number of African men, women and children, equated to nearly half the population of Glasgow in the mid-seventeenth century. However it is an insignificant number compared with the hundreds of thousands carried by ships leaving from Bristol and Liverpool. The Mearns Connection From the eighteenth century the development of pastoral farming in Mearns depended largely on the Glasgow market, thanks to the growth of the city due to colonial trade. Mearns provided a large proportion of Glasgow’s butter, milk and cheese. From this time, the parish was just as much industrial as agricultural. Bleachfields and printfields sprang up all over Mearns, manufacturing cloth from cotton grown by enslaved Africans. Much of the finished cloth went back to the Americas to clothe the same enslaved African men, women and children. Throughout the eighteenth century, like much of central Scotland, Mearns experienced a revolutionary growth in what could be produced from the land. Between the 1760s and 1790s, output from Mearns farms increased fourfold. Much of these improvements to the landscape were driven and funded by colonial merchants who had taken over the biggest estates from the traditional landowners. They were one of the few groups who had the abundant finances necessary to drain, enclose and lime fields, and to build mansions. It is when we reach the owners of these big Mearns estates that we come to the most personal connection with slavery, and with Africans themselves. Of the top ten Mearns landowners by 1818, more than half had Caribbean or Virginia connections. Robert Allason, the owner of Greenbank along with his brothers, engaged in colonial trade, slave trading and slave ownership. Allason brought Africans, including ‘Negro John’, back to Mearns to serve as his personal servants at Greenbank. For more information about Greenbank, click here. Alexander Hutchison (1725 - 1788) of Southfield (later the site of Mearnskirk Hospital) was a Jamaican planter. For more information about Southfield, click here. The Murdochs of Capelrig historically had direct links to plantation ownership and were partners in Murdoch & Doddrell Sugar Refiners Glasgow. For more information about Capelrig, click here. Sir James Maxwell of Pollok served an apprenticeship on a Caribbean sugar plantation. Both Maxwells and Shaw Stewarts married the daughters of Caribbean slave overseers who worked for the McDowall planter family, mentioned above. Walton and Duncarnock were owned by Speirs of Elderslie, a leading colonial merchant. These merchants were not engaged in some distant trading process, but personally owned Africans, had contact with them, and some even brought a few back to Glasgow and Mearns as their servants and house boys. In summary, we can answer questions about Mearns and African slavery as follows:- • We know that many Glaswegians were involved in slave trading from English ports. • Hundreds of Glasgow merchants personally owned tens of thousands of enslaved African men, women and children on sugar plantations. • Glasgow’s development from a regional market town to a global city depended largely on trade goods grown by the same enslaved Africans. • Mearns had deep connections with Glasgow’s development and served it with food and sustenance, especially dairy products. • Mearns printfields relied on slave-grown products and returned the finished goods to clothe the same slaves. • Glasgow merchants were also leading landowners in Mearns and ploughed slavery profits into the development of the Mearns landscape. Despite such direct connections with slavery, it was invisible to the ordinary folk who lived and worked in Mearns. It would only have been when passing the ‘big hooses’ such as Greenbank that they would actually have glimpsed an African, perhaps ‘Negro John’, dressed up in fine clothes and bowing low, as he opened the door of his master’s coach. Stuart Nisbet (2012) Further reading: Hancock,D., ‘Scots in the Slave Trade’ (2001). Nisbet,S. M., ‘The Sugar Adventurers of Glasgow’, History Scotland (May-June 2009). Dufill M., ‘Slavery & Abolition’, Volume 25, Issue 3 December 2004 , pp 102 - 122
Pulmonary Clinical Assessment Chapter 18 Pulmonary Clinical Assessment Kathleen M. Stacy Assessment of the patient with pulmonary dysfunction is a systematic process that incorporates an inquiry into the chronology of the present illness, better known as a history, and an investigation of the current physical manifestations, better known as a physical examination. The purpose of the assessment is twofold: first, to recognize changes in the patient’s pulmonary status that necessitate nursing or medical intervention, and second, to determine the ways in which the patient’s pulmonary dysfunction is interfering with his or her self-care activities. After completion, the assessment serves as the foundation for developing the management plan for the patient. The assessment process can be brief or can involve a detailed history and examination, depending on the nature and immediacy of the patient’s situation. Whatever the setting, the nurse should develop and practice a sequential pattern of assessment to avoid omitting portions of the examination. Taking a thorough and accurate history is an essential part of the assessment process. The patient’s history provides the foundation and direction for the rest of the assessment. The overall goal of the patient interview is to expose key clinical manifestations that will facilitate the identification of the underlying cause of the illness. This information then assists in the development of an appropriate management plan. The initial presentation of the patient determines the rapidity and direction of the interview. For a patient in acute distress, the history should be curtailed to just a few questions about the patient’s chief complaint and precipitating events. For a patient in no obvious distress, the history should focus on five areas: 1) review of the patient’s present illness; 2) overview of the patient’s general respiratory status; 3) examination of the patient’s general health status; 4) survey of the patient’s family and social background; and 5) description of the patient’s current symptoms.1 Specific items regarding each of these areas are outlined in the Box 18-1. Box 18-1 Data Collection Common Pulmonary Symptoms • Onset and duration: • Characteristics: • Sputum: • Pattern: • Severity: • Associated symptoms: • Efforts made to treat: Shortness of Breath or Dyspnea on Exertion Medical History Symptoms that are common in the pulmonary patient include dyspnea, cough, wheezing, edema, palpitations, fatigue, chest pain, hemoptysis, and sputum abnormalities. Information should be elicited regarding the location, onset and duration, characteristics, setting, aggravating and alleviating factors, associated symptoms, and efforts to treat the symptoms. If the cough is productive, the patient should be asked questions about the color, amount, odor, and consistency of the sputum.2-5 Physical Examination Four techniques are used in physical assessment: inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Inspection is the process of looking intently at the patient. Palpation is the process of touching the patient to judge the size, shape, texture, and temperature of the body surface or underlying structures. Percussion is the process of creating sound waves on the surface of the body to determine abnormal density of any underlying areas. Auscultation is the process of concentrated listening with a stethoscope to determine characteristics of body functions.6,7 Inspection of the patient should focus on three areas: 1) observation of the tongue and sublingual area; 2) assessment of chest wall configuration; and 3) evaluation of respiratory effort. If possible, patients should be positioned upright, with their arms resting at their sides.3 Inspection usually begins during the interview process.2 Chest Wall Configuration Assessment of chest wall configuration incorporates observations about the size and shape of the patient’s chest. Normally, the ratio of anteroposterior diameter to lateral diameter ranges from 1:2 to 5:7 (Fig. 18-1A).2,4,5 An increase in the anteroposterior diameter is suggestive of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).2,4,5 The shape of the chest should be inspected for any structural deviations. Some of the more frequently seen abnormalities are pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum, barrel chest, and spinal deformities. In pectus excavatum (funnel chest), the sternum and lower ribs are displaced posteriorly, creating a funnel or pit-shaped depression in the chest. This causes a decrease in the anteroposterior diameter of the chest and may interfere with respiratory function. In pectus carinatum (pigeon breast), the sternum projects forward, causing an increase in the anteroposterior diameter of the chest. The barrel chest also results in an increase in anteroposterior diameter of the chest and is characterized by displacement of the sternum forward and the ribs outward (see Fig. 18-1B). Spinal deformities such as kyphosis, lordosis, and scoliosis also may be present and can interfere with respiratory function.9 Respiratory Effort Evaluation of respiratory effort incorporates observations on the rate, rhythm, symmetry, and quality of ventilatory movements.2 Normal breathing at rest is effortless and regular and occurs at a rate of 12 to 20 breaths per minute.3 There are a number of abnormal respiratory patterns (Fig. 18-2). Some of the more commonly seen patterns in patients with pulmonary dysfunction are tachypnea, hyperventilation, and air trapping. Tachypnea is manifested by an increase in the rate and decrease in the depth of ventilation. Hyperventilation is manifested by an increase in the rate and depth of ventilation. Patients with COPD often experience obstructive breathing, or air trapping. As the patient breathes, air becomes trapped in the lungs and ventilations become progressively more shallow until the patient actively and forcefully exhales.10 Additional Assessment Areas Other areas of focus for the careful assessment are patient position, active effort to breathe, use of accessory muscles, presence of intercostal retractions, unequal movement of the chest wall, flaring of nares, and pausing midsentence to take a breath.2,4,5 The presence of other iatrogenic features, such as chest tubes, central venous lines, artificial airways, and nasogastric tubes, should be identified because they may affect assessment findings. Palpation of the patient should focus on three aspects: 1) confirmation of the position of the trachea; 2) assessment of thoracic expansion; and 3) evaluation of fremitus. The thorax should be assessed for any areas of tenderness, lumps, or bony deformities. The anterior, posterior, and lateral areas of the chest should be evaluated in a systematic fashion.2 Position of the Trachea Confirmation of the position of the trachea is performed to verify that the trachea is midline. It is assessed by placing the fingers in the suprasternal notch and moving upward (Fig. 18-3).10 Deviation of the trachea to either side may indicate a pneumothorax, unilateral pneumonia, diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, a large pleural effusion, or severe atelectasis. With atelectasis, the trachea shifts to the same side as the problem, and with pneumothorax, the trachea shifts to the opposite side of the problem.9 Thoracic Expansion Assessment of thoracic expansion involves measuring the degree and symmetry of respiratory movement. It is assessed by placing the hands on the anterolateral chest with the thumbs extended along the costal margin, pointing to the xiphoid process, or on the posterolateral chest with the thumbs on either side of the spine at the level of the 10th rib (Fig. 18-4). The patient is instructed to take a few normal breaths and then a few deep breaths. Chest movement is assessed for equality, which signifies symmetry of thoracic expansion.3,9,10 Asymmetry is an abnormal finding that can occur with pneumothorax, pneumonia, or other disorders that interfere with lung inflation. The degree of chest movement is felt to ascertain the extent of lung expansion. The thumbs should separate 3 to 5 cm during deep inspiration.5,10 Lung expansion of a hyperinflated chest is less than that of a normal one.5,10 Oct 29, 2016 \| Posted by in NURSING \| Comments Off on Pulmonary Clinical Assessment Premium Wordpress Themes by UFO Themes
Designing the virtual air barrier Background discussion The object of the virtual air barrier concept is to prevent, or at least limit, wall or roof cavity condensation when other measures would fail. Condensation occurs when the indoor humid air finds its way into the building envelope cavities and encounters a surface at a temperature below its dewpoint temperature. The indoor air’s dewpoint temperature is determined by the air’s actual temperature and relative humidity. When these two conditions are plotted on a chart, the dewpoint (condensation) temperature of the air can be determined. The dewpoint temperature is always lower than the dry bulb temperature of the air being considered. If the dewpoint temperature of the indoor air is above that of the outdoor air, condensation can accumulate within the wall and roof cavities by air leakage, vapour diffusion, and thermal and atmospheric pumping (not to mention rain penetration). However, when a VAB system is installed, it always lowers the wall or roof cavity dewpoint, preventing or limiting condensation from occurring and even drying out a wetted wall or roof cavity. To achieve this performance in the VAB wall or roof cavity during cold periods, only outdoor air must be supplied to the VAB Zone. This is because outdoor air almost always has its dewpoint temperature below the outdoor temperature (except during short periods of snow or rain) when they are almost equal. When cold outdoor air is supplied to a humid cavity, it tends to dilute the cavity air with dry air while pressurization arrests further through-wall air leakage from the indoor side. During the fall, winter, and spring, the virtual air barrier system allows much higher indoor humidity conditions for occupancy needs while minimizing or completely eliminating the risk of condensation in roof and exterior wall cavities. This is a particularly useful technology for heritage buildings. The test facility was designed and constructed using conventional work forces and the remedial repairs to the outside wall were of average quality. The performance of the VAB system is forgiving of minor design discrepancies and construction deficiencies. The design and construction of a VAB for an existing building need not be perfect. The only time it fails is when the building operator forgets to turn it on in the fall or if it is turned off during a cold period. It was also determined from the performance results the VAB system can easily cope with stack effect and building ventilation pressures, but not wind. Wind will occasionally overcome the cavity pressure and cause a minor amount of indoor air to enter the VAB cavity for a short period. However, wind effects were not found to be detrimental or significant to condensation control. It was determined this wall (or any similar construction) would be adequately served with 9.5 to 19 L/second (20 to 40 cfm) of supply air per 10 m2 (108 sf) of exterior wall. The choice of fan output pressure for a supply system should always be limited to 125 Pa (0.5 in.H2O). It should also be equipped with a speed controller for periodic adjustment. The exterior wall of the test facility was well-sealed as most cladding systems are maintained to protect against rain penetration. This is a bonus for a VAB application. However, partitions can be problematic if their cavities connect directly to exterior wall cavities. Partition wall cavities must be interrupted for an effective VAB system. The VAB also has other benefits. It allows raising of the indoor relative humidity to new levels, even as high as 60 per cent RH in extreme cold climates (providing all indoor surface temperatures such as window glass, window frames, doors, door frames, wall/floor, and wall/wall junctions are maintained above the dewpoint temperature of the indoor air). Additionally, it prevents mould buildup in construction cavities, as it tends to push out and dry any rain penetration in the non-freezing periods. RickRick Quirouette, B.Arch., is a senior building science specialist with almost four decades of experience in building science and technology. He is a life member of the Alberta Building Envelope Council and a past-president of the National Building Envelope Council. Operating as Quirouette Building Specialists Ltd., he can be reached at Control the content you see on! Learn More. Leave a Comment
Emily Dickinson It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. What if there were no pictures? What if there were only words? Rather than simply showing a picture to tell a setting, theme, feeling or mood, American literature writers use imagery to help readers visualize, create a mental picture, of the concepts within their masterpieces. With words like “a long and winding road” or “the cold and gloomy night air” one tends to develop a mental picture associated with the expressions. It is a writer’s use of imagery that can have a profound effect on their work. Emily Dickinson is a mastery of imagery and her Poem 591 (I heard a Fly buzz) illustrates the art brilliantly. In the first stanza, the speaker is quick to convey image references for the reader. The first line immediately reveals, through the simple words “when I died,” that the speaker is dead. At this point one would have to wonder how can the speaker can be dead yet still hear the buzzing of a fly. Many people believe that even though our body may lie still, our souls can still be alive and, at some point, when we die our soul makes some sort of spiritual journey. It is this belief that the reader can visualize a lifeless body with a soul that can hear “a Fly buzz” (1) and a mental image quickly comes to mind of that annoying fly that never seems to go away no matter how many times one opens a window or attempts to shew it away. To make matters worse, “the Stillness in the room” (2)leaves the reader little room for doubt that very little activity is taking place, except for that annoying buzzing sound. It is this “stillness” that leaves the reader with a mood of somberness. In the second stanza the speaker illustrates that others present have expressed their grief and have gathered around the speakers deathbed awaiting the final moments as “the Eyes around – had wrung them dry – And Breaths were gathering firm” (5 - 6) when her breathing signifies the end is near “For the last Onset –“ (7) leaves the...
• Luli Faber Having Major Depression Could Cause Up to 20 Unrelated Diseases, Gene Study Shows Reproduced from: https://www.sciencealert.com/having-genes-for-depression-could-put-you-at-risk-of-up-to-20-different-diseases Having genes that put you at risk of depression could also make you susceptible to a variety of other health conditions, often seemingly unconnected. According to new research, this could include things like coronary heart disease and even bacterial infections. The new study assessed the genetic risk factors of major depressive disorder in relation with more than 900 other diseases; the research team found that having poor mental health isn't always a consequence of serious illness – it can be directly responsible for it. "Data shows that people living with serious mental diseases, like depression, have much higher rates of physical illness than those in the general population," says genetic epidemiologist Anwar Mulugeta from the Australian Centre for Precision Health at the University of South Australia. Suffering from severe depression while dealing with another major illness is maybe not all that surprising, but researchers have long wondered whether the root causes of depression might be somehow more directly responsible. Previous research has indicated that depression isn't just a disease of the mind, but can have a debilitating influence over the entire body. The team used what's known as a Mendelian randomisation approach to a pool of genomic data taken from UK Biobank records on nearly 340,000 individuals to work out which comes first. While many similar studies have already established links between depression and individual diseases, this kind of approach applies various controls suited to establishing a more causal relationship. It turns out that having a high genetic risk score for major depressive disorder also makes it more likely a patient will have been admitted to hospital with – or even died from – at least one of 20 different diseases. In the context of the analysis, these genes predisposed the individuals to a serious illness affecting just about every system in the body. These include such diverse conditions as asthma, high cholesterol, gastroenteritis, oesophagitis, urinary system disorders, and even infections from E.coli. The study also highlighted potential sensitivities and adverse reactions to some drugs, suggesting a strong need to monitor prescriptions for individuals with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. "This research puts the 'chicken and egg' conundrum to rest, showing that depression causes disease, rather than only the other way around," says Mulugeta. Exactly how genes for depression might lay the groundwork for developing a range of other diseases isn't clear. Given the number of gastrointestinal illnesses on that list, the researchers speculate that medications used to treat mental illness could be having an adverse effect on our guts. This isn't out of line with previous studies pointing at similar conclusions, but further research should help nail down the mechanisms behind the relationship. "Understanding the connections between depression and other diseases is critical to ensure people with depression receive the support they require. The more we can look at the individual patient, the better their outcomes are likely to be," says study lead Elina Hyppönen, also from the Australian Centre for Precision Health. With more than 300 million people all over the globe experiencing depression, it ranks among one of the most common illnesses of our time. It's clear that finding better ways to treat and prevent the effects of depression without putting us at risk of other conditions is becoming more important than ever. This research was published in Molecular Psychiatry. #depression #genetics #heartdisease #gastrointestinaltract #asthma
Cloning extinct beings Cloning extinct beings as known: I assume the cells lack mitochrondria, so we tranfer the mitochondria in a random cell, although we could use use egg cells as recipient, because the mitochondria have their own genome, while we don’t forget the nutrients and fibers of course, and seeing the mitochondria isn’t as clear as on the pictures. I’m probably too late with this, but I wonder if the mitochondrial DNA differs, because we perhaps wouldn’t need the egg cells in that case. I somehow feel the need to mention that we migrate the cell’s nucleus as known. Including the centrioles would be wise too. We can maybe clone dinosaurs with the bone marrow, inside the bones, but breaking those bones would otherwise be a waste. I disapprove regular cloning. Seeds normally spread by animals which eat them and poop them out, so that’s probably why the advocado went extinct, because I wouldn’t know which modern animal would swallow such a large seed. Herbivore dinosaurs perhaps would. Comments are closed.
Under the Hood Does Comfort Food Really Comfort Us Or Are We Just Emotional Eating? You are sad, angry or feeling anxious. You go straight to the kitchen to find some sweets as your “comfort food” but not everything you eat can help you escape. Many people believe that emotional upset directly causes overeating. However, eating problems are actually triggered by desire, according to Glenn Livingston, a psychologist and author of “Never Binge Again,” “There's not really an automatic link between emotion and overeating, even though it really feels like there is,” he said in an article posted on Psychology Today. “There's more going on behind the scenes than people realize.” Wanting to escape uncomfortable emotions is what encourages people to indulge in food. Livingston said people think comfort foods help them reduce their depression, sadness and anger. But comfort foods could actually lead to other problems or even make negative emotions worse. That is because most people make unhealthy choices, commonly options that are high in sugar, salt and starch. Since emotional patterns can remain for a long time, unhealthy eating patterns may also continue and potentially lead to overeating. Livingston cited heartbreak can last months or even years and frequently seeking comfort foods at the same time “can do a lot of damage” to a person’s health. Aside from overeating, comfort foods may also cause more emotional upset. When people realize that they have been eating unhealthy foods because of “automatic emotional reasons,” it may lead to escalated emotions. “I'm just saying it’s worth considering whether the ‘comfort food’ we feed ourselves when we're upset isn't actually comforting at all, but may actually be reinforcing the upsetting feelings we are trying to escape!” Livingston said. “Sever the connection between emotional upset and overeating and your emotions may become easier to manage, not harder.” However, he noted that people should not give up any particular food, restrict their intake of calories and ignore their nutrition. Eating may still help improve emotions and even improve mental health. Livingston said people should rely on their best thinking rather than emotions when making food choices. Find the comfort food based on their health benefits that would really make you feel good with a healthy body and mind. doughnuts A psychologist warned that "comfort foods" may not always help people escape their negative emotions and may even lead to more problems. Pixabay
A common language for compassionate AI policy Translating the technical language into a political option so people can vote for inclusive AI The challenge for inclusive AI policy is to give the average person not just understanding, but the power to choose and engage. A solid framework is needed based on political, economic and social options, both at the national or international level. This begins with dialogue between technical experts, politicians, economists and lawyers to frame the policy.
• Shipping • Flettner Rotor Sails for Ship Propulsion E Ship Rotos Sails Flettner Rotor Sails for Ship Propulsion Feb 18, 2020 By: Paul D. Sclavounos, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nikos Mazarakis, Client Relation and General Office Manager, StormGeo Greece and Dimitris Katsanos, Senior Research Scientist, National Observatory of Athens As the shipping industry transitions into an era of greenhouse gas emission mitigation policies, a number of sustainable technologies are being deployed to keep vessels fuel compliant in carbon-constrained markets. These include rotor sails (a.k.a. Flettner rotors), air lubrication, ship routing software, data mining and machine learning. Buckau Flettner Rotor Ship Buckau 1924, first ship with Flettner rotors The operation of rotor sails is based on a well-studied aerodynamic principle known as the Magnus effect. The sails supply thrust and pure propulsion energy to the ship when the apparent wind speed is incident at an angle relative to the ship axis. By comparison, the chemical energy in fossil fuels undergoes two conversion cycles before producing pure propulsion energy—the first by the diesel engine with a typical efficiency of 40% and the second by the propeller with a typical efficiency of 65%. Thus, just 25% of the fuel’s chemical energy is converted into pure propulsion energy. Based on fuel consumption data collected onboard ships, fuel savings of 20-35% are realistic when four rotors are installed on a vessel. The rotor thrust is a function of its diameter (3-5m), height (20-30m), rotation speed, wind and ship speeds. The propulsion power contributed by rotors is maximized by the optimal selection of their rotation speed. Extreme wind loads exerted on rotor sails in severe storms are limited by their compact geometry and firm support structure on the deck. Ocean Wind Speeds The winds across our vast oceans are an enormous and inexhaustible source of energy. The fuel savings contributed by rotor sails depend on the magnitude and direction of the wind speed. Offshore wind speeds are stronger and more persistent than those encountered onshore due to the reduced friction of the wind velocity against the smoother ocean surface. Detailed wind speed data made available from the meteorological community are processed and delivered by ship routing software vendors like StormGeo. Such ship routing solutions display wind speeds and directions during a voyage and are able to generate accurate forecasts of the fuel savings contributed by the rotor sails in the course of a voyage. Moreover, via the combined use of weather routing software (e.g. Bon Voyage System) or Routing Advisory Services (RAS), a further increase of fuel consumption savings becomes possible. Rotor Sails Figure 2 Figure 1 The wind speed measurements illustrated in Table 1 (below) were carried out along a typical route of a bulk carried from Argentina to Singapore. The wind speeds were selected at 30 different fixed locations, indexed 1-30 in the Figure. The voyage trajectory was traced by the Bon Voyage System. Rotor Sails Table Table 1 Wind speeds 30 meters above sea level at the 30 fixed locations shown in Figure 1 for January 2015 – Decemeber 2017 (3 years). The values in the Table above illustrate the average wind speed and its Q1, Q2, Q3 quartiles, namely the wind speeds that are exceded by 75%, 50% and 25%, respectively, of the wind speed records at the fixed locations. For example, at location 12, located at Cape Town, the average wind speed during the selected 3-year period is 16.9 kn, the highest recorded wind speed is 52.1 kn, and 25% of the recorded wind speeds were higher than 21.6 kn. The wind speed data was obtained from the organization Copernicus. It is noteworthy that the mean wind speed at most points exceeds 14 knots and is very close to the 17 knots threshold, which corresponds to the transition from the Beaufort 4 to the Beaufort 5 scale. The lower wind speeds near the equator (points 25-30) are as expected. At most other points, both in the South Atlantic (points 1-13) and in the Indian Ocean (points 14-24), the mean wind speeds are strong and able to provide very significant propulsion power to the rotor sails. This power is maximized by optimally adjusting the sails’ rotation speed as the wind speed fluctuates around its mean. Investment in Rotors and Split Incentives Two criticisms are often made against investments in rotor sails: • There are split incentives between ship owners and charterers. When the charterer pays for the fuel, ship owners lack the incentive to install rotors on their vessels. Charterers, on the other hand, lack the incentive to fund the installation of rotors on vessels they hire for time periods shorter than the payback time of the investment. • Lack of wind over certain time periods and routes may not justify an investment in rotors on vessels trading in the spot market when the payback time is more than a few years. Each criticism can be addressed as follows: • Rotors are designed to be removable. They can be fitted on the deck of a bulk carrier over the duration of a voyage and operated optimally based on wind speed forecasts. At the end of the voyage, the rotors can be removed and stored onshore (in ports’ “wind fuel bunkers”) for use by another vessel. Since the use of removable rotors on a vessel might be temporary, split incentives between ship owners and charterers are resolved. • Investment in rotors may be carried out by a third party entity, such as a private equity fund, which would acquire a portfolio of rotors to be deployed on a fleet of vessels. The fuel consumption savings from the rotors is the income earned by the investor and may be accurately measured. The propulsion power supplied by each rotor is the product of its thrust, measured by a strain gauge at its base multiplied by the ship speed. The energy supplied by the rotors in kWh is the product of the recorded propulsion power multiplied by the duration of the voyage. Optionally, the income earned by the investor from a particular vessel and voyage can be shared with the ship owner and charterer involved in the charter—creating a joint investment incentive among the three parties. A Net Present Value (NPV) valuation of an investment in a portfolio of rotors is illustrated below. Rotor Portfolio Valuation Consider a 30,000 dwt bulk carrier consuming 25 tons of fuel per day fitted with four rotors for the duration of a voyage. Based on available data, the average fuel consumption savings is conservatively assumed to be 20%. With the cost of fuel at $500/ton, the resulting income is $2,500/day or $912,600/year. If the installation of four rotors is an isolated acquisition by the ship owner or charterer at a cost of $500,000/rotor ($2M total), the payback time is 2.2 years and the investment might not be undertaken. When the acquisition is a component of a portfolio investment in removable rotors mounted on a fleet of vessels, a NPV analysis suggests a potentially very profitable investment. The risk of rotor investments arises from the variability of the wind speeds and their forecasts. The volatility of the rotor income decreases significantly when averaged over the number of vessels in a fleet sailing in geographically dispersed routes with different and independent wind speed regimes. In particular, the volatility of the aggregate income of the fleet decreases like the inverse square root of the number of rotor-equipped vessels, by virtue of the central limit theorem in statistics. Assuming a Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 7% and a 30 year life of each rotor, the NPV of an investment in four rotors per vessel is $9.3M. This translates into a NPV of $2.3M/rotor over four times its acquisition cost, corresponding to an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 45%. Combining the statistics of wind speeds with machine learning forecasts, the investment risk in a rotor portfolio can be quantified and rationally priced—leading to a reduction of the WACC and an increase of the value of the investment, notwithstanding the green credentials that would accrue to rotor-equipped vessels.
Typing involves the keying/inputting of text/characters onto a medium or into a computer by pressing keys or combination of keys on a calculator, cell phone, typewriter, or computer keyboard. Tyipng is different from other means of text input like speech recognition and handwriting in that each character is inputted by using the keyboard. Text can either be in the form of symbols, numbers, or letters. Typing is very important today, as it remains the main method of getting data/information into a computer, just like the text you’re reading now. Though there are other methods of getting information onto the computer like stated above, typing remains the best and most efficient for now. Typists İşe Alın Son aramalarım Şuna göre filtrele: İş Durumu 17 iş bulundu, ücretlendirmeleri EUR Hello Freelancers! We are a publishing company based out of Germany and we are looking for a new team of typists to expand our company. If you are up for the challenge make a bid. €21 / hr (Avg Bid) €21 / hr Ortalama Teklif 242 teklifler book and its answer is to be typed on prescribed paper. experienced will be given priorities..work needs to be done urgently €15 (Avg Bid) €15 Ortalama Teklif 36 teklifler €386 (Avg Bid) €386 Ortalama Teklif 56 teklifler We urgently need English, marthi and hindi writters for our regional news papers. €112 (Avg Bid) €112 Ortalama Teklif 38 teklifler Data Entry Work 5 gün left I need someone to submit some articles for me. €11 / hr (Avg Bid) €11 / hr Ortalama Teklif 107 teklifler you have to rewrite the passages of ebook €73 (Avg Bid) €73 Ortalama Teklif 174 teklifler Urgently, I need someone to copy writing from images file to word document file. 10 pages required €12 (Avg Bid) €12 Ortalama Teklif 141 teklifler I need an efficient and fast copy typist to do a small project I'll get I've some data for you then you have to copy type it in ms word. I'll send the information after selecting you. If you have a small knowledge about word then it is enough for me. Please bid if you can work efficiently and fast. €4 / hr (Avg Bid) €4 / hr Ortalama Teklif 216 teklifler I have some work, in an Excel spreadsheet. €5 / hr (Avg Bid) €5 / hr Ortalama Teklif 146 teklifler I have some work, in an Excel spreadsheet. €3 / hr (Avg Bid) €3 / hr Ortalama Teklif 133 teklifler I need you to write some articles on different topics like sports , science etc €59 (Avg Bid) €59 Ortalama Teklif 75 teklifler I need Urdu audio transcriber. (Removed by Freelancer.com Admin) €19 (Avg Bid) €19 Ortalama Teklif 48 teklifler I need you to fill in a spreadsheet with data. €12 (Avg Bid) €12 Ortalama Teklif 253 teklifler Freelancer 2 gün left Tying job ,if any finish my job as soon as you do ,I will give 5stars and some other project too €2 / hr (Avg Bid) €2 / hr Ortalama Teklif 198 teklifler I need a keyboard typist very urgently. if you are bidding for this project then you must be a fast typist. I'll give the data after selecting you. if you can spend 2 hours per day then it is enough foe me €16 / hr (Avg Bid) €16 / hr Ortalama Teklif 148 teklifler Medical Blog 18 saat left I am a doctor and i am developing a medical blog regarding ecg and other articles related to medicine. The articles are written and reviewed by doctors and I need a typist for typing them in my blogging website. €12 (Avg Bid) €12 Ortalama Teklif 55 teklifler I need a translator who can translate English to hindi language and type in a e-book format €19 (Avg Bid) €19 Ortalama Teklif 77 teklifler Önde Gelen Typing Topluluk Makaleleri
"Colombia has been ranked as one of seventeen mega diverse countries of the world, with 311 different types of coastal and continental ecosystems. Around 13% of Colombia’s land is protected within 59 nationally designated reserves and national parks, covering a total area of 142,700 km2 (55,100 sq. miles)." Situated in the northwest of South America, between latitudes 12°N and 4°S, and longitudes 67° and 79°W, the Republic of Colombia is a unitary, constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. It has been ranked by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as one of seventeen mega diverse countries of the world. Despite its relatively small size, Colombia is one of the two most biologically diverse countries on Earth, second only to Brazil. Its wide variety of ecosystems, ranging from different kinds of forests to Andean Páramo and open savannahs, provide perfect habitat for the most spectacular array of Neotropical plants and animals to thrive. Colombia is home to about 10% of the world’s living species. To this day, 56,343 life forms have been recorded for Colombia, with 9,153 of them endemic to the country. Colombia Birdwatching Tours Birding Colombia from Andes to Orinoco The Coffee Belt and Inírida 16 Days - 15 Nights Birding Colombia from Andes to Santa Marta The Coffee Belt, Santa Marta and Guajira Peninsula 16 Days - 15 Nights Main Features The Andes are, by far, Colombia’s most relevant geographical feature. In the southwestern departments of Cauca and Nariño, the Andes divide in three different mountain ranges, known as ‘cordilleras.’ The Cordillera Occidental (western range), spans from the Pacific coast to Cauca Valley, followed to the east by the central range or Cordillera Central, which is bordered by the Cauca Valley to the west and the Magdalena River to the east. Finally, the Cordillera Oriental (eastern range) comprises the northeastern part of the country, running down to the Guajira Peninsula. Highest peaks in the Cordillera Occidental reach more than 4,700 m (15,500 ft.). In the central and eastern Cordilleras, they are even higher, reaching 5,000 metres (16,500 ft.) above sea level. Most of the country’s important cities spread across Colombia’s interior highlands, with Cali on the western range, Medellín, Manizales, Pereira and Armenia on the Central Cordillera and Bogotá, Bucaramanga and Cúcuta on the eastern range. But there’s more than the Andes in Colombia. The eastern part of the country is covered by the vast savannah of the Llanos, part of the Orinoco River basin, and its southeastern corner by the Amazon forest. These two lowlands cover more than half of Colombia’s territory, although less than 6% of its population lives there. Colombia’s Caribbean coast is well known by its spectacular scenery. Nearly 22% of the country’s population live here, mainly in Cartagena and Barranquilla. This is generally an area of low-lying plains, with some exceptions, like the mountain range of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north, La Guajira Desert in the northernmost tip of the peninsula, and de densely vegetated mountains at Serranía de Baudó, next to the Panama border, on the Pacific. There are seven main rivers in Colombia: Magdalena, Cauca, Guaviare, Atrato, Meta, Putumayo and Caquetá, with four principal drainage systems: Pacific Drain, Caribbean Drain, Orinoco Basin and Amazon Basin. Colombia’s animal and plant diversity are mind-boggling. There are 1,957 bird species (following IOC 8.1 species list standards), 623 amphibians, 467 mammals, 518 reptiles, and roughly 3,200 species of fish. About 18% of these animals are endemic. Plants account for staggering 51,220 species with nearly 30% endemics. Colombia boasts the highest number of orchid and bird species on Earth; it has the second highest diversity of plants, amphibians, butterflies and fresh water fish, third highest diversity of reptiles and fourth highest mammal diversity of the planet. Colombia’s climate is generally tropical, but temperatures vary greatly with altitude, prevailing winds and rainfall. Ruled mainly by altitude, Colombia’s mountain climate zones can be divided in five. The warm altitudinal zone, with temperatures reaching more than 24°C (75°F), sits below 1,000 meters (3,300 ft.), comprising roughly 82.5% of the country’s total land area. Between 1,000 and 2,000 meters (3,300 and 6,600 ft.) there’s a temperate climate zone, with temperatures ranging between 17 and 24°C (63 and 75°F). There’s a third altitude climate zone between 2,000 and 3,000 meters (6,600 and 9,900 ft.) above sea level, with temperatures varying between 12 and 17°C (54 and 63°F). Above this, there’s a cold Alpine climate zone, where trees turn to dwarf as they reach the timberline, just below 4,000 meters (13,000 ft.) above sea level. One last glacial climate zone sits above 4,000 meters (13,000 ft.). These are barren wastelands, with permanent snow and ice. Colombia’s variable climate zones also give place to other different habitats at lower altitudes, such as tropical rainforests, savannas and steppes.
Ungaran · Population Question: What is the population of Ungaran? Answer: Ungaran, Indonesia (Administrative unit: Jawa Tengah) - last known population is ≈ 105 800 (year 2010). This was 0.044% of total Indonesia population. If population growth rate would be same as in period 2000-2010 (+2.29%/year), Ungaran population in 2020 would be: 132 700. Population history [1] Annual population change [1990-2000] +6.58 %/year [2000-2010] +2.29 %/year GPS coordinates: -7.14, 110.405 Local time in Ungaran: 05:07 Saturday GMT+7. share this.. Ungaran on city and population density map Sources, Notices Unofficial, calculated population. [1] Sources Badan Pusat Statistik Indonesia Census 2010
Streptopelia senegalensis Streptopelia senegalensis () Cladus: Eukaryota Supergroup: Opisthokonta Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Cladus: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclassis: Tetrapoda Classis: Aves Subclassis: Carinatae Infraclassis: Neornithes Parvclassis: Neognathae Ordo: Columbiformes Familia: Columbidae Subfamilia: Columbinae Genus: Streptopelia Species: Streptopelia senegalensis Subspecies: S. s. aegyptiaca - S. s. cambayensis - S. s. divergens - S. s. ermanni - S. s. kirmanensis - S. s. phoenicophila - S. s. senegalensis - S. s. sokotrae Streptopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) Systema Naturae ed.12 p.283 Vernacular names Česky: Hrdlička senegalská Ελληνικά: Φοινικοτρύγονο English: Laughing Dove עברית: צוצלת Русский: Малая горлица Türkçe: Küçük kumru It is a common and widespread species in scrub, dry farmland and habitation over a good deal of its range, often becoming very tame. This species builds a stick nest in a tree and lays two white eggs. Its flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general. Laughing Dove is a long-tailed, slim pigeon, typically 25 centimetres (10 inches) in length. Its back, wings and tail are reddish-brown with blue-grey in the wings. In flight, the underwings are rich chestnut. The head and underparts are pinkish, shading to whitish on the lower abdomen. There is black spotting on the throat. The legs are red. The chuckling call is a low oo-took-took-oo-roo, with the emphasis on the took-took. Occasionally a nasal scream at one-second intervals is produced in flight or when landing. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are more rufous than adults, and have reduced throat spotting. Laughing Doves eat grass, seeds, grains, other vegetation and small insects. They are fairly terrestrial, foraging on the ground in grasslands and cultivation. They are not particularly gregarious, and are usually alone, or in pairs. This species has recently been placed into the genus Stigmatopelia by some authorities following the studies of Johnson et al. (2001).[2] 1. ^ BirdLife International (2009) Stigmatopelia senegalensis In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. Retrieved on February 4, 2010. 2. ^ Kevin P. Johnson, Selvino de Kort, Karen Dinwoodey, A. C. Mateman, Carel ten Cate, C. M. Lessells & Dale H. Clayton (2001). "A molecular phylogeny of the dove genera Streptopelia and Columba" (PDF). The Auk 118 (4): 874–887. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2001)118[0874:AMPOTD2.0.CO;2]. Barlow: Birds of The Gambia. Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1 * Grimmett: Birds of India. Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6 Scientific Library -
Silver as an investment SHTFplan: Parasitic ‘Kissing Bug’ Disease Is Spreading In The US: 300K Infected Prepare yourself. Buy physical silver and storable food. A parasitic sickness known as “kissing bug” disease is spreading quickly in the United States. So far, about 300,000 have been infected in the U.S. with the disease that could be life-threatening. Blood-sucking bugs are spreading a dangerous parasite. Kissing bugs spread the infection by biting a human, typically on their face (hence the nickname – kissing bugs), and then defecating near the wound. The parasite can then get rubbed into the open wound or get into the body if someone touches their mouth or eyes afterward. The excrement of a kissing bug contains the parasite that causes the virus; a disease known as Chagas. “So while they’re biting you, ‘kissing’ you in the middle of the night, they also happen to be defecating there,” said Dr. Robert Springer, according to WRBI Radio. “You wake up the next morning, you’re wiping the sleep out of your eye and you’ve just moved infected excrement into your eye and into your mouth mucous membrane. Then you become infected.” The symptoms include swelling of the eye or area where the parasite entered the body. It can also be associated with fever and headaches, but in extreme cases, the Chagas disease can be deadly. Chagas disease can cause life-threatening heart issues, including heart disease, strokes, arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest. About one-third of those infected will develop chronic heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. “If untreated, infection is lifelong and can be life-threatening,” the CDC warned. The “kissing bug” insects are known as triatomines and are starting to become more common in the U.S. The Chagas disease, which has spread to the U.S., was previously only found in Central and South America and Mexico, according to Fox News At least 8 million people have been infected in those Latin Ameican areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s most recent report in December 2017, and an estimated 300,000 Americans in the U.S. also have the disease, a recent news release from the American Heart Association (AHA) states. “Early detection of Chagas disease is critical, allowing prompt initiation of therapy when the evidence for cure is strong,” Caryn Bern, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California in San Francisco, warned in an online statement. A total of 11 species of kissing bugs have been spotted in the U.S., so far and the majority of those species are concentrated in the states along the U.S.-Mexico border. However, a research team at Texas A&M have documented kissing bugs in at least 28 states across the United States. “Previous studies have found that, on average, 50% of kissing bugs are infected with the Chagas parasite,” the Texas researchers wrote on a website that details their extensive studies of the insects. The parasitic disease can also be passed on to others through contaminated food or drink, from pregnant mothers to their babies, and through blood transfusions and organ transplants.
Loyal Christian Indians and Ugandans The British Empire’s contribution to the war effort was a significant one. The Germans had hoped that colonial unrest would be to their advantage, but instead, many men from across the Empire volunteered, from all faiths. Here is the response to that, perhaps unexpected, loyalty, in Berkshire, from a Christian missionary perspective: This cutting from our newspapers will be read with interest by those who follow the missionary work of our church and its results in the steady character of the Christian populace of India during the time of unrest. If all had remained as loyal as the Christian portion and those influenced by it, Germany would never have deceived herself with the thought of a rising in India. Reuter’s Agency understands that, according to information which has reached this country, the Katikiro or Prime Minister of Uganda, Sir Apollo Kagwa, has announced his intention of placing himself at the head of an army of 5000 men to march against the Germans. Sir Apollo Kagwa was one of the earliest Christian converts. He is reported to have brought a body of chiefs and warriors, nearly all Christians, to the number of 30,000, and placed them at the disposal of the Governor. Sulhamstead parish magazine, February 1915 (D/EX725/3)
I was reading about heat muscle contraction and I read: The endocardium depolarization happens earlier than pericardium , but pericarduim repolarization happens earlier, therefore the T wave in healthy people is always positive. I have two questions: • What's the reason? • Why doesn't it happen in atrium and atrial repolarization(T wave)? • 1 $\begingroup$ Can you please add information to your question? In particular, please define "pericardium", which is commonly defined as the fibrous sac around the heart and should have no effect on the EKG except in illness. Please include the difference between endocardium, myocardium and epicardium if pertinent. $\endgroup$ – anongoodnurse Feb 11 '15 at 19:00 • $\begingroup$ Ah.. I attempted an answer, but until we clarify some of the language I'm unsure my response will be correct. Waiting on these corrections. $\endgroup$ – CKM Feb 11 '15 at 23:18 • 3 $\begingroup$ I think Majid means to ask why the repolarisation occurs from outside to inside when the depolarisation occurs from inside to outside $\endgroup$ – One Face Feb 12 '15 at 2:15 I'm just going to link you to another post here, which I believe answers the same question. It's because the facilitation of the transient outward current if much more prominent in epicardial regions than in endocardial regions. And the following citation, "Transient outward potassium current, ‘Ito’, phenotypes in the mammalian left ventricle: underlying molecular, cellular and biophysical mechanisms," provides some mechanistic insight. To answer the rest of the question: So in an ECG you have leads that record whether a charge is moving toward, or away from the lead. These net charges are reflected on the ECG as either positive or negative deflections. You have a signal from the sinoatrial node that causes a depolarization in the right atrium, then the left atrium (biphasic p wave). In each case, however, we see the positive p wave because in this depolarization the net charge is moving toward the electrodes. Studies on atrial repolarization note that yes, the atrial repolarization is generally obscured by the QRS complex but occurs with polarity opposite that of the p wave. With the ventricles, and the T wave you end up with a special case. The endocardial regions and the interventricular septum are the first to depolarize, and you get the QRS complex. These regions have a longer period of contraction than the epicardial regions, however. The outside of the ventricles begin to repolarize quickly (transient outward current, surface becomes more positive), and this repolarization begins at the apex and propagates toward the base of the heart. Where you'd get a negative T wave with the change in charge, the direction that the repolarization travels causes you to get a positive reading. \| improve this answer \| \|
Retina Center website-cosmetics-occuloplastics2.jpgDr. Strachovsky is a board certified Ophthalmologist and specialist in disorders of the retina including Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic eye disease. He is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Young Ophthalmologist Network and Leading Physicians of the World. "I believe that the physician/patient relationship is more important than ever. Being an Ophthalmologist allows me to help patients and build a foundation of trust, knowledge and professionalism when it comes to eye care." Dr. Strachovsky The Retina The retina is a collection of many cell layers that include photoreceptors (cones and rods). The retina converts images into electrical impulses to be sent to part of the brain that controls vision by way of the optic nerve. Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy is caused by the damage diabetes causes to the blood vessels in the retina, which is located in the back of the eye. The disease might have no complications at the onset, but can eventually lead to blindness. Anyone suffering from Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes can develop retinopathy. The longer the disease persists and the less it is controlled, the higher the risk of retinopathy. website-diabetic-retinopathy.jpgRetinopathy symptoms vary, but usually include increasing blurred vision, dark strings or spots, empty areas in vision, poor night vision, color blindness and eventual loss of vision. It is common for there to be no symptoms in the early stages. The disease usually affects both eyes. Treatment is determined based on the type of retinopathy a person suffers from. At the early stages, monitoring is usually the only treatment. Doctors also work with patients to get their blood sugar under control. Surgery is required once retinopathy is advanced. Surgery includes injections of medication, focal laser treatment, scatter laser treatment or vitrectomy. It is important to note that surgical treatments only slow the progression but does not cure the condition. Macular Degeneration Macular degeneration typically happens as a person ages. It causes blurring in a person’s central vision and is caused by damage to the macula. This is a small area in the back of the eye. Macular degeneration results in difficulty seeing details, reading, driving and identifying people. Peripheral vision is not affected. People suffer from both dry and wet macular degeneration with dry being most common. Dry macular degeneration happens gradually as the cells in the eye break down and waste deposits in the back of the eye. Wet macular degeneration can abruptly deteriorate vision due to leakage of fluid or bleeding under the macula. Symptoms include blurred vision, either over time or suddenly. Macular degeneration has no cure. The best way to combat it is to lead a healthy lifestyle including a diet high in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that promote strong vision. Retinal Detachments Retinal detachment occurs when the retina, which is the tissue in the back of the eye, separates from the outer layers of the eye. The detachment may be small, localized and insignificant or involve the entire retina resulting in blindness if not quickly and properly treated. Causes of retinal detachment include trauma, sagging or shrinking of the vitreous in the eye, advanced diabetes and inflammation. Retinal detachment symptoms include sudden flashes of light, a shadow around the field of vision, and the sudden appearance of debris in the field of vision. These look like hairs, strings or spots that float in front of the eyes. Treatment for retinal detachment includes laser surgery, freezing, or a gas bubble in the eye. For some detachments, surgery in the operating room is required. Contact Us We look forward to hearing from you. Find us on the map
Type Method Animate changes to one or more views using the specified duration and completion handler. The total duration of the animations, measured in seconds. If you specify a negative value or 0, the changes are made without animating them. A block object containing the changes to commit to the views. This is where you programmatically change any animatable properties of the views in your view hierarchy. This block takes no parameters and has no return value. This parameter must not be NULL. A block object to be executed when the animation sequence ends. This block has no return value and takes a single Boolean argument that indicates whether or not the animations actually finished before the completion handler was called. If the duration of the animation is 0, this block is performed at the beginning of the next run loop cycle. This parameter may be NULL. This method performs the specified animations immediately using the UIViewAnimationOptionCurveEaseInOut and UIViewAnimationOptionTransitionNone animation options. For example, if you want to fade a view until it is totally transparent and then remove it from your view hierarchy, you could use code similar to the following: [UIView animateWithDuration:0.2 animations:^{view.alpha = 0.0;} completion:^(BOOL finished){ [view removeFromSuperview]; }]; During an animation, user interactions are temporarily disabled for the views being animated. (Prior to iOS 5, user interactions are disabled for the entire application.) See Also Animating Views with Block Objects + animateWithDuration:delay:options:animations:completion: Animate changes to one or more views using the specified duration, delay, options, and completion handler. + animateWithDuration:animations: Animate changes to one or more views using the specified duration. + transitionWithView:duration:options:animations:completion: Creates a transition animation for the specified container view. + transitionFromView:toView:duration:options:completion: Creates a transition animation between the specified views using the given parameters. + animateKeyframesWithDuration:delay:options:animations:completion: Creates an animation block object that can be used to set up keyframe-based animations for the current view. + addKeyframeWithRelativeStartTime:relativeDuration:animations: Specifies the timing and animation values for a single frame of a keyframe animation. + performSystemAnimation:onViews:options:animations:completion: Performs a specified system-provided animation on one or more views, along with optional parallel animations that you define. + animateWithDuration:delay:usingSpringWithDamping:initialSpringVelocity:options:animations:completion: + performWithoutAnimation: Disables a view transition animation.
Covid-19, power demand and… the role of energy storage Giuseppe Artizzu 20 May, 2020 Covid-related lockdown measures have triggered an unprecedented fall in commercial and industrial power demand, only mitigated by an increase in residential consumption from households transforming their homes into… offices, schools and workshops. Given the zero-marginal cost of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, conventional power plants have taken the brunt of the demand collapse, leading to minimal utilization rates and very irregular working patterns. In Italy, the share of power sales from renewable sources has exceeded 50% over the last few weeks. National Grid, the UK system operator, had to call for emergency powers to curtail renewable production in case of overgeneration, and negotiated the terms for the emergency reduction of inflexible nuclear production upon need. While we all long for a rapid recovery of industrial and commercial activity, the sudden increase of the share of renewables on the grid provides a glimpse of things to come, as cheap green energy continues to displace conventional generation. Conversely, it also provides clear evidence of system operators’ desperate need for alternative flexibility sources, to keep the grid stable and the lights on without curtailing renewable energy. The very mission of an electricity system operator is to continuously balance electricity demand and supply on the grid, every second, every day. Traditionally, this critical task for the ordinary working of society has been accomplished by tweaking in real time the operation of conventional power plants, reducing or increasing their output in response to perpetually changing grid conditions. Over the last decade, the accelerating penetration of intermittent renewable sources has gradually reduced the number of conventional plants in operation, in particular at certain times (e.g. the central hours of the day in sunny regions), and even before the Covid- crisis hit, strains on grid stability had been emerging with increasing frequency. The good news is that we have the answer to system operators’ concerns, and it is so cost- effective to come at negative cost for ratepayers. The answer lies in storing energy in large lithium-ion batteries, whose cost is on a constant downward trend, driven by increasing supply to power electric vehicles. Batteries can instantaneously react to system operators’ needs, by immediately supplying power to the grid in case of deficit, or swing into charging mode to clear any excess supply. ENGIE Eps has been a pioneer in the deployment of battery systems to support greener power networks, from its landmark experience in the Terna Storage Lab in Italy to the supply to Endesa of a 20MW storage system in Spain, and is now at the forefront of ENGIE’s push into the global storage space. We bring Italian excellence, competitiveness, and reliability worldwide. Together we win. Download pdf
EnlightenU Nutrition Consulting, LLC Enlightening You about Food and Nutrition Leave a comment Hunger & Fullness: Honoring Our First Biological Instinct “What are you hungry for?” iStock_donut choice edit What is the difference between hunger and appetite? What is the difference between fullness and satiety? How do you know if you are hungry or full? hunger and fullness scale Leave a comment 5 Tips for Managing Emotional Eating Emotional eating is when an emotion triggers a person to eat, instead of the physical symptom of hunger. There are many misconceptions about emotional eating. One of the biggest myths is that all emotional eating leads to overeating and weight gain. In fact, it is natural to eat for emotional reasons and still maintain your weight. For example, celebrations with family and friends often include special foods that we have an emotional relationship with. Having birthday cake with friends, not because you are hungry, but because it feels good isn’t necessarily a prescription for overeating or weight gain. In fact, a recent study investigated how an individual’s perceptions about eating a food, like chocolate cake, influenced their motivation to maintain a healthy eating plan. Researchers discovered that those who felt “guilty” after eating a piece of cake were more likely to sabotage their weight loss efforts than those who associated the cake with “celebration.” So then, what’s the problem with emotional eating? Emotional eating is a problem when you abuse it. When a person is out of touch with their feelings and eats to comfort themselves or stuff their feelings down, it can result in overeating. When an individual engages in this behavior day after day, it is likely to result in weight gain. Diets and forbidden foods often make the problem worse. Dieters, or individuals with restricted eating patterns, are typically eating less than they need; less of the foods they enjoy; and, are chronically hungry. When faced with stress or other emotions, the ability to maintain control of the restrained eating becomes intolerable for the individual who “gives in” and overeats. In these situations, the individual eats quickly; is distracted; and, is disconnected from his or her internal cues. Feeling guilty and remorseful, the dieter tries harder to restrict the eating and the cycle continues. How to stop abusing emotional eating. 1. Identify your triggers. Keep a mood food diary and track information about your meals and snacks (including unplanned eating), Write down what you are eating, when you are eating, where you are eating, whom you are eating with, and how you are feeling at the time. Many of my clients strongly object to keeping a journal for various reasons. Taking time with a nutritionist or other health professional to discuss strategies to overcome those barriers may be key for you to take the first step in getting control of your emotional eating. 2. Don’t skip meals. Feed yourself regularly while being mindful of balance, variety and moderation in your meal planning. 3. Eat whole foods. Eating whole foods that you enjoy, on a regular basis, can help to balance out your mood and provide consistent energy during the day. 4. Develop alternative coping skills to manage your emotions. Take a moment to create a list of activities you can use when emotions run high. Things like calling a friend, gardening, being outside, reading, and taking a bath are all examples. Many activities result in the release of the chemicals in the brain that help us feel better. I suggest that individuals have their list visible and easily available. When you notice a trigger to use food for comfort, try one of the items from your list. After 10 minutes, if the food is still beckoning you, try the 2nd activity for 10 minutes, and so on. Usually if you make it to the 3rd activity, you will notice that the urge to eat is less. 5. Try Individual or group counseling. Talking about your triggers and getting support for planning healthy meals and snacks may be the key to making the behavior changes that are needed. 1 Comment 5 Tips for a Healthy Holiday Holiday cooking was sheer joy in my grandmother’s Nebraska kitchen! Leave a comment Finding Peace with Food Through Mindful Eating Does anyone remember the Paul Harvey radio show? Well, I certainly do. My father was a huge fan and listening to Paul Harvey’s storytelling while gathered around the table for lunch just went hand-in-hand for us. In fact, our family ritualistically surrounded the dinner table for meals in our small, quaint kitchen in Nebraska. Although we would listen intently to the Paul Harvey news at lunch, there were no other distractions at meals. No talking on the phone – for one thing there were no cell phones at the time. In fact, there weren’t even cordless phones. We didn’t have a television in our kitchen. Another thing I don’t believe anyone had back then. There were no “superfoods” at our meals. We ate whatever my mom prepared, whether that was grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, fried egg sandwiches or just plain leftovers. And, we were thankful…for the food, for the time together, and the time to just take a break in the day. My experience eating mindfully began before “mindful eating” was even defined in our culture. Growing up in a food environment that emphasized regular family meals taught me to appreciate good cooking, food and time with family. And now for “The Rest of the Story” Sadly, this harmonious meal time didn’t stay so sweet and peaceful. External cues from society that normalized dieting, “eating on the run”, and “good” vs “bad” foods increased as I ventured off to college and the working world. Lunch was no longer peacefully enjoying my meal while listening to the velvety voice of Paul Harvey. Instead, I was running off to get a large frozen yogurt and popcorn (because these were nonfat and “good for you” at the time), then eating at my desk while working on the computer. Evening meals ended up being some “low-fat” frozen meal conveniently heated in the microwave and then mindlessly eating in front of the television. Coincidentally, I couldn’t understand how I continued to gain weight. I thought I was eating right. Eating continued to become so chaotic, cycling between restricting and over-eating; struggling with persistent weight gain; and, continuing to erode away my pleasure with food. I began to obsess about what to do? So, I exercised more and ate better. After some time (and the desire to make a career switch), I decided to go back to school and study nutrition. Clearly, I thought, if I just knew more about nutrition, then I would get it right! Well, I did get that Master’s degree in nutrition, and fortunately discovered my passion for physiology, food and nutrition. In fact, the education actually helped me break many of the diet rules that had sabotaged my enjoyment of food and eating. But, not even an advanced degree in nutrition could have changed my relationship with “how” I was eating. I fondly remembered back to that time when it was so simple. I could eat food, enjoy my meals and not worry about what I was eating, calories or my weight. Was that even possible anymore? As my own family started to grow, I began to plan and insist on having family meals. My husband and I sitting at the table with a 2-year old and a baby wasn’t the sweet and peaceful “Normal Rockwell” painting I remembered back from that dinner table in Nebraska. But, we stuck with it. Eating began to be more focused on “how” we were eating instead of “what” we were eating. Of course, I continued to try and provide good nutrition for our family at the meals. But, it really wasn’t about the food. I began to notice that I looked forward to planning, shopping, and preparing family meals with favorite family recipes and with foods we actually enjoyed! We were thankful for the meal and setting apart the busyness of the day for each meal. And…unintentionally, my weight dropped back to the point I was at before all the chaotic eating. Fast forward about 15 years through a divorce; being a single parent; stress of a job; taking care of adolescents; and the list goes on. As I reflect back, mindful eating has been the cornerstone of health and nutrition for me. Finding a peaceful relationship with food, eating and weight has not included any specific foods or recipes. It has NOT been about following a diet or set of food rules. It has not been about eating less or more depending on how much I exercise (or don’t exercise). For me, eating mindfully has been a practice of staying aware of my body and giving myself permission to take time to eat. Whether having a family meal (even as a busy single parent); or, a meal alone, eating at the table without distractions has truly been an important behavior to stick with. This has meant challenging judgment about food, and instead eat what I enjoy at meals, not what is the latest food or diet trend. Of course, being a nutritionist, I enjoy preparing a variety of foods while keeping balanced nutrition in mind for my family. But, if you asked anyone in my family, they would tell you there are no “forbidden foods” and “it’s just normal to have a family meal at the table.” Recently, we had a young guest over for our evening meal. The table was set, as it is at every evening. We began our meal with our usual centering of prayer. As we talked about the day, enjoying our food together (with no cell phones or TV allowed), our guest commented about how different this meal was from her experience at home. When I asked, “what seemed different?” She added that “it was very strange to sit at a table and eat.” Later in the meal, she continued to explain how “there is so much noise at her house during meals” and “eating here is so pleasant.” Awww…truly the joy of mindful, healthy eating!
1. Forum 2. > 3. Topic: Portuguese 4. > 5. "He does not feel well." "He does not feel well." Translation:Ele não se sente bem. September 20, 2013 Why can't "bom" be used here? Because "bom" is "good" and "well" is "bem". One can be "good", but cannot be "well". Rather, one can do well in something, but cannot do good in something. Ele é um bom aluno de Português = He is a good Portuguese student Ele foi bem na prova de Português = He did well in the Portuguese text One can most certainly be well; they don't have to do well in something for the word to apply to them. Example: "How is he"? "He's well". I thought the verb could be used reflexively as in senti-se The verb is being used reflexively here, all that's different is the placement of the reflexive pronoun "se". In Brazil it is more common to find the pronoun before the verb. You mention senti-se, but you probably meant "sente-se"; see the comment by joaopsousa for the reason why "sente-se" is not used in sentences like this even in Portugal. Eu nao entendo? "ele" is a pronoun...why do we need another one? Should the English translation be "He doesn't feel himself"? I don't think there's a reflexive pronoun in "He doesn't feel well"? Portuguese uses the reflexive form to distinguish the idea of feeling something within from feeling something with the senses. The general idea of reflexive verbs and how to use the reflexive pronouns is briefly described here: Good clarification tx. Yes I did mean sente-se, and I tend to answer with Portuguese Portuguese as this really what I'm practicing and learning. Clearly it trips me up sometimes beyond just plain making mistakes. :-) since the phrase has a negative adverb, the pronoun "se" is before the verb, not only in brazil Thank you for your very useful comment. I'll edit my earlier answer. What is the significance of the "se" I put "Ele nao sente bem" would someone still be able to understand me? "Se", in this case, is the reflexive pronoun for "Ele/Ela". In "Ele não se sente bem", he is clearly talking about himself. In "Ele não sente bem", it's not clear what he doesn't feel well. I know that in English it's pretty clear he is talking about himself. However, in Portuguese it's not (mostly because "sentir" has multiple meanings and because "well" is placed differently in a sentence than "bem"). So when it's written "Ele não sente bem", we don't know what he doesn't feel well. "Ele não sente bem", can be a phrase of a larger sentence like "Ele não sente bem a mão dela" [He doesn't feel her hand well -- I'm not even sure if "feel" is the best word to convey the meaning here] or "Ele não sente bem o cheiro de comida" [He doesn't feel the smell of food well -- dito; maybe "sense" is better here]. Learn Portuguese in just 5 minutes a day. For free.
Pediatrics Articles It’s 9pm and your child’s diarrhea has been ongoing for a few hours. What do you do? It’s very normal to question whether you should call the doctor, go to the ER or wait until morning. Take a deep breath, follow these guidelines and trust your instincts. You know your child better than anyone! “The most important aspect of treating diarrhea is knowing the signs of dehydration and taking steps to rehydrate the child,” says Dr. Benjamin Ortiz, a pediatrician in the FDA’s Office of Pediatric Therapeutics. If loose, watery stools last for more than one day, younger children run the risk of dehydration. Indicators of dehydration include dry lips, mouth or tongue, no tears when crying, no wet diapers for 3 or more hours or a faster heartbeat than normal. If you suspect dehydration has begun, call your doctor. Yes, there are anti-diarrheal over-the-counter medications that can help older children and adults, but they could actually be harmful to infants and toddlers. These medications contain ingredients that can quickly accumulate in young children’s bodies. Instead, try to get your infant or toddler to continue to drink fluids and eat a regular diet. If diarrhea persists, electrolyte solutions such as Pedialyte, Naturalyte or Enfalyte may be easier to digest than the regular diet. These products come in liquid or popsicle form and many different flavors. Don’t give children sports drinks for rehydration because they contain a high sugar content and can actually contribute to diarrhea. If your child is also persistently vomiting, and can’t hold down an electrolyte solution, call your pediatrician or go to the ER. You should also seek medical help if your child has a fever of 102 degrees or higher, stools that are black and tarry or stools containing blood or pus. If your child needs to see a specialist, you can rest assured that the GI Pediatric Division is the most qualified. We realize that children have gastrointestinal diseases that are different from adults and require a unique approach. Our team consists of two pediatric gastroenterologists, a nurse practitioner, registered nurses and medical assistants. Our pediatric gastroenterologists are specifically trained to help children with gastrointestinal disorders. They have dedicated nurses and staff members to make the pediatric patient and family feel more at ease. You can find out more about our team here. Your Health Matters
Hans Aeschlimann “The Crimson Winged” The tall, pink flamingos are an instantly recognizable group of birds, which have been known from earliest times and often celebrated in popular stories. They belong to one of the bird families, dating back at least 30 millions years, when their range extended to North America and Australia. Photo By Jan F.L Van Duinen All species have a long, slender neck and tall, spindy legs, a fairly small body, and large, specially adopted, drooping bill. Their plumage varies between pale and deep rose-pink, with crimson and black wings. Flamingos are extremely sociable and usually occur in large flocks. At times, they form the biggest concentration of non-passerine birds: on occasions, more than a million gather at feeding sites. The birds forage by wading knee-deep at the edges of alkaline or saline lakes and lagoons. They turn their head upside down and sweep the bill through the water, sucking in mouthfuls. As they squeeze out excess water with their tongue, comb like structures called lamellae trap tiny particles of food. Flamingos breed in large colonies at the edge of lakes or on island. In East Africa, the only reliable breeding site is Lake Natron in Northern Tanzania. The nest is circular mound of mud baked hard by the sun, into which the female lays on white egg. The chicks look like fluffy duck-lings on hatching, and are fed on a milky mash regurgitated by their parents. After a few days, they join a large group of youngsters within the colony, but continue to be fed by their parents for about 10 weeks longer, until they can fly and become fully independent. Red-headed Weaver(Anaplectes rubriceps) breeding at the base of Tugen Hills. The photo appearing above is an adult male red-headed weaver, Anaplectes rubriceps, also known as the red-headed Anaplectes or the red-winged weaver, photographed at the bases of Tugen Hills, 14 kilometers from Lake Baringo. The Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps, a striking weaver bird with bright red head in the breeding plumage of males. In East Africa the male has a black mask (leuconotus); one race in East Africa has a red plumage (jubaensis). The female is yellowish or brownish. Both sexes have a distinctive thin pinkish orange bill. In Kenya it is easily seen in Amboseli national park, Tsavo west and East, Samburu national reserve, Lake Baringo and kerio Valley. Verreaux’s Eagle, also known as Black Eagle (Aquila verreaux’s). Photo@Joe Aengwo Verreaux’s Eagle is a large bird of prey that is highly specialised, with its life history and distribution revolving around its main prey of rock hyraxes and preferred habitat of hilly and mountainous terrain. It is wide spread throughout Kenya, especially around Samburu game reserve, Lake Baringo, Lake Magadi and Tsavo West national park. It feeds primarily on rock hyraxes but it also preys on other animals such as small mammals, birds and reptiles. Its populations are stable and have been less impacted by human encroachment due to the isolation and the inaccessible terrain of its habitat. When perched or at rest adult Verreaux’s Eagles are entirely black in appearance, except for a white ‘V’ above the wings on the back and yellow feet (talons) and cere. In flight, the unfolded wings expose a white rump and whitish panels on the outer wings. The wings have a distinctive shape that is broad in the middle and tapering at the tips. Sexes are similar, but females are slightly larger than males. Juveniles have a yellow-brown plumage and the head and back of the neck have a distinctive reddish-brown colour. The face and throat are black. Juveniles achieve adult plumage in 4 years. The photos appearing here were all taken in western cliffs of Lake Baringo. Photo@Joe Aengwo The elegant Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) Photo@Jan F. Van Duinen Widespread and locally common in higher rainfall areas up to 3000m, though generally uncommon above 2000m. Long-crested Eagle is an adaptable woodland and forest edge species which is especially common in areas partially cleared for agriculture, even when heavily settled. It takes large numbers of rodents and his generally considered beneficial to man. Long-crested Eagle adult is dark brown or black. It has long white patches at the joint of the wings, visible when perched, forming white lines on each side of the breast. Underwing coverts are white, with black spots. It has broad dark tail strongly barred of white. Tarsi are whitish. Wings are long and broad. Hooked bill is yellow with dark tip. Eyes are golden or reddish-brown. Feet are yellow with slender talons. Photo@Joe Aengwo Photo@ Joe Aengwo Photo@Joe Aengwo Photo@Joe Aengwo “The Leopard of the Sky”Crowned Hawk-eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus) African Crowned-Eagle gliding the African Skies. Photo by Juhani Vilpo Although not the biggest eagle in Africa, the Crowned Eagle is considered the most powerful and ferocious eagle based on the size of its prey. Weighing in at 2.5 – 4.5 kg, it regularly kills prey heavier than itself. Forest mammals like Vervet monkeys and duiker (25kg) are never safe when this eagle is near. Africa’s biggest eagle is the Martial Eagle which can weigh over 6kg but prefers to prey on animals like Guineafowl and reptiles. Also known as the Leopard of the Sky for its hunting abilities, the Crowned Eagle is well camouflaged with bars and blotches on the chest and a slate grey upper side. This colouring makes it disappear in a forest environment, especially because it tends to sit inside the tree canopy instead of on top like most other eagles. A breeding pair of African Crowned Eagle at Kakamega forest. Photo by Juhani Vilpo To adapt to the forest environment, the Crowned Eagle has a long tail and broad, rounded wings. The combination of these two makes it extremely agile and fast which is one of the main reasons why it is the only eagle that preys on monkeys actively. Monkeys are very alert and quick, making them difficult to hunt, especially in a group. The male and female Crowned Eagle often hunt as a pair, while one eagle distracts the monkeys, the other makes the kill. With powerful feet and massive talons it can kill a monkey in one blow. This is essential because monkeys have strong hands and can easily damage an eye or a wing of the eagle. During breeding time crowned eagles become much more visible and vocal as they make undulating areal displays at heights of up to 1km. They can be noisy during these times with a loud ‘kewee kewee kewee’ call from the male. This ritual is normally associated with breeding, but could also be an act of territorial domination. The nest of a Crowned Eagle is a huge structure of sticks which is repaired and enlarged every breeding season, making the nests grow bigger and bigger. Some nests grow to be about 2.3 metres across making them the biggest nests of all the eagle species. You have a chance of seeing this species in Kenya if you are touring Mt.Kenya Forest Reser, Nairobi National Park, Aberdare National Park, Kakamega tropical rain forest and Mau Forest.
Tag Archives: oratory skills Vary your tone of voice The difference between a boring presentation and an exciting one is the tone of voice used by the presenter. Never use a monotone. At various stages of your talk, your tone should go from slow to fast, loud to soft, humorous to serious and melancholic to joyful. Try to use plenty of interesting and out-of-the ordinary examples throughout your presentation. A speaker once discussed the boring topic of aerodynamic equations by citing the example of the flight of a bumble bee. Examples like that can keep your audience’s attention focused on your presentation. The difference between a presentation with variety and one without is like the difference between a rive and a canal. If you are floating down a river, it offers you different surprises at every bend. You may go from farmland to gorges to forest just by floating along a river. A canal, on the other hand, is a man-made ditch that is straight and not very interesting. A good presentation is a river. A bad one is a canal.
Is There a Difference Between an Executor and an Administrator of an Estate? When a person dies and probate is necessary, a court will appoint a personal representative to oversee the winding up of the decedent’s affairs. The duties of the personal representative are: 1. to inventory and collect the decedent’s assets; 2. to manage the assets during administration; 3. to receive and pay the claims of creditors and tax collectors; and 4. to distribute the remaining assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries. The person charged with responsibility is called an Executor or Administrator depending on whether he or she has been named in a will. Executors and administrators are classified as “personal representatives” of the estate. If a person dies leaving a valid will, and the will names a person who is to execute the will and administer the estate, this person is called an Executor. However, when the person in charge of administering the estate is not named in a will, that person is called an Administrator. Administrators are appointed by, under the control of, and accountable to a court, generally referred to as a probate court. 1. Parks Wilson says Is probate always necessary? Leave a Comment
Ice Hockey How elaborated is ice hockey? (Part 2) Today, ice hockey thrives in width and depth. The most common is still in geographic regions cold enough to form a seasonal ice layer with perfect hardness such as Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the region is located in the Northern latitude of the United States. Some countries like Canada and other European countries officially choose ice hockey as their national winter sport. Professional tournaments in North America such as the American Professional League (NHL), the Women’s Federation in Canada (CWHL) are becoming increasingly popular, attracting tens of thousands of people to the field, hundreds of thousands of followers. via television and just as pervasive as football. Difficult, not eye-catching but still attractive Most hockey players share the same perception that skating skills account for more than 50% of success. Traveling on a special shoe (similar to roller skates but without the wheels on the sole of the shoe instead of a metal slice) requires the player to have excellent balance. For movement skills to reach the “upper level” players need to go through a long process from observation, training to practice often with a strong determination. Seen from outside, hockey is not a sport that leaves a beautiful image. A group of players scramble a tiny disk, the messy clashes on the field sometimes make viewers feel frustrated and boring. That is not to mention the extremely high direct opposition that many people fear injury problems. However, once in the “insider” position, those “negative” comments will immediately reverse. Usually, every sport requires special skills in specific parts. For example, football needs the dexterity of the feet, basketball and table tennis are more inclined to special skills from the hands, etc. With hockey on the player, the player must exercise the whole body and need to know how to coordinate smoothly. between the aforementioned parts. Ice Hockey How elaborated is ice hockey? (Part 1) If football was dubbed the “King” sport of the Summer Olympics, then Ice Hockey would occupy a similar position during the Winter Olympics. Ice hockey has been the favorite sport in many countries such as the UK, the US, Canada, etc. Let’s learn something about this elaborated sport! Long-standing origin There are many theories about the birth of hockey, but so far most people still believe that the sport comes from a game in ancient Greece called “keritizein”. From the end of the eighteenth century, hockey was gradually improved by the British until it became a unified whole as it is now. According to the regulations of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the standard game field must meet the basic requirements of size 60.98x30m. The rules are quite simple with each team of 6 players using skateboards (made of wood, aluminum or synthetic plastic) to hit the ball into the opponent’s net. The match lasts 60 minutes and is divided into 3 innings without recess. The team that takes the ball more into the opponent’s net will win. The big difference between hockey and football is that there is no time limit and number of substitutions per match. The half-time break lasts from 15 minutes 30 seconds to 17 minutes. First appeard at the Summer Olympics Ice hockey first appeared in Summer Olympics 1920 in Belgium. The test was then completely transferred to the winter sports system starting from the 2004 Winter Olympics and defaulted until the last Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia in 2014. Seven countries including Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States are considered the great powers of ice hockey in the Olympic arena. In the men’s content only 6/64 medals do not belong to one of the seven countries mentioned above. On the women’s playing field, the medal competition in the Olympics and the World Championship is always the battle of this group of “giants”, the gold medal is always a competition of both Canadian and American teams. Joshua: ‘The championship match must take place in 2020’ Having received four heavyweight boxing belts, Anthony Joshua aims to acquire the missing WBC belt. “The heavyweight championship match must take place in 2020. We are in the same weight class, again in the same generation. All want to go down in history, especially Deontay Wilder, because he has a The last title I want to own, “said Anthony Joshua during the” Zoe Ball Breakfast Show “on BBC Radio 2. Joshua intended to be the absolute champion in 2019, but the loss to Andy Ruiz on June 1 changed the plans of the British boxer. The 30-year-old boxer had to wait until the end of last week to reclaim the four title belts lost at the rematch. Meanwhile, Wilder – who owns the WBC championship belt – is also eager to compete with Joshua but has not agreed on the terms of the bonus. The American boxer wanted to fight at home, and was willing to meet the $ 50 million prize money for Joshua, but the British opponent disagreed. Wilder was forced to compete with Tyson Fury, Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz in the meantime. “I think we should create a real heritage by 2020. It will be a match like ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (Joshua pun, taking the name of a movie with the word” ring “, also means the ring),” Joshua continued. The heavyweight boxing championship match, if it takes place, will be held in the second half of 2020. Wilder and Fury now have a rematch on February 22, 2020. Joshua will play against the designated boxer of WBO (Oleksandr Usyk) or of IBF (Kubrat Pulev). In it, Usyk has just climbed to the super heavy category. He used to hold four cruisers WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO. Let’s looking forward to the championship match in 2020 of this great boxer. Coach Ancelotti can return to the Premier League After being sacked by Napoli, it is likely that Carlo Ancelotti will return to England to continue the training. According to Sky Sports sources, Everton is jumping into talks with coach Ancelotti. After a 2-5 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League, the team sacked coach Marco Silva and brought Duncan Ferguson to the temporary. In the near future, the former coach of Goodison Park, David Moyes can sit in the hot seat here until the official captain. Arsenal is also very interested in coach Ancelotti. However, the Emirates Stadium team has not made a concrete move yet. After dismissing Unai Emery, the “Gunner” is being led by former player Freddie Ljungberg. If he becomes the coach of either team, Ancelotti will return to England once. Previously, he was at Chelsea in 2009-2011. He and “The Blues” won 3 titles including Premier League, FA Cup and Super Cup of England. On 11/12, coach Ancelotti was sacked after Napoli’s 4-0 victory over Genk in the Champions League. This was a decision made after a series of days of conflict between the Italian strategist and the team president, Aurelio De Laurentiis. Previously, Carlo Ancelotti was sacked after Napoli’s 4-0 win The Napoli leadership made a decision to fire coach Carlo Ancelotti right after the Italian team won 4-0 against Genk in the Champions League on the morning of December 11. “Napoli decided Ancelotti is no longer the first team coach. The friendship and mutual respect between him and Chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis is still intact”, Napoli wrote on the club’s official social network. This decision is easy to understand, because Napoli internal instability in recent years. President Laurentiis forced the team to stay in the hotel or training ground of Napoli from after the Champions League match to facing Genoa in Serie A. The reason is that Napoli has not had a good record in recent times. They did not win the last 3 rounds. Chairman Laurentiis thought that was an opportunity for the team members to understand each other better. However, the players and coach Ancelotti do not agree with this. Things were even more tense when many Napoli fanatics attacked the family of players. According to The Guardian, it is likely that Gennaro Gattuso, former AC Milan coach, will sit in the hot seat that Ancelotti left. Meanwhile, Ancelotti is said to have spoken to Arsenal. On the morning of December 11, Napoli won 4-0 against Genk at home, thereby becoming the second group of Group E and in the knockout round of this tournament.
This Country's on the Hunt for Deadly Fish Sold by Mistake © Jim/Flickr © Jim/Flickr If you have fugu in your fridge right now, don’t eat it. A Japanese city has issued emergency warnings to stop people eating the famously poisonous yet delicious fish after potentially deadly parts of the fish were sold. A supermarket in Gamagori city in central Japan sold five packets of fugu without removing the toxic livers. The pufferfish, which is considered to be a delicacy, is more poisonous than cyanide and can cause a fast, violent death. There is no antidote. The liver, ovaries and skin of the fish contain the poison tetrodotoxin, which affects the nerve system. The symptoms of fugu poisoning start with a numbness around the mouth, followed by paralysis and then death. It’s so lethal that even the tiniest mistake in its preparation can be fatal. People who prepare the fish must have special training and obtain a licence before they are able to sell it. Despite the danger, the blowfish is popular and is eaten raw as sashimi or in soup. It’s expensive, costing around £20 per dish, and is eaten in the winter. Three of the fugu portions have been found, but two are still at large. Japan sees several cases of fugu poisoning a year, but not all are lethal. These usually occur when people catch and eat the fish themselves as they don’t know the proper way to prepare it, rather than eating it in restaurants or purchasing it from shops. Emergency warnings are being broadcast through loudspeakers located throughout Gamagori. ‘We are calling for residents to avoid eating fugu, using Gamagori city’s emergency wireless system,’ local official Koji Takayanagi said to AFP.
Dead Reckoning From BZFlagWiki Revision as of 17:52, 27 January 2009 by RatOmeter (Talk \| contribs) Jump to: navigation, search This page should give information and suggestion on what Dead Reckoning (DR) is, how it is implemented, what it should be. DR is a method to find the current position by measuring the course and distance from a past known point. It is used in Distributed Interactive Simulation to conserve bandwidth in the communication between two different network entities, when exchanging position information of a moving object. It starts with a kinematic model of the object. Let's explain with a simple case including an object which we'll call "Tank" that is owned by entity (A). There is a second entity (B) that should receive position updates for Tank. A is updating Tank's position continuously, taking into account the environment, the Tank driver's control inputs, and the physics (virtual) laws that the game imposes. "Continuously" means at some periodic rate. A is the master (driver) of the tank. B recreates the position and orientation of A's Tank locally using data provided by A. B's tank is a slave. Let's first assume a 0 delay network. One approach could be for A to communicate the tank position and orientation to B any time it updates its own internal tank representation. B uses these messages to update its internal copy of the tank, using the newest data to have arrived. Unfortunately, this wastes bandwidth! To conserve bandwidth, A and B could share a Dead Reckoning (DR) model of the tank. When A has updated its Tank position, instead of blindly sending a position update, A compares the current tank position to a predicted tank position that is calculated via the DR model. If the "real" and predicted object representations are the same (or nearly the same within a tolerance) it does not send an update message to B. With no update received from A, B uses its DR model to calculate the position of the tank. That is not a future position. It is the actual current tank position with no more error than is allowed by the tolerance. However, the true tank position is updated periodically, to allow for new player's entering in the game. To enable all players' DR models to remain synchronized, we must add DR model parameters to the update messages. In this way we only send tank updates when the position cannot be accurately derived by the old data, thus saving bandwidth. Now let's assume a fixed delay network. With the same behavior described above, A send its data to B. B updates its tank representation with the same rules outlined above. B has the "correct" representation of the object, and its history, but just delayed by the network. Here Dead reckoning is not going to "predict" any position, B behaves the same as if DR is not used, (i.e. A send tank updates any frames). Data futuring is not in the game. Now let's consider a network with jitter. With jitter, the fastest packets arrive with a delay that is near the minimum path route, while some other packets arrive later, due to some network bottleneck. Now the tank updates from A to B not only arrive delayed, but sometimes with a change in that delay, causing effects of time compression and expansion that A is not aware of. If B uses these update messages without any time correction between the two entity's prediction algorithms, A & B will not behave the same. The result is that DR is going to alter the perception of A 's tank at B, not just by (network) delay of its history, but also by potentially changing its trajectory. The adverse effects are increased with increasing jitter. One of the most serious effects of this is seen when A's driver is not in control of its tank (e.g. jumping or falling). With no other input, it is only the world "physics" and the DR algorithm operating and relatively few updates are sent to B. Using a jump as an example, A may send just a few updates, perhaps just at the jump start, halfway through the rising arc, top, halfway through the descent and then upon landing. So take an example. Tank starts to jump, so A sends an update. The next update suffers from network congestion, so it is seen delayed at the B side. In the meantime, B continues to predict the tank position. When the tank is seen at B at half descent, the delayed message was received, so B reverts its local view back to the half rise point, where the local view of the tank is continuing to rise. Later, a new update is received, suddenly putting the tank in a new forward, descending position. The visual effect at player B's perspective is a tank that rapidly jumps between different positions and trajectories. This is currently a problem that is often viewable while playing. To correct this, we should compute the network jitter, and use this to correctly position the tank in time & space as viewed by the DR algorithm, so it can continue to work happily. The "fixed" (unknown) network delay still applies, so our local tank representation is still delayed and, apart the network congestion event, where we blindly predict the future, truely reflect the remote one.
• Uncategorized Howto Make a Music Video Making good musicvideos requires a lot of creativity, originality and a well laid downplan with a work breakdown structure (Campbell, 2013). This workbreakdown structure should assess the analysis of the video projecthaving in details how to go about the process of making the musicvideo. Some of the notable milestones that have to be met includebrainstorming, scriptwriting, holding an approval meeting anddeciding on a workable budget for the project (Larson E, 2011). Thebudget should include payments made to casting and hiring the crew.Select a suitable location for the video and obtain the proper propsand equipment for the project. Workbreakdown structure A work planstructure when making a music video helps the producer to be verycomprehensive in his or her project (Campbell, 2013). The work planshould be specific for proper management of the project. The planningof the project requires a significant investment regarding thinking.This is critical because proper thinking before making the musicvideo helps in considering the big picture that the video will be outto portray (Gregory, 2013). Identifying the major part of theproject’s work helps the project manager to have all the grittydetails and thus leads to the promotion of a great video. The workplan structure, therefore, ensures that the project manager keepsbreaking the job down into very smaller pieces until they reach alevel in which he or she can accurately budget efficiently for theproject and create a well estimated time frame (Gregory, 2013). TheCost and Time Estimates Establishing thedesired end date takes into account the amount of time needed tofinish the music video and deliver it on time to the client. It isessential to establish a period before embarking on shooting themusic video as this helps the project manager construct a detailedwork plan that follows the time given for the project. Determiningthe time estimates requires comparing projects that have beenproduced before and benchmarking the estimates that the projectmanager will require (Larson E, 2011). Past experiences from theproduction of any other video project before are very helpful as theyhelp the persons involved with some crucial details needed for anyvideo production. For a proper and smooth working schedule, it isimportant that the project manager and any other involved partiesreach an agreement on the period required. Time estimates can,therefore, be met at from a consensus reached upon by the projectmanager and all the parties that will be involved (Larson E, 2011). Determiningthe Cost Estimates In determining thecost estimates of a music video project, the team can benchmark fromprevious projects with similar demands and determine how much it willcost. Cost is calculated through breakdowns of component costs toensure the figures are accurate. There are some parts of the musicvideo that will require outsourcing of different components.Outsourcing of major am and assisting feature actors can be sometimescostly. This, therefore, needs to be calculated and the costestimated for the accuracy of the budget. A good project,therefore, has a well-detailed budget with the costs listed regardingpre-production, production and post-production costs (Gregory, 2013).Pre-production costs include cost of script writing, the cost ofcasting and paying for the location of the video shoot, props usedand the mechanical pieces of equipment that will be in use. The costsmet during the production of the video include payments made toactors, payment made to the crew members and costs incurred by theproduction office. Production office costs may include cateringservices, computers, phones and headsets used. Production of amusic video is done by a group of workers each with his a particularresponsibility. All the persons involved in the production of thevideo project are assigned duties taking into consideration the areaof expertise of the individual. There is the need to have a videoproducer who is in charge of the whole function. All the productionunits, therefore, fall under the command of the video producer. Toavoid redundancy of duties, all the personnel are circulated fairlyand equitably within the project (Gregory, 2013). Someof the potential risks The table belowcontains some of the possible risks that can be experienced from thetime of pre-production, production time and also post-production(Larson E, 2011). Occurrence time Possibility of equipment malfunction Some of the equipment being used in the video include cameras, sound and lighting equipment may malfunction During the process of shooting the video Soaring of costs post-production costs The cost estimates can soar very high after the production and during editing of the shot video thus affecting the budget This happens after production stage and even during video editing Unavailability of cast or the crew This happens before and during the shooting of the video. Some of the crew members or cast c decide to opt out or get injured before shooting. Such a risk can happen during the shooting of the video or before the day of video shooting. Unexpected disaster at the location Some disasters like bad weather conditions can never be foreseen. Floods or fires at the site can also affect the video production. This risk happens during the production of the video project Time as a risk factor Getting a correct estimate of the time frame can be quite challenging. This is due to the unforeseeable risks that hamper the production process. This therefore makes the project to take longer than it was expected to. This happens from the start of the project to the time the project is delivered as an end product The risks raisedwith the production of the music video can be mitigated if specialcontingencies are put into place [ CITATION Lar11 l 2057 ]. Malfunctioning Equipment Identifying a backup source for equipment like cameras, sound devices and lighting equipment helps mitigate this risk. This should be readily available in case the primary equipment accidentally malfunction. Another risk mitigation route is to ensure that the technical crew available at the site of the video shoot have a reputable record with such kind of equipment. Soaring of post-production costs The best way to mitigate this risk is by sticking tightly to the script. Accurate estimates must be tabled and decided upon by efficient people who have a history of dealing with such problems. Revisions to the video script should be finalised before the project manager decides to go shoot the video[ CITATION Lar11 l 2057 ]. Unavailability of some of the cast and crew members Unavailability of casts can be mitigated through locking down the schedule of the actors in order to reduce any possibility of a conflict. Another means is to shoot the video in accordance to the available cast members. The ones that may not be available will shoot their part on a different day. Extra days should be allocated within the time frame to cater or the days that will have specific major acts being absent[ CITATION Lar11 l 2057 ]. Unexpected disaster at the location Disasters at the location of shoot should not hamper the production of the music video. There is a chance to look for a different location to proceed with the shooting. Having an insurance cover on some of the uncontrollable disasters helps the project manager work without pressure. Time as risk factor Estimating the exact time that the project can take is quite difficult but this can be mitigated by sticking religiously to the time allocated TheCritical path for the production Assemblingthe team This is acritical stage in production as it enables the project manager toassemble a very efficient team that will help them run the wholeproject efficiently. Members get time to acquaint with one anotherduring this time. Very length discussions are held during this timeon the scope of the project and a favorable ground set for thecommencement of the project. It is an advantage to the productionmanager when his team members easily and efficiently fit into theirrole as this becomes a smooth process of production. Any conflictover the person that will be in charge of the different subgroupscreated for efficiency will be discussed at this juncture. All thecast and crew members should interact with each other well so that atthe start of the shoot, they all fit into each other like a solvedpuzzle (Larson E, 2011). Formation of ateam is termed efficient when all the members establish a common setof expectations. This helps solidify the whole group. Since thisproject is not very complex, the process of finding common groundshould never take a lot of time. The performance of the team willthen run at full throttle when everyone is at peace with the projectproposal. The backbone ofa successful project depends solely on unyielding leadership skills.Availability of a strong leader is an added advantage to the team ashe will provide direction to the team and even the needed motivation.The head of the team needs to adapt efficiently to any arisingsituation and help the team charter new ways that can solve problemsthat hamper the progress of the team. A good leader acts efficientlyand swiftly to matters that arise ensuring that the progress of theproject stays on course without any interruptions. A leader isfuture-oriented, able to foresee a bigger picture that others couldnot envision and this focus on more tasks that promote proper taskaccomplishment. A leader is an example that is followed by the groupmembers. His or her behaviors help to set priorities for the projectwhile setting some levels of urgency to certain project problems. Aleader should promote a sense of cooperation with persons that maynot be members of the team. These qualities promote personalstandards of performance and proper means of response to some of theethical dilemmas that may arise within the project. Team memberslearn from the team leader to take responsibility for the actionsthey commit which makes them more invested in the life of the project(Gregory, 2013). Managingthe Team The projectmanager employs some measures to ensure that his group works inaccordance to the set goals. Creating of rules to follow helpsmembers not to go astray while shooting the video. Group members arethus able to know what to expect during the whole process of videoshooting. The goals of the assignment need a clear definition from anearly stage of the process. Each of the group members will thus havea role to play without colliding with his other group member’srole. The basic objective of the group manager will, therefore, beensuring proper planning of the whole project works, tracking theprogress of the project and making major decisions on changes beingmade that are not as stipulated in the program. Some things mayrequire changes from what was stipulated during the pre-productiontime. It, therefore, remains the responsibility of the projectmanager to decide but after consultation with other group members.Since the project manager is in charge of the whole team, he or shecan delegate some small duties to some people so that conflicts don’tarise when decisions need to be made. A proper guideline should alsobe available so that the group can be well-prepared to manage anyunforeseeable conflicts if they arise later on (Larson E, 2011). Frequent projectmeetings are a major contributing mechanism to effectivecommunication within the group. The effectiveness of a meetingshould always be measured on the members keeping their discussionswithin the topic (van Aartengel, 2013). This maximizes efficiency.Regular meetings need to be held on a timely routine to discuss theprogress and any problems experienced. This helps raise possiblesolutions to any problems that may have arisen. ManagingConflicts during Project Production Conflictresolutions will always require simple steps for resolution. It iscrucial that in instances of conflicts, the problem is identified andresolution alternatives are provided. When an alternative is decidedon, a decision should be reached. For proper execution of therecommendations met, proper follow-up should be conducted to engagethe execution progress (Larson E, 2011). Criticalpath Analysis chart Release of music video Approval meeting Initial plan The projectmanager will work with members of the team to characterize all thework that is required to complete the project before him (Devaux,2015). This is by ensuring that the project can achieve the scopethat was intended. All the work is broken down into units identifiedwithin the whole system as project packages. All the projects withinthe critical path are in manageable units such that they can beassociated with the owner of the project package. With thesepackages, it becomes easy to manage for risk and even have controlover time, cost, and materials needed for the package to besuccessful. To note is thatthe packages broken down are neither too small to be meaningless towhoever is in charge of them nor are they large enough to become achallenge for the leader to manage and control. A good benchmark forthe size of the project package is normally the time frame used toconduct a certain package of the project. The leader of each teamwill table down the time that he or she will be in need of so as tocomplete his task on time and in good order (He, 2014). As the productionprocess progresses, the project manager will arrange the packages insequence in which they will be completed in a certain order. Severalkey measures are identified from the diagram. The first partis the identification and familiarity with the initial plan of theproject (Musburger R, 2012). The manager of the project will identifywith the project and inform his team members about the project. Afterthat, the manager and his team will brainstorm over the project andcome up with original and creative means to realize the dream of theproject. Members will discuss all the points that are brought up, andthe best one jotted down to be encompassed into the plan. Afterbrainstorming, a script is written and a meeting held later todiscuss on how to continue with the production of the script(Musburger R, 2012). The meeting should discuss the availability ofall the equipment and the right personnel needed for the next stepwhich is the production of the music video. The next step will bethe main package of the project which is the production of the musicvideo. It encompasses shooting the production stills and latershooting the final music video. Editing of themusic video will occur after the shoot. This includes editing boththe sound in the video and its quality with filtering of any unwantedsounds. The video pictures are also edited for the quality of thefinal project that will then be released. Some packagesmay, however, take longer than they are stipulated in the criticalpath. This is because some of the packages will require completion ofthe preceding package for them to be kick-started. To take advantageof limiting the number of staff required for each project, somepackages can run parallel to one another. This helps reduce theworkforce required that participates in one activity and abandonother activities that they are well skilled at (Campbell, 2013). The workbreakdown structure and the Critical Path help ensure that theresources needed in production are readily available when needed.They also aid in borrowing resources from packages that are lesscritical to ensure completion of those that are very critical. Bothwork with synergy considering that the work breakdown structureprocedure with no chronological order while the Critical Path ensuresthat the order is followed religiously. The criticalpath ensures a careful monitoring of all the activities taking placewith the benefit of smoothing or leveling of resources to efficientlycompletely all the tasks. Even in a very sensitive project withlarger risks of delay and job difficulty in monitoring taskcompletion, a critical path will ensure that the timeline of theproject is adhered to strictly and the project completed in time(Project Management Institute, 2013). Campbell. (2013). Pro tool 10: advanced music production techniques. Boston: course technology PTR. Devaux, S. (2015). Total project control: a practitioners guide to managing projects as investments. CRC, 1. Gregory. (2013). Effective Work Breakdown Structures. management Concepts, 17. He, W. (2014). A framework of combining case-based reasoning with a work breakdown structure for estimating the cost of online course production projects. British Journal of Educational Technology, 595- 605. Larson E, G. C. (2011). Project management: the managerial process. new york: McGraw hill. Musburger R, K. (2012). Introduction to media production: the path to digital media production. CRC, 1. Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge. Project Management, 1. Schlesinge P, D. (2015). From organizational crisis to multi-platform salvation: creative destruction and the recomposition of news media. Journalism, 305- 323. van Aartengel, K. (2013). Create work breakdown structure. handbook on continuos improvement transformation, 137- 142. Close Menu
Business Insider logo The words "Business Insider". Elon Musk says humans communicate so slowly with computers that it will sound like whale speech to future AI Elon Musk Elon Musk Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink CEO Elon Musk. • Elon Musk is the CEO of three companies: Tesla, Neuralink, and SpaceX. The second of those three, Neuralink, is focused on creating human-computer interfaces to connect artificial intelligence with the human mind and body. • Musk is focused on human-computer interfaces because he's worried about the human race getting left behind as AI gets better and better. • One major problem Musk pointed to in a talk on AI this week in Shanghai: Humans communicate data far, far more slowly than computers. "Human speech to a computer will sound like very slow tonal wheezing, kind of like whale sounds," he said. • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. There are major language barriers between human beings and computers. For one, humans communicate with language and text and images — all inputs that are inherently slower at communicating information than straight-up data. But also, crucially, computers perceive time differently than humans. That's because of their ability to process data at a far higher speed than humans can. The information is <em>inside</em> the computer? YouTube / Movieclips To a computer, "a millisecond is an eternity, but to us it's nothing," Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink, said in a wide-ranging conversation about AI in Shanghai this week. "Human speech to a computer will sound like very slow tonal wheezing, kind of like whale sounds. Because what's our bandwidth — a few hundred bits per second, basically, maybe a few kilobits per second if you're going to be generous?" In so many words, Musk is saying that human forms of communication — speech, gestures, etc. — are built for communicating with other humans. When those inputs are applied to "speaking" to a computer, they become woefully inadequate. Computers, however, can communicate data far, far more quickly — "at a terabyte level," Musk said. apple watch siri shazam And that communication difference could be a major issue for future AI-human relations, to the point where it would be similar to a tree trying to communicate with a human. "The computer will just get impatient, if nothing else," Musk said. "It will be like talking to a tree — that's humans." Check out the full video of the talk with Musk and Alibaba CEO Jack Ma » Signup Today: Free Daily Newsletter from Business Insider Intelligence SEE ALSO: Elon Musk says the difference between human intellect and AI is comparable to the difference between chimpanzees and humans More: Elon Musk SpaceX Tesla Neuralink
Benchmarking PHP code Code tuning is an essential part of programming. But most programmers would rather try to complete the project in hand then spend time optimizing a piece of code. A well tuned and optimized code block can speedup your application by an order of magnitude or even more. Many people confuse profiling with benchmarking. A profiler is a analysis tool that lets you measure the performance of code at runtime. Profiling an application lets you find bottlenecks in your application code. You can find which part of your code is taking most of the time, you can than optimize that part of code. For example if there are 4 functions in your application, profiling may report the following distribution: function a: 68% function b: 12% function c: 1.3% function d: 18.7% i.e function ‘a’ accounts for about 70% of the execution time in your application; if you can optimize that function it will boost your application performance considerably. If you had executed the above code on a laptop, and than executed the same on a fast server the code may run in half the time, but the distribution will remain the same. The distribution is what is important in profiling. Benchmarking is different. It lets you find exactly how long it takes to execute a piece of code. For example I have developed two versions of a sorting algorithm for a application : Sort1(), and Sort2(). If I’ve to find which is faster than I can use a benchmarking software for the same. To take a contrived example, I recently implemented a Linked List class in PHP (brushing up on my data structure skills), with all the usual functions a linked-list requires – ‘deleteNode‘, ‘insertFirstNode‘, ‘insertLastNode‘, ‘reverseList‘ etc. I was quite happy with the outcome untill I ran a benchmark between two functions – ‘insertFirstNode‘ and ‘insertLastNode‘. Here is a benchmark report for the two functions for various amount of nodes, in table and graph format. The last column shows by how much the ‘insertLastNode‘ is slower than the ‘insertFirstNode‘ function. As you can see from the report ‘insertLastNode‘ takes exponential time to insert nodes. For example, when inserting 3000 nodes, ‘insertLastNode‘ is 30 times slower then ‘insertFirstNode‘. The reason for this is that ‘insertLastNode‘ has to traverse the entire list to find the last node before adding a new node, while ‘insertFirstNode‘ always adds a new node at the beginning of the list. The simple solution as all you ‘data structure fans’ know is to add a pointer that points to the last node of the list; so every time you have to add a node to the end of the list you use the end node pointer. After making the necessary changes I ran the benchmark and here are the results. As you can see now both the functions take an equal amount of time to insert a node. Before the code tuning ‘insertLastNode’ took more than 6 seconds to insert 3000 nodes, while after tuning less than quarter of a second. The whole point of this exercise is to tell you that code tuning can make a tremendous difference to how your application performs. You can download the Benchmark pacakage from here or use the pear installer like below: c:\pear install Benchmark Using the package: Using the package for benchmarking is simple enough. A implementation is shown below. /* The following sample function is what we want to test / function someFunction() for($i=1; $i < 1000; $i++) $d = sqrt($i); / include the PEAR::Benchmark package / require_once 'Benchmark/Iterate.php'; $bench = new Benchmark_Iterate; / Run the above function 100 times. If you want to pass parameters to the function, you can add it after the function name like this: $bench->run(100, 'someFunction', para1, para2, para n); $bench->run(100, 'someFunction'); /* Get the results / $result = $bench->get(); / Display the mean time the function 'someFunction' takes to execute */ print $result['mean']; One thought on “Benchmarking PHP code Comments are closed.
Minimum wage under debate Two successive government decisions to set the Polish national minimum wage without the agreement of the social partners has led to an attempt to change the law. The rate had been set by tripartite consensus for six years, until 2010 when the government insisted on a rate lower than that agreed by the social partners. The government unilaterally set the rate again this year, and the Solidarity union has attempted to introduce legislation fixing it at 50% of average earnings. How the minimum wage is set In Poland the national minimum wage is set annually in accordance with the Minimum Wage Act of 2002. The Tripartite Commission for Social and Economic Affairs (Trójstronna Komisja ds. Społeczno Gospodarczych) decides the wage level for the next year based on proposals submitted by the government. In order to be considered binding, the decision has be made unanimously by the social partners and the government. The figure proposed by the government must not be less than the current minimum wage, adjusted to the national Consumer Price Index (CPI) forecast for the next year. However, if the current minimum wage is lower than 50% of the national average pay, the following year’s proposed minimum wage also has to be increased by two thirds of the percentage growth in GDP forecast for the following 12 months. If the Tripartite Commission cannot agree, then the government takes the decision unilaterally – although it cannot set the wage any lower than its original proposal. Workers in their first year of employment receive 80% of the minimum wage rate. As of 2011, over 300,000 workers are paid the minimum wage. Government decision Between 2003 and 2009, the Tripartite Commission, by consensus, increased the minimum wage each year. However, in 2010 the government ignored the central-level social partners’ decision to raise the gross minimum wage from PLN 1,317 in 2010 (€291 as at 29 November 2011) to PLN 1,408 (€310) for 2011, and enforced a lower increase (to PLN 1,386, or €306). This was widely criticised by the social partners, as their recommended wage increase (to 50% of national average pay) had been agreed in the original anti-crisis package formulated by the central-level social partners, and presented to the government in March 2009. The current minimum wage is roughly 41% of average pay. Following lack of consensus among the Tripartite Commission members in 2011, the government again stepped in to unilaterally set the minimum wage for 2012 at a rate of PLN 1,500 (€331). Solidarity gets public backing for new law Disappointment at the government’s 2010 decision prompted a debate on amending the Minimum Wage Act. The Solidarity (NSZZ Solidarność) trade union, the largest in Poland and the main trade union social partner, decided to prepare an independent legislative proposal to permanently fix the level of the minimum wage at 50% of the national average. In the spring of 2011, the Civic Legislative Initiative Committee for Amending the Minimum Wage Act was established with Solidarity Chair Piotr Duda as the head. In April the draft legislation (in Polish, 800Kb PDF)) was submitted to the parliament. By law, civic draft legislation has to be supported by at least 100,000 citizens in order to be acted upon by parliament. By July, 350,000 Poles had signed the draft. This was subsequently presented to the Sejm (the lower chamber), where it went through its first reading in mid-September, and was afterwards handed over to the parliamentary Committee for Social Policy and Family Affairs for further proceedings. However, the last parliamentary term came to an end in October and the newly elected parliament has yet to commence its activities, and it is unclear if and when the legislative process for this bill will continue. Raising the national minimum wage to 50% of the national average is high on the trade union agenda. Following the adoption of the autonomous anti-crisis package in 2009, one might have expected the minimum wage to gradually move in that direction. However, the events of the last two years indicate a growing lack of concern for social dialogue about the minimum wage on the part of government. In these circumstances, the future of the civic draft legislation is unclear. Jan Czarzasty, Institute of Public Affairs (ISP) Useful? Interesting? Tell us what you think. Hide comments Eurofound welcomes feedback and updates on this regulation Reactie toevoegen
Aspirin could help in fight against bowel cancer 5 June 2018, 05:35 Breast Cancer Researcher Edinburgh University scientists have shed new light on the way aspirin works to help stave off bowel cancer. The over-the counter painkiller had been known to reduce the risk of developing colon cancer but the drug's tumour-fighting properties had not been well understood previously. Scottish-based researchers have now found that the painkiller blocks a key process linked to tumour formation. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh's Cancer Research UK centre focused on a structure found inside cells called the nucleolus. Activation of the nucleolus is known to drive tumour formation and has also been linked to diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. They found that aspirin blocks a molecule named TIF-IA, which is essential for the nucleolus to function. According to the researchers, not all bowel cancer patients respond to aspirin, but they believe their findings could help to identify those who are most likely to benefit. The study could also pave the way for the development of new therapies that mimic aspirin's effects. Long-term use of aspirin itself is not recommended due to certain side-effects, the team said. Dr Lesley Stark, from the centre, said: "We are really excited by these findings as they suggest a mechanism by which aspirin may act to prevent multiple diseases. The research, supported by a number of different organisations, is published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.
Cycle lane with plastic waste KWS, a VolkerWessels company, Wavin and Total have been working on the development of modular plastic roads, also known as the PlasticRoad. After several years the first PlasticRoad for cycle lane was opened made from recycled plastic in the Netherlands. Every component of the PlasticRoad is being designed to make its application completely circular, with the goal of using recycled plastic as much as possible. It’s prefabricated, modular and light and all these characteristics make its more efficient compared to traditional road structures. It has also a hollow space that can be used to store water, thus preventing flooding during extreme precipitation. The hollow space can also be used for the transit of cables and pipes of for the installation of the electric charging of vehicles. Source and image:
An empirical teaching in scientific management The fifties of the twentieth century are a period of pragmatism and complexity in scientific management. McGregor, with his theories X and W, outlines the two extremes in relation to the people contained in the developments of the classical school from absolute authoritarianism to the absolutization of the priority of the human factor over organizational principles. In the specific cases, however, different authors, no matter what school they or we think they belong to, are never in pure black and white. Just as the representatives of the classical school have never completely ignored the role of the human being, so have the representatives of the PSC absolutely denied the need to observe the basic organizational principles. The post-industrial era in the US and other developed countries marks a new stage in the development of scientific management. It is very difficult to delineate the specific content of this new stage. Reference: Administrative School Of Management In all their diversity, these concepts, theories, schools, directions, currents, etc. carry, to one degree or another, the imprints of the two primary schools. What is common to them is the authors’ beliefs that their developments must be subordinate to actual social practice (business, public administration, public organizations and other social communities). In other words, regardless of their starting positions and subject orientation, they pursue pragmatic goals. In this setting, the ambition to build a consistent system of principles that legitimize a school remains in the background. Eclectic pragmatism is increasingly prevalent and it sounds increasingly non-aphoristic that the color of a cat does not matter if it really catches mice. The pragmatic orientation of management in the second half of the twentieth century The pragmatic orientation of management in the second half of the twentieth century is most clearly illustrated in the so-called. An empirical school, also called Management. These include the names of James Lincoln, Pierre Dupont, Alfred Sloan, Peter Drucker and others. Pursuant to their pragmatic orientation, on the basis of a study of practice, they aim to develop specific recommendations for immediate practical application. Without neglecting the achievements of mathematics, cybernetics and other sciences, they tend to attach decisive importance to practical management experience. Reference: Strategic management and strategic planning They believe that management remains, to a large extent, an art that is taught not so much by theory as by practice. Alfred Sloan leaves an indelible mark on management theory and practice. As president of General Motors in the 1920s, he practiced the famous decentralization. He has been known for decades as the company’s permanent president, founder and sponsor of the renowned Slovene School of Management. A. Sloan belongs to the development and practical implementation of: • The divisional organizational structure of management; • Transformation of units freed from direct supervision of senior management into semi-autonomous profit centers. • The centralized office deals only with the general policy of the company. Management Practice, Effective Manager, Management for the Future An undisputed authority among management professionals is Peter Drucker (born 1909 in Vienna, and since 1937 lives and works in the United States). His most famous books are The End of the Economic Man (1939), The Practice of Management (1954), The Effective Manager (1967), Management for the Future (1992). Characteristics of Dracker is his encyclopedic readiness not only in management problems but also in economics, philosophy, sociology, social psychology, marketing, informatics and many other areas of human knowledge. Because of this, he has a diverse view of management realities, which protects him from the one-sidedness that characterizes the early representatives of both the classical school and the MSE. For more than seven decades, he has been closely following the realities of economics and business, and has not been caught unprepared to meet the surprises of the development of science and practice. His summaries and projections are ahead, but very accurately characterize what will happen in a more or less distant future. This is precisely what gives him the confidence and reason to write in the New Realities: This book is not about what we will have to do tomorrow, but about what we have to do today, in anticipation of tomorrow. Draker acknowledges the existence of common organizational principles, but views governance more as an art. Emphasizes on the creative, constructive side of the manager’s activities, striving to prove that it is the basis of every business enterprise. Drucker belongs to such ideas as goal-oriented leadership, situation-specific management, and more. Drucker is for the professionalism of management, but stresses that he will never become an exact science and the criterion for its quality will always be the practical success in business. Leave a comment
Tiredness: Are We Sleeping Too Little? Sleep is important for health, well-being and performance. But the Germans treat themselves little sleep in the world comparison. Why is that? Our neighbors seem to sleep better. While the Dutch bring on average to at least eight hours and twelve minutes per night, we cut Germans below average with about seven hours and 45 minutes. This is the result of a US study that analyzes the sleep behavior of 20 industrial nations with the help of an app. The bottom is the Asians; People in Singapore and Japan are asleep for just seven hours and 24 minutes. Even if the differences do not seem big at first: Already half an hour less sleep restricts our efficiency, write the US researchers in the journal Science Advances. And in the long run, the sleep deficit is bad for your health. Sleep deficit with serious health consequences If you want to stay healthy, you should sleep at least seven hours every night until you reach old age. In the long term, a deficiency increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and mental illness. For example, bad sleepers suffer from depression twice as often. Overall, people who sleep less than six hours are about 13 percent more likely to die prematurely than people who sleep more than seven hours. Experts from the US Sleep Foundation have therefore issued new recommendations on this topic. Adults are advised to sleep as much as seven to nine hours a night, and seven to eight when they are older. Early onset of work and school stress late types Many can only dream of that. According to the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM), 4.8 million Germans suffer from treatment-related sleep disorders. The problem is criminally underestimated. We need to become more aware of the importance of adequate sleep for health and well-being. The psychologist and head of sleep medicine at the Palatine Clinic Klingenmünster has been looking for a long time for the causes of the lack of sleep of his compatriots. In his book on the subject he comes to the following conclusion: work and school begin in Germany too early in international comparison. Two-thirds of Germans are chronobiologically late types, so-called owls. If they are forced to get up early, their efficiency suffers. He is convinced that a later start of school would have a positive effect on the grades. But it will not change that fast. Getting up early is still considered virtuous in Germany. Many sleep less for the career The need for sleep is individually different and – like the chronotype – genetically conditioned. In addition, age and gender play a role. Older people need less sleep than younger, women 20 to 30 minutes more than men. But who needs a lot of sleep, has considered us lethargic and lazy. The society is just wrong. A low need for sleep, on the other hand, is equated with efficiency. But only a few can sleep less than six hours without being tired during the day. Despite this, half of all executives sleep less than six hours, one-third even less than five, according to polls. This gives them more time to work, often more successful in their job. Many take chronic sleep deprivation into their care – “social jet lag,” as the psychologist calls this phenomenon. Disturbed sleep due to sensory overload The international comparison has also revealed that the Germans go to bed later. The time to fall asleep is obviously determined by the environment and social norms – and often postponed against one’s own needs. Sleep disorders are increasingly affecting younger people too. Among other things, he sees the cause in the overstimulation caused by electronic media: Anyone who watches three films in the evening or chats until two o’clock does not have to be surprised if he gets too little sleep. Fatigue with fatal consequences Chronic sleep deprivation is fatal not only for those affected themselves. According to the research organization RAND Europe, tired workers cost the German economy around 57 billion euros every year. Those who do not calm down at night are more likely to be absent and work less effectively than sleepy colleagues. Companies lose 200,000 working days per year. Also underestimated: the dangers in traffic. Here more people die as a result of lack of sleep than through alcohol. According to a study of the German Aerospace Center, almost every fifth accident is fatigue-related, at night it is even 42 percent. Every sixth fatality goes back to drivers who fell asleep behind the wheel. Medical help looking at sheep disorders So when should people who sleep poorly seek help? Experts speak of a needy therapy, if the affected person sleeps so badly at least three times a week that affects him during the day. First contact is then often the pharmacist. First, I recommend herbal remedies with valerian, hops, lavender or passionflower. Even soothing teas or baths can help because of the associated rituals. He also advises to take unfavorable habits and replace them with sleep-inducing ones. For example, turn off the TV. Break the thought carousel People with sleep disorders can switch off poorly. Still in bed, her thoughts and feelings revolve around everyday problems. And anyone who puts himself under pressure because he desperately wants to fall asleep, stays awake. In special seminars, those affected learn to relax better. Recent Content
Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Glaucoma surgery 09/09/2013 Surgery is normally recommended for glaucoma when medical therapy is inappropriate, badly tolerated, not very effective or defectively applied by a specific patient and the glaucoma has not been brought under control, with tests showing that the damage is progressing or when there is a very high risk that it will get worse. The goal of surgery is to enhance the filtration and drainage of the aqueous humour. At the Institut de la Màcula, we choose the most suitable technique depending on the patient's characteristics and the extent and progress of the glaucoma. Trabeculectomy is protected partial thickness filtration surgery that consists of making an outlet for the aqueous humour from the anterior chamber of the eye to the subconjunctival space, creating a subconjunctival filter bleb. It is indicated to reduce intraocular pressure when treatment with hypotension drugs is not enough and the illness is advancing. Its success often depends on the right post-operative care to ensure the fistula functions correctly. The goal of this operation is for the epithelial and conjunctival wounds to heal up completely while the scleral wound only heals partially. Non-penetrating deep sclerectomy Non-penetrating operations for glaucoma were originally described at the beginning of the 1970s. Their goal was to reduce intraocular pressure and thereby avoid some of the complications of a standard trabeculectomy. Non-penetrating deep sclerectomy is drainage surgery to reduce intraocular pressure. It consists of helping the aqueous humour to flow from the anterior chamber of the eye into the subconjunctival space without perforating the anterior chamber. A superficial scleral flap is made as well as a deep scleral dissection underneath, leaving only a fine layer of the sclera and Descemet's membrane. This is essential to ensure that the iris-cornea angle is open. Intraocular pressure is reduced in a more physiological way. This is effective, less invasive surgery but is technically difficult. Implant of aqueous humour drainage devices or valves This glaucoma surgery consists of inserting a device or valve that connects the intraocular space, via a tube, to the subconjunctival space, with a reservoir or plate. Different types of devices have been developed to improve filtration and help the aqueous humour to flow into the subconjunctival space on the eyeball equator. The drainage valves or devices currently used for glaucoma usually consist of a tube placed in the anterior chamber, the ciliary sulcus or via the vitreous cavity if the patient has undergone a vitrectomy. The aqueous humour flows through this device to an extraocular reservoir, placed on the eyeball equator on the sclera. These devices are usually reserved for complicated cases of glaucoma in which conventional filtration surgery has failed or is likely to fail, or in cases where this cannot be carried out because the state of the conjunctiva or angle advises against it. Related pathologies · Open angle glaucoma · Closed angle glaucoma Dr. Marta Pazos, M.D. PhD COMB Medical license number: 38.658 Specialist in glaucoma Last modified: 1 June, 2020 - 8:09
Respect at Work Sadly, I often hear from people in distress from co-workers who undermine each other. It seems workplace rudeness and disrespect are on the rise. Demonstrating personal and professional respect is a fundamental expectation for any workplace. Leaders need to e diligent and promoting workplace cultures of respect. At the risk of this blog post sounding like “everything you learned in kindergarten” basics, it’s important we revisit the value of workplace courtesy and respect. We are all human beings with feelings and are at risk for being hurt. There are also serious consequences for treating a co-worker with disrespect. Bad behavior has derailed many careers, and in extreme cases has resulted in legal action-and worse. A common reason good people leave good jobs is because of disrespectful co-workers or bosses. Professional and respectful Do’s 1. Follow the golden workplace rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 2. Be considerate of your co-workers’ personal space (never assume touching someone else is welcome) and time. Workplace cubicles make this ultra important. The lack of privacy is compounded when others treat your workspace like their own. 3. Pay attention to your impact (i.e., how your loud booming voice or annoying cell phone ringtone carries into the next cubicle). 4. Treat others with respect (remember that, culturally, respect means different things to different people). Use “please” and “thank you” regularly (again, what you learned in kindergarten!) 5. Think before you speak. Ask yourself, could this possibly offend someone? 6. Listen well. Give co-workers the benefit of the doubt, even if you prejudge them as off. Be curious about how they came to their conclusions (you might discover the idea is more on the mark than you previously judged). If you are always suspicious, overly judgmental and/or a micromanager, consider what you are communicating to others. 7. Watch your language. Stressful situations can get worse with profanity, finger-pointing or loaded words such as “rude,” “unprofessional,” “untrustworthy,” “unethical” or “uncaring.” Instead, use neutral, descriptive words such as “loud” or “abrupt.” 8. Tell co-workers when their behaviors negatively affect you. “I am offended when I hear you using that word. I would like you to stop using it with me.” 9. Recognize that being passive aggressive or condescending to co-workers (including snide remarks or sneers) is simply bad form and unprofessional. 1. Don’t confuse (or excuse) being informal or in a hurry with being rude. We all have busy schedules. It’s no excuse for impolite words or behaviors. 2. Don’t stereotype or profile co-workers — instantly sizing them up and developing assumptions about them. Don’t give co-workers private nicknames. Differences exist. As human beings, we all create stories about what we believe is true about “others.” We are often wrong. 3. Don’t gossip about or undermine co-workers. It was nasty behavior in junior high, and guess what — it still is. (It often says more about the person gossiping than the person being bad-mouthed.) When I hear people bad-mouthing someone else, I wonder what they say about me behind my back and I lose respect for them. Try responding with, “Oh, really?” then change the subject or get back to work. If you don’t respond, gossipers move on. 4. Don’t be the company complainer. It can and will alienate your colleagues. The only good reason to bring up negative issues is to create a plan for resolving them. 5. Don’t assume; instead, try expressing empathy vs. judgment. Notice when someone looks tired, unhappy or stressed. Express concern instead of judgments, such as, “What a slacker.” Managers: Don’t tolerate bad behavior. Bring the behavior to the offender’s attention, document it and develop a plan for the employee to fix it. (Getting them professional help is often less expensive than attorney’s fees or headhunters.) None of this is rocket science, but being aware of your behaviors and their effect on co-workers is important. 1. Being condescended to, 44 percent 2. Being reprimanded publicly, 37 percent 3. Micromanaging, 34 percent 4. Loud talkers, 32 percent 5. Cell phones ringing, 30 percent Source: Fast Company
Saturday, March 16, 2013 Copyright © 2012, by Lou Baldin All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both the publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law. ISBN: 978-1-105-56830-5 Zealots destroy a Nation Josephus, a first century Roman historian, describes the horror outside the walls of Jerusalem before the siege of the city by Titus: “As the earthworks were progressing, his [Titus] troops captured any who ventured out to look for food. When caught and resisted they were tortured and crucified before the walls as a terrible warning to the people within the city.” “…Outraged and with hatred [towards the Jews] [for having lost many of their fellow soldiers], the soldiers nailed their prisoners in different postures, and so great was their number that space could not be found for all the crosses.” 1 When the stench of the dead bodies inside the walls of Jerusalem became unbearable, the Jews tossed the rotting bodies outside the walls and into the ravines. Titus, while making his rounds outside the walls of the besieged city was distressed at the depth of depravity to which the city had fallen, “he saw these valleys choked with dead bodies oozing decay, he groaned, and lifting up his hands, called God to witness that this was not his doing.” 2 The Zealots stopped at nothing to force their brother Jews over to their subversive behavior, including the slaughter of thousands of Judeans, when they refused to join the rebellion. Josephus writes that after the fall of a town called Gischala, and before the Roman siege of Jerusalem, one of the zealot leaders “John” escaped capture by the Romans by fleeing to Jerusalem: "When John entered Jerusalem, he and the fugitives were surrounded by vast crowds eagerly asking for outside news. The newcomers, still hot and gasping, put on a boastful air and said they had not fled from the Romans, but had come to defend the capital, thinking it reckless to risk their lives for defenseless little towns like Gischala. When, however, they mentioned the fall of Gischala, their hearers understood that their “retreat” meant “flight,” and had a premonition of their own impending capture [and doom]. John, however, went around inciting groups to war, portraying the Romans as weaklings, who, even if they had wings, could never clear the walls of Jerusalem. They had already experienced difficulty in subduing the villages of Galilee, he claimed, and had worn out their siege engines against these walls. The young believed him and were incited to take up arms, but the old and prudent mourned over the future of the city. Jerusalem was now divided into two hostile factions: the enthusiasts for war and the friends of peace. Indeed, the whole province of Judea was torn by civil dissension, as the parties for peace and war fought for supremacy in every city. Whenever the people had a respite from the Romans, they attacked each other, leaving families and friends divided [and dead].” 3 Once the Zealots made Jerusalem theirs, and having stirred up the Roman wrath that followed the Zealot fugitives to Jerusalem like angry hornets, the fate of the Jews was cast. For those that remained in the city there was no escape from the legions that descended like a biblical plague, engulfing the holy city and killing its people. Jerusalem became a place of unspeakable horror; misery, and famine, death was the only release. Josephus writes, “Famine raged in the city, and the rebels [Zealots] took all the food they could find in a house-to-house search, while the poor starved to death by the thousands. People gave all their wealth for a little measure of wheat, and hid to eat it hastily and in secret so it would not be taken from them. Wives snatch the food from their husbands, children from fathers, and mothers from the very mouths of infants. Many of the rich were put to death by Simon and John [two of the Zealot generals], while the sufferings of the people were so fearful that they can hardly be told, and no other city ever endured such miseries. Not since the world began was there ever a generation more prolific in crime than this bastard scum of the nation [Zealots] who destroyed the city.” 4 Judas and the field of blood The following passage from the book of Acts, describes Judas Iscariot’s outcome, having betrayed his master Jesus: “[Judas] purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood [Matthew called it “Potter’s Field,” Matt. 27:10]. “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate and let no one live in it, and, let another take his position.” (Acts 1:18-20) All of Judea was a field of blood whose “entrails gushed out” during the seven years of the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire. Josephus, a Jewish general turned Roman historian, describes the disembowelment of Judea in his writings: “So great was the slaughter that in many places the flames were put out by streams of blood.” 5 The name Judas is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Judah, and Iscariot is a condemned city in Moab (Jeremiah 48:24). Therefore, Judas Iscariot means the condemned city of Judah or as it was referred in Jesus time, Judea. In the book of Numbers, the prophet Balaam had this to say about Jacob’s descendents, and what they would do to Moab: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth (Numbers 24:17 RSV). In the book of Luke, the author has Jesus describing what was to become of their beloved city of Jerusalem, to his disciples, “As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. “For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, “and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitations.” (Luke 19:41-44) The author(s) of Luke obviously knew and perhaps lived through the destruction of Jerusalem. Few Jews believed their city to be so vulnerable, since Herod had built it like a fortress a few decades earlier, to withstand or at least blunt even the likes of a mighty Roman army. Josephus states that the Jewish unrest, which had simmered for decades, rekindled under the reign of Gessius Florus, whom the Emperor Nero appointed procurator of Judea (64-66 AD). He despised the Jews and plundered the cities that were under his control. His rage was turned loose on men, woman and children, whom he had put to death by the sword and by crucifixion, all perhaps triggered by a dispute over eight talents of silver (a bribe paid to him by the high priests of a synagogue, who asked for his help in purchasing a plot of land next to their place of worship). Florus took the bribe but did not intervene on their behalf, and others purchased the cherished plot of land. When the priests insisted that he return the bribe money, he instead retaliated against them. Josephus equates the acts by Florus as those that fanned the flames of hatred in the hearts of the Zealots, against the Romans. 6 The birth of a new religion came out of the blood and ashes that the cities of Judea rendered into towards the end of the first century A.D. The Jewish nation, its heritage, and its people, were on the verge of disappearing by way of suicide and the crushing blows from Roman legions and other countries to the North and South of Judea that joined in the fury for plunder. Jewish strongholds and cities in all of Palestine were cut down and thrown into the fire. There was no place to hide for the Jews; many of the cities along the Fertile Crescent shared similar fates as those in Judea. Frenzy for Jewish blood and property, swept across Egypt and Mesopotamia in a “free-for-all” fashion. It was not a good time to be a Jew. With the sky literally falling down all around them, a handful of Jewish men joined forces and fashioned a plan to salvage the legacy of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in a form other than Judaism in a desperate attempt to save what they could of their heritage. These Christian forefathers saw the writing on the wall, and understood that Judaism may have breathed its final gasp and put these words in the mouth of their new representative, Jesus, who is quoted by Matthew as saying with his last dying breath, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46). Luke describes Jesus at the Mount of Olives with his disciples before being betrayed by Judas: “Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:39-44) Sweating “great drops of blood” is descriptive of a nation and its people in a state of despair. The Roman Empire was tenacious when it came to the question of its sovereignty; the “zealots” likewise would not relinquish their own sovereignty, nor would they allow their people to coexist peacefully under any nation other than that of the house of Israel. Although a good portion of the Jews did manage to get along with, and even prosper under the Romans for nearly a century, the few extremists among them (zealots and the sicarii [hired terrorist]) unwittingly, in league with a few tyrannical Roman rulers, made for a relationship that was damned. Protracted Holocaust Out of the frying pan and into the fire. What the early Jewish Christians failed to foresee was the horrible crown of hatred (thorns) that they inadvertently placed upon the head of their own people (those that survived the Roman bloodbath), and that of their children and their children’s children, for countless generations, even to this day, for a hoax much of the world believed. Throughout history, Christians have persecuted Jews for crucifying Jesus, despite the fact that the crucifixion of Jesus was only a symbol of what was the “crucifying” of a people, God’s people, the Jews of Judea. The early Christian scribes did much the same as did their predecessors the Hebrew scribes, who wrote the books of the Old Testament (OT). They used metaphors for stories when describing the struggles or battles between good and evil. It began with Adam and Eve in the Garden with the snake (the snake being a metaphor for the cobra, which represented Lower Egypt, with its worldly marvels) seducing a naive Adam and Eve (Hebrews). After Adam and Eve’s expulsion from innocents, the theme of good and evil continued with their first two children, Cain (evil) and Able (good). The two sons were the prototypes for much of the stories in the Old Testament. Noah was baptized by the flood, which eliminated evil from him and the world. Abraham rescued Lot from the evil in Sodom and Gomorra. Joseph saved Egypt and his family from the evil famine. Moses delivered his people out of the evil clutches of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Joshua cleansed the evil land of Canaan and turned it into the Promised Land. David killed the evil Goliath. Samson fought against the evil Philistines. Jonah (swallowed by a whale) saved the people of Nineveh from their evil sins. For anyone who has read the Old Testament, it is painfully obvious that the Israelites were not holding up their end of the bargain, which was to be good stewards of Zion, in other words, be true to the one and only God of Israel. Forsaking the pagan gods of the Gentiles brought rewards, prostrating to the pagan gods, brought condemnation, and the wrath of God. Usually the punishment was delivered through the pagan nations that corrupted the Israelites in the first place. The most formidable of these demon rulers were the Egyptians, followed by the Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks and finally the Romans. Death and rebirth (sin and forgiveness) was a Jewish characteristic that the Israelites played out throughout much of their history. Although the God of Israel seldom spared the rod, like a loving father, forgiveness was always forthcoming to the repentant prodigal sons, the Jews. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, while he condemns disobedience (sin) (brings down to earth the proud) he nevertheless forgives and raises them up again “resurrection,” restoring the Jews to their former glory. 1. hi lou, you should write a book about the fastest growing religion if you want to become instantly famous, if you know what i mean 3. Kutu, Islam helped Salman Rushdie sell books and get his message out. That's the kind of publicity most writers would kill for... I'll get right on it. I have received death threats for Judas Crucified, but main stream media and talk show hosts around the world didn't pick up on that fact because I'm unknown and not worth the bother. lol 4. Lou, Titus (Flavious) Ceasar(s)...was he the one who rewrote the Jesus story? Did Titus spin/propogandize the Christian myths? Is the Jesus Story a Titus joke that lasted over 2000 years? 5. Muse, the Jesus story has its roots with the Maccabees, when around 160 BC they came to power in Judea. Hanukkah evolved from that power struggle. Romans have exploited the Jesus story as have other nations that dealt with the Jews...not much has changed. The Jews are and were the most hated people on this planet...some of it deservedly, most of it for political and religious reasons. 6. Lou, you wrote "The Jews are and were the most hated people on this planet...some of it deservedly. . ." How does any race or subculture actually "deserve" hatred? Sounds like a renegade proposition. 7. feeling, Jewish Zealots made up a large faction of Jews during Roman times and they instigated Rome, used Rome in their attempt to force god to send them a messiah, who would save them and secure the Jews the coveted place at the top of the food chain where they would be the spiritual leaders of the world, as god intended for them. What they got instead was total annihilation of Jerusalem, their temple and most of their people. Romans at that time believed that the Jews brought destruction upon themselves and deserved what they received. 8. Many zealots here in the U.S. believe that god intends America to be the world leader. Does that mean that Americans deserve hatred? 9. Lou is saying the zealot faction were like terrorists and reaped what they sowed its not a blanket statement against Jews. Lou the craziest thing I have heard is people (on this board as well) saying the Nazi's and zionists/israel are really pals and in cahoots surely this can't be true ... Or is it? 10. feeling, America is the one, but recent changes have indicated that the one is not interested in being the one. America is hated because it was and still is the one, more or less. It's really not lonely at the top, but the masses tend to hate those at the top, human nature and all. lol btw, Jews were never at the top of the food chain...yes some Jews have power but so does some of everyone else. Jew bashing has always been popular because Jews are perceived as very successful, and many are. 11. Azrael, only more Jew bashing...if the Jews had half the power most people think they have Jew bashing wouldn't be allowed. Same with capitalism, nearly everyone bashes capitalism the only ism that has brought more freedom and prosperity to this planet than any other ism. Other isms do the opposite, create less freedoms and more poverty. Most people are not on earth because they are the smartest beans in the bean patch. 12. Good to hear lou, that's what I figured good to hear it confirmed. I will keep tuning out all the hateful crazy talk. 13. Please read The New Jerusalem Zionist Power in America by Michael Collins Piper and the Rise of the Fourth Reich by Jim Marrs to give you some perspective on my statement that the Jews and Nazi’s are collaborating. 14. Hi John, I haven't read the books mentioned so I wont comment on them. There are powers whose reason for being is to mislead and anyone can come up with statistics and incriminating evidence on any subject matter with a little due diligence in research and a lot of biased determination...That's how Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Fidel, the three major religious dogmas and certain political isms corral and brand devote followers. That is the name of the game and a means of catching fish in the net...for further processing. So what's a person to do with all these conflicting conspiracies? Who does one believe? Focusing on our own plate, the road less traveled, is the best way out of the house of mirrors.
Two-hundred-foot planes that could fly forwards, backwards and sideways, hover in mid-air, with up to 30 engines and 20 systems for wartime purposes. According to a presentation at the 102nd Indian Science Congress in Mumbai on Sunday by retired captain Anand Bodas, these aircraft existed in the time of the Vedas. His presentation on the topic was one of six papers submitted at a controversial session on ancient sciences through Sanskrit at India's premier science convention. But it wasn't only the fantastical that was presented to the audience of around 200 people at the auditorium at Mumbai University's Kalina campus. There were also detailed references to medical progress as recounted by such texts as the Sushruta Samhita, the neuroscience of yoga and to the details of ancient building techniques in the Vastu Shastra. Still, the remarks were not just restricted to ancient scientists. Vijay Bhatkar, national president of Vijnana Bharati, a "swadeshi science organisation" that aims "to champion the cause of Bharatiya heritage with a harmonious synthesis of physical and spiritual sciences", claimed that India’s Manjul Bhargava, the only Indian to win the prestigious Fields medal, owed his entire education in mathematics to his grandfather who taught him Sanskrit. While Bhargava does indeed acknowledge his debt to and interest in ancient Indian mathematics, he does not claim, as the speakers at this session suggested, that it is the oldest source of mathematics in the world. For instance, in a talk on square values of mathematical expressions at the Congress on Saturday, Bhargava also pointed out examples of advanced mathematical solutions from 2500 BC in Egypt and 1800 BC in Mesopotamia that predate other solutions in India in 600 BC. Is there a helmet on Mars? Outside the session, there were some curiosities on display at an exhibition organised by Vijnana Bharati of devices either made from descriptions in Sanskrit texts or inspired by them. These included ancient rockets that could dispel fog and rain, an ancient electrolyte cell and a technique for cleaning cotton. One exhibitor, Kiran Naik, noted that heated sugar could have been used in the plastic surgery to affix Ganesha’s elephant head to his human torso. “You cannot contain Vedic knowledge in a room when it is about the entire universe,” said Naik, caretaker of the anti-fog and hail rockets stall. “Take avionics, for instance. Only in the Vedas can you talk about avionics." He narrated the story of a war between two kings that ended in one chasing the other from earth to the moon to Mars, where the second attacked the first and broke his helmet. “If you don’t believe me, will you believe NASA [the National Aeronautics and Space Association of the USA]?” he asked. “If you search on Google for ‘helmet on Mars’, it will tell you that even NASA has found this helmet on Mars and it will give you evidence for it.” Not all exhibits strained credulity. There were replicas of animal-shaped forceps mentioned in the Sushruta Samhita. There was a device that indicated whether water was murky without needing someone to look at it. Another device replicated the speed of the earth's rotation. Prashant Holey, an electrical engineering teacher from Nagpur who organised the exhibition, had a more catholic interpretation of Sanskrit texts than many of the visitors. “Some Sanskrit texts have literal meanings, but others do not,” he said. “We need to know the difference between them. Vijnana Bharti has an emphasis on the science. We should not follow all texts as god texts. The real challenge is to take the gist of it. It is unfortunate that now this is changing.” Even so, Holey said that the attitudes of people towards Sanskritic knowledge had evolved over the 30 years in which he had been a member of Vijnana Bharati. “Old people are prejudiced, but the young have open minds,” he said. “That is a good change.” Ministers in the middle The tendency of upholding Sanskritic texts as the root of all knowledge began with Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan at the inauguration on Saturday, when he said that India had graciously given the world algebra and the Pythagoras Theorem of determining the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle. Meanwhile, Prakash Javadekar, minister of environment, forests and climate change, who delivered the opening address of the session on Sanskrit knowledge but left before the papers began, denied any knowledge of the controversial schedule, saying he had not read it. “I only have two points to make,” he said. “There is a lack of research and innovation in the country which we must improve. We must explore all forms of knowledge whether they come from today or from history. The relevant knowledge will survive and the irrelevant will perish.” The session was a success. At the end, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research invited the panellists to a similar session in Bhopal. But amid attendees cheering every time any presenter said this or that was first done in India and others discussing Whatsapp and Facebook display pictures in Sanskrit were some sceptics. “It is one thing to say that certain advances were made in Ancient India which laid the foundations of science,” said N Aravindhan, an MPhil candidate studying the relationship between science and society. “It is quite another to claim that all knowledge which was yet to be discovered at the time is mentioned in ancient texts. Where is the rigour and historicity? I would have welcomed a critical discussion in ancient India minus the pseudo science and patriotic jingoism.”
Data on Sustainability, climate, ecosystems etc Past temperatures Karsten Haustein’s climate modelling presentation Key Facts – The Science Earth is getting hotter and 97% of scientists agree that it’s caused by human activity.* Global warming is causing our climate to change and it’s happening now. Effects include more frequent and severe extreme weather events such as droughts, dry spells, flooding and hurricanes as well as rising sea levels. In 1950, annual globalemissions were around 6 gigatonnes. Now they are around 37 gigatonnes There already exists a 1 in 20 chance that the 2.2 trillion tons of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere could cause an existential warming threat. Basically, for a safe climate we must: 1. Zero out CO2 emissions by 2050 (which means acting now) 2. Rapidly limit super pollutants like HFCs and methane 3. Undertake atmospheric carbon removal. Key Facts – The Politics IPCC states ‘in order to limit warming to 1.5°C emissions need to reach maximum by 2030 and achieve net zero CO2 emissions globally by 2050 and concurrent deep reductions in emissions of non-CO2 forcers, particularly methane’ Current UK target is 80% reduction in CO2 emissions from 1990 levels by 2050. Therefore there is a gap between what is required to limit the catastrophic effects (listed above) and what the UK is currently committed to. Fossil fuels as a share of final energy consumption remains stubbornly around 80%—roughly the same percentage as at the beginning of the 1990s. And this status quo is supported by fossil fuel subsidies and tax breaks, amounting to an estimated US$373 billion in 2015 according to the OECD and IEA. OECD, 2018. Current warming is at about 1 °C above pre-industrial levels, with 17 of the 18 warmest years in the 136-year record having occurred since 2001. If we continue to emit CO2 at current rates for the next two decades, it is unlikely that we will be able to limit the increase in average global surface temperature to 3°C (compared with the late 19th century, the usual benchmark), let alone to ‘well below 2°C’, the target of the Paris Agreement. A rise of 3°C would be extremely dangerous, taking us to a temperature we have not seen on this planet for around 3 million years . With each fraction of a degree warming, we are further at risk of uncontrollable positive feedback loops leading to runaway climate change and ‘global hothouse’ effect. (infographic here: The oceans alkalinity has decreased by 30% since 1800 and is projected to decrease by 150% by 2100. The sixth Extinctionby Elizabeth Kolbert The oceans pH level were at 8.2 at the start of the Industrial Revolution, and are at 8.1 now. It is projected that the pH level will further decrease to 7.8 by the end of this century. This pH has not been experienced for more than 20 million years (NOAA, 2013) More than 26,000 species are threatened with extinction; that is 41% of all amphibians, 34% of all conifers, 33% of reef-building corals, 31% of sharks and rays, 25% of all mammals, and 13% of all birds. The total number of vertebrate species that went extinct in the last century would have taken about 800 to 10,000 years to disappear if the background rate had prevailed. Modern extinction rates are exceptionally high, and they are increasing. That suggests a mass extinction under way—the sixth of its kind in Earth’s 4.5 billion years of history. On human time scales, this loss would be effectively permanent because in the aftermath of past mass extinctions, the living world took hundreds of thousands to millions of years to rediversify. The combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause about 7.0 million premature deaths every year. Potential of hydro power Recent studies estimate there is a remaining viable hydro potential of 850 to 1550 megawatts in the UK. This represents approximately 1 to 2% of current UK generating capacity The potential for further practical and viable hydroelectricity power stations in the UK is estimated to be in the region of 146 to 248 MW for England and Wales. Recent resource studies have indicated that there is a practical potential for a further 2GW of capacity in the UK. [this is mostly in Scotland] Life-cycle emissions of renewables, vs fossil power with CCS “For a climate protection scenario, we project life-cycle emissions from fossil fuel carbon capture and sequestration plants of 78–110 gCO2eq kWh−1, compared with 3.5–12 gCO2eq kWh−1 for nuclear, wind and solar power for 2050. Life-cycle emissions from hydropower and bioenergy are substantial (∼100 gCO2eq kWh−1), but highly uncertain. We find that cumulative emissions attributable to upscaling low-carbon power other than hydropower are small compared with direct sectoral fossil fuel emissions and the total carbon budget. Fully considering life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions has only modest effects on the scale and structure of power production in cost-optimal mitigation scenarios.” Lifecycle emissions of batteries Working out ecological footprints is complex, but a large component is the energy used in manufacture: using clean energy to manufacture, and paying attention to supply sources can significantly minimise the ecological footprint of battery production Potential to minimise ecological footprints of different battery technologies
Watching Usain Bolt run the 100 meter dash at the Olympics was nothing short of electrifying. The ease to which this world record holder from Jamaica breaks away from the rest of the pack in the last half of the race can take one's breath away. The thought of someone running 100 meters in the 9.6 second range is almost impossible to believe. In fact, even running it in 9.8 seconds was impossible in everyone's mind. That is, until Maurice Greene did so on August 22, 1999. Since that record-breaking run, 25 people have broken that time, culminating in Bolt's 9.58 world record ten years later on August 16, 2009. This phenomenon brings Roger Banister to mind. Bannister was a 25-year-old English medical student at Oxford University who was also an amateur runner. He dedicated a great deal of time and energy to the pursuit of running a mile in under four minutes. At the time, it was thought to be impossible for a human being to run a mile at that speed. The world record of 4:01.3 had stood for nine years and experts regarded this as an insurmountable human limit. Some physiologists even thought that running the mile in less than four minutes was dangerous to the health of any athlete who attempted it. Roger Bannister thought otherwise. He had already won the British championship in the event and he applied his scientific training and medical knowledge to smashing the four-minute barrier. Bannister used intense interval training, an innovative method of distance running and a sprint technique to fine-tune his speed. Sure enough, on May 6, 1954, Bannister ran the race of his life and collapsed to the ground immediately upon crossing the finish line. Bannister explained, "It was only then that real pain overtook me. I felt like an exploded flashlight with no will to live; I just went on existing in the most passive physical state without being unconscious." Two track officials held him up while spectators converged on him. The crowd was silent until they heard the announcer begin to proclaim Bannister’s time. “Three…” The cheers of the crowd drowned out the rest of his time. Despite the 15-mile-per-hour crosswind, Bannister had run the mile in just three minutes and 59.4 seconds. The four-minute mile barrier had been broken! The world was in shock. The unthinkable, what was considered beyond human ability, had occurred. Bannister’s time was referred to as “the Miracle Mile.” Now for the truly amazing part of the story: Just 46 days later, on June 21 in Turku, Finland, Bannister's record was broken by his rival John Landry of Australia, with a time of three minutes and 57.9 seconds. Landy had never gotten within 1.5 seconds of the four-minute mark in previous attempts. Then, on August 7, at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, B.C., Bannister won in three minutes and 58.8 seconds, with Landy 0.8 seconds behind him with a time of three minutes and 59.6 seconds. After breaking the four-minute mile once, both Bannister and Landy seemed able to do so again with ease. But it goes even further. By the end of 1957, just four years later, 16 different people had run the mile in under four minutes including three at the British games in London on May 28, 1955. By 1964, 10 years after Bannister’s great feat, the world record for the mile had dropped to 3:54.1. By 2001, 855 people had run the mile in under four minutes. A psychological barrier was shattered. What once was impossible became standard. We live with this concept, both positively and negatively, on a regular basis. We may have a friend who pushes the envelope and crosses a certain line in terms of misbehavior and, suddenly, it becomes something which we may feel we can do, as well. This is certainly part of the message behind the Jewish teaching that “Woe onto the evil person and woe onto his neighbor.” (Tractate Negaim 12:6) The “neighbor” sees that his friend did something wrong and this puts ideas into his head regarding what he can do, much like Roger Bannister put the idea in people’s heads that the four-minute mile was possible. The better analogy applies to positive actions. There is a Talmudic saying that “Jealousy about study leads to increased wisdom.” (Tractate Bava Batra 21a) When one person sees how much the other is able to learn, this arouses jealousy and a determination to accomplish the same or more. Similarly we are taught to open our homes to wise people. (Chapters of our Fathers 1:4) When we are around great people and we see what they can accomplish, we recognize that we can do the same. So strive to surround yourself with positive role models who have smashed through barriers and demonstrated that you can indeed accomplish way beyond what you can imagine. Then dream the impossible dream and go for it to make it happen!
ICYMI: Start conserving water with these tips, because California is in a mega-drought Related Posts FYI, Gov. Jerry Brown has officially declared a statewide drought emergency, asking that everyone cut water use by 20 percent. While the rest of the country fights the polar vortex and sub-zero temperatures, let’s work together to battle our unfortunate 70-degree, sunny, dry winter. According to MSN, Berkeley is within the extreme high fire danger zone. In response, the Clog has come up with some creative ways to reduce your own personal water usage in Berkeley. But first, what exactly is a drought emergency? Water levels are reportedly the lowest they’ve been since records began about 100 years ago. Some cities and towns are reportedly running low on water and have started to adopt rationing measures in response, according to an article published in the Los Angeles Times. Folsom Lake is so low that a previously submerged mining-era settlement has now exposed itself. So what is Brown doing in response? Well, he’s instructed an increase in seasonal firemen, and asked for a 20 percent decrease in water usage by Californians. He’s also making efforts to raise public awareness and accelerating relief efforts. UC President Janet Napolitano advocated a similar goal of reducing UC systemwide water consumption by 20 percent by 2020. What can you do to help? As you can see, water conservation is a big deal. We talked to Lisa McNeilly, director of sustainability at UC Berkeley, and searched the Internet for the best ways to reduce your water usage easily. Individual contributions and starting good habits now is important, according to McNeilly. “If you have good water conservations habits now, you can continue to make good choices in the future,” she said. We’ve broken down your typical apartment into three areas you can focus on conserving water. In the bathroom: As much as your roommates love your version of “Call Me Maybe,” it’s time to cut back on your shower concerts… Obviously, being a bright UC Berkeley student, you’re aware that turning off the tap when brushing your teeth will conserve water. But how about when you’re washing your hands, shaving or running that water so your roommates don’t hear you pee? Remember a few of these tips next time you hit the bathroom for your morning routine. 1. Lather, rinse, don’t repeat. One time through with the shampoo is enough, we promise. 2. Ditch the baths; showers are faster and use much less water. 3. You have to pee? You have to shower? Pee in the shower! … We’re kidding. That’s gross.shower 4. Put a brick in the toilet tank. No, really. By displacing water in the toilet tank, the amount of flushable water is limited. 5. Check for toilet bowl leaks. Put a few drops of food coloring into the tank and if the water in the bowl changes color, you’ve got a leak! 6. Aim for three to five minutes. You can time yourself by trying to finish your shower before your favorite song ends. 7. Get a low-flow shower head to reduce the amount of water used per shower. Find them cheap online, and use plumber’s tape to help with the installation. Check out this how-to. 8. When the shower starts, we know many of you will let the cold water run for a while first before stepping in. Put a bucket under the faucet while it heats up, and use that to water houseplants or wash your dishes. In the laundry room: wore it twice How about you wear it three times? Considering we’re college students and rarely do laundry in the first place, this is probably not a huge issue. But in case you’re laundry-crazy, here are some tips to help you keep your habit under control: 1. Wash in cold water. This way, you don’t have to separate lights and darks, and two loads become one. 2. Only wash full loads. Do you really need that shirt washed this moment? Or share the washer with your roommates! In the kitchen: Turn off the water! While dishwashing may also be uncharted territory for many of you, it’s a job that needs to be done eventually. If it’s your turn to attack that disgusting sink, keep a few things in mind: 1. If you have a dishwasher, make sure it’s completely full before turning it on. 2. In order to save water, fill the sink with soapy water instead of leaving the tap to run. 3. Use the microwave or refrigerator, not tap water, to thaw frozen food! Image Sources: planetlightchaaseyourdreamsslgckgcaaron13251Sir Mildred Piercejsavine, Contact Tara Lookabaugh at [email protected]
Use the NEAT factor (nonexercise activity thermogenesis) to burn calories Even when you're not intentionally exercising, you're still expending energy, whether you're lying on the couch or sitting in a chair jiggling your legs. This so-called nonexercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, may be one factor that separates lean people from their heftier counterparts. For example, a man who sits in front of a screen most of the day (a computer at work and the television at night) burns far fewer calories during the day than one who works as a cashier and plays guitar during his leisure time—even if neither one does any formal exercise. According to Dr. James Levine, the Mayo Clinic researcher who first described and continues to study this phenomenon, NEAT can vary between two people of similar size by up to 2,000 calories a day. One study that measured NEAT in lean and obese people (all of whom were sedentary and had similar jobs) found that obese people sat an average of two-and-a-half hours more per day than lean people, while lean people stood or walked more than two hours longer each day than obese people. If you're not a natural "NEAT-o-type," you can train yourself to boost your NEAT throughout the day. Pace around while you talk on the phone. When possible, walk down the hall to talk to a co-worker instead of e-mailing or phoning. Be less efficient while cleaning the house by alternating tasks on different floors, so you have to go up and down the stairs more often. In effect, anything you can do throughout the day that cuts the amount of time you spend in a chair will help.
Treatment Methods for Tinnitus \| Blog \| Nardelli Audiology Treatment Methods for Tinnitus By Melissa Carnes Rose, Au.D. August 15, 2017 Treatment Methods for Tinnitus - Nardelli Audiology Blog Tinnitus (a ringing sensation in the ears in the absence of any external stimulus) is a problem that affects around forty five million people in the United States. Generally speaking people with tinnitus perceive a whistling, hissing, or buzzing sound in the absence of any such sound being present. It is important to note that tinnitus itself is not an illness. In fact it can often be a symptom of some other underlying disease that if treated successfully, can cure tinnitus. Extraneous causes for tinnitus include build up of earwax, use of certain medications, and problems with blood flow. Sometimes the actual cause for tinnitus may not be determined and such cases are believed to be a result of trauma to the inner ear nerve cells. Other causes of tinnitus include extended exposure to noise and hearing loss due to age. Tinnitus has several different treatment options. If it is caused by hearing loss, it can be remedied using hearing aids that help amplify sound so that the symptoms of tinnitus are no longer noticeable. Sound therapy is also another treatment method for tinnitus that utilizes various types of white noises and sounds of nature, music and other noises to help ease the uncomfortable noises caused by tinnitus. Certain behavioral therapy methods are also effective treatment options for tinnitus by helping sufferers overcome psychological aspects related to tinnitus. Mindfulness techniques can help reduce stress and learn successful coping mechanisms. Tinnitus Retaining Therapy (TRT) is one such form of therapy which combines cognitive-behavioral therapy along with sound masking therapy. TRT helps people reprogram their brains so that they can begin to perceive their tinnitus as inconsequential which enables them to successfully overlook and overcome the effects of tinnitus. Overall improvements in lifestyle habits can enhance general wellness which in turn helps reduce the degree of tinnitus. Healthy changes in daily nutrition, increased physical exercise, pursuing recreational activities, and increasing social contact can help improve general wellness and decrease stress and tinnitus. Several types of experimental therapies are also available for treatment consideration of tinnitus. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation which passes electromagnetic impulses to the area of the brain that is causing tinnitus. Deep Brain Stimulation also uses similar electromagnetic impulses but is more invasive and requires surgical procedures and implantation of electrodes within the brain. Another experimental method is Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation which also uses electromagnetic energy to calm the hyperactive tissues in the brain that are believed to cause tinnitus. In any case, it is always best to seek the help of a medical professional before opting for any of the above treatment options for tinnitus. Request a Call Back
Travel to Fraser Island - Advertisement - Fraser Island is located on the northeast coast of Australia just off the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef and is the largest sand island of the world. Fraser Island has stunning beaches, wonderful lakes and lush rainforests. Because of its outstanding universal natural and cultural significance Fraser Island was listed as a World Heritage area in 1991. Since then the island and its wildlife have been protected. - Advertisement - Fraser Islands Attractions The island has more than 40 lakes, classified into three types; window, barrage and perched. Window lakes lie below water lever and as the water is constantly filtered by the fine white sand. This makes the water of the lakes so pure. Perched lakes are formed above the water table and are filled by rainwater. Fraser Island’s Lake Boomanjin takes up nearly 80 acres of surface area and is the largest perched dune like lake in the world. There are over 750 different species of flowers, plants and trees. What is unique about Fraser Island’s plant life is that it is able to draw their nutrients directly from the sand. Fraser Island Wildlife Fraser Island is a home to more than 350 species of birds. When you travel to Fraser Island you can see species such as the kingfisher, cockatoo, pelican, tern, seagull, sea eagle, osprey and peregrine falcon. If you are lucky you may even get to see the rare and endangered ground parrot. There are also a unique variety of reptiles and amphibians such as frogs, snakes, lizards and skinks. There is also a wide variety of Australian native animals living on the island; there are some the last remaining pure dingoes, wallaby, possum, flying possum, flying fox and sugar gliders making their home on the island. There are also brumbies and wild horses on the island. If you travel Fraser Island during August through October, there are more than 1500 humpback whales that can be seen as they are travelling from Harvey Bay to the Antarctic for migration. The mothers and babies usually start to arrive back during mid September. How to get to Fraser Island To can travel to Fraser Island either by a 45 minute flight from Brisbane, 3.5 hour drive from Brisbane or a 30 minute ferry ride to Fraser Island from Hervey Bay. Ferry to the Island A round trip ferry costs about US $30 4 Wheel Drive Vehicle with passengers cost US$140 Please note only 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles are allowed on the island. During Peak season accommodation is around US$285 to $335 a night with a 3 night minimum stay. During Off-Peak Season there is no minimum stay and expect to pay around US$235 to $275 per night. *This is for accommodation at the Kingfisher Bay Resort Other important notes There are no paved roads outside the resort so only 4-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed on Fraser Island. You can hire a vehicle from the resort. It is recommended to go on a guided tour before exploring the island on your own. Beaches are considered legal roads on Fraser Island and normal Queensland road rules apply. No dogs or other domesticated animals are allowed on the island. The best time to visit is from August to October. - Advertisement - Travel to Fraser Island, Seekyt General Contributor
New User posted their first comment Cricket Bat The cricket bat is one of the most important equipments used in cricket as it is used to hit the ball. Its first use dates bak to 1624, however, in 1979, a rule change stated that bats should be made only from wood. Each bat has a big handle, which is attached to the face of the bat, which is used to hit the ball. The handle, or the cane, is covered with a rubber grip to provides comfort and protection to the batsman. Bats are made of willow, which is naturally fibrous wood. The willow is then treated with oil, which gives it a protective function. Each bat consists of grains, which are the lines that are visible on the face of the bat The edges of the blade closest to the handle are known as the shoulders of the bat, and the bottom of the blade is known as the toe of the bat. The different types of willows which are used to make the bat are: English willow: The English willow is a soft and fibrous timber and is preferred by most of the bat manafacturers. The willow is made using the finest quality of wood and is meant for maximum performance and gives the perfect result. Overall, the English willow is softer than the Kashmir willow and have thicker blades as well. Kashmir willow: The wood used to make Kashmir willow bats is harder, and the weight of the bat is heavier in comparison to English willow. The bats do not give the same performance as English willow and thus, are not as popular as them. The most popular bats used by cricketers are: Grey Nicholls: The MCC's (Marylebone Cricket Club) Law 6 states the following: Top 9 cricket bat manufacturers in the world Top 9 cricket bat manufacturers in the world Fetching more content... Get the free App now ❤️ Favorites Edit
Definition - What does Vim mean? Vim, which stands for Vi Improved, is a popular open source text editor. It is a clone of the Unix text editor Vi. Originally written for the Amiga in 1988, it is available for almost every operating system. Vim is particularly popular with Linux users. Techopedia explains Vim Vim is a text editor originally written by Bram Moolenar. The editor is a clone of Vi, a Unix text editor written by Sun Microsystems cofounder Bill Joy while he was a graduate student at UC Berkeley in the late 1970s. Vi originally appeared as part of the Berkeley Software Distribution of Unix, or BSD. Moolenar originally wrote Vim for the Commodore Amiga in 1988, but the editor has become widely available for almost every operating system in current use. It is available for Mac OS X, Windows and almost every Linux distribution has Vim in its package management repositories. Vim is open source and while it is distributed free of charge, users are encouraged to make a donation to children in Uganda. Unlike a word processor, Vim edits files in plain text. It is mostly used for writing programs. Like its predecessor, Vi, Vim is characterized by its modal user interface. Users move around and select text in the "command mode," while editing is done in "insert mode." Vim proponents say that this method is very efficient because the commands are mostly on the home row of the keyboard. Vim allows for a high degree of customization. Users can define macros to personalize their key mappings as well as automate editing tasks. It also supports syntax highlighting for most programming languages, including C, Python and HTML. Vim users also have a rivalry with users of another editor popular on Unix/Linux systems, Emacs. This is known as the "editor wars." A survey by Linux Journal in 2006 showed that Vim was the most popular Linux text editor. A 2016 Stack Overflow survey of developers found that it was the fourth most popular development environment overall, behind Notepad++, Visual Studio and Sublime Text. Share this:
In most cases, it’s good to share. But here’s a list of things you should never share, according to our friend microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba: First: Shopping carts. I don’t mean to gross you out, but a study found dangerous bacteria and viruses on 80 percent of shopping cart seats and handles. Dr. Gerba says that makes sense, because carts come in contact with everything from raw chicken to diapered baby bottoms! That’s why he says you should always disinfect shopping cart handles and seats with a sanitizing wipe, and wash your hands after you shop. Next, never share: Razors. Dr. Gerba says whether you see them or not, shaving creates tiny nicks and cuts that allows blood to be transferred to razors. So, if you use someone else’s razor, you’re exposing yourself to blood-borne diseases like hepatitis B and C, or even HIV. For the same reason, don’t share: Toothbrushes – even with someone you’re kissing. Dr. Gerba says brushing scrapes the skin on your gums, exposing you to blood-borne germs. Plus, you’re more likely to transmit cold and flu viruses through a toothbrush than you are through kissing. One more thing you shouldn’t share: Cell phones. Dr. Gerba says the problem with cell phones is that people always touch them, but rarely clean them. And since most people don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, it’s common to find dangerous bacteria all over cell phones! And get this: Research shows that women’s cell phones tend to be germier than men’s, mostly because women get twice as many colds as men.
Posted by Ronan Scully in Features. It is easy to stay hopeful when times are good, but how do you tap into that hopefulness when life doesn’t go as planned? Most people can endure short periods of frustration, especially when there is an end in sight; the toughest times are when we look ahead and feel that our situation is unending. People who have survived such times are a source of great inspiration. In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl describes his powerful psychological journey during his years in a concentration camp. During this time, he lost his family, was stripped of all his wordly belongings and lived day after day in miserable physical conditions. However, he fought back hopelessness and endured and endured conditions beyond most people’s imaginations because he realised that, while others can control your external existence, they cannot control your mind. He clung to his faith and belief that he would make it, and he did. It takes courage to remain hopeful against negative forces. You have to remain true to yourself and your beliefs, even when you feel alone. Anchor yourself with your own confidence and know that you can, and will, survive the challenges around you. Choose to have a hopeful outlook, imagine the best outcome in detail and never give up. Keep believing and working towards your goals. Take care of yourself physically. Get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet and, if you are physically capable, exercise a few times a week. In today’s world there is still hope for a happier future. If it’s out of your hands, ask yourself if worrying about it will make it better. Make a list of the good things in your life and be thankful for them. Remember, not all bad things are bad. Smile. It really does increase your face value. Don’t get trapped into bad thoughts. Gossip is an anchor that will weigh you down faster than anything else. Try to generate positive comments when you speak. Remember, positive thinking begins with you. You have the power to spread smiles and encouraging thoughts. As soon as you open your mouth to speak, you are in charge of what comes out. Don’t allow yourself to be a victim of the world around you. Smiles are free and contagious. If you want to spread something try smiling. You will see how the world becomes a happier place. Positive Thinking When you are in the tough situation, imagine how it could be worse. As an overseas development worker in some of the toughest places in the world, this is easy for me. I see people on my trips that would love to have my problems. I am a spiritual person, and I find peace in letting go and believing that if I live with an open heart and help others and do the right thing that blessings will come my way and I will have what I need to be happy. I believe that we are never burdened with more than we can handle. Bad things happen to good people, crises happen that we can’t understand or control, but we always have control of our own thinking. Thought for the Week As your thought for the week, choose to be positive. You will enrich your life and your journey and the lives and journeys of those around you.
The 27th of April is commemorated with pomp and color across three different countries in Africa as they mark their independence. Siera Leonne, Togo, and South Africa have the unique distinction of having the same independence date. This edition of the African Round-Up will highlight just how far these countries have come since the colonial rule. Togo has a population of 7.6 million people and is bordered by Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso and has a 56-kilometer coastline that runs along the Gulf of Guinea. Togo and its surrounding regions were known as “the slave coast” between the 16th and the 18th century because Europeans would come to the region in search of slaves. Togo gained her independence from France on 27 April 1960. The country is known for many things including its history, attraction sites, culture, and commercial activities. Although it is not as high ranking when it comes to economic growth, the nation has been making consistent steps to achieve growth. Togo’s economic growth picked up in 2018 to 4.7% (2.1% per capita). This recovery was driven largely by the rebound in the extractive industry, and the continued expansion of the agricultural sector The country’s capital Lomé, now hosts West Africa’s leading container port, taking the position from Lagos, Nigeria. Spurred by many modernisaion reforms, the Port of Lomé (PAL) has rapidly expanded indeed. From 311,500 Twenty-foot equivalent (TEU) containers in 2013, the number of containers transiting by the port has almost tripled reaching 1,193,800 TEU in 2017, while at other ports in the region remained stagnant. Togo is also home to international soccer star, Emmanuel Adebayor Sierra Leone was a British Colony until April 27, 1961 a year after Togo. Sir Milton Margai who became the country’s first prime minister spearheaded the struggle for independence. The economy, which was growing steadily, took a beating in the 90’s as a result of the civil war. The war was as a result of the trade in illicit gems, known as “blood diamonds”, came to and ends in 2002 and the country has been working hard to focus on her growth. Sierra Leone has relied on mining, especially diamonds, for its economic base. It is also among the largest producers of titanium and bauxite, is a major producer of gold, and has one of the world’s largest deposits of rutile. Sierra Leone is home to the third-largest natural harbor in the world. Although South Africa gained independence from Britain in 1961 May it was only on April 27, 1994 that they were truly free from the shackles of apartheid. It is for this reason that they commemorate Freedom Day. Shortly after the end of the apartheid regime the first totally inclusive elections were held and won by the African National Congress and Nelson Mandela became president. It was a historic moment for South Africa as it was the first time just under 20 million people lined up in queues to cast their vote in 1994 (compared to the mere three million that voted in 1989). South Africa’s economy is hailed as the second largest in Africa, after Nigeria. According to the World Bank it is hailed as one of the most industrialized countries in Africa. It is also the only African nation to be in the G20. Since the end of Apartheid South Africa has had a number of amazing inventions. One such being JONGA, a low-cost, low-tech security system that sends a notification to a paired smartphone when something triggers the motion sensors in the home. The sensor itself is wireless, allowing for seamless repositioning. The device utilizes energy-saving technology, which ensures that it will keep watch over the household for seven years, before needing to be replaced. South Africa is also the home to intentional comedian Trevor Noah, Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu.
Thinking in a foreign language The moment you will be able to really feel comfort in a foreign language is when you start to think in it. By that, I mean you start to use the language in automatic responses… you’re not translating in your head or searching a long time for words. Once you can start thinking in the language, words will flow and you will start to feel like you understand the concept of ‘fluency’, even though you are not yet there. But there are a lot of misconceptions about this kind of ‘thought fluency.’ First of all, most people think you need a high level to be able to think in a language. This is wrong. You do not need a high level to be able to think in a langauge. In fact, think about what happens when you learn a new word in your native language. If I tell you that water is now called ‘su,’ you will have no problems integrating that word into your normal vocabularly. Immediately, you will be able to use the word — ‘Can I have some su?’ or ‘Are you thirsty? Do you want soda or su?’ The other big misconception is probably that you gain this fluency just by grammar and vocabulary study. Grammar and vocabulary alone will never allow you to think in a foreign language. You have to practice thinking in your target language if you ever want to be able to do it. I have met so many people who know tons of words and understand extremely well the grammar of a language, but unless you can think in the language, conversation is going to be difficult. How to Start Thinking in a Foreign Language 1. Look around you Whether you are in a room or walking outside or wherever you are, look around you. 2. Clear your head of words Actually, this is easy. When we look around we aren’t usually thinking ‘Hey, there’s a clock and there’s a chair…’ In fact, normally we aren’t saying anything to ourselves at all regarding our surroundings. If we are thinking something, we are either thinking about things that are not directly related to our surroundings or we are thinking in pictures or abstract concepts– but we are not saying words to ourselves. So try to look around without any words coming to your head at all. 3. Allow the target language to come out Now, try to think (or better yet, say out loud!) whatever words you can in your target language about your surroundings. It doesn’t matter if it’s not grammatically correct or if it’s not interesting. If all you can do is colors– that’s fine. Actually, I would suggest starting with colors. Just look around and let the color name come to you in the target language without thinking about the word in your native language. If what comes to your mind isn’t related to your surroundings, say it anyways. Basically, you are verbalizing stream of concsiousness in a foreign language. (‘Now I’m thinking in French, and I’m only going to think in French, and I see a thing but I’m not sure what it is in French but it’s blue, I like blue, but that thing isn’t blue, it’s black, I like black….’) 4. Don’t know it? Move on! Face it– you don’t know what everything is in your native language either. Right now I’m sitting in a room with one of those things with beads on it used to count… an abacus? That’s not a word that comes easily to me! The important thing is not to know any words but rather to use what you do know and to totally ignore and skip over what you don’t. Increasingly your vocabularly or grammar should be done in an actually study session. This activity is just about preparing your brain for fluid foreign thinking. If you give this a try, let me know how it goes. If you have another trick that you use, please share that too! [Cover photo: Paris, France.] Leave a Reply
BBC Sport cycling Related BBC sites Cycling clothing guide: helmets Helmets are made from expanded foam polystyrene, similar to the type of stuff coffee cups are made from covered with a moulded hard plastic shell. They must fit properly if they are to give any protection. Find a shop that has a good selection of helmets and try on plenty of types and makes until you find one that fits perfectly. If you are able to move the helmet backwards and forwards when the chin strap is fastened then it is too big. If the helmet is too big it will be uncomfortable and it will also give you much less protection and may even slip off. Cycling helmet Tighten the chin strap until you can just barely open your mouth all the way. If the fit is right, the helmet will sit quite low on your brow but high enough not to obstruct your vision. Helmets for children tend to be relatively larger than adult ones in order to be fully effective. This means that your helmet may look as if it is perched on top of your head! Apart from the fit, the other main factor to consider is ventilation. Make sure there are plenty of air channels running from front to back, but not so many that they weaken the helmet. It may not feel hot when you try it on in the shop but it certainly will after a few miles of hard pedalling in the summer months! The protective foam polystyrene becomes less effective as the helmet becomes older. So it's wise to replace any helmet that has been damaged in an accident, however slight. For these reasons some manufacturers or shops will inspect your helmet after an accident and may even offer a free replacement. related internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Sign in BBC navigation
Merge Sort Reading Time: 2 minutes Merge sort yet another sorting algorithm that benefits from the divide-and-conquer principle. The main goal in this algorithm is to split the given array into individuals and merge them back during the course of the comparison. Merge Sort seems kind of similar to the Merge sort, in the Comparison below you can study the differences and similarities. However, there is one challenge as I see in this algorithm is the merge. I find this part very complex, but besides its very easy to apprehend the algorithm. Complexity Analysis Time Complexity 1. Best Case: O(n log n), 2. Average Case: O(n log n), 3. Worse Case: O(n log n) Space Complexity Comparison to Quick Sort In general terms, the Merge Sort is often compared to the Quick Sort. In some sense, they tend to act similarly as they inherit the same divide-and-conquer principle, to address a few of differences; • Merge Sort demands a copy of the data structure, whereas Quick Sort applies the changes with no requirement of extra space allocated, • Both of the algorithms split the given data structure. However, alternatively Merge Sort intends to split from the half to divide the left and right subsets into individual elements, whereas the Quick Sort picks a partition point and swaps the lower and greater values in the right and the left directions. 1. The algorithm divides the array into half smaller chunks until the individual items left with by using recursion, 2. once individuals created, they are compared and merged back from smaller to larger arrays 3. Merge sort requires extra space allocation which makes it space complexity as O(n), whereas Quick Sort only keeps a space while swapping which makes its space complexity as O(log n). However the only similarity is that because of the recursive calls, the stack traces will be created upon each call that’s also considered as a space • leftPointer: A pointer of the left/begin of the array • rightPointer: A pointer of the right/endof the array • middleElementPointer: Represents the element in the center of the array • leftArray: The elements of the left side as a temporary storage • rightArray: The elements of the rıght side as a temporary storage You can checkout my GitHub repository @ Leave a Reply
As every single factory manager will tell you, all manufacturing plants focus on improving efficiency while reducing costs. While it may seem like a straightforward task, identifying areas of improvement can be anything but simple. Depending on the type of plant you manage, installing a new or updating your current air pollution control system can have a monumental impact on your entire operation. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of regenerative thermal oxidizers, how they work, and how to identify if your plant can benefit from a new RTO. Benefits of Implementing an RTO A regenerative thermal oxidizer, also known as an RTO, is a piece of dedicated equipment that destroys air pollutants before they enter the atmosphere. Keep in mind that plants of all types must abide by regulations set forth by the EPA, which aims to control the amount of pollution that enters our atmosphere, and RTOs help you do exactly that. Dangerous gas emissions, which include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants, can have detrimental effects on the environment and human health if released into the atmosphere. RTOs are designed to destroy VOCs through the process of oxidation. This consists of moving the polluted air through a series of heat exchange towers and a combustion chamber. The high temperatures, in turn, causes a physical reaction that destroys up to 99%+ of VOCs and other pollutants. If your plant already has VOC abatement equipment such as a different type of oxidizer, upgrading to an RTO can improve several parts of your operation. For instance, the thermal efficiency rating can range from 85% to 97% depending on the conditions, which is much higher than you can achieve with older models. At the same time, regenerative thermal oxidizers boast simple designs. These pieces of machinery tend to maintain optimal performance while requiring very little maintenance. And, because they achieve VOC destruction rates of up to 99%+, RTOs allows you to adhere to the standards the EPA enforces easily. Signs Your Plant Can Benefit from a RTO While there is no denying the efficiency of a RTO, you need to make sure your plant has the necessary conditions to actually benefit from it. Here are five signs your plant can benefit from a regenerative thermal oxidizer. VOC Concentration Issues Certain VOC abatement technologies are so specialized that they are limited to a certain concentration range to be effective. RTOs are extremely versatile because they can be used for both low and high VOC concentration. At the same time, these oxidizers can also be used for high and low volume exhaust streams so that they can serve an array of different industries. High Maintenance Costs / Excessive Downtime Like any other piece of machinery, air pollution control systems become less efficient and reliable with age. Whether it’s in the form of more frequent maintenance or business-crippling downtime, operating costs start to add up. Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers are designed to reduce these operating costs, and a well-maintained new oxidizer will save you money and could even provide heat for other applications, driving your overall business costs down further. Poor Energy Efficiency If you notice your current oxidizer costs a lot of money to operate, having a RTO installed may result in significant energy savings over time. As long as you cover the capital investment, a regenerative thermal oxidizer can help keep operating costs to a minimum. Poor Destruction Efficiency If your current system is aging or has failed a recent destruction test you know time is of the essence to get in compliance or face penalties. The EPA has different requirements for different pollutants when it comes to destruction rates. If your plant requires destruction rates up to 99%+, then opting for a regenerative thermal oxidizer will allow you to operate without any penalties. Excess Exhaust Stack Heat Regenerative thermal oxidizers can incorporate heat recovery in the exhaust stack providing heat for use elsewhere in the plant. This can help you reduce operating costs in other areas of your manufacturing facility without sacrificing the quality of your products. Find a Reliable RTO for Your Plant Regenerative thermal oxidizers are extremely effective, but they are also a hefty investment. Make sure you find a reliable RTO manufacturer with a proven track record to design an effective piece of machinery for your facility. At The CMM Group, we specialize in providing state-of-the-art RTO designs that maximize productivity and reduce operating costs. Get in touch with us by giving us a call or filling out our online contact form today Download Your FREE Air Pollution Control Selection Guide Now
Across China: Endangered pangolins spotted on camera Source: Xinhua\| 2020-05-16 13:41:55\|Editor: huaxia CHANGSHA, May 16 (Xinhua) -- As an environmental protection volunteer at the Changsha Wildlife Conservation Association (CSWCA), central China's Hunan Province, Zhou Canying has long been engaged in the protection of the Chinese pangolin. "Finally! A surprise encounter with a Chinese pangolin!" Zhou recently shared with Chinese wildlife conservationists an exhilarating message on her social media account. This is the first time that she and her team have captured footage of a Chinese pangolin in the wild, an unexpected breakthrough for the association since its launch of a program to search for the last pangolins five years ago. Pangolins are illegally traded mammal in the world. According to data from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Pangolin Specialist Group, more than 1 million pangolins were poached worldwide from 2004 to 2014 alone. In 2016, the CSWCA launched the "Search for the Last Pangolins" program as a preparatory effort for the in situ conservation of the species. For conservationists, the first thing about pangolin protection is to determine their population, whereabouts, habitat requirements and what causes them to be endangered. The program has been launched mainly in the vast hilly regions south of the Yangtze River, home to the Chinese pangolin, an ancient species which has lived for more than 80 million years. Two years ago, Zhou noticed online reports of a baby Chinese pangolin found in a residential area in a county of east China's Jiangxi Province and later sent into the wild. The limited information was precious enough to send her and her team on an immediate research journey to the reported place. Pangolins are nocturnal animals that only come out of their caves at night for food and are rarely spotted in the wild due to their scarce population. To judge whether pangolins exist locally and to observe their living conditions, it is advisable to film them with infrared camera traps. Zhou cooperated with the wildlife conservationists there and designated a place in a local nature reserve to install cameras based on clues such as field studies, caves and traces. "We have searched for pangolins in many southern provinces, but all in vain. This time, our efforts finally paid off," Zhou said. Footage of a video released by the CSWCA on April 26 showed a pangolin, big-tailed and slightly stooped, trekking nimbly under the bushes. The video was shot in the city of Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, where Zhou and her team often went to search for pangolins. The animal captured in the footage was further identified and confirmed by Wu Shibao and several other experts as a Chinese pangolin. This was in fact just one example of the recent discoveries across China of Chinese pangolins. It was reported that infrared cameras had also captured footage of wild Chinese pangolins in a nature reserve in the Xianju National Park in east China's Zhejiang Province, and that two teachers came across a walking Chinese pangolin in a school playground and sent it into the forest in east China's Fujian Province. Wildlife conservationists believe that the frequent appearances of Chinese pangolins recently indicate that the species is not functionally extinct. Wu said that in recent years, pangolins have been spotted in the wild in the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Anhui, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Yunnan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, including cubs weighing less than two kg and younger than one year old, indicating that Chinese pangolins can still reproduce naturally, and if earnestly protected, their population can gradually recover. "The discovery of the Chinese pangolin is just the beginning toward a fundamental improvement of the species' habitats," Zhou said. Enditem
Britain Leaves the European Union Photos by pixabay Britain officially split from the european union on Jan. 31, 2020. Dagmawi Tilahun, House keeper The United Kingdom formally left the European Union Jan 31, 2020 at 1l p.m. This “’Brexit ” has been in the works for over four years with the referendum, a public vote ‘known as a referendum’ was held in June 2016, when 17.4 million people opted for Brexit. This gave the Leave side 52%, compared to 48% for Remain. “I personally do not support brexit and I think it has been handled very unprofessionally,” said Martha Davis-Cutting, junior. The EU is an economic and political union involving 28 European countries. It allows free trade, which allows goods to move between member countries without any checks or extra charges. The EU British politics has always included a faction that is skeptical of deeper integration with the rest of Europe. This faction has grown stronger in recent years as the EU has struggled with the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 and hence the EU in the 1990s. Britain never fully accepted the legitimacy of European control over British institutions in a way that other EU members did. It refused, for example, to join either the Schengen Area, which eliminates internal border controls, or the common currency. “Being able to control your economics is valuable to all nations not just Britain,” said Jacob McCarthy, junior. Since 2008, Britain’s background euroscepticism has been amplified by the poor performance of European economies. The post-2008 recession was bad in the United States, and was in Europe. The eurozone took a greater hit than the U.S. did initially, and then quickly collapsed back into recession rather than experiencing a continued recovery. Central banks are supposed to react to recessions by expanding the money supply in order to promote economic activity. The 2008 financial crisis caught central banks flat-footed both in the United States and Europe. America’s central bank, the Federal Reserve, ultimately responded forcefully to the economic downturn, helping to get the economy growing again starting in 2010. In contrast, the European central bank (ECB) decided to raise interest rates. While the US economy started to heal, the eurozone tipped into a double-dip recession. Things got so bad, particularly in Greece, that it looked like the entire eurozone system could collapse. This did not affect the UK directly, as it uses the pound rather than the euro. Many looked at the situation and decided that EU membership was dangerous. The EU had historically only expanded its powers and they worried how long until Britain got roped into a euro-like disaster or faced pressure to bail out countries whose economies were wrecked by bad eurozone economic policies. This argument gave new potency to Britain’s long-simmering euroscepticism. “I Think Britain let the European Unionto go back to what they were before, a completely independent nation,” said McCarthy, By mid-2012, after three years of the eurozone crisis with no real end in sight, Prime Minister David Cameron was under significant pressure from members of his own Conservative Party to hold a referendum on whether the UK should stay in. In 2013, Cameron gave a speech promising to hold just such a referendum if the Tories (England’s Conservative party) won Britain’s 2015 election.While arguments about economic regulation and political sovereignty dominate the intellectual case for Brexit, the political appeal of Brexit relies heavily on the emotionally charged issue of immigration. Photos by pixabay
PCB Prototype Surface Finishes and Their Types In the PCBs manufacturing, we know that they are given copper finishes on their surface in order to protect them from environmental effects such as oxidation, humidity etc. If they are not given surface finishes, they can become unusable. It also provides a solderable surface onto which components can be assembled. HASL is one of the most common methods used in surface finishing. However, with the passage of time, PCB pitches are becoming finer and therefore a thinner surface coat is required. Therefore, some alternatives to HASL are used such as electrolysis and immersion process. Here we will discuss some of the common surface finishes you will commonly see in PSB manufacturing, their advantages, and downsides etc. 1: HASL / Lead-Free HASL: HASL (hot air solder leveling) as mentioned before is the predominantly used method. In this process, the PCB is first dipped into a bath of molten solder so the entire exposed surface is covered and then the excess is removed by passing the PCB between hot air knives which blow hot air across the surface. One other advantage of using this method is that the high temperature (up to 265°C) used identifies any potential delamination errors before further processing of the PCB. The other advantages include, low cost, this process is widely available, is re-workable, repairable and gives the PCB excellent shelf life However HASL might give your uneven surfaces, as mentioned before it is not suitable for finer pitch, it contains lead, thermal shock, and solder bridging and it not good for PTH (plated through holes). 2: Immersion Tin (ISN): Commonly referred to as white tin, Immersion tin is usually applied as a metallic finish deposited onto the PCB by a chemical displacement reaction. The ISN will also protect the PCB from environmental degradation such as oxidation. Copper and tin also show strong electron affinity. The metals will often diffuse into one another which will affect the performance of the PCB. ISN will give you a flat surface finish, is lead-free, it is also re-workable and is one of the top choices for press fit pin insertion. Its disadvantages include the use of a common carcinogen (thiourea) during processing, it can be damaged easily if not handled carefully, it can cause tin whiskers, any exposed tin will eventually corrode and it is also not suitable for multiple re-flow assembly processing 3: OSP / Entek: This process is a conveyorized process which applies OSP (organic solderability preservative) in a thin layer onto the copper surface and protects it from oxidation. The organic compound used is water based and bonds to copper. It will leave your PCB with a flat surface finish and it actually a simple process. It is also cost effective and reworkable and does not use PB. It is also more environmentally friendly as compared to other lead-free finishes. However, it has a downside to it too. You cannot, for example, measure the thickness, it is also not suitable for PTH, it has a short shelf life, and it can cause ICT issues. It can also be damaged so it must be handled carefully. 4: Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG): ENIG is a two-layered metallic coating. It consists of 2-8μin gold layer covering a 120-240 μin Ni layer. The gold protects the Ni during storage. This PCB surface finish type is the most used one in the entire industry because of its RoHS regulation. This finish will also leave your PCB with a flat surface and is suitable for PTH. It will also give your PCB a longer shelf life and is lead-free. On the other hand, if we look at its disadvantages, it is expensive, it is not re-workable, and it is a very complicated process. It can also suffer from signal loss and damage from the electrical transmission. 5: Gold – Hard Gold: We divide electroplating nickel-gold into ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ gold. We use hard gold in this electrolysis, which is plated over a coating of Ni. Hard gold is highly durable and is often used in the IC carrier boards and is used to add additional conductive trace to plating of finger area and keypads. The thickness can be controlled by varying the plating cycle duration. Hard gold is not applied to the solderable area since it is expensive and has poor solderability. Hard gold will give you a hard, durable surface, it is lead-free and will also give your PCB a long shelf life. On the downside it is expensive, requires extra labor, requires to resist and plating, and is not solderable over 17 μin. Choosing the correct surface finish according to your project is important and there are a lot of factors to consider. You should always consult with your engineer prior to processing so you can select the correct options and your project may be cost-effective. Leave a Reply
Hypersonic 'space plane' promises four-hour London to Sydney flights by 2030s Jack Guy and Maureen O'Hare, CNNPublished 25th September 2019 Sabre engine vehicle The UK Space Agency announced Tuesday at the UK Space Conference 2019 that it would be working more closely with the Australian Space Agency in an agreement dubbed a "world-first Space Bridge." "When we have brought the SABRE rocket engine to fruition, that may enable us to get to Australia in perhaps as little as four hours," said Graham Turnock, head of the UK Space Agency. "This is technology that could definitely deliver that. We're talking the 2030s for operational service, and the work is already very advanced." The precooler passed its tests with flying colors The precooler passed its tests with flying colors Reaction Engines That's more than 50% faster than the cruising speed of Concorde -- which used to make the journey between New York and Paris in around 3.5 hours -- and matches the speed record of the fastest jet aircraft ever made, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Reaction Engines "This is a hugely significant milestone which has seen Reaction Engines' proprietary precooler technology achieve unparalleled heat transfer performance," said Mark Thomas, Reaction Engines' CEO. The Sabre could dramatically reduce intercontinental flight times. The Sabre could dramatically reduce intercontinental flight times. Reaction Engines The SABRE engine is designed to reach speeds above Mach 5 in the Earth's atmosphere, and will then be able to turn into a rocket that can fly through space at up to Mach 25. It "breathes" air from the atmosphere, allowing greater fuel efficiency and lower weight than existing rocket engines that need to carry their own oxygen supply. "The main thing with Sabre is it's like a hybrid of a rocket engine and an aero engine, so it allows a rocket to breathe air," Shaun Driscoll, programmes director at Reaction Engines, told the UK Space Conference.
Egyptian Amulets In Glogpedia by 22clancellotti Last updated 4 years ago Social Studies Ancient History Toggle fullscreen Print glog Egyptian Amulets Egyptian Amulets Precious Stones used in AmuletsSome precious stones used for making amulets are: emeralds, carnelians, lapis lazuli, turquoise, tiger’s eye, chalcedony, amethysts and many more. Materials Some materials that are used for making amulets are: gold, bronze, copper, wood and many kinds of clay. Death ItemsPeople thought that some of the amulets were magical. So those were brought with them for good luck to help them go to the after life. Many Diffrent ShapesThere are many diffrent shapes some are: people, apes, jackal, falcons and many more. The ones I named are the more famous. From Rich to PoorMany people from rich to poor would have amulets because they were made of a range of quality materials, but they all had the same purpose to be good luck charms. Magical PowersThe amulets were claimed to have magical powers because the gods bless the amulets. Not all the amulets always have magical powers. Blessings from GodsThe gods blessed the amulets mostly for pharaohs and their wives. They were also some times for rich people. Before the PharaohsBefore there were pharaohs on amulets there were usually animals or had blessings engraved into them. There are no comments for this Glog.
Transcription of the episode “David Kirkland on New York’s State’s Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework” Jon M: 00:15 I’m Jon Moscow. Amy H-L: 00:16 And I’m Amy Halpern-Laff. Welcome to Ethical Schools where we discuss strategies for creating inclusive and equitable schools and youth programs that help students to develop both commitment and capacity to build ethical institutions. Jon M: 00:29 Our guest today is Dr. David E. Kirkland, Executive Director of the NYU Metro Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools. Dr. Kirkland taught middle school and high school in Michigan and organized youth empowerment and mentoring programs in cities such as Detroit, Chicago, and New York. He’s a trustee for the Research Foundation of the National Council of Teachers of English and the author of five books, including “A Search Past Silence: The Literacy of Black Males.” He’s co-author of “Students’ Right to Their Own Language.” David Kirkland has been named by Ebony Magazine as one of the most brilliant scholars in the US. Welcome, David. David K: 01:07 Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here. Amy H-L: 01:09 David, we especially would like to talk today about the New York State Education Department’s Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education Framework, known for short as CRS Framework. Listeners, the framework is posted on our website, David, you’ve called the development of the framework likely one of the most important steps in New York State education history. What is the framework and why is it so important? David K: 01:38 Oh, thank you again and let me talk a little bit about the framework and what the framework grows out of before I talk about the framework itself. If you look across New York City, if you look across New York State, if you look across the United States, you see systems of disparity that articulate the conditions of schools. In a sense, we have a tale of two schools. We have schooling for the privileged and we also have schooling for the vulnerable. We have a system that serves some young people and we have a system that does not serve other young people and the students that it serves and does not serve gets articulated along lines of race, class, gender in some cases, and other factors that are related to identity and culture. And in some ways we know that if a student goes to a school and they enjoy a culturally responsive education, that that student will do well in that school. That means that that student has an opportunity to learn in a language that reflects the language that’s spoken at home, that that student has an opportunity to read books by authors that look like them, read content that has experiences like them, do story problems that come from experiences that live where they live. In this way we know that culture is an essential, not an optional part of education. We also know that culture is fundamental to the divisions that we see in education in the sense that we have valued or perhaps overvalued some cultures while devaluing and stigmatizing others. What New York State Education Department did in 2018 was have a hard conversation, a difficult conversation about how to address what seemed to be the chronic and static problems of inequity that defined themselves along the lines of predictable categories, social patterns. But the problem wasn’t just putting more money into the system. It wasn’t about making kids take more tests. It wasn’t about ensuring that Black and Brown and poor and otherwise vulnerable students only had access to the culture of power, if you will. What New York State Education Department said is that we need to do better and they concluded that the babies aren’t broken, that perhaps the systems are, and that if we are going to be responsive to the needs of our young people, we need to delve into the research. We need to delve into the science. And so the Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education Framework began with the lit review. It began with some type of survey of the science around the question of culture as it relates to education. And the proposition was simple. What do we know about transforming systems in order to be more responsive to these individuals, in order to be more responsive to students across lines of culture and language and socioeconomic status, across lines of geography in ways that we have not? Doing the research and doing the work, we recognized that systems of education were not designed necessarily to be responsive to all students. So the first acknowledgement is that the system is not only broken, that it’s ill designed if it is to provide education to all young people, right? We have a system that was constructed in design for some students and those students succeed in this system and we have a system that was not designed or constructed for other young people. And these are the students that we fail, right? These are the students that do not succeed. And so we began reading the literature around culturally relevant education. Shout out to Gloria Ladson Billings and culturally responsive education. Shout out to Geneva Gay, who coined that term. And we said, what else is out there? Jon M: 05:37 When you say we, what role did the Metro Center play? David K: 05:40 I’m talking about the Metropolitan Center, you know, my Center, and I’m also talking about the coalition of the New York City Education Department. It was, it was truly a community project, but to continue the story in terms of how this was developed, we began to look at on the research around, the other research that came out around 2012 Django Paris writes this piece called culturally sustaining education, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and in this piece, he begins to critique, right, the direction or the focus on culturally responsive education. His argument is it’s one thing that would be responsive but it’s another thing for that response to sustain the cultures that these students come from because generally culturally responsive education has been implemented in schools implemented in systems in order to assimilate students to some type of culture of power, right? Typically the culture of a dominant culture. And so the State, in conversation with NYU Metro Center, decided that it was two projects that it would take up. One is how can we be more culturally responsive? How can we create systems and environments that are more, that are culturally responsive to students? But also, how can we create systems that are also sustaining, that will sustain the cultures, the languages, the values, the homes, the principles by which these individuals are born into? And that’s how the Culturally Responsive Education Framework came into being. It came into being trying to resolve a problem that articulated itself in a new way. What if it’s not the students who are failing? What if it’s the system that’s failing ? And the framework that you see is the State’s response to that question. Jon M: 07:31 What are the four principles that the framework is grounded in? David K: 07:35 Well, the four principles are taken from work that NYU Metro Center did with Buffalo school district around its equity plan. And I’ll summarize what these four principles are because you see principles become tenets of culturally responsive education, right? Welcoming and affirming environments, right, the idea that you belong, the idea that equity includes this idea of belonging. So when you go into a school space, the school space has been structured to make you feel welcome and warm. The environment is non-hostile but instead is restorative and regenerative to the bodies that occupy it. The idea of high standards and rigor in education becomes another principle of a culturally responsive, sustaining framework. Not only does the framework set high expectations. It’s one thing to set high expectations, it’s another thing to set high expectations and then construct ladders, ladders that are firm, stable so that students can climb to reach or even exceed those expectations. Another principle is teacher development or system-wide professional development. Part of that development is shifting mindsets, policies and practices in ways that promote like this healthy relationship between practitioners and the individuals who they encounter in schools. It’s about relationships, right? It’s about developing competencies, competencies that are necessary to teach people who come from situations and environments that may be different than ours. These principles are the principles that in some ways facilitate and construct culture, the culturally responsive education framework. But there are two pillars that are more important than the four grounding or guiding principles that are articulated in the framework. One is socio-political awareness, the idea that we are aware and should be aware that education is not politically innocent, that when you enter into a classroom, you enter into a contested space where the implications of power play out daily. When in our students, our young people, our children are sometimes left as casualties of this great contest, this tug. The other is socio-cultural responsiveness, the idea that we have an obligation in education to root education in the lives of our young people that we cannot ask why are they not learning the things that we are not teaching, that the other question is more important. How do we teach in the ways that they learn? How do we become responsive to who they are as individuals and construct, design and redesign, and revise whenever necessary the education construct, the education product, in ways that are most responsive to our young people. That’s the basis. That’s the foundation of the framework. Amy H-L: 10:43 David, thank you for that. The guidelines call for development of students who have a critical lens through which they challenge inequitable systems of access, power and privilege. As a Deweyan, that’s the part that most excites me. What does that look like in practice? David K: 11:03 I’m glad that you raised the specter of Dewey because I think we’ve gotten away from it, right? We talk about two feeds of education. We talk about career and college readiness, education as this site to train workers or to train or to prepare elites, to stratify us into this space. Rarely do we talk about democracy anymore. Rarely do we talk about citizenship. Rarely do we talk about the third C and that is civic writing. What does it mean to participate in a multicultural democracy and then expanding towards what Tom Friedman called a flat global world, where students’ hands touch, where difference becomes the norm, but it should not be characterized as a deficit. It’s something to celebrate, to embrace, something that makes us better, richer, right? And what is the role of schooling in ensuring that individuals who leave our classrooms leave with this ability to see in grand ways and broader ways, to touch each other? And what does this type of civic goal of education, what does it have to do with the holistic development of young people? How does training young people to be engaged, aware, responsible, how does that help them to create environments and worlds that are far different than ours? How does that help them to become the types of critical thinkers that are necessary to solve tomorrow’s problems today? And an American computer scientist, Alan Kay probably put it best. He said the best way to predict the future is to invent it. What is the role of our schools in preparing those inventors, those inventors who will make tomorrow? We’re plagued by issues of inequity. We’re plagued by issues of social intolerance, white supremacy, and anti-Black and Brown racism. We hear xenophobic soundbites being spewed across our airways. We’re in a political tango. Polarization has become so standard in our country that we don’t broadcast anymore. Everything is about narrow casting, right? What is the role of the school of schooling and preparing our young people to take on these monumental challenges that have set us apart? And I believe as schools begin to confront, take on this third C, which I believe is the bigger C, but not only does it create and prepare young people who are far more intellectual than our president. It also creates this relationship between what education can do, not only to develop the child, but what education can do in developing young people to develop a world. That relationship is a relationship that sometimes gets missed. Jon M: 14:08 So what happens next? The Framework is, I was going to say a pretty radical document, but I’ll say a very radical document. David K: 14:17 It’s not necessarily radical. We know in other industries the transformation of other industries have used culturally responsive and culturally relevant science in order to get better results. What it is is an accurate document. You know, it gets us closer to actually doing education in a way that we should do education. If you think about marketing, marketing, in some ways was revolutionized when they understood that, that you can’t present products in sales and expect those products to sell across social differences. If you only use one model, right? If you’re selling a product to women, you’ve got to use a different form of message. You’re gonna use different categories and situations than you would, you know, if that product was being sold to men. The same thing if you’re selling product to children, you’ve got to use different messaging, different frames if that product is being sold to adults. In medicine, doctors and physicians and researchers began to understand that they can’t treat all patients as white men, that they needed to begin to consider and take into account factors such as our differences, our legitimate differences, which are not deficits, that these things were important. You know, we began to make revolutions in medical science, right? That the accurate piece, the accurate understanding, right, understanding the peculiars of a situation are important to education and education work that different individuals who had been constructed based on different social circumstances, who come from different histories, who learn in different ways and that we need to attune, we need to [inaudible] the educational organization, the educational-industrial complex if you will, to be most responsive to those differences, not necessarily radical but in some ways intellectually genius. Jon M: 16:24 Absolutely. I was using “radical” in the sense of getting to the root or as you’re pointing out. And I think I’d seen something similar to what you were just saying in comments you’d made and it just struck me as very, very profound in terms of how the education systems haven’t adopted many of the mechanisms that other sectors of society have. So the question I have is in terms of how most schools, not all, but how most schools function now and the mindsets that are built into many of our existing schools, what needs to happen in terms of how State Ed can implement this framework statewide? What kind of changes do they have to lead in schools? What does this mean in terms of funding, in terms of professional development, in terms of assessment of schools? What would it take? What will it take, being very positive about it, what will it take for State Ed and the new education commissioner, whoever she or he may be, to make this a day to day reality in schools across the state? David K: 17:30 That’s a beautiful question and it’s the right question to ask. Let me just say this. I hope that the new State Ed Department takes this on. As you rightly point out, there will be a new commissioner of New York State Ed. There will also be a new deputy commissioner. The architect or visionary for culturally responsive sustaining education framework, Angélica Infante-Green, is now the head of the Rhode Island State school district, and other individuals, Yvette Colon is no longer with or will no longer be with the State Department. And so in order to implement the vision of culturally sustaining, responsive and sustaining education framework, you know, it’s going to be entrusted in the hands of others, right. And that the State is going to have to step up and put resources and support packages behind this effort and that’s going to define its success. What needs to happen I think has begun and that is an articulation by the State of what’s necessary in order to educate across difference. The alignment of services, the alignment of policy, as well as a commitment to articulating how the State Ed Department values and understands education, I think has been, you know, crucial. You’ll see in the coming months what the State Ed Department is going to roll out. My hope is that there’ll be a set of technical documents, that greater development will happen, not just with teachers and school leaders, but also with students and parents, that there will be more alignment across agencies, the State Ed Department as well as Local Education Agencies, and that this document can become the framing document to centralize a type of conversation around the provision of education services. But we will see what happens. There is a lot of support that needs to happen. There is a lot of development that needs to happen. The hope is that this document can be the center of gravity for a lot of movement that will follow. Jon M: 19:39 Are there ways that you see that individuals, our listeners, basically, who are teachers, administrators, parents, students, community members, are there things that members of the community at large can do in the next few months to help make sure that this gets followed through and that becomes a reality at district levels and school levels and statewide? David K: 20:04 Yeah, I do. That’s a great question. I think it’s up to us to hold the State accountable.The State says that culture matters when it comes to education. Now we have to hold the State accountable to, you know, its investment in creating the type of systems of support that are necessary in order to educate young people across difference. That’s what this document says. The documents says that New York State is committed to creating the necessary investment in order for those who provide education to do it in ways that are consistent with the best science in education, which centers culture in that conversation. And so it’s going to be up to us as community members, up to us as you know, intellectuals, up to us as people who are interested in the improvement of education across New York State to hold the State accountable. And we do that by reminding the State of its commitment, the commitment that it’s articulated through the Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education Framework. And so we have a lot of work to do. Let me just say this, here in New York City, New York City, you know, has articulated and it seems to, it will take up a culturally responsive sustaining definition to guide its own work. So we do see that the Culturally Responsive Sustainable Education Framework has already, it’s had some impact in New York City around the education conversation here. There is a robust definition, right now that’s being reviewed and responded to by the public in New York City, that should be adopted pretty soon, that’s consistent with the definition of the State and it’s that type of alignment that I do think that the framework allows for and that allows community members to say “hey” to their local districts as well as to the State at large, “you said that this is the commitment and we’re going to hold you accountable to it.” Amy H-L: 22:01 David, how’s this being publicized? How will communities even know about it and know to support it? David K: 22:07 Well, I mean you would have to talk to somebody from the State on that question, in terms of its publicity, I know that I received an email from the State because I’m on the State email list, when the Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education Framework was finalized and it became official state policy. It is up on the State website. The State does have some good language as well as a pretty significant web presence, has built a pretty significant web presence around the Framework. In terms of other plans that it has to publicize the Framework, those have not been told to me. I hope that the State does have a plan to continue to publicize the Framework, not only among its educational constituency, but also among various communities throughout New York State at large. Amy H-L: 23:02 Right, and clearly that’s what we’re doing today. Thank you so much. Is there anything you’d like to add? David K: 23:11 No. No. Thank you. Thank you all for raising attention to this work. I think that you know, this work is the work, right? We talk about transforming education. Rarely do we talk about what’s needed, what’s necessary. We typically say that schools are broken and do the same things that we did and nothing ever changes. The hope is that this document can lead to some transformation for some of our students. It’s probably not a perfect document. No document is, but I do believe that it’s a step in the right direction. Jon M: 23:42 I also want to thank you, David Kirkland, for joining us and thank you, listeners, for joining us. You can check out our podcast episodes and articles on our website, and as Amy said, we’re also posting the state ed document, the framework. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Till next week. Click here to listen to the episode.
Soy is found in almost all commercially produced meat or chicken and other products as chocolate bars, salad dressing, and cheese. It is hard to find a product that doesn’t contain soy these days. What we can’t image is that the expansion of soy contributes to deforestation. 113 million hectares were required globally to grow soy produced in 2013/2014. This is the size of UK, France and Germany combined!!! Soy production requires vast lands, contributing to the loss of valuable ecosystems in Latin America. This includes the “Amazon rainforest described as the “Lungs of our Planet“. It absorbs about 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year and produces about 20% of earth’s oxygen. The Amazon has lost at least 17% of its forest cover, and soy production in the Brazilian Amazon tripled from 1990 to 2006, according to WWF. Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forests. Deforestation is advancing at an alarming pace. About 10 hectares of forest disappear every minute as result of human activities. Soy is one of the world’s most widely traded international commodities. Brazil produces around 30 percent of the global crop, and exported 73 million tons last year. China takes more than half of Brazil’s exports. This is affecting other regions in Brazil as the Cerrado, a matrix of forests and grasslands that occupies a wide belt south and east of the Amazon rainforest. What can we do ? Actually a lot, and that’s great! Because this is about what we eat. 75% of the soy produced in the world goes to feed animals. Most of the rest goes directly into food (such as margarines and cooking oils and others) We as consumers have a big role to play. Limiting consumption of animal based food, particularly meat is one thing we can do. Go free of meat for one or two days a week, this will make a huge difference to our planet and its future. As bonus, reducing our consumption of meat, which translate more fruit, vegetables and cereals is a healthy choice. Health authorities in many countries around the world promote increased proportions of fruit and vegetables in the regular diets as well as reducing meat consumption. This is not about being vegan, it is more about being reasonable. We owe it to future generations! “Imagine a man without lungs. Imagine earth without Amazon rainforest” Vinita Kinra Sources and More information
The Good Snack! • Veggie sticks: Celery is a great snack! • Sliced tomato and feta cheese. • Piece of fruit • Yogurt • Granola bar • Air popped popcorn • Egg whites and wholegrain toast. Why water is so important! Everyone is always told water is good for you, that you should drink water and so on, but do you really know why? Water has many functions in the human body and it makes up to 75% of the human body.Water is essential for survival! It plays a role in every cell in the body and is needed by every system and organ. Lack of water can lead to a condition known as dehydration which can mean headaches, dizziness, muscle weakness, fatigue and more. Water has many health benefits as well as being essential for life. The picture below shows just 10 functions and health benefits of drinking water. It is recommended that a person should drink at least 8 pints of water a day! Water also has better benefits depending on when you drink, for example drinking a pint of water in the morning helps activate internal organs and drinking a glass of water after a meal aids digestion. Get drinking!!🍻🍻🍻🍻 Fruit of the Day 4: Apples!! (“) Fruit of the Day… These super berries are beneficial to our health for many reasons! Blueberries have one of the highest content of antioxidants among all fruits. These antioxidants help keep our brain and nervous systems healthy, and can even contribute to our memory!! These berries help regulate blood sugar levels and have many cardiovascular benefits such as reducing cholesterol and improving fat balance within the body. Including berries in your diet is vital! You should aim to include four servings of berries in your diet each week. You will be feeling great in no time!
Renewable Heating You can heat your home without heating the planet The most effective way is the Heat Pump which allows you to generate heat and hot water all year round using the energy in the air around you. The more affordable is the Air Source Heat Pump, and the alternative is a Ground Source Heat Pump. Both work by condensing and heating water particles, and pushing them around a flow system which heats your home. Heat pumps allow you to harness a sustainable energy source to deliver low-cost heating and hot water all year round. Correctly specified and installed heat pumps provide >3kW of heat for every 1 kW of electricity that is used to power the pump. Key to a heat pump running in an environmentally way is the generation method for the electricity used to run it, changing to a renewable energy provider such as Good Energy ensures you are encouraging renewable generation and running your house from renewable energy in a way that gas or oil boiler can never achieve. We achieve 4.5/1 ratios in many locations (Ratios are often shown as a SCOP factor (Seasonal coefficient of performance) ie: a SCOP of 4.5. If you are already a solar power user, there are some additional technologies you can utilise for heating, such as solar immersion controllers. You can even get paid for being green through the Renewable Heat Incentive Nothing beats the luxury of underfloor heating. Not only that, but having underfloor heating can reduce the ongoing costs of heating your home with a heat pump as flow temperatures can be lower. For new builds and extensive renovation projects it is worth considering installing underfloor heating as well. Retro fitting heat pumps may require upsizing radiators Where underfloor heating is not practical or in the upper floors radiators will still work well. Where possible these will be upsized from the size required from a fossil fuel boiler and run at a lower temperature although the latest generation of heat pumps can deliver high temperature flow rates to work with regular radiators. As a rule the larger a heat emitter the lower flow temperature and greater efficiency of the heat pump but there are many other factors such as the insulation and draught proofing of the property that can mean heat pumps are the best option for heating. Usually we can give initial feed back regarding a given property’s suitability, guide install costs, RHI and running costs from the EPC and basic information you can provide. If it looks viable we can then produce full heat loss calculations and a detailed quote Check our Heat Pumps page and contact us to find out more about heat pumps in different property types. Future proof your home On the 27 June 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass a net zero emissions target into law.* This target will require the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, and all new builds constructed from 2019 will be ‘future-proofed’ with renewable heating and electricity in order to lower the carbon emission of homes by 75-80%.* With households currently producing 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, this is a necessary change. The current rate of heat pump installation in the UK is at a level much lower than that necessary to meet the ambition of the Future Homes Standard.* You can be part of the change by getting a quote for your property today. *The Future Homes Standard 2019 consultation document can be found here Get a FREE Quotation 0117 325 0324 Get a Quote You're in good hands
Alphabet Bingo Alphabet BingoALPHABET BINGO is a fun game to play with young children as they learn the letters of the alphabet! Created with Primary students in mind, this unique game is designed to help kids recognize both uppercase and lowercase letters, while reinforcing basic shapes and colours. Played like most bingo games, children use a cover-up bingo chip to cover letters as they are named by a “caller” (teacher, parent, student). Alphabet Bingo can also be played with a focus on sounds. For example, instead of calling out lower case b, emphasize a sound (i.e., This is a letter that makes the sound bbb, as in ball). In this variation, both uppercase and lowercase b will be covered up. The download includes 48 bingo cards, a set of 52 Upper case and Lower case Letters to call out and an instruction sheet. Click HERE to get all you need. Let us know if you enjoy this Teacher Content by clicking Like button or visiting our Facebook Page. Happy Playing! Alphabet Bingo by Lora Rozler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 3 thoughts on “Alphabet Bingo Please feel free to comment... You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Google photo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
Eosinophilic esophagitis: A new food-related allergic condition on the rise? John Garber, MD In the early 1990s, doctors began describing a new condition affecting the esophagus of patients who were predisposed to allergies including food allergy, asthma, and eczema, and who were having trouble swallowing. Today, we call this condition eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). What is EoE? EoE is an allergic inflammation of the esophagus that causes a range of symptoms. Adolescents and adults most often experience it as difficulty swallowing, sometimes feeling like food moves too slowly through the esophagus and into the stomach. In some cases, food actually gets stuck (and may require urgent removal). Children and some adults primarily experience reflux symptoms and abdominal pain rather than difficulty swallowing. In most cases, EoE develops as an allergic response to certain foods including wheat, milk, egg, soy, nuts, and seafood. If it is not properly diagnosed and treated, EoE may lead to permanent scarring or strictures (narrowing of the esophagus). How is EoE diagnosed? When EoE is suspected, generally the first test is an upper endoscopy, in which a flexible tube with a small camera and a light on one end is used examine the esophagus. The endoscopy usually reveals characteristic features of EoE, such as concentric rings and linear furrows or vertical lines, as well as small white spots or plaques. The diagnosis is confirmed if biopsies from the esophagus reveal the hallmark increase in eosinophils. Eosinophils are a relatively rare type of immune cell that play a prominent role in allergic disorders including EoE and asthma. How common is EoE? EoE can affect both men and woman of any age, but it appears to be most common in men in their 30s and 40s. It is currently estimated that EoE may affect up to one in 2,000 adults in the US, and evidence suggests that the numbers have been growing. A recent review of nearly 30 studies in Europe and North America found that there has been a progressive increase in the number of new EoE cases, especially since the early 2000s. The rise in EoE cases may be partly due to greater awareness of the condition and more widespread use of endoscopy. But a number of studies have confirmed a true rise in the incidence of the disease. Why might EoE be on the rise? The exact reasons for the rise of EoE are unknown, and it is especially puzzling that in many cases EoE results from an allergic sensitivity to a food that has been well tolerated up to that point. There are several hypotheses about why EoE is increasing. Many of them relate back to the idea that EoE, and other allergic and autoimmune diseases, seem to correlate with decreased exposure to microbes and infections. Possible explanations that have been explored include: • The hygiene hypothesis: do fewer childhood infections equal more allergic diseases? • Microbial dysbiosis: has the modern/Western diet and lifestyle changed our microbiome? • Environmental factors: might changes in food production, genetic modification of crops, chemical additives, food processing, and pollutants play a role? • Declining frequency of H. pylori infection: might this common stomach bacteria (a common cause of peptic ulcers) be protective against some allergic diseases? • Increasing frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): could acid reflux break the barrier of the esophagus and allow food allergens to stimulate the immune system? • Increasing use of acid-suppressing medications: does the use of antacids, especially early in life, change the microbes in the esophagus or somehow otherwise alter the risk of later food allergy? How is EoE treated? There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for EoE. Most people are initially treated with a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) antacid, which resolves EoE in up to half of cases. If this does not work, either a mild topical steroid or identification and elimination of specific dietary triggers is attempted. When steroids are used to treat EoE, these are generally in a liquid formulation that is swallowed, rather than inhaled as they would be for asthma. Swallowed steroids act locally on the esophagus and are minimally absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Although steroids for EoE are generally safe and effective, they do not lead to a long-term cure because the disease tends to come back as long as patients continue to eat foods that trigger the underlying allergic response. Patients may also opt to identify their food trigger and eliminate it from the diet, and this represents a more definitive treatment approach. Unfortunately, currently available allergy testing does not accurately predict the foods that cause EoE. Trigger foods generally need to be identified using a process of food elimination and reintroduction. Wheat and dairy are the two most common triggers for EoE, and patients will often start by eliminating these two foods for about eight weeks. At that point, their symptoms are reassessed, and they also undergo a repeat endoscopy with biopsies to determine if the eosinophils have disappeared in response to the dietary changes. Several medication therapies are on the horizon. These include better formulations of steroids and biologic medications that reduce the activity of eosinophils. If you are having trouble swallowing or have experienced episodes of food getting stuck in the esophagus, particularly if you have other allergic conditions, discuss your symptoms with your doctor. Unrecognized or untreated EoE can lead to permanent damage to your esophagus. For more information or to learn about strategies for living with EoE, visit the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders. Related Information: Controlling Your Allergies Commenting has been closed for this post.
The various meanings of liturgical clothing The various meanings of liturgical clothing The term liturgical clothes, or liturgical vestments, generally indicates the clothing used by priests of various ranks in the context of religious ceremonies and festivals. These clothes differ in various characteristics and, in particular, vary in colour, depending on the time of year and the ceremonies or holidays in progress. But liturgical clothes are much more than simple garments, more or less ornate, worn by ministers. The mere act of wearing them has a very strong symbolic value, for both the priest and those who, seeing him so dressed, identify him as a representative of God on earth. This is why liturgical clothing has to be unique, and differentiated from any other type of garment that a priest wears at times outside of that festival. These garments in particular belong to a sacred domain, no more or less significant than the prayers and gestures that make up the liturgy, and the many rites that characterise religious ceremonies Liturgical clothing must be beautiful, well-made, and conspicuous. They in fact derive from the clothing worn by Greek and Roman dignitaries, who belonged to the wealthiest classes, and who also demonstrated it through their clothing. The excellency of the first Christian priests was, of course, entirely spiritual, but nonetheless, their garments had to express this greatness, to make their role more comprehensible and immediate to the faithful. Some ecclesiastical garments are also used outside of liturgical celebrations. Here, we’re referring to the cassock and the skullcap, the ferraiolo, a light silk cloak used by Vatican diplomats, the saturno, a hat whose shape reflects the planet Saturn, in fact. In general, however, the function of the liturgical clothes it becomes fundamental precisely in the sphere of religious celebrations, in which they symbolize on the one hand the detachment from everyday life, from the ordinary, on the other the transcendence of the priest, who by wearing those particular garments ceases to be a common man, and assumes in a certain sense the functions and identity of Christ. The very form of priestly garments, their being often broad, flowing, emphasizes their function of rendering formless, ethereal the wearer, depriving the body of substance, bringing it closer to the spirit. The various liturgical garments Amice: a rectangular or square cloth, which is fixed around the neck and at the waist by fabric ribbons. This is usually made of linen and is always white, and has to be worn underneath the priest’s habit. It is placed on the shoulders and tied at the waist. Alb: a white gown with long sleeves that covers the entire body, down to the ankles. This is the basic garment for all officiators, not only of the celebrant priest, but all of those who participate in the liturgy. It is worn over the amice and fastened at the sides by a girdle. Cincture: a cloth belt or girdle that is used to tightens the camice. Usually white, it can vary depending on the liturgical colour of the day. Chasuble or Roman chasuble: this is the garment worn by the celebrant over the camice. It can be of various shapes and liturgical colours depending on the period and the occasion.liturgical clothing 2 Liturgical surplice: a white surcoat with short, wide sleeves and a square neck, worn over the cassock. Unlike the camice that covers the whole body, this only reaches down to the knees. It is often decorated with embroidery. Rochetto: a white surplus, similar to the cotta, but with more elaborate embroidery and often adorned by lace. It is worn by prelates. Made of linen, it has narrow long sleeves at the wrist and is internally lined in red or white. It is closed at the neck by a hook or a ribbon. Dalmatic: a rich gown, used in Roman times, when it was embroidered with gold threads and adorned with pearls, enamels and precious filigrees. It expresses the solemnity of the celebrant’s role and is the richest and outermost garment he wears. It’s a long, knee-length tunic, with wide sleeves. The colour changes depending on the occasion and the day. Mitre: headgear used by bishops, which in the past was often decorated with precious stones and gold, is almost pentagonal in shape, with two bands of fabric that fall over the shoulders. Berretta or tricorno: a cube-shaped head-dress with three stiff wings and a bow on top. Roman cope: a large cloak with a hint of a cap, floor-length, worn in place of a casula or pianeta for liturgical activities apart from Mass. When opened, it has a semi-circular shape. It is made in various liturgical colours and worn after the stole over the cotta or camice. Tunic: similar to the dalmatic, it is worn by a deacon or sub-deacon, depending on how solemn the occasion is. It is made of precious fabrics, decorated with embroidery, and can be in various liturgical colours. Pallium: a strip of white woolen cloth worn on the shoulders. Its shape and colour are supposed to represent the sheep worn around the neck when a shepherd carries them. It is reserved for the Pope and some bishops and archbishops. Stole: a scarf of cloth, 200 to 250 centimetres long, decorated with three crosses, symbolising the sweet yoke of Jesus. Worn mostly by the bishop, it adopts various colours depending on the liturgical calendar. Humeral veil: a piece of rectangular cloth with two ribbons at the centre to fix it, reflecting the embroidery and liturgical colours of the piviale. The colours of liturgical clothes Gold: the most solemn of colours, used all year round, even as a substitute for other liturgical colours White: symbolises light and life, and because of this, is worn on the occasions of Baptism, at Christmas and at Easter. Black: used above all for commemorations of the dead and for funerals. Pink: used for the fourth Sunday of Lent and for the third Sunday of Advent. Red: represents the colour of the blood of the Martyrs and the Holy Spirit. Used on Good Friday, Palm Sunday, Pentecost and festivals of the Holy Martyrs. Green: the colour of renewal and life, worn every day. Violet: symbolises hope and expectation. Used during Advent, Lent and in the liturgy of the dead. The prayers that accompany clothing When a priest dresses in liturgical clothes he is performing an actual ritual, which contributes to the process of ‘de-personalisation’, making the celebrant himself, as a common man, become, for the time of the liturgy, something other than himself, a sort of emanation of Christ. The texts of these particular prayers are often found in the sacristy, even though most of them are no longer mandatory. The dressing ceremony always begins with washing the hands, which pronounces a separation from all that is ordinary and profane, so as to approach a more spiritual and sacred dimension. The prayer that accompanies ablution of the hands is as follows: Da, Domine, virtutem manibus meis ad abstergendam omnem maculam; ut sine pollutione mentis et corporis valeam tibi servire. (Give, Oh Lord, to my hands, the virtue that will erase all stains: so that I may serve you without a stain on my soul and body) As we’ve already mentioned in relation to the list of liturgical garments, dressing proceeds gradually, by overlaying the various vestments according to rules that have been codified over the centuries. Firstly, they put on the amice, the white linen cloth whose function is to cover the priest’s neck if the gown does not. It is a sort of ‘protection’ from evil and temptation, a symbolic helmet. The prayer provided for putting on the amice is: Impone, Domine, capiti meo galeam salutis, ad expugnandos diabolicos incursus. (Impose, Lord, on my head, the helmet of salvation, to defeat attacks by the Devil). Subsequently, the priest puts on the camice or alba, a symbol of purity and sanctity, an essential step for ascending to divine grace. On putting on the camice, the priest has to recite: Dealba me, Domine, et munda cor meum; ut, in sanguine Agni dealbatus, gaudiis perfruar sempiternis. (Purify me, Lord, and cleanse my heart, because purified in the Blood of the Lamb, I enjoy the eternal joy). The gown is tightened by the waist girdle, which can be of various colours, depending on the liturgical time. The girdle symbolises the virtue of self-control, and the priest remembers it by quoting St. Paul: Praecinge me, Domine, cingulo puritatis, et exstingue in lumbis meis humorem libidinis; ut maneat in me virtus continentiae et castitatis. (Believe me, Lord, with the girdle of purity; drain from my body the sap of debauchery, so that the virtue of continence and chastity remain with me.). The sacerdotal stole distinguishes the celebrant more than any other liturgical vestment. Whilst wearing it the priest recites: Redde mihi, Domine, stolam immortalitatis, quam perdidi in praevaricatione primi parentis; et, quamvis indignus, ad tuum sacrum mysterium, merear tamen gaudium sempiternum. (Return to me, Oh Lord, the stole of immortality, which I lost because of the sins of the first father; and because I see my unworthiness of your sacred mystery, may I also achieve joy without end). Finally the priest who is about to celebrate the Holy Mass wears the chasuble or pianeta. The prayer takes up the words of Jesus: Domine, qui dixisti: Iugum meum suave est, et onus meum leve: fac, ut istud portare sic valeam, quod consequar tuam gratiam. Amen. (O Lord, you said: My game is sweet and my burden is light: grant that I may wear this garment to achieve your grace. Amen).
Smoking at All-Time Low in US, but Many More Should Quit Pam Harrison November 14, 2016 ATLANTA — Smoking rates among US adults are at an all-time low, but millions still remain at risk for entirely preventable deaths. Tobacco causes at least 12 different cancers as well as other health issues, and smokers who want to quit need help to do so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasized at a press briefing. "Most Americans who continue to smoke want to quit and the health care system should do everything possible to help them," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH. "Most people know smoking causes lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death," he commented. But the problem is much bigger than that. "Tobacco use continues to cause an enormous amount of disability and death from cancer; cancers linked to tobacco make up 40% of all cancers that are diagnosed in this country, and tobacco use will kill 6 million current smokers unless we implement programs to help them quit," he said. "Reducing tobacco use prevents cancer and prevents deaths and saves money," he said. Currently, over 36 million people in the United States still smoke. The press briefing was based on the November 11 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Good News First There is good news on the nonsmoking front. Only about 15% of US adults smoked in 2015 — down from nearly 21% of adults who smoked a decade earlier. "If you look at only the years 2009 and 2015, the number of adult cigarette smokers declined by 10 million," Dr Frieden continued. "That's a remarkable number and it represents literally millions of people who will not develop cancer or die from it [because they quit]," he added. Indeed, some 1.3 million deaths from cancers linked to tobacco use have been avoided since 1990, the result of a reduction in tobacco use as well as early detection and treatment of some cancers, he noted. "Despite this, tobacco continues to cause too many health problems and too many deaths," Dr Frieden emphasized. Progress in getting people to quit smoking has also been inconsistent across the United States, where large disparities remain among groups of people who use tobacco as well as those affected by tobacco-related cancers. For example, men have higher rates of tobacco-related deaths than women. "Unfortunately, male smoking rates have not decreased as quickly as female smoking rates in recent years, so this difference is likely to grow in the future," Dr Frieden observed. African American men and women also have higher tobacco-related cancer deaths compared with other racial groups; even for the same stage of diagnosis, outcomes are worse and mortality is higher among African Americans than among other racial groups. This trend is likely related to both the quality of care they receive and the poor consistency of follow-up, as Dr Frieden observed. Much Remains to Be Done Much can be done to help people who want to quit, Dr Frieden commented. "We can fund comprehensive cancer and tobacco control programs that do what works to reduce tobacco use," he suggested. Healthcare professionals and the healthcare system can make smoking cessation treatments available to every smoker who wants to quit. States and communities can also continue to protect nonsmokers from second-hand smoke by ensuring that all indoor public places and worksites casinos are smoke free. He also told Medscape Medical News that it's a mistake to think that only hard-core smokers are still smoking and nothing will ever get them to quit. "You might think that, but that's not what the data shows," he said. "When we look at the data, we see that there is a shift from heavier smokers to lighter smokers, so not only are fewer people smoking, but a larger proportion of current smokers are light smokers and they are more likely to be 'some days' smokers rather than 'every day' smokers, so we're seeing really good progress being made here too," Dr Frieden elaborated. He also reminded the press that it's wrong to assume that smokers know how bad tobacco is for them. "What we've learned over and over again is that smokers underestimate what the risks of smoking are," he said. Cessation Treatment Making smoking cessation treatments "widely available saves lives and saves money," Dr Frieden commented. Currently, there are seven US Food and Drug Administration–approved smoking cessation treatments, all of which have been proven to double or even triple a person's chances that they will quit if they want to. With few exceptions, "everyone who wants to quit should get one of these seven medications," Dr Frieden said. In addition, Dr Frieden noted that some people have been able to quit by using e-cigarettes when other strategies didn't seem to help. "Whatever gets people to stop smoking regular cigarettes can be very helpful, so if people are able to quit smoking using electronic cigarettes, that's a good thing," he said. On the other hand, e-cigarettes are an extremely bad idea for anyone under age 18 years because they contain nicotine. "Nicotine is addictive," Dr Frieden cautioned. "And it's likely a proportion of kids who start using e-cigarettes will progress to conventional cigarettes and become addicted to nicotine and tobacco for life." e-Cigarettes are also a bad idea if they enable smokers to continue to smoke regular cigarettes but are just used in situations where smoking is banned. Dr Frieden has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;64:1205-1211. Full text Follow Medscape Oncology on Twitter: @MedscapeOnc Post as:
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire. Stonehenge is one of the most famous sites in the world. It is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones and sits at the centre of the densest complex of monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds. Archaeologists had believed that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC, as described in the chronology below. The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in and it is a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge itself is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust. Rail Europe Products that get you to Stonehenge: BritRail Pass (All which include England) Getting there: RoutingHow long by train? London - Stonehenge1hr 32mins photos of stonehenge
How to build the perfect sandcastle A day on the beach will never be dull again with our step-by-step guide to creating your own show-stopping sandcastles. Just add water Cool Minecraft Sand Castle and buckets of imagination Sat 1 Aug 2009 00.00 BST First published on Sat 1 Aug 2009 00.00 BST The sand sculpture festival at Blankenberge The sand sculpture festival at Blankenberge Photograph: PETER DECONINCK/AFP/Getty Images 1. The basics The list of ingredients for creating a simple sandcastle is misleadingly short: sand, Cool minecraft houses water and a few digging and carving tools. The first and most important thing you need to know about sand is that you can't do a thing with it unless it's wet. Here's why: when you add water to grains of sand, the liquid forms "bridges" that connect the granules to one another. This is why damp sand sticks together, so you can shape and carve it. Packing down or "tamping" wet sand drains more water more quickly, creating even shorter bridges and an even more solid clump. Sand that has been compacted in this way can be subjected to extreme carving. 1 Use lots of water. Dry sand in its natural state is lazy stuff. It wants to lie down and spread out into all sorts of nooks and crannies. The good news is that as long as you keep gravity working for you, there is really no way to add too much water. Which brings us to our second rule. 2 Let it drain. If you've ever tried to make the base of a sandcastle by filling a plastic bucket with wet sand and then trying to unmould it, you've seen how important this rule is. With no place for the excess water to drain off, the sand makes a sucking, Cool Minecraft Roman Villa sticking, vacuum seal with the plastic and it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to remove the bucket. This is why successful sand sculptors do not use plastic buckets or other closed moulds but build their shapes by stacking handfuls of wet sand or by tamping it down in a topless and bottomless form. 3 Compact the wet sand to form structures. "Pounding sand into submission" is an intuitive and time-honoured method of strengthening and tightening those bridges that hold the grains together. You can use your hands or feet, or even a tamper, to compact wet sand. Dig a water hole If you're building at the beach, the best way to obtain an unlimited supply of H2O is by digging a self-replenishing water hole. Start digging. Keep digging until you hit water. Don't worry about how wide the hole is – you're aiming for depth, not width. The hole will get wider as you pull wet sand from its depths. Keep in mind that you're digging a well here, not a moat. When the water starts puddling at the bottom of your hole, you can stop digging. The fail-safe recipe for castle concrete is one part sand to one part water. Pour the water in the big bucket first, then shovel in the dry sand for easier blending. Mix thoroughly and you're ready to scoop. Pile the sand you excavate for your water hole into a mound about 1ft from the edge of the hole. Pack your mound of sand into a round, level base that is 2-3ft in diameter. This will serve as the foundation for your castle, giving you some added height and providing drainage for all the water you're going to use in construction. 2. The Equipment You can, of course, dig, shape, smooth and even carry water with nothing but your own two hands. But having the right equipment will make your sandcastling experience infinitely more pleasurable. Here are the essentials: A long-handled, lightweight shovel If your goal is to achieve any kind of altitude – and it is! – you're going to do some serious digging. If you have the opportunity to bring or buy one object, make it a shovel, ideally a long-handled model with a small scoop. The sand-sculpture task that feels the most like work is digging the hole and mounding up the sand. A little garden spade is better than nothing. A bucket or two If you can't dig down to water you'll need at least two buckets: one to mix the sand and water in and one to carry water. Carving tools You could probably find most of these buried in kitchen drawers and toolboxes. Smoothing and shaping tools: at a minimum, find yourself an old kitchen (or plastic) knife with the tip broken off. For basic shaping, almost anything with a thin blade and straight edge will work such as putty knives, paint scrapers and trowels. The best all-round shaping tool for your kit is something with an offset handle. A pastry knife with a squared-off end (they usually come rounded) is ideal. Finishing tools: at a minimum, find yourself a soft-bristled paintbrush and a plastic drinking straw. The brush will come in handy for smoothing surfaces and the straw works well for blowing loose sand out of detailed carving. In an emergency, you can make a pretty good set of tools out of plastic eating utensils. 3. The building methods 1 – Soft-packing Soft-packing is how the majority of the uninitiated approach sand. Step 1 Mound up a big pile of sand. Step 2 Stabilise the pile. Using the long handle of your shovel, poke a lot of deep holes into the pile then pour buckets of water into the holes. Stomp on the pile until it feels very solid beneath you. If necessary, go back and poke more holes and add more water. Step 3 Pack and shape. Working from the tallest element in your composition, pack the shape with your hands until it feels stable. Take handfuls of moist sand, push them into place and roughly shape them. Step 4 Carve and smooth. Using your smoothing tool, smooth and define the elements of your composition. Step 5 Moisten as necessary. The longer you work on your composition, the more your sand sculpture will dry out – you must keep it moist. Step 6 Keep pushing and smoothing. Step 7 Work your way down the pile. 2 – Hand-stacking When you're tired of crawling around a soft-packed sculpture on your hands and knees, you will be ready to try hand-stacking. It takes practice but once you master the mix-scoop-plop-flatten-jiggle move, you'll be building the best castles on the beach. The method is just a modified dribble technique using larger handfuls of sand – very large, very wet handfuls. Hand-stacking involves scooping out handfuls of wet sand and helping them settle into each other in order to form structures. It's the only building technique in which you mix the sand and water in advance. With soft-packing, you start moulding with dry sand and then add water. The most difficult aspect of hand-stacking is that it's less intuitive than soft-packing; many people have an instinctual urge to pound the sand into submission. Hand-stacking is a great way to involve the whole family in a sand-sculpture project, with duties evenly divided between "stackers" and "carvers". Author's Bio: Cool minecraft houses

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