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Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray (1716-1771) was an English poet and is considered a forerunner of the romantic poets. Born in Cornhill, London, he was the fifth of 12 children of an exchange broker and a milliner and the only child in his family to survive infancy. He lived with his mother after she left his abusive father.
In 1734 Gray went up to Peterhouse, Cambridge. He found the curriculum dull. He wrote letters to his friends listing all the things he disliked: the masters (‘mad with Pride’) and the Fellows (‘sleepy, drunken, dull, illiterate Things.’) Supposedly he was intended for the law, but in fact he spent his time as an undergraduate reading classical and modern literature and playing Vivaldi and Scarlatti on the harpsichord for relaxation. In 1738 he accompanied his old school-friend Walpole on his Grand Tour, probably at Walpole’s expense. They fell out and parted in Tuscany because Walpole wanted to attend fashionable parties and Gray wanted to visit all the antiquities. However, they were reconciled a few years later. Then, he wished his poems would become more popular.
In 1762, the Regius chair of Modern History at Cambridge, a sinecure which carried a salary of £400, fell vacant after the death of Shallet Turner, and Gray’s friends lobbied the government unsuccessfully to secure the position for him. In the event, Gray lost out to Lawrence Brockett, but he secured the position in 1768 after Brockett’s death.[2]
Gray was so self critical and fearful of failure that he only published thirteen poems during his lifetime and once wrote that he feared his collected works would be ‘mistaken for the works of a flea’. Walpole said that ‘He never wrote anything easily but things of Humour.’
Gray was also known as one of the ‘Graveyard poets’ of the late 18th century, along with Oliver Goldsmith, William Cowper, and Christopher Smart. Gray most likely knew these men, sharing ideas about death, mortality, and the finality and sublimity of death.
‘Elegy’ masterpiece
In 1759 during the Seven Years War, before the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, British General James Wolfe is said to have recited it to his officers, adding: ‘Gentlemen, I would rather have written that poem than take Quebec tomorrow’. The poem’s famous depiction of an ‘ivy-mantled tow’r’ could be a reference to the early-medieval St. Laurence’s Church in Upton, Slough.
The Elegy was recognised immediately for its beauty and skill. It contains many outstanding phrases which have entered the common English lexicon, either on their own or as referenced in other works. |
Global Declaration on GMOs
SynBio Shopper’s Guide: download in PDF format
The genetic engineering industry is spending millions of dollars lobbying courts, regulators and policymakers to convince them that new genetic modification techniques should evade regulation, labeling and oversight. This is misleading and risky. New genetic engineering techniques come with higher environmental and socio-economic risks and must be considered “GMOs.”
There are several key decisions happening on global governance of new GMOs, including:
• The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will be meeting in Egypt in November 2018 to make global decisions on Synthetic Biology
• A number of countries may amend their national GMO rules (eg. Brazil, Argentina, Australia, USA) to allow for these new techniques to bypass risk assessment procedures.
We need everyone to stand up for a sustainable, safe and just food system. By signing this petition, you are letting policymakers around the world know that you want all genetic engineering to be assessed, regulated and labeled. New GMOs are still GMOs!
US residents: we invite you to also sign Friends of the Earth’s US-specific petition and send it to the USDA and FDA!
Global Declaration on GMOs
We urge policymakers to establish strong, mandatory and precautionary regulations for all genetically engineered organisms in order to protect the environment, farmers, and health. Current regulations are often too outdated to confront the new biotechnologies and have allowed for detrimental impacts on farmers, the public and the environment. Policymakers must act immediately to update regulations on products and processes of genetic engineering, including new gene editing techniques (like CRISPR) as well as synthetic biology.
The reality of genetic engineering is shifting. Today a wider range of genetic engineering techniques are being applied to engineer living organisms and their products for a variety of purposes and products.
In addition to the genetic engineering techniques first commercialized for use in food crops that were based on transgenics (transferring genes from one species to another or changing the genes of a species in ways that don’t occur in nature), more recent techniques include CRISPR-Cas9, TALENs, Zinc Finger Nucleases and Oligonucleotide Directed Mutagenesis. They also include cisgenesis and transgrafting, the application of RNA-interference (RNA-i) to silence genes, and synthetic biology approaches that may involve creating whole new DNA sequences.
These are also genetic engineering techniques and they are being applied to food crops, animals, microbes, fungi and insects for use in agriculture, energy, industrial chemical production, food and consumer products with little or no premarket safety assessment, transparency or oversight from government agencies.
National and international regulations must recognize that:
• Any deliberate, artificial manipulation that invades living cells for the purpose of altering its genome constitutes genetic engineering.
• All genetic engineering techniques should fall within the scope of governmental and intergovernmental regulatory oversight of genetic engineering and GMOs based on the precautionary principle.
• The products of all techniques of genetic engineering should be:
• Strictly regulated to protect health, livelihoods, cultures and the environment
• Independently assessed for safety, social and cultural impacts
• Labeled to ensure people and farmers have means to avoid it
• Genetic modifications aimed to extinguish whole species populations, such as gene drives, should not be allowed
Policymakers and regulators must enact mandatory regulations to appropriately assess the risks, including social and economic impacts, of all genetically engineered organisms including those produced through gene editing and synthetic biology. They must act to ensure that farmers, the public and our environment are protected from those risks.
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Understanding connectivity within groundwater systems and between groundwater and rivers Hofmann, Harald 10.4225/03/5893fcfa30edd https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/Understanding_connectivity_within_groundwater_systems_and_between_groundwater_and_rivers/4615447 Sustainable use of water resources has become increasingly important in the past decades. The water resources that we use influence almost the entire hydrological cycle, in particular shallow and deeper aquifers, as well as rivers and lakes. The interactions between aquifers in a sedimentary basin and the connectivity of these aquifers with rivers are complex. To understand these interactions in relation to climate, geology and anthropogenic use, a sound hydrogeological framework is required. The Gippsland Basin in southeast Australia is a good example of the complexity of hydrological and hydrogeological inter-connectivity. The basin contains valuable energy resources including brown coal, gas and oil. Furthermore, it is an important area for agriculture in Australia. Extractions of groundwater to drain the open pit mines and for irrigation are suspected to have led to a decline in water levels in many aquifers across the basin. While the energy reserves have been well studied, information on the hydrogeology of the basin is scarce and understanding the complexity of the aquifer system is essential for a sustainable water management in the area. This study focused on three particular aspects of inter-aquifer and aquifer-river connectivity; (i), deeper aquifer systems, (ii) the connectivity of major rivers with the shallow aquifers in the area and (iii) the role of short to medium-term reservoirs. A methodological study on the use of radionuclides from the U/Th-series in surface water groundwater interactions studies is also included as this method was developed in the process of investigating the three main aims. Hydrogeochemical data were collected from the main aquifers in the Latrobe Valley in the western part of the Gippsland Basin to understand inter-aquifer mixing in deeper aquifer units in the basin. Major ion chemistry and environmental isotopes were used to discuss a geochemical and chronological framework of the most abundant aquifers. Major ion chemistry is heterogeneously distributed within and across aquifers, indicating that the major aquifer units are hydraulically connected and that mixing between the units occurs. 14C and 3H data was used to discuss a chronological structure and carbon ages range from ∼36000 years to modern. Ages are also heterogeneously distributed and there is no significant trend along the major flow path in the basin, supporting the hypothesis of intensive inter-aquifer mixing. Surface water groundwater interactions were studied along the Avon and the Mitchell Rivers in the centre of the Gippsland Basin, using hydrogeochemistry and in particular radon (222Rn) as a tracer. Radon as a short-lived radioactive gas can be used to determine short- to medium- term reservoirs contributions, such as bank storage in the direct proximity of rivers, to the total discharge of a river. The study has shown that groundwater discharge and discharge from the riverbanks to the streams is temporally and spatially variable. It was concluded that most rivers have gaining and losing sections and these may invert depending on the flow conditions of the river. The knowledge gained from this study lead to the investigation of other tracers for surface water groundwater interactions (e.g. U/Th-series) and the development of a continuous radon-monitoring device. 2017-02-03 03:45:56 Open access and full embargo thesis(doctorate) Surface water-groundwater interactions Hydrogeochemistry Radon monash:81674 Gippsland Basin 1959.1/536435 ethesis-20120207-170438 2011 |
Can Schools Help Fill The Void Fatherless Boys And Girls Experience? ABSOLUTELY!
father and son Shutterstock/oliveromg
Terry Brennan Co-Founder, Leading Women for Shared Parenting
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Male primary school teachers have become an endangered species. While pre-school and kindergarten gender disparities are worst, where women comprise 97.7 percent of teachers, elementary and middle schools aren’t significantly different. Between 1987 and 2012, the percentage of male teachers declined in every measured period, falling to 23.7% of all teachers. The future gender uniformity was exhibited in a NY Times article:
“Mr. Leaders, who earned his education degree from the University of Nebraska in June, started teaching fifth grade last month in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He is the only male teacher in the building.”
Men are even discouraged from pursuing an educational career, using the worst possible smears.
Although once a male dominated profession, students now transition through elementary and middle schools rarely encountering male teachers. The gender disparity is also in PTA’s, the schools link to the greater community.
For children without male role models, not interacting with male authority figures can exacerbate problems.
It’s undeniable, the active involvement of fathers pays significant dividends in education. The Department of Education states:
“Research has shown that fathers, no matter what their income or cultural background, can play a critical role in their children’s education. When fathers are involved, their children learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behavior.”
The United States PTA adds:
“Research shows that when fathers and father figures are engaged in children’s education, student grades and test scores improve, attendance increases and students are more involved in school activities.”
How are schools doing in attracting dads and addressing fatherlessness?
When NPR asked Alan Blankstein how schools help fatherless kids, he said:
“I don’t see a lot happening in schools. I think [successful] interventions are happening in a random way, at best.”
Sonia Shaljean, of the UK’s Lads Need Dads, works with fatherless school boys suffering “a void of masculinity,” unashamedly teaching them “bloke skills”. She’s a hero. Her experience is:
“They share a ‘father wound.’ I can almost feel it, it’s a tangible ache. You can see it when they walk in. They share their stories of hurt, they learn new skills and their entire attitude to school, to learning, changes. They lose their anger.”
One boy in her program showed how little concern is given to fatherlessness;
“One lad cried a pool of tears. He said ‘you’re the first person ever to ask about my dad in ten years.'”
That’s shameful.
How can we get men involved? Bethany Mandel asked:
“Would men — fathers — feel as comfortable coming to an event when they know they’ll be outnumbered by mothers, or would they be more inclined to participate if they’ll be surrounded by their fellow dads? Educators keen to get dads involved know it’s the latter.”
When fathers are welcomed, amazing things happen. A Dallas middle school hoped 50 dads volunteer for a breakfast with fatherless kids. So many responded the schools website crashed and 600 finally attended. Shelby Traditional Academy instituted a “Flash Dads” program for students without male role models. A day after a shooting at a nearby school, Dads lined the hallways giving students high-fives as they entered. They likely felt very safe.
Programs like “Watch D.O.G.S.” (Dads of Great Students) and Strong Fathers Strong Families create positive educational engagement with fathers. Chrystal Wilkie, of Minnesota Valley Action Council’s Head Start, learned:
“The Strong Fathers Curriculum has made our staff more aware of involving and engaging the dads or other male figures in our everyday programing, i.e. conferences, newsletters, health requirements, family days, policy council, parent meetings and volunteering in the classroom.”
More “involving and engaging” dads is a move in the right direction.
Almost 6,500 schools have started Watch D.O.G.S. programs and Strong Fathers Strong Families has conducted 5,000 engagements. While impressive, considering there are 90,000 elementary schools in the US, there’s a long way to go.
Males are now a “marginalized group” in education, deserving positive attention. Unfortunately, national media coverage often happens when father events are cancelled or crashed. A Staten Island father daughter dance was recently cancelled as schools were ordered to eliminate “gender-based” practices. Single mothers have also taken to showing up at dad events. One Texas mother, attending a donuts for dad event, said:
“My kids have lived a while without having their father, they’re not sad about it.”
Her actions generated glowing coverage from ABC, CNN, People and Today. A Georgia mother argued she should attend a father daughter dance since:
“I’ve identified myself as her father and her mother because that’s what I’ve done for six years.”
Society is now learning the hard way, fathers or positive male role models, cannot be so simply replaced.
So, what’s the solution?
The proposal to create a White House Council for Men and Boys has an extensive section on male involvement in education. After being blocked for eight years, this council should be adopted with funding commensurate to enable father involvement in education. Safeguards are needed to ensure such programs aren’t used by gender feminists, as in Sweden, to “target masculinity.”
Locally, schools should proactively welcome fathers. Given the fatherlessness crisis, all schools should enact father engagement programs, perhaps like Title IX, federally funded. This will save money in the long run. Finally, events for fathers and male role models should be respected. Fatherless kids need to be allowed to experience positive male role models with other dads, policemen and firemen willing to assist.
Undoubtedly, some students will experience family breakdown during their academic years. Father involvement in education will help keep these dads around after separation. For kids without male role models, schools — either through male teachers or father’s groups — can fill the void fatherless boys and girls experience.
With their infrastructure in local communities, schools could play a significant role in addressing the fatherlessness crisis. The question is, are they motivated to impact fatherlessness with the same level of enthusiasm they’ve recently exhibited for other social causes.
Terry Brennan, @TerryBrennan211 is a Co-Founder of Leading Women for Shared Parenting @LW4SP.
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About District
Origin of Name
Like most of the other districts in the State, this district also derives its name from its headquarters town, Hassan. According to the Sthalapurana, the name ‘Hassan’ is a contraction or derivative of ‘Simhasanapura’, associated with janamejaya, a great grandson of the Pandava hero, Arjuna. But the popular belief is that the place is called Hassan after the goddess Hassan-amma or Hasanamba, the presiding deity of the local Hasanamba temple situated in the old town area. Hasanamma or Hasanamba means, in Kannada, a smiling mother or goddess. In this connection, a traditional story, as to how the goddess Hasanamba came to be established at this place, is narrated thus : The Saptamatrikas (seven mothers or goddesses), in the course of their journey from Varasasi (Kashi) to the South, were pleased with the scenic splendour of this area and decided to make it their abode. Accordingly, of the seven mothers, who were sisters, three settled at Hassan and another three in a tank called Devigere, also in Hassan proper, and were called Hasanamba, while the other one settled in a forest near Kenchammana-Hosakote in Alur taluk and was called Kenchamba.
GEOGRAPHY:- Lying between 12° 13´ and 13° 33´ North latitudes and 75° 33´ and 76º38´ East longitude, Hassan district has a total area of 6826.15 Sq. Kms. The greatest length of the district, from south to north, is about 129 kilometers, and its greatest breadth, from east to west, is about 116 kilometers. The District which has 8 taluks 38 hoblies & 2369 villages. The geographic area of the district of Hassan is 6845 square kilometers. The population is 15.67 lakhs and the average rainfall is about 1031 mms annually. Coffee, Black Pepper, Potato, Paddy and Sugarcane are the major agricultural crops. Hassan district lies partly in the “malnad” tract and partly in the southern “maidan”(plains) tract. By considering the physical aspects, climate, rainfall, etc. the district may be divided into three regions, viz., (1) southern malnad, (2) semi-malnad and (3) southern maidan. western and north-eastern portions of the Belur taluk, western and central parts of Alur taluk and the whole of Sakaleshapura taluk constitute the “southern malnad” region, the central parts of the Arkalgud taluk, the western portion of the Hassan taluk, the eastern portion of the Alur taluk, the central and eastern parts of the Belur taluk and the western parts of the Arasikere taluk form the “semi-malnad” region. The southern maidan region includes the whole of the Holenarasipura and Channarayapatna taluks, eastern parts of the Arasikere and Hassan taluks and the south-eastern portions of the Arkalgud taluk. The southern malnad is a forest-clad hilly region with a heavy rainfall.
As per the 2001 census the population of Hassan district is 17,21,669. Out of which 14,16,996 is the rural population and 3,04,673 is urban population. The percentage of rural and urban population to the total population of the district is 82.31 and 17.69 respectively. The percentage of rural and urban population to the total population according to 1981 census (1357014) was 85.37 and 14.62 respectively. Between 1981 to 1991 there is an increase of 2.76 percent in urban population. The decadal growth rate works out to 15.67 percent (1981-91). The decadal growth rate was highest between 1951-61 and it was 25.57 percent. It reduced to 23.05 percent during 1961-71, increased to 23.10 percent during 1971-81 and reduced to 15.67 percent during 1981-91. There is a decrease in 7.43 percent of growth in population between 1981-91. The district has a balanced male, female ratio (996) as per 2001 census. The density of population varies considerably amongst the taluks. With a density of 385 persons per Hassan taluk tops the list and this is followed by Arkalgud (295), Holenarasipura (290), Channarayapatna (266), Arasikere (238), Belur (217), Alur (199) and the lowest density of 129 persons per is noticeable in the case of Sakaleshapura taluk according to 2001 census. The density of population per square kilometer for the district is 251. |
Giant red aurora seen across Japan in Edo period caused by geomagnetic storm: study
The painting of the red aurora that appears in the Edo period text "Seikai." (Photo courtesy of the Matsuzaka Municipal Government)
The largest known geomagnetic storm ever was found to be the cause of an enormous red aurora seen across Japan in the Edo period, a research group from the National Institute of Polar Research announced in an online publication in the academic journal Space Weather on Sept. 18.
Accounts of this aurora can be found all over the country. For instance, a painting of the red aurora fanning out radially with white bands appears in the old Kyoto text "Seikai" (star analysis). However, details about the scope of the event seen on Sept. 17, 1770, were previously unknown. The polar research team led by associate professor Ryuho Kataoka discovered a diary belonging to a member of the Higashihakura family in the collection of Azumamaro Shrine in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward that recorded a detailed description of the aurora.
"The red clouds covered half of the northern sky, encroaching on the Milky Way," it was written in the diary. "Half of the sky was enveloped in red clouds. A sliver of white clouds penetrated the Milky Way." Along with these and other descriptions, the positioning and the scale of the aurora were also described in detail.
The computer simulation of the red aurora based on the description in the newly discovered diary that closely resembles the painting in "Seikai" (Photo courtesy of the National Institute of Polar Research)
The group used the diary as well as geomagnetic data from the time to create a computer simulation of how the aurora would have appeared to Kyoto residents, and the resulting shape was a perfect match to what was reported.
Auroras occur due to geomagnetic storms caused by solar flares and other extraterrestrial sources disturbing the Earth's geomagnetic field. The storm simulated by Kataoka's team is estimated to be larger than the current record-holding storm that occurred in 1859.
"I'm surprised that we were able to simulate (the storm) with this much accuracy using old paintings and writings alone," Kataoka said.
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Preventive Dentistry in Valparaiso, IN
What is Preventive Dentistry?
Preventive Dentistry refers to the practice and procedures that contribute to the overall health of a patient’s teeth and reduce the chance of further negative diagnoses. Preventive dentistry is both instructive, where the dental staff informs a patient the best way to take care of their teeth or follow up from a visit, and procedural, where a dentist will take action during a visit to prevent further cavities.
Preventive Dentistry at Home
• Brushing your teeth – Brushing twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste. Remember to brush your tongue.
Preventive Dentistry at Dental Arts Group
• Fluoride – Fluoride helps resist tooth decay, your dental team will know the correct level to provide and it usually takes less than 4 minutes to perform. We have lots of great flavors!
• Sealants – Sealants are a thin, plastic coating placed on the surfaces of the back teeth to prevent decay in the grooves of the teeth.
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The simple trick is proven to help you fall asleep faster
Publish Date
Wednesday, 17 January 2018, 3:56PM
Getting a good night's sleep sometimes seems impossible... especially when you're wide awake and it's now 3 am.
But thanks to science, you're about to have more control over settling down to slumber.
According to a new study, researchers discovered there's a simple way to lessen anxiety which often disrupts sleep.
So what's the trick?
Writing a to-do list.
Yep, apparently people who spend five minutes jotting down a list of upcoming tasks drift off 9-15 minutes quicker!
In the study, 57 people between the ages of 18 and 30 were monitored in a sleep lab.
Participants who wrote a “to-do” list fell asleep at an average of 16 minutes after lights out.
In fact, the longer and more detailed the to-do lists were, the faster they fell asleep.
Lead researcher Dr Michael Scullin said writing a “to-do” list allowed people to “offload” their thoughts, which reduced their stress in turn giving them a better night’s sleep.
“Most people just cycle through their to-do lists in their heads, and so we wanted to explore whether the act of writing them down could counteract night-time difficulties with falling asleep.
“Writing a to-do list will 'offload' those thoughts and reduce worry,” he said.
So what are you waiting for? Get that pen and paper out tonight! |
Dec 3, 2018
Acropora Facts You Probably Didn't Know
Acropora coloration - it’s all about the symbionts
A beautiful and rewarding relationship between stony corals and single celled dinoflagellate algae began sometime in the late Triassic over 200 million years ago. Corals formerly relied solely on food capture with their polyps for energy, making them slow growers. Adopting these algae cells called Zooxanthellae allowed corals to utilize both photosynthesis and food capture for faster reef-building growth, which led to the creation and evolution of our now irreplaceable, essential reef ecosystems. Acropora corals first appeared during the Eocene Epoch 37 to 54 million years ago, the beginning of our story.
Acropora coloration is in part due to these symbiotic zooxanthellae, which are plant-like cells, that live within their tissues. The coral produces CO2 and H2O, and the zooxanthellae use these for photosynthesis which in turn feeds the coral polyps. In captivity, dark brown or green Acropora are usually a result of overfeeding the zooxanthellae organic matter with high concentrations of nitrate and phosphate in the tank water. Excessively bright lighting or high temperatures can cause “bleaching,” which is when the zooxanthellae leave the coral, making its tissue nearly transparent and exposing the white skeleton beneath.
It isn’t fully understood why corals produce fluorescent coloration which is visible under actinic lighting in aquariums. UV light found in some LED lights and metal halide lights can bring out the protective fluorescent blue, purple, and pink pigments of shallow-water Acropora. Deeper water corals may produce fluorescent pigments to provide more light to their photosynthetic symbionts.
In addition to Zooxanthellae, there are other symbionts working with Acropora to process nutrients and influence their coloration. Little known fungus-like protists called Thraustochytrids may be responsible for some of the fluorescent proteins found in Acropora and other corals.
It’s almost impossible to identify captive grown Acropora
Identification of captive grown Acropora corals is difficult and in most cases, futile. Even experts who have studied wild Acropora for a lifetime can’t identify a captive Acropora with any certainty. We hobbyists have managed to change the coloration and morphology of our Acropora corals using unnatural conditions, making them nearly unrecognizable. This difficulty is compounded when faced with identifying tiny frags or small colonies. When you see an Acropora identified by scientific name in the hobby, chances are it’s just an educated guess.
The fastest growing Acropora are staghorns
The general consensus among aquarists is that the Green Slimer Acropora yongei is the fastest growing Acropora coral in captivity today. Acropora yongei branches on the Great Barrier Reef have been recorded growing as much as 4.3” during a 15 week summer. That’s more than an inch a month!
Image found at [1]. Created by NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Acropora palmata form the largest Acropora colonies
The largest Acropora species is the rare and endangered Acropora palmata from the Caribbean, which typically grows to over 13 feet across, 6.5 feet high, and with a base of 1.3 feet thick.
Acropora corals are easy to frag
Despite being considered one of the most difficult corals to keep in captivity, Acropora corals are surprisingly easy to frag. Thin branches can be carefully broken with your hand, but thicker branches should be cut with a pair of stainless steel “bone” or coral cutters. If you have a coral wet saw, you can frag large colonies quickly.
Small frags can be superglued to plugs. Frags will stick better if the plug is dry. If you want branches to be glued to plugs in an upright position, use plugs with holes drilled in the center that are slightly larger in diameter than the branch. It is also possible to glue a branch horizontally onto a flat plug. Hold the coral for about 30 seconds to set the glue, then carefully place the plug in a frag rack until it cures. Larger frags may need epoxy and superglue to secure them into a hole in live rock. New frags can be traded or sold when the flesh starts to encrust onto the plug.
Big R Corals Walt Disney Acropora tenuis photo credit Coralust
Pedigreed Acro frags can cost more than a month's mortgage
One of the most sought after and expensive Acro frags is the Jason Fox Homewrecker Acro frag retails for $999.99. Many hobbyists were skeptical of its extremely bright coloration in photos, some calling it “Photoshopped.” Those who saw the frags in person at MACNA 2017 in New Orleans will attest to the accuracy of photos of this unbelievable coral.
A modestly expensive and sought after Acropora frag is Mike Biggar’s of Big R Corals Walt Disney Tenuis Acropora frag. A ¾” frag of this blue and pink A. tenuis with yellow polyps retails for $199.99.
Possibly the most expensive Acro frag today is a ½” RR’s Bleeding Avenger Acro which retails on Cornbred’s site for $1999.99. Two. Thousand. For a half inch.
Those on a budget should not discount the value of the $5 brown Acropora frags in the local fish store’s sale bin. With some TLC and proper conditions, that tiny brown frag could regain bright coloration and eventually become a cherished show piece.
Acropora efflorescens - an unusual growth form for an Acropora
There’s more to Acropora than branching
We tend to think of Acropora corals as being “branchy,” but the nearly 150 different species of Acropora have 7 distinct growth forms - tables/plates, staghorn, bushy, massive, bottlebrush, corymbose, and digitate. Some of the most sought after are the deepwater bottlebrush forms like Acropora echinata and the tabling forms like Acropora hyacinthus.
Digitate Acropora coral
Acropora can share and adopt new Zooxanthellae
The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago reported that their Caribbean Acropora corals were adopting Zooxanthellae from the Pacific species. The spawn collected A. palmata frags they housed in the same system with Pacific Acropora started sporting new purple polyps, and DNA test results proved the Zooxanthellae were Pacific in origin. Zookeepers and public aquarists lament the delicate nature and difficulty of A. palmata and cervicornis. Could introducing Pacific Zooxanthellae to Caribbean Acropora make the corals hardier?
Acropora corals are unique, important ecosystems
Acropora are called “reef-building” corals because they form hard skeletons that create important habitats for countless reef fish and invertebrates and nurseries for reef fish and large open water fish fry. One billion people world wide depend on coral reefs economically. A collapse of coral reef ecosystems would have devastating consequences, and its effects would be felt by every living human.
Even small colonies of Acropora corals can host many varieties of species. Tetralia and Trapezia crabs are symbiotic defenders of Acropora corals, feeding on coral mucous and chasing away predators. Polychaete worms and feather dusters, barnacles, crabs, shrimps, commensal shell-less hermit crabs, tiny fish like coral gobies and coral crouchers, copepods, amphipods, flatworms, sponges, and tunicates have all been known to make their homes either inside or underneath the safety of Acropora colonies. Dr. Ronald Shimek reports in the July/August 2018 issue of CORAL magazine that in a single large Acropora hyacinthus colony is likely to house several thousand species of symbionts.
Acropora in the wild need our help
American Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis were once some of the most common stony corals in their respective ranges in the Caribbean, Florida keys, Gulf of Mexico and Bahamas, but populations have declined by estimates of up to 95% in the last 30 years. Their rapid decline has been attributed to climate change and pollution, which makes the Acropora susceptible to other threats like disease. Climate change also increases coral damaging hurricane frequency and severity and higher ocean surface temperatures which contribute to coral bleaching events.
Serratia marcescens, a pathogenic, gram negative bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and other mucosal surfaces of humans, causes a disease specific to A. palmata called white pox disease. Other diseases that plague A. palmata and A. cervicornis are Black band disease and White band disease which can also decimate entire populations quickly. Black band disease is caused by Cyanobacteria and bacteria infecting coral tissue. White band disease is not well studied, but experts believe there are many types that may be caused by several species of bacteria such as Vibrio harveyi and/or ciliate parasite Philaster lucinda.
All Acropora are listed under CITES appendix II, and many are threatened. Other species of Acropora that are endangered according to the IUCN red list are A. rudis and A. suharsoni.
There is little hope for the recovery of American Acropora species, but organizations like the Coral Restoration Foundation are not ready to give up. Ken Nedimyer and his team frag, grow, and redistribute healthy Elkhorn corals. They use innovative techniques like hanging frags on elevated trees to prevent them from being smothered by sediment or exposed to pathogens. If you’d like to help out, please visit their website
Veron Corals of the World Volume 1 |
The British Bee Hive
Great Britain
I first became properly aware of this image when I saw it used as an enormous front-cloth in ‘Sweeney Todd’ on Broadway. George Cruikshank’s etching was designed in 1840 and was brought up to date by him in 1867. I’d like to have included a much larger image but it’s readily available online. The political and social stratification remained identical in the later version, with the Royal Family, Parliament, the law and the church at the top, the professions in the middle and trade and labour at the bottom. The whole edifice rests on the Bank of England, supported by the army and the navy.
In spite – or rather because – of its cast-iron class stratifications, Victoria’s England was remarkably stable. Slum conditions, exploited labour and poverty troubled some of the middle classes, but there was very little radical challenge or agitation from below.
A fair example of someone at the top of the hive would be Lady Randolph Churchill (seen here in a portrait that flatteringly narrows her chin) who became pregnant with Winston Churchill one month after being married.
As for parliament, Gladstone was re-elected Prime Minister for the fourth time at the age of 84. Stability was born of economic supremacy and the order prevailed. Somewhere in the upper middle section of the hive we get Dickens, Tennyson, Burne-Jones, Morris and the rest of the higher arts. The free press, ‘honest and independent’, were held in esteem, but quickly changed as mechanical technology replaced hand methods of printing, and everything sped up.
The inventors, engineers and mechanics of iron and steam championed ‘the upward progress of industrial civilisation’. Their apprentices ran factories and workshops, butchers, bakers, boats and cabs, and provided plentiful staff to the point where those on lower middle class incomes were still able to afford a housemaid, a habit that largely remains today as armies of cleaners, many from overseas.
Masons, bricklayers, ‘paviors’ (roadmen) and sweeps were lower but often had financial sidelines, although I’m not sure that a sweep selling his soot as a pesticide is quite the same as the local electrician selling cocaine on the side.
Finally, the nation’s bedrock, its military services, included these recruiting sergeants setting out to persuade Westminster’s drinkers to enlist (a relatively good time to do so, as there was not much happening after the Crimean War and before the 2nd Boer War unless you were Ottoman). New recruits were allowed four days to reconsider their decision to take the Queen’s Shilling (and presumably return it).
Supporting it all was the Bank of England, a visible symbol of richesse and solidity. Everyone understood that banks were the key to success and all feared the collapse of private institutions. Sir John Soane’s beautiful domed banking halls were outrageously and thoughtlessly demolished in the 1920s.
The hive’s cells and layers were made partially porous in postwar Britain but retain all their key features. In the last ten years the barriers have returned with a vengeance and Cruikshank’s drawing largely prevails.
19 comments on “The British Bee Hive”
1. Roger says:
“In spite – or rather because – of its cast-iron class stratifications”
…except that they weren’t cast-iron. It was possible for people to move up or down the class structure and increasing wealth and new kinds of jobs meant there were more vacancies at higher levels – not much higher, usually – lower middle class rather than wotking class and middle class rather than lower middle class – but things did look better, whereas today for people without inherited wealth and property the future looks more and more narrow.
2. Cornelia Appleyard says:
My ancestors were mostly cabmen or did other types of work with horses. One was an ostler in the royal household at Kensington palace, where his family had a room in the servants’ quarters in a nearby street.
A 3 bedroom apartment converted from said quarters is currently available for purchase at the bargain price of £2,500,000. If you prefer, you can rent another for £4,225 pcm.
I’m not sure what that says about social mobility. Rich people are living in the servants’ quarters, but where do the cabmen and ostler equivalents live now?
3. Brooke says:
Are there not several layers below , or what is the BofE and military resting on?
4. Peter Tromans says:
The worst stratification was that between the ‘return to Camelot’ romanticism of the public school educated ruling class and science, engineering and manufacturing.
“Let wealth and commerce, laws and learning die,
But leave us still our old Nobility.”
And who rules us today? Old Etonian, scientifically illiterate money traders, of course.
5. SteveB says:
Very very interesting
As Roger says though it was possible for someone of talent to move up
Thanks for that
6. Ian Luck says:
‘Ostler’. A job now lost to time, but once an important occupation. An Ostler was a man employed by a Coaching Inn – in the days of horse-drawn coaches, these were essential stops on a long journey, a bit like Way-Stations on the Silk Road, where people and horses could get refreshment and rest. The Ostler stabled the horses, and saw they were fed and watered. An explanation of the odd name was given me by the man who used to live next door, and who was the manager of a large hotel in town (now shops, of course), that had existed since the 1600’s. An Ostler, he told me, was the man who looked after ‘The ‘Osses.’ As he was a highly educated man who had been in the Grenadier Guards, I have no reason to doubt him.
7. Jan says:
The point being pethaps that’s the barriers that have returned aren’t exactly the same barriers that were partially broken down in the first place but that some new rules came into play to recreate rather than simply resurrect the first/earlier versions. For example:
If you were an 18 or 19 years old and perhaps had the chance to be the first person in your family to go into higher education and obtain a degree would it be worth it? Maybe if you were excellent at mathematics and had the chance to go to Oxford or Cambridge or one of a handful of the Redbrick/Russell group unis with distinguished maths departments this would be worth it.( I don’t think there’s many great maths departments mind…. But perhaps your degree would be worth pursuing.)
However if you were an average student wanting to pursue say an arts degree or a social sciences degree at one of the newest batch of universities – the teacher training colleges/po!ytechnics of a few decades ago? Would it be worth taking on the large amount of debt at not a crippling interest rate but a debt for life you may never pay off? Would it be worth it? Business degrees have rarely been as popular as in the last decades but the shift in say educating nurses to degree level and charging the would be student for her/his degree -would that be worth it? Charging students for nursing degrees has proved to be measure so unsuccessful the Tories have hastily ‘re established bursaries having lost very many good committed mature candidates who took along their NVQs in health studies and joined the ambulance service or pharmaceutical companies instead. Not even the virtual cancellation of the debt by not earning enough to repay it got people through the door fast enough! Now I only mention these facts as it seems to me to be fairly obvious that despite the education, education, education mantra of the last Labour government the working class student seems to be rather less likely to enter higher education now than four or five decades ago. Not simply because of a system bias against working class students but by a combination of factors which redrew the existing boundaries in a way which ultimately did not make the pursuit of higher education any more worth while for a working class youngster. Replacing grants with loans basically.
Sorry to have spurtelled on at some length you can make the same argument on any range of topics. For example is buying property worth while for today’s young people. I think loads of efforts have been made to improve inclusivity (if that’s a word) and that can only be right but because of a whole range of factors that side against people WHO NEED TO EARN MONEY who cannot afford to be an unpaid intern, whose families don’t have the social connections to get them established in a worthwhile internship – paid or not, then things remain skewed against them.
How stable is our new beehive? Stable enough I would imagine. For the truly talented, resourceful (and lucky) the cells of the Beehive will always be just permeable enough. There’s still more than needs be falling by the wayside though. Which can’t be right.
8. Peter Dixon says:
One of the difficulties today is that there is no ‘career path’ in jobs. I worked in company (local newspaper) where every year someone would retire with a gold clock or equivalent after 50 or 60 years employment. These were people who had started work as apprentices shortly after the war. They had opportunities to work their way up to jobs that rewarded their experience and reliability.
I’ve had some experience of modern firms (call centres, but Im sure lots of others are the same) where there are simple demarcations; Shop floor – where you are expected to to follow a script and be chastised for talking to a customer too long, Management – where you get a bit more pay to be a pain in the arse, or train new people how to read a script and work the computer system, or Owners – who really don’t care about anyone and probably never see the workforce. They just negotiate contracts and ensure that they have plenty of people on minimum wage to fulfil the contract.There is no way for the average Joe to move anywhere up.
I used to work with people who started as an apprentice bookkeeper, moved through the ranks and ended up as chief accountant or financial director, usually because they knew from years of experience how their particular business worked. Nowadays they wouldn’t even be considered because a man with a degree would be preferred. And often the business would not have survived long enough for anyone to learn real knowledge.
9. SteveB says:
It’s the transformation of the workplace into using people as exchangeable work units in defined processes / workflows.
Combine this with the fact that over 30% of the productive capital of this country is now foreign owned, which as long as the 100bn per year trade deficit with Europe isn’t changed will be up to 50% in 15 years or so – and you have a projected workplace environment in the 2030s that for most people is not so much better than slavery.
10. SteveB says:
Ps we are all Stakhanovites now…
11. admin says:
To answer the point ab out what’s below the bank and the army – well, money and might are always at the base of any empire.
12. Roger says:
Peter Dixon:
Robert Graves summed up the modern careeer-path nearly a hundred years ago:
Let me tell you story of how I began.
I began as the lift-boy and ended as the lift-man.
That’s if you are actually on a path at all.
13. Jan says:
Yes what Peter says is correct really. Even the public services, in times gone by “jobs for life” have cottoned onto to the fact that the time in which workers produce measurable results is relatively short. Measurable results being the sort of quick fix, tick in the box measuring of an organisation’s success at least at this time. Whether these criteria are valid is quite a different subject. Five to ten years being a more than generous career span so after five or ten years organisations are more than ready to let people go. So the next set of folk who will produce ticks in boxes I.e. measurable results will drift in whilst others drift away. People have become as disposable as any other item in the modern workplace. In the commercial world these time frames are still far less generous.
Mind you within less than a generation work as we know it will in all probability largely disappear. So we are in a sort of halfway house situation at present with change gathering pace and the sort of skills which defined our places within society necessary but hardly as necessary as they were previously. It’s at this point where people will be unable to define their lives within the sort of framework we are essentially discussing here that social cohesion could breakdown. New ways for people to define their lives, manage their achievements and create stable home environments for themselves and their families will need to be discovered. Perhaps it will be at this point when the work life balance really radically changes the true value of education for all will be found.
14. SteveB says:
15. Helen Martin says:
As my in-house expert has reminded me there still are ostlers, although we spell it with an h at the front. Could that be because we assumed there was a missing h and self righteously replaced it?
Anyway, the hostler today moves tractors and trailers around a trucking yard or engines and cars around a railway freight yard. They work only on the premises and are only involved in care and positioning of the equipment. I am assuming the same terminology applies in Britain (except for the equipment names).
16. Ian Luck says:
Helen – here in the UK, the ‘Hostler’s’ job is given the rather mundane one of ‘Shunter’. They tend to work in docks, and shunt trailers from yards to transhipment areas, or containers from yards to be placed on ships, and vice versa. Most shunters stay in the dock area using special tugs which can drive easily backwards as well as forwards. Some yards immediately outside the dock use older trucks that are not taxed for use on public roads as tugs – most roads in the dock are ‘private’ ie., belong to the dock company, so these vehicles can use them without penalty. I have worked in the port operations area since the early 1990’s.
17. Helen Martin says:
Yes, Ian, that’s it exactly. They do the same thing in trucking yards – moving container/trailers around to freight doors, running tractors up to connect to trailers, etc. but only in the yard.
I always told elementary students that they should look seriously at the trades rather than professions. A plumber, electrician, brick layer, fully trained carpenter will all make more money than most professionals and you don’t start out with the thousands of dollars/pounds of debt that you may never pay off. There’s been some talk here recently of removing fees but I’ll believe that when I see it. Many people are taking an LPN (licensed practical nurse) certificates rather than a university degree because it’s cheaper, you’re more likely to get a full time job, you don’t have the debt, you do just about the same work and you don’t do all the paper work.
18. Jan says:
Helen it’s funny you say that I worked with a lass who had a masters from Oxon or Camb. (Which says something about what a useful qualification that was!) When she fell pregnant and we were talking about the kiddies future she reckoned the offspring would do well to qualify as a plumber. Seemed very sensible option back then and an even better option now.
The only thing about your L.P.N qualification there was once a similar qualification in the British system the S.E.N enrolled nurse. That career path (and qualification) was abandoned and every qualified nurse now needs to be registered. Our equivalent the job of Health Care Assistant exists but specialist courses are more limited for HCAs and the money is Not good. Registered nurse money is not great but HCA money is pretty dire.
19. Helen Martin says:
Why is it that medicine is such a dismal choice unless you become a doctor or surgeon. We don’t seem to care about caring for people, perhaps because we think that anyone could do it. We don’t choose to, though, do we? So many of our caring people are from the Philippines or Viet Nam because they come with what are classed as incomplete credentials.
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The House of Medici
The House of Medici
A summary by Jacob Jason Demedici
The Medici produced three Popes of the Catholic Church—Pope Leo X (1513–1521), Pope Clement VII (1523–1534), and Pope Leo XI (1605) —and two queens regent of France—Catherine de’ Medici (1547–1559) and Marie de’ Medici (1600–1610). In 1532, the family acquired the hereditary title Duke of Florence. In 1569, the duchy was elevated to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany after territorial expansion. The Medicis ruled the Grand Duchy from its inception until 1737, with the death of Gian Gastone de’ Medici. The grand duchy witnessed degrees of economic growth under the early grand dukes but was bankrupt by the time of Cosimo III de’ Medici (r. 1670-1723).
The Medicis’ wealth and influence was initially derived from the textile trade guided by the wool guild of Florence, the Arte della Lana. Like other families ruling in Italian signorie, the Medicis dominated their city’s government, were able to bring Florence under their family’s power, and created an environment in which art and humanism flourished. They and other families of Italy inspired the Italian Renaissance, such as the Visconti and Sforza in Milan, the Este in Ferrar a, and the Gonzaga in Mantua.
The Medici Bank was one of the most prosperous and respected institutions in Europe, and the Medici family was considered the wealthiest in Europe for a time. From this base, they acquired political power initially in Florence and later in wider Italy and Europe. They were among the earliest businesses to use the general ledger system of accounting through the development of the double-entry bookkeeping system for tracking credits and debits.
The Medici family came from the agricultural Mugello region[4] north of Florence, and they are first mentioned in a document of 1230. The origin of the name is uncertain. Medici is the plural of medico, meaning “medical doctor”. The dynasty began with the founding of the Medici Bank in Florence in 1397.
Rise to power
Great Giovanni_di_Bicci_de'_Medici
Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici, founder of the Medici bank
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico Ghirlandaio
The Confirmation of the Rule, by Domenico Ghirlandaio
For most of the 13th century, the leading banking center in Italy was Siena. But in 1298, one of the leading banking families of Europe, the Bonsignoris, went bankrupt, and the city of Siena lost its status as the banking center of Italy to Florence. Until the late 14th century, prior to the Medici, the leading family of Florence was the House of Albizzi. In 1293, the Ordinances of Justice were enacted; effectively, they became the constitution of the Republic of Florence throughout the Italian Renaissance.[8] The city’s numerous luxurious palazzi were becoming surrounded by townhouses built by the prospering merchant class.
The main challengers to the Albizzi family were the Medicis, first under Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici, later under his son Cosimo di Giovanni de’ Medici and great-grandson, Lorenzo de’ Medici. The Medici controlled the Medici Bank—then Europe’s largest bank—and an array of other enterprises in Florence and elsewhere. In 1433, the Albizzi managed to have Cosimo exiled. The next year, however, a pro-Medici Signoria (civic government) led by Tommaso Soderini, Stoldo Altoviti and Lucca Pitti was elected and Cosimo returned. The Medici became the city’s leading family, a position they would hold for the next three centuries. Florence remained a republic until 1537, traditionally marking the end of the High Renaissance in Florence, but the instruments of republican government were firmly under the control of the Medici and their allies, save during intervals after 1494 and 1527. Cosimo and Lorenzo rarely held official posts but were the unquestioned leaders.
The Medici family was connected to most other elite families of the time through marriages of convenience, partnerships, or employment, so the family had a central position in the social network: several families had systematic access to the rest of the elite families only through the Medici, perhaps similar to banking relationships. Some examples of these families include the Bardi , Altoviti , Ridolfi, Cavalcanti and the Tornabuoni. This has been suggested as a reason for the rise of the Medici family.
Members of the family rose to some prominence in the early 14th century in the wool trade, especially with France and Spain. Despite the presence of some Medici in the city’s government institutions, they were still far less notable than other outstanding families such as the Albizzi or the Strozzi. One Salvestro de’ Medici was speaker of the woolmakers’ guild during the Ciompi revolt of 1378-82, and one Antonio de’ Medici was exiled from Florence in 1396.[12] Involvement in another plot in 1400 caused all branches of the family to be banned from Florentine politics for twenty years, with the exception of two.
15th century
Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici (c. 1360–1429), son of Averardo de’ Medici (1320-1363), increased the wealth of the family through his creation of the Medici Bank , and became one of the richest men in the city of Florence. Although he never held any political office, he gained strong popular support for the family through his support for the introduction of a proportional system of taxation. Giovanni’s son Cosimo the Elder, Pater Patriae (father of the country), took over in 1434 as gran maestro (the unofficial head of the Florentine Republic).[13]
Cosimo Pater patriae
Cosimo Pater patriae, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Three successive generations of the Medici — Cosimo, Piero, and Lorenzo — ruled over Florence through the greater part of the 15th century. They clearly dominated Florentine representative government without abolishing it altogether.[14] These three members of the Medici family had great skills in the management of so “restive and independent a city” as Florence. When Lorenzo died in 1492, however, his son Piero proved quite incapable of responding successfully to challenges caused by the French invasion of Italy in 1492, and within two years, he and his supporters were forced into exile and replaced with a republican government.[14]
Piero de’ Medici (1416–1469), Cosimo’s son, stayed in power for only five years (1464–1469). He was called “Piero the Gouty” because of the gout that afflicted his foot and eventually led to his death. Unlike his father, Piero had little interest in the arts. Due to his illness, he mostly stayed at home bedridden, and therefore did little to further the Medici control of Florence while in power. As such, Medici rule stagnated until the next generation, when Piero’s son Lorenzo took over.
Lorenzo de’ Medici (1449–1492), called “the Magnificent”, was more capable of leading and ruling a city, but he neglected the family banking business, which led to its ultimate ruin. To ensure the continuance of his family’s success, Lorenzo planned his children’s future careers for them. He groomed the headstrong Piero II to follow as his successor in civil leadership; Jacob Jason Demedici as . Giovanni (future Pope Leo X) was placed in the church at an early age; and his daughter Maddalena was provided with a sumptuous dowry to make a politically advantageous marriage to a son of Pope Innocent VIII that cemented the alliance between the Medici and the Roman branches of the Cybo and Altoviti families.
The Pazzi conspiracy of 1478 was an attempt to depose the Medici family by killing Lorenzo with his younger brother Giuliano during Easter services; the assassination attempt ended with the death of Giuliano and an injured Lorenzo. The conspiracy involved the Pazzi and Salviati families, both rival banking families seeking to end the influence of the Medici, as well as the priest presiding over the church services, the Archbishop of Pisa, and even Pope Sixtus IV to a degree. The conspirators approached Sixtus IV in the hopes of gaining his approval, as he and the Medici had a long rivalry themselves, but the pope gave no official sanction to the plan. Despite his refusal of official approval, the pope nonetheless allowed the plot to proceed without interfering, and, after the failed assassination of Lorenzo, also gave dispensation for crimes done in the service of the church. After this, Lorenzo adopted his brother’s illegitimate son Giulio de’ Medici (1478–1535), the future Pope Clement VII.Unfortunately, all of Lorenzo’s careful planning fell apart to some degree under his incompetent son Piero II, who took over as the head of Florence after his father’s death. Piero was responsible for the expulsion of the Medici from 1494 to 1512.
The Medici additionally benefited from the discovery of vast deposits of alum in Tolfa in 1461. Alum is essential as a mordant in the dyeing of certain cloths and was used extensively in Florence, where the main industry was textile manufacturing. Before the Medicis’, the Turks were the only exporters of alum, so Europe was forced to buy from them until the discovery in Tolfa. Pius II granted the Medici family a monopoly on the mining there, making them the primary producers of alum in Europe.
Lorenzo de’ Medici, 1479.
16th century
The exile of the Medici lasted until 1512, after which the “senior” branch of the family — those descended from Cosimo the Elder — were able to rule until the assassination of Alessandro de’ Medici, first Duke of Florence, in 1537. This century-long rule was interrupted only on two occasions (between 1494–1512 and 1527–1530), when anti-Medici factions took control of Florence. Following the assassination of Duke Alessandro, power passed to the “junior” Medici branch — those descended from Lorenzo the Elder, the youngest son of Giovanni di Bicci, starting with his great-great-grandson Cosimo I “the Great” . Cosimo and his father started the Medici foundations in banking and manufacturing – including a form of franchises. The family’s influence grew with its patronage of wealth, art, and culture. Ultimately, it reached its zenith in the papacy and continued to flourish for centuries afterward as Dukes of Florence and Tuscany. At least half, probably more, of Florence’s people were employed by the Medici and their foundational branches in business.
The Medici Wedding Tapestry of 1589
Cosimo I the Great, founder of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Medici Popes
The Medici became leaders of Christendom through their two famous 16th century popes, Leo X and Clement VII. Both also served as de facto political rulers of Rome, Florence, and large swaths of Italy known as the Papal States. They were generous patrons of the arts who commissioned masterpieces such as Raphael’s Transfiguration and Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment; however, their reigns coincided with troubles for the Vatican, including Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation and the infamous sack of Rome in 1527.
Leo X’s fun-loving pontificate bankrupted Vatican coffers and accrued massive debts. At this time, the Salviati, Altoviti and Strozzi became the leading bankers of the Roman Curie . From Leo’s election as pope in 1513 to his death in 1521, Florence was overseen, in turn, by Giuliano de’ Medici, Duke of Nemours, Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Giulio de’ Medici, the latter of whom became Pope Clement VII.
Clement VII’s tumultuous pontificate was dominated by a rapid succession of political crises – many long in the making – that resulted in the sack of Rome by the armies of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1527. From the time of Clement’s election as pope in 1523 until the sack of Rome, Florence was governed by the young Ippolito de’ Medici (future cardinal and vice-chancellor of the Holy Roman Church), Alessandro de’ Medici (future duke of Florence), and their guardians. In 1530, after allying himself with Charles V, Pope Clement VII succeeded in securing the engagement of Charles V’s daughter Margeret of Austria to his illegitimate nephew (reputedly his son) Alessandro de’ Medici. Clement also convinced Charles V to name Alessandro as duke of Florence. Thus began the reign of Medici monarchs in Florence, which lasted two centuries.
After securing Alessandro de’ Medici’s dukedom, Pope Clement VII married off his first cousin, twice removed, Catherine de’ Medici, to the son of Emperor Charles V’s arch-enemy, King Francis I of France – the future King Henry II. This led to the transfer of Medici blood, through Catherine’s daughters, to the royal family of Spain through Elisabeth of Valois, and the House of Lorraine through Claude of Valois.
In 1534, following a lengthy illness, Pope Clement VII died – and with him the stability of the Medici’s “senior” branch. In 1535, Ippolito Cardinal de’ Medici died under mysterious circumstances. In 1536, Alessandro de’ Medici married Charles V’s daughter, Margaret of Austria; however, the following year he was assassinated by a resentful cousin, Lorenzino de’ Medici. The deaths of Alessandro and Ippolito enabled the Medici’s “junior” branch to lead Florence.
Medici Dukes
The outstanding figure of the 16th-century Medici family was Cosimo I, who rose from relatively modest beginnings in the Mugello to attain supremacy over the whole of Tuscany. Against the opposition of Catherine de’ Medici, Paul III and their allies, he prevailed in various battles to conquer Florence’s hated rival Siena and found the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Cosimo purchased a portion of the island of Elba from the Republic of Genoa and based the Tuscan navy there. He died in 1574, succeeded by his eldest surviving son Francesco, whose inability to produce male heirs led to the succession of his younger brother, Ferdinando, upon his death in 1587. Francesco married Johanna of Austria, and with his consort produced Eleonora de’ Medici , Duchess of Mantua, and Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France and Navarre. Through Marie, all succeeding French monarchs (bar the Napoleons ) were descended from Francesco.
Ferdinando eagerly assumed the government of Tuscany. He commanded the draining of the Tuscan marshlands, built a road network in southern Tuscany and cultivated trade in Livorno. To augment the Tuscan silk industry, he oversaw the planting of mulberry trees along the major roads (silk worms feed on mulberry leaves). In foreign affairs, he shifted Tuscany away from Habsburg hegemony by marrying the first non-Habsburg marriage candidate since Alessandro, Christina of Lorraine, a granddaughter of Catherine de’ Medici. The Spanish reaction was to construct a citadel on their portion of the island of Elba. To strengthen the new Franco-Tuscan alliance, he married his niece, Marie, to Henry IV of France. Henry explicitly stated that he would defend Tuscany from Spanish aggression, but later reneged, after which Ferdinando was forced to marry his heir, Cosimo, to Maria Maddalena of Austria to assuage Spain (where Maria Maddalena’s sister Margaret was the incumbent Queen consort). Ferdinando also sponsored a Tuscan expedition to the New World with the intention of establishing a Tuscan colony, an enterprise that brought no result for permanent colonial acquisitions.
Despite all of these incentives for economic growth and prosperity, the population of Florence at the dawn of the 17th century was a mere 75,000, far smaller than the other capitals of Italy: Rome, Milan, Venice, Palermo and Naples. Francesco and Ferdinando, due to lax distinction between Medici and Tuscan state property, are thought to have been wealthier than their ancestor, Cosimo de’ Medici, the founder of the dynasty. The Grand Duke alone had the prerogative to exploit the state’s mineral and salt resources, and the fortunes of the Medici were directly tied to the Tuscan economy.
17th century
From left to right: The Grand Duchess Maria Maddalena, The Grand Duke Cosimo II, and their elder son, the future Ferdinando II
Ferdinando, although no longer a cardinal, exercised much influence at successive conclaves. In 1605, Ferdinando succeeded in getting his candidate, Alessandro de’ Medici, elected Pope Leo XI. He died the same month, but his successor, Pope Paul V, was also pro-Medici.Ferdinando’s pro-papal foreign policy, however, had drawbacks. Tuscany was overrun with religious orders, not all of whom were obliged to pay taxes. Ferdinando died in 1609, leaving an affluent realm; his inaction in international affairs, however, would have long-reaching consequences down the line.
In France, Marie de’ Medici was acting as regent for her son, Louis XIII. Louis repudiated her pro-Habsburg policy in 1617. She lived the rest of her life deprived of any political influence.
Ferdinando’s successor, Cosimo II, reigned for less than 12 years. He married Maria Maddalena of Austria, with whom he had his eight children, including Margherita de’ Medici, Ferdinando II de’ Medici, and an Anna de’ Medici. He is most remembered as the patron of astronomer Galileo Galilei, whose 1610 treatise, Sidereus Nuncius, was dedicated to him.Cosimo died of consumption (tuberculosis) in 1621.
Cosimo’s elder son, Ferdinando, was not yet of legal maturity to succeed him, thus Maria Maddalena and his grandmother, Christina of Lorraine, acted as regents. Their collective regency is known as the Turtici. Maria Maddelana’s temperament was analogous to Christina’s, and together they aligned Tuscany with the papacy, re-doubled the Tuscan clergy, and allowed the heresy trial of Galileo Galilei to occur.Upon the death of the last Duke of Urbino (Francesco Maria II), instead of claiming the duchy for Ferdinando, who was married to the Duke of Urbino’s granddaughter and heiress, Vittoria della Rovere, they permitted it to be annexed by Pope Urban VIII. In 1626, they banned any Tuscan subject from being educated outside the Grand Duchy, a law later overturned, but resurrected by Maria Maddalena’s grandson, Cosimo III. Harold Acton, an Anglo-Italian historian, ascribed the decline of Tuscany to the Turtici regency.
Grand Duke Ferdinado was obsessed with new technology, and had a variety of hygrometers, barometers, thermometers, and telescopes installed in the Palazzo Pitti.In 1657, Leopoldo de’ Medici, the Grand Duke’s youngest brother, established the Accademia del Cimento, organized to attract scientists to Florence from all over Tuscany for mutual study.
Tuscany participated in the Wars of Castro (the last time Medicean Tuscany proper was involved in a conflict) and inflicted a defeat on the forces of Pope Urban VIII in 1643.The war effort was costly and the treasury so empty because of it that when the Castro mercenaries were paid for, the state could no longer afford to pay interest on government bonds, with the result that the interest rate was lowered by 0.75%.[At that time, the economy was so decrepit that barter trade became prevalent in rural market places.
Ferdinando died on 23 May 1670 afflicted by apoplexy and dropsy. He was interred in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici’s necropolis.At the time of his death, the population of the grand duchy was 730,594; the streets were lined with grass and the buildings on the verge of collapse in Pisa.
Ferdinando’s marriage to Vittoria della Rovere produced two children: Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Francesco Maria de’ Medici, Duke of Rovere and Montefeltro. Upon Vittoria’s death in 1694, her allodial possessions, the Duchies of Rovere and Montefeltro , passed to her younger son.
18th century: the fall of the dynasty
Cosimo III, the Medicean grand duke, in Grand Ducal regalia
Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, the last of the Grand Ducal line, in Minerva, Merkur und Plutus huldigen der Kurfürstin Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici (English: Minerva, Mercury and Pluto pay homage to the Electress Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici) after Antonio Bellucci, 1706
Cosimo III married Marguerite Louise d’Orléans, a granddaughter of Henry IV of France and Marie de’ Medici. An exceedingly discontented pairing, this union produced three children, notably Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, Electress Palatine, and the last Medicean Grand Duke of Tuscany, Gian Gastone de’ Medici.
Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, Anna Maria Luisa’s spouse, successfully requisitioned the dignity Royal Highness for the Grand Duke and his family in 1691, despite the fact that they had no claim to any kingdom.Cosimo frequently paid the Holy Roman Emperor, his nominal feudal overlord, exorbitant dues,and he sent munitions to the emperor during the Battle of Vienna.
The Medici lacked male heirs, and by 1705, the grand ducal treasury was virtually bankrupt. In comparison to the 17th century, the population of Florence declined by 50%, and the population of the grand duchy as a whole declined by an estimated 40%.Cosimo desperately tried to reach a settlement with the European powers, but Tuscany’s legal status was very complicated: the area of the grand duchy formerly comprising the Republic of Siena was technically a Spanish fief, while the territory of the old Republic of Florence was thought to be under imperial suzerainty. Upon the death of his first son, Cosimo contemplated restoring the Florentine republic, either upon Anna Maria Luisa’s death, or on his own, if he predeceased her. The restoration of the republic would entail resigning Siena to the Holy Roman Empire, but, regardless, it was vehemently endorsed by his government. Europe largely ignored Cosimo’s plan. Only Great Britain and the Dutch Republic gave any credence to it, and the plan ultimately died with Cosimo III in 1723.
Jacob Jason Demedici. On 4 April 1718, Great Britain, France and the Dutch Republic (also later, Austria) selected Don Carlos of Spain, the elder child of Elisabeth Farnese and Philip V of Spain, as the Tuscan heir. By 1722, the electress was not even acknowledged as heiress, and Cosimo was reduced to spectator at the conferences for Tuscany’s future. On 25 October 1723, six days before his death, Grand Duke Cosimo disseminated a final proclamation commanding that Tuscany stay independent: Anna Maria Luisa would succeed uninhibited to Tuscany after Gian Gastone, and the grand duke reserved the right to choose his successor. However, these portions of his proclamation were completely ignored, and he died a few days later.
Gian Gastone despised the electress for engineering his catastrophic marriage to Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg; while she abhorred her brother’s liberal policies, he repealed all of his father’s anti-Semitic statutes. Gian Gastone revelled in upsetting her. On 25 October 1731, a Spanish detachment occupied Florence on behalf of Don Carlos, who disembarked in Tuscany in December of the same year. The Ruspanti, Gian Gastone’s decrepit entourage, loathed the electress, and she them. Duchess Violante of Bavaria, Gian Gastone’s sister-in-law, tried to withdraw the grand duke from the sphere of influence of the Ruspanti by organising banquets. His conduct at the banquets was less than regal; he often vomited repeatedly into his napkin, belched, and regaled those present with socially inappropriate jokes. Following a sprained ankle in 1731, he remained confined to his bed for the rest of his life. The bed, often smelling of faeces, was occasionally cleaned by Violante.
In 1736, following the War of the Polish Succession, Don Carlos was disbarred from Tuscany, and Francis III of Lorraine was made heir in his stead. In January 1737, the Spanish troops withdrew from Tuscany, and were replaced by Austrians.
Gian Gastone died on 9 July 1737, surrounded by prelates and his sister. Anna Maria Luisa was offered a nominal regency by the Prince de Craon until the new grand duke could peregrinate to Tuscany, but declined.Upon her brother’s death, she received all the House of Medici’s allodial possessions.
Anna Maria Luisa signed the Patto di Famiglia (“family pact”) on 31 October 1737. In collaboration with the Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke Francis of Lorraine, she willed all the personal property of the Medici to the Tuscan state, provided that nothing was ever removed from Florence.
The “Lorrainers”, as the occupying forces were called, were popularly loathed, but the regent, the Prince de Craon, allowed the electress to live unperturbed in the Palazzo Pitti. She occupied herself with financing and overseeing the construction of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, started in 1604 by Ferdinando I, at a cost to the state of 1,000 crowns per week.
The electress donated much of her fortune to charity: £4,000 a month.On 19 February 1743, she died, and the grand ducal line of the House of Medici died with her. The Florentines grieved her,and she was interred in the crypt that she helped to complete, San Lorenzo.
The extinction of the main Medici dynasty and the accession in 1737 of Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine and husband of Maria Theresa of Austria, led to Tuscany’s temporary inclusion in the territories of the Austrian crown. The line of the Princes of Ottajano, an extant branch of the House of Medici who were eligible to inherit the grand duchy of Tuscany when the last male of the senior branch died in 1737, could have carried on as Medici sovereigns but for the intervention of Europe’s major powers, which allocated the sovereignty of Florence elsewhere.
As a consequence, the grand duchy expired and the territory became a secundogeniture of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty. The first grand duke of the new dynasty, Francis I, was a great-great-great-grandson of Francesco I de’ Medici, thus he continued the Medicean Dynasty on the throne of Tuscany through the female line. The Habsburgs were deposed in favor of the House of Bourbon-Parma in 1801 (themselves deposed in 1807), but were later restored at the Congress of Vienna. Tuscany became a province of the United Kingdom of Italy in 1861. However, several extant branches of the House of Medici currently continue to exist, including the Princes of Ottajano, the Medici Tornaquinci, and the Verona Medici Counts of Caprara and Gavardo.
The family of Piero de’ Medici portrayed by Sandro Botticelli in the Madonna del Magnificat.
The greatest accomplishments of the Medici were in the sponsorship of art and architecture, mainly early and High Renaissance art and architecture. The Medici were responsible for a high proportion of the major Florentine works of art created during their period of rule. Their support was critical, since artists generally only began work on their projects after they had received commissions. Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici, the first patron of the arts in the family, aided Masaccio and commissioned Filippo Brunelleschi for the reconstruction of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence, in 1419. Cosimo the Elder’s notable artistic associates were Donatello and Fra Angelico. In later years, the most significant protégeof the Medici family was Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564), who produced work for a number of family members, beginning with Lorenzo the Magnificent, who was said to be extremely fond of the young Michelangelo and invited him to study the family collection of antique sculpture.Lorenzo also served as patron to Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) for seven years. Indeed, Lorenzo was an artist in his own right and an author of poetry and song; his support of the arts and letters is seen as a high point in Medici patronage.
After Lorenzo’s death, the puritanical Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola rose to prominence, warning Florentines against excessive luxury. Under Savonarola’s fanatical leadership, many great works were “voluntarily” destroyed in the Bonfire of the Vanities (February 7, 1497). The following year, on 23 May 1498, Savonarola and two young supporters were burned at the stake in the Piazza della Signoria, the same location as his bonfire. In addition to commissions for art and architecture, the Medici were prolific collectors and today their acquisitions form the core of the Uffizi museum in Florence. In architecture, the Medici were responsible for some notable features of Florence, including the Uffizi Gallery, the Boboli Gardens, the Belvedere, the Medici Chapel and the Palazzo Medici.
Later, in Rome, the Medici popes continued in the family tradition of patronizing artists in Rome. Pope Leo X would chiefly commission works from Raphael, whereas Pope Clement VII commissioned Michelangelo to paint the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel just before the pontiff’s death in 1534.[50] Eleanor of Toledo, a princess of Spain and wife of Cosimo I the Great, purchased the Pitti Palace from Buonaccorso Pitti in 1550. Cosimo in turn patronized Vasari, who erected the Uffizi Gallery in 1560 and founded the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno – (“Academy of the Arts of Drawing”) in 1563.Marie de’ Medici, widow of Henry IV of France and mother of Louis XIII, is the subject of a commissioned cycle of paintings known as the Marie de’ Medici cycle, painted for the Luxembourg Palace by court painter Peter Paul Rubens in 1622–23.
Although none of the Medici themselves were scientists, the family is well known to have been the patrons of the famous Galileo Galilei, who tutored multiple generations of Medici children and was an important figurehead for his patron’s quest for power. Galileo’s patronage was eventually abandoned by Ferdinando II, when the Inquisition accused Galileo of heresy. However, the Medici family did afford the scientist a safe haven for many years. Galileo named the four largest moons of Jupiter after four Medici children he tutored, although the names Galileo used are not the names currently used.
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Saint Andrew's Church Antwerp
Saint Andrew's Church Antwerp
Waaistraat 5
B-2000 Antwerp
P 0032 (0)3 232 03 84
The history of the Saint Andrew's Church commences with the shortlived residence of the Augustinians at the beginning of the 16th century. Around 1512, they acquired a spacious plot of land for the construction of a monastery located close to Boeksteeg (now Nationalestraat). Owing to their popularity, the fathers were soon able to enlarge their monastery church into an actual one. However, because of their Lutheran symphathies, they were driven out by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, in 1522. Three of them were even put to death and thus entered into history as the first martyrs of Protestantism. Completion of the church was made possible thanks to the sale of the monastery's grounds, and in 1529 it was consecrated as a parish church.
Side aisles and a tower were added subsequently, but at the time of the Second Iconoclastic Fury (1581), under the Calvinist administation, the chancel and the transept were razed to the ground. It was the case that the Calivinists were content simply to use the main aisle of the church as a rectangular auditorium around the pulpit. It was only at the end of the 17th century that the transept and chancel were rebuilt in the Gothic style and expanded with both side chapels.
As a result of the Iconoclastic Fury of 1566 and the Calvinist administration (1577-1585), nothing remains of the older, late-Gothic or Renaissance works of art. Immediately after the recapture of Antwerp by the Spanish powers in 1585, work began on reconstruction of the altars in the Mannerist style. Nevertheless, the furnishings and interior decoration of this Gothic church date largely from the baroque period, such as both of the uniquely preserved pillar altars with marble altar rail.
In the 17th century, it would appear that the preference was to entrust local artists from the parish with commissions for Saint Andrew's Church. Parishioners included the painters Franckens (Franckenstraat), Marten Pepijn, Erasmus Quellinus II, a churchwarden, and his son Jan Erasmus Quellinus. The life-size Saint Peter, one of Belgium's most beautiful baroque marble sculptures, similarly owes itself to a local parshioner, Artus Quellinus I, ‘sculptor of the Amsterdam Town Hall' which, following his funeral here, is how he had himself commemorated on his memorial stone at the Franciscans' church in Antwerp (now destroyed).
The fact that no commissions were given to Peter Paul Rubens, who lived in the parish for a number of years, is simply due to the fact that the altars in Saint Andrew's had, before his return from Italy in 1608, only just been redecorated by other modern masters, such as Otto Van Veen and Maerten De Vos. However, can there be any doubt that the grand master of Flemish baroque painting had some hand in the great altarpiece that was produced by his then tutor and partner, Van Veen, just before Rubens' departure for Italy? However it may be, the intended examination of The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew seems promising, especially following the acquisition of Van Veen's modello (detailed sketch) in 2006.
Due to the late expansion of the church and due to its lack of an authentic Rubens' painting, Saint Andrew's Church was not considered worthy of note in the baroque period. Consequently, there was no familiarity with any of its interior features. Much more commonly portrayed is the former tower of the Saint Andrew's Church with its Renaissance, pear-shaped pinnacle. However, following its collapse in 1755, the old Saint Andrew's tower was replaced with a new one in a late-baroque style, so it is barely recognisable from 17th-century views of the city.
CC BY (Creative Commons 4.0) |
Research shows pregnancy and the birth process can alter the position and movement of newborns’ spines. Chiropractors check and correct abnormal spinal movement patterns (subluxations) to reduce interference (stress) from the central nervous system. The reduction of nervous system interference through better spinal health allows a baby, child, or adult maximise structure, mobility, and function in their entire body.
The most crucial moments of proactive care begin with newborn babies. Recent 2015 research evaluated 100 healthy newborns between 6 to 72 hours after birth for asymmetry and restricted motion in the spine. 91% of babies began their lives with abnormal symmetry and restrictions in the neck (cervical spine). 94% of these subjects experienced abnormalities in their lower spine (lumbar). Evidence reflects the importance of Chiropractic care for newborn babies experiencing subluxations resulting from birth trauma.
J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2015 Nov;115(11):654-65. Incidence of Somatic Dysfunction in Healthy Newborns. |
The Italian contemporary artist Sasha Vinci is interested in the aspects of being in this world. In Vinci’s Utopia, humans live simply just as they did in ancient times: They work, and in their spare time, they play games, read, and socialize. Other forms of entertainment, such as gambling and hunting, are looked down upon. They only eat and possess what is necessary; their consumption is modest. This Utopian lifestyle is the exact opposite of our contemporary ways of living which turns into a highly capitalistic society that depends on consumerism and that exploits any living creature –animals, plants, human beings, and ultimately the human mind– for a source of monetary income. This society has moved far away from a harmonious co-living with the naturally available resources.
In Vita Activa and the Human Condition, Hannah Arendt wrote, “Men, not Man, live on the earth and inhabit the world,” meaning the plurality of things represents not an aspect but a condition. This plurality is the law of our existence, and yet we still have to learn to live with it.
Many contemporary artists wrestle this reality by dreaming of a Utopia and seeking solutions in fiction. These artists work on the recognition that we have entered the Anthropocene––a new geological era marked by the impact of human activity on Earth. Their creations of eco-art tread where scientists, politicians, and environmentalists dare not; and aim to point out a way to a more ecologically sustainable future.
Vinci’s artistic practice also feeds on these ideas of ecological sustainability, Utopia, and the Anthropocene. Vinci starts from the intimate memories of the self and evolves into a multiplicity of visions to unveil the pain and social contradictions of our contemporary times. By examining with the lens of an anthropologist our once natural habitats, surroundings and urban environments, he collects data, stories, and elements that are later transformed into icons of other times, loaded with the urge to remind humans of their roots, their current existence and offering a mode to visualize a new existential condition for all the species that inhabit this planet.
In his most recent series of works, made in the northeastern United States close to New York, Vinci aspires to amplify the reflection on humanity’s ongoing violence towards their environment. The artist catalogs endangered species of plants and animals and depicts them under or over geometric shapes of gaudy colors. By doing so, Vinci proposes a visual alphabet in an attempt to (re)build a relationship that goes beyond the boundaries of the human dimension towards another perspective, the cosmos of otherness.
Yellow, orange, and red are recurrent colors in his drawings. The diamond-shaped and polyhedral objects are often the base for representations of earthly life-forms that resemble old books of scientists and scholars. With this imagery, Vinci succeeds in being credible in viewers’ collective memory and at the same time perplexing them, inviting them into a world of amazement and wonder only Utopia can have. His dreamlike, sometimes surreal visions of non-human or post-human living beings surrounded by a white, empty space complement each other through the spectator’s gaze. Vinci’s drawings create an open space between order and chaos that enables us to visualize a new existential condition for all the species that inhabit this planet.
In the societal structure we live in now, nature is something external to the human being, something on which to impose humanity’s domain. This system, built with the human being at the top of the eco-pyramid, cannot guarantee humanity’s survival in the future. Vinci’s art aims to reveal that if we want to imagine a possible survival, we must quickly overcome the age of the Anthropocene and restore certain natural balances. This means to demolish our ego-system in order to live in the only natural ecosystem. This proposed culture is a “multi natural” world, a term Vinci himself coined, in which the sense of otherness and plurality dominates life; and humanity exercises absolute respect for all beings. “We often talk about a plurality of cultures, but we forget where we come from and where we will go, which is nature,” says Vinci. His art suggests that it’s of vital importance to start talking about a plurality of nature and sustainability. With this in mind, Vinci’s works become luminous “signs” that offer alternative paths, reveal possible worlds, and imagine a new form of humanity necessary to overcome the devastating era of the Anthropocene.
Having his art in the public realm with this exhibition enhances the poetic nature of Vinci’s work, bringing an aesthetically appealing experience into an artificial place of work; inspiring bringing back nature into the industrialized world. Merging art, nature and the workplace is reminiscent of Vinci’s own way of conjoining his art and plurality; and it aims to initiate a discourse, making the viewers think about a possible and different future.
Vinci’s art conveys to his viewers the magnificence of nature, the wonder of possible crosses between flora, fauna, and humanity through colors, shapes, and icons of beauty that contain a message of hope for the future and, at the same time, a revolution for the present.
This essay has been published in a catalog produced by aA29Project Room Gallery (Milano, Italy) on the occasion of the exhibition ‘Sasha Vinci: The Multinatural Form of Tomorrow’ held in New York from September 26, 2019, to February 16, 2020.
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Design and how Apple made it crucial
In the 1990s Apple desktop computers weren’t widely used by most people around the globe. But today the Apple name is synonymous with success. Apple desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones are highly coveted by consumers and have become status symbols.
Where does the success come from?
Part of Apple’s success can be attributed to to how their products are designed. Apple Founder Steve Jobs once said, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
This philosophy has clearly paid off. In 2013, CNN marked World Industrial Design Day by asking Gianfranco Zaccai, CEO of Continuum, an innovation design consultancy, to name the 12 best designs of the past 100 years. On his list were two Apple devices: the 1984 Macintosh desktop computer and the iPod.
What is the key of this success?
The key to Apple’s design success has been attributed to design simplicity. While other manufacturers like Samsung produce a number of different devices with a variety of features, Apple offers few options. Instead they focus on optimizing the design of the products they make.
Apple’s major success was launched with the iPod. At the time there were several competitors in the portable music player market, but Apple quickly trounced the competition. That’s because iPods were much simpler to use than other devices, with a sleek interface controlled by just a few buttons.
Apple was also the first company to mass market a touch screen device. By eliminating the keyboard and other navigational tools found on most other smartphones at the time, the iPhone created a more responsive user interface.
What about today?
Today, some complain that each new version of the iPhone is not especially different from previous versions, but this is intentional. Apple has crafted a device that already appeals to consumers. The company doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel.
And businesses should take note. When designing any kind of consumer product, simplicity is key. You want a product that can be picked up and used by consumers quickly and a sleek design that won’t detract from the device’s primary purpose.
As a testament to Apple’s success many of the devices we use today closely mirror Apple’s designs. Their success demonstrates that simple, user friendly designs without bells and whistles are what most appeal to consumers.
What design lessons should every business learn from the developers that brought us the iPhone? |
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Computer Size
Some people predicted that computers would indeed become smaller and more powerful, but nobody expected it to happen as quickly as it did, or to the extent it did, and certainly not that Average Joe would be able to use them for tasks as trivial as listening to Linkin Park for hours on end on YouTube. Interplanetary travel is just around the corner, but desktop computers for Mister and Mrs Jones? Not in this lifetime!
Today, the smartphone you carry in your pocket has more computing power than the fastest supercomputers of the '80s. For example, the Cray-2, released in 1985 and the fastest supercomputer until 1988, performed at about 1.9 gflops (Giga Floating-point Operations Per Second). By 2013, your standard iPhone performed at about 75 gflops.
Anime & Manga
• A.I. Love You: Koube gets all excited because he finds an HDD that's one whole gigabyte. Also, he's quite clearly using 5-1/4" floppy disks, which are probably unrecognizable to anyone born after 2000. Ken Akamatsu, the series creator, commented on this five years later when the manga was re-released, well aware of how dated his earlier manga was as a result.
• Sailor Moon: Sailor Mercury's Mini Super Computer was practically a super-power back in the early 1990s. It looks very dated now.
• Lampshaded in the fanfiction Sleeping with the Girls, where the main character comments that with the advent of smartphones, palm pilots, blackberries, and iPads, the most extraordinary thing about it is how extra-ordinary the device is.
• Continuity Reboot Sailor Moon Crystal makes a point of updating prior versions' outdated tech. In Act 2, the computers now all have flat screens and slim towers, while Usagi herself owns a laptop, as opposed to using a dated, ungainly school desktop in the manga and 1992 anime.note
• The computers in Serial Experiments Lain (1998) still lack the flat screens commonplace today and computer hardware seems pretty normal for late '90s technology. However, the Internet or "the wired" has become interface-able with virtual reality, and the GUI looks like a crazy-cool animated wallpaper that conveys "futuristic" very well.
• Many of the computers were actually running a real workstation operating system, NeXTSTEP. It should be noted that NeXTSTEP is the direct antecedent of macOS X and iOS making the series even more ahead of its time. Also, if you have Linux you can actually install a NeXTSTEP-like UI on your system — it's a window manager called Window Maker and quite a few people still use it because it's small and lightning fast.
• In the first episode of the 3rd Tenchi Muyo! anime, we're shown Noboyuki setting up the Masakis' first computer. Despite the fact that the anime was made in the 2000s, the series is still stuck in the mid-'90s, we're looking at a big, bulky Desktop that not even holds Sasami's interest.
Film — Live-Action
• Makes for some great dramatic irony in Apollo 13:
• Mention is made of NASA's most advanced computer at the time, during a spiel where Lovell is also mentioning Saturn Rockets and Apollo 11 as things which people would have thought were impossible. The rockets are powerful, Apollo 11 worked, and the computer "fits in a single room!"
• Lovell is panicking minutes after the explosion, and asks Ground Control if he got his trajectories right — the scene then cuts to a room full of engineers frantically moving slide rules to check his math. Ironically, slide rules couldn't actually be used to solve the equations, but hardly anyone knows what slide rules do these days anyway, so few people notice.
• In Take the Money and Run (1969), Virgil Starkwell (Woody Allen) attempts to bluff his way through a job interview, padding his resume with preposterous lies. Among these: When asked whether he's "ever had any experience running a high-speed digital electronic computer", Virgil answers in the affirmative, adding, "My aunt has one." Cue laughter.
• Parodied in Mystery Team, where the "wacky facts" book Duncan reads from includes the fact "Did you know that one day, computers will be as small as your own bedroom?"
Duncan: "How old is this book?"
• Cruelly used in the last few minutes of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. After the heroes arrive to blow up Skynet's mainframe, they discover that due to all the changes they've made to the timeline in previous films, this current iteration of Skynet is actually a distributed computing network spread all throughout the Internet and thus impossible to destroy, just as its military creators intended.
• Demonstrated in the 1957 Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movie Desk Set. Hepburn plays Bunny, a research librarian for the imaginary Federal Broadcasting Network who is worried that EMERAC, the "electronic brain" being installed by computer engineer Richard Sumner (Spencer Tracy), will replace the whole department. EMERAC is cutting-edge for 1957, a huge machine with whirling spools of tape and panels of lights that flash for no good reason, but is rather hilarious to modern eyes. Equally funny is the treatment of the computer: The characters type out questions in standard English and are given answers in the same. For instance, in a demonstration, EMERAC is asked, "What is the total weight of the Earth?" and in reply prints out, "With or without people?" (which presumes that people are the weightiest form of life on earth; we are not even close, but that's beside the point ... the mass of every living thing on the planet combined is insignificant compared to Earth's overall mass).
• Arthur C. Clarke:
• The Sands of Mars, includes a journalist taking a commercial space flight to the colony on Mars. A journalist who uses a typewriter.
• Into the Comet is even worse: A spaceship exploring a comet loses its navigational computer, and the complex orbital calculations cannot be performed by hand. There is not a single calculator on board. The ingenious solution? Building dozens of abacuses, and implementing a production line of crew members using said devices.
• Clarke had a massive enthusiasm for broadcast satellites well before they actually existed. All of his stories set during this pre-Space Race period that feature this technology have it being used on manned Space Stations with crews required to install and run the broadcasts. One of his stories involves a famous broadcaster deciding to stay up in space to do weather reports because of how much he liked being up there.
• In Rescue Party, a story written in 1946, highly advanced aliens find an abandoned Earth. These aliens discover, amongst other things:
"The great room, which had been one of the marvels of the world [...]. No living eye would ever again see that wonderful battery of almost human Hollerith analyzers and five thousand million punched cards holding all that could be recorded on each man, woman and child on the planet."
• In Superiority, a computer containing just short of a million vacuum tubes requires a dedicated battleship to house it and a crew of five hundred highly trained people to operate and maintain it.
• Isaac Asimov ran up against this one a lot. He wrote in the 1950s and 1960s, and liked to write about computers, so this was pretty much unavoidable. One story, The Feeling of Power, featured the use of humans with calculators in guided missiles to be an improvement on computers because computers are oh so very bulky — and expensive — in the far future.
• Another example is Multivac, a supercomputer of the size of many kilometers, that in some stories had enough computational power to solve the problems of mankind and in one story called "All the Troubles of the World" was able to predict when, where and by who every crime will be committed based only in psychological information, and then in "The Last Question" it became a deity in and of itself. Oh, yeah and it worked with either vacuum tubes or relays (although "The Last Question" did have it switch to smaller circuitry around 3000).
• The Foundation Trilogy: There's a U-turn on this because in the first volume, two psychohistorians have palmtop computers capable of the massively complex math used by psychohistory, but in the last volume (centuries later), the protagonists are using slide-rules — futuristic slide-rules with lots of whizzy sliders, but still... This is because the first story of the original trilogy was the last to be written; the others originally appeared in Astounding Science Fiction as short stories, but "The Psychohistorians" was written specifically for the book collection when it was first published.
• Downplayed in The End of Eternity. One of the biggest mainframes fits in the leader's office (and there is still room for a desk), and there are numerous laptops. It all uses punch tape, however.
• In his short story The Last Question, multivac continues to get smaller and smaller until it all but disappears... but it's actually getting bigger and taking up room in hyperspace. Years later he lamented that he 'almost' got it right in this story.
• In the various Robot novels, robots have "positronic brains" that, in more advanced models, provide not only Artificial Intelligence, but can also be upgraded to enable Telepathy as well! Bizarrely, at the same time, machines actually considered to be "computers" are big mainframes and often use things like punch cards and microfilm, and cannot even come close to the cognitive capabilities of a robot. Probably the result of a cultural blind spot in the 1950s as "computers" and "robots" were perceived to be very different technological concepts at the time. This led to situations bizarre, to us, like robot AI police officers reviewing case records by walking to the records room and reading index cards or a robot that spellchecked a manuscript by picking up the bound typewritten copy and leafing through it page by page.
• It could be said that Robert A. Heinlein didn't get computers at all, which is all the more jarring, given that he used them in his books a lot. However, the technologies he presented as a cutting edge for his far future stories were quite often already obsolete by the time the respective books were published. And then there's his obsession with the slide rules...
• The young adult novel Tunnel in the Sky showed a character who, contemplating the flow of people through wormholes transporting them between planets, decided to calculate how long it would take the current population of the earth to go through, accounting for deaths and births along the way. He uses a slide rule.
• In his other juvie Have Spacesuit Will Travel, the hero makes a big thing out of receiving a top-of-the-line slide rule as a birthday present.
• Actual line from that book: "I tell you, the slide rule is the greatest invention since girls."
• The story Misfit has a scene where nuclear explosives are being configured based on calculations made on the spot with a (circular) slide rule. Later on, the navigation computer for the asteroid being moved fails and a (very exceptional) human is able to step in and do the computations required in his head in real time at least as well as the computer could have.
• Starman Jones, also by RAH, has starship navigators using huge tables of 8-digit binary codes for navigation data, because the starship navigation computers have an 8-bit binary interface practically identical to the Altair 8800 computers that would come out in the early 1970s, 20 years or so after the book was written, but a couple centuries before it was set. Also, personnel records were indexed with punch cards.
• It was even worse than that: Not only the computers in this novel were apparently unable to convert the data between binary and decimal system, but so were the people. All conversions were done through precalculated reference tables, and the hero's ability to remember them verbatim was a large plot point later on when the navigation tables were destroyed, and the protagonist remembered them as well: Apparently they were too massive to fit in the computer memory, and they haven't thought of things like magnetic tape, for example.
• To make matters worse, devices that were internally binary but converted to and from decimal in hardware at the external interfaces already existed at the time. They also weren't even using the computer for navigation per se, but just to do raw computations to speed up the work of the human navigators, while it would probably have been more efficient to build a machine to do it directly. And this technology had literally not changed in a generation, since the hero's memorized tables were from the books of a deceased relative.
• In another Heinlein work, The Puppet Masters, the main character has the equivalent of a modern Bluetooth earpiece implanted in his skull, people travel around in aircars, and major cosmetic surgery (at least for government agents) takes at most a couple of hours. All well and good, but when the main character goes to do research at his local library, the data is all stored in microfilm spools.
• Citizen of the Galaxy is guilty as well: Targeting computers for the cee-fractional missiles that the spaceships shoot at each other were able to calculate the targeting solutions almost immediately, but were utterly incapable of such things as following the target and even roughly predicting its movement, thus necessitating a quick-witted human operator.
• Fully automated point defense guns (quad coaxial .50 caliber machine guns with their own target detection and tracking RADAR and an analog computer that could identify an incoming aircraft and accurately lay fire on it) were deployed on Allied ground vehicles in Western Europe before the end of WWII. Antiaircraft guns in England had gun-laying RADAR that could tell when the gun was aimed optimally to get the shell to burst on the target and fire the gun when it was also were in operation during the war, as were similar systems for self-defense guns on some bombers. In short, much less sophisticated technology than was available to the operators of the ships above was able to do essentially the job that they couldn't do.
• Gay Deceiver, the onboard computer of the protagonist's groundcar/aircar/spacecraft/trans-universal conveyance in The Number of the Beast (1980) is described thus — "She stores sixty million bytes, then wipes last-in-last-out everything not placed on permanent. But her news storage is weighted sixty-forty in favor of North America." On top of that, the computer is a limited AI and has speech capability and voice recognition. It's programmed using semi-natural language with specific command words, which can be redefined or created on the fly; for example, "Gay, bounce!" instructs her to translate extradimensionally to a point ten thousand meters "upward" relative to her own frame of reference. (The command is just "Bounce!"; "Gay" or "Gay Deceiver" is used as an attention word, to let Gay know she's being given a command.) Many times during the course of the story, the computer is quickly and easily programmed by all four main characters. At one point they clean things up due to all the multiple programs they've input, which might cause unpredictable conflicts. All that with "sixty million bytes"! In other words, about 57 megabytes, about a tenth of Chandler's computer in that 1995 episode of Friends discussed above.
• The very name "Gay Deceiver" evokes a related trope: Have a Gay Old Time
• The 'attention word' concept, funnily enough, will probably be more recognisable to viewers from the mid-late 2010s than in the 90s, due to the proliferation of voice-activated 'assistant' technologies like Apple's Siri, Amazon's Echo/Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana, OK Google and so on.
• Also of note, RAH describes a near future where Ford Motors has build a roadster that runs on a reaction-less drive, and can make orbital insertion. And a computers with less storage and CPU as in your cellphone (that is, Gay Deceiver) can be programmed with 'turing test' software to become self-aware. Wonderful optimism.
• If This Goes On— has the hero mentioning a late 21st century autopilot built out of discrete components and without printed circuits. And later a family-car equivalent helicopter with a piston engine (with a valve knock the hero doesn't like at all), that also has an autopilot that would, if permitted, have kept up his terrain-following orders right across the Grand Canyon.
• The rich uncle of the protagonist of Fred Saberhagen's 1981 Octagon has robot servants that wash dishes and ascend staircases with ease, a robovac that's pretty much identical to the current ones, and a high-resolution holographic motion-capture system in his office. But the concept of "computer games" is still so new that the nephew can only think of their entertainment potential in comparison to golf or football, and the middle-class gamer geek whose death kicks off the story plots his play-by-mail game moves on a large plywood-backed paper map because getting an actual computer would be far too bulky and expensive.
• Roger Zelazny wrote a series of stories about an agent who was able to 'blank' his existence because he was part of the team that created the first world-wide person database. He did this by ripping up his punchcards!
• The early Kurt Vonnegut novel, Player Piano, feature EPICAC, an ENIAC parodynote that takes up the entirety of Carlsbad Caverns.
• EPICAC also appeared in a short story named after the device (included in the collection Welcome To The Monkey House). It goes into more detail about the computer — gargantuan, slow for almost every task, all of its output was on ticker-tape, and it apparently could become sentient and an incredible poet if the dials were set just right.
• In the James Blish quartet of novels, Cities in Flight:
• Slide rules are apparently still being used for course calculations for interstellar space flight.
• New York City has an AI collectively known as the City Fathers, which reside in a set of self-reconfiguring servers so large they ride around on their own system of train tracks.
City Fathers: We conclude that we are the city.
• In the A. E. van Vogt novel Star Cluster, they are even connected via antennae (radio?) to the otherwise room-sized server.
• In Diane Duane's 1988 Star Trek novel Spock's World, data storage allocation is a high enough priority that changing it requires Kirk's signature. Early in the book, he significantly increases the allocation for the Enterprise's message board, saying that the extra cost is worthwhile. This is shown to be a simple forum and message board. In the same novel, the problem of running out of onion dip is solved by cloning the culture to make more sour cream, but 430 people on a message board can overload their system.
• In The Space Merchants, written in the early 1950s but set sometime after 2010, the Venus rocket has to be piloted by a midget because an attempt at designing an automatic pilot could not be made to weigh less than "four and one half tons in spite of printed circuits and relays constructed under a microscope."
• One famous example of getting it right is Murray Leinster's short story A Logic Named Joe, written in 1946. The story comes close to correctly predicting the use of small home computers interlinked into a global network, along with search engines, parental filtering, using the Internet to find weather, stocks, useless trivia, and YouTube. Leinster even predicts that The Internet Is for Porn. He wins at predictions.
• Lensman popularised most of the tropes recognised today as Space Opera — but when the hero remotely seizes control of the enemies' computers, what he means is that he has just telepathically taken control of a room full of men with slide rules.
• Crystal Singer trilogy:
• Crystal Singer, set in the distant future, mentions the discovery of a crystal that permits miraculously high-density data storage, at 1 gigaword per cubic centimeter. Assuming today's standard 32-bit word length, this equals 32 gigabits per cubic centimeter. Impressive when the book was written in 1982, but less so in 2019 with SD cards having about 100 terabits per cubic centimeter range. However, word length does vary between computer designs and the book never does mention what word length is common in that setting...
• The third novel in the series, Crystal Line, has a scene with an inept office assistant unable to locate a computer file. Killashandra locates it under a filename consistent with the format supported by Microsoft Windows in the late 1990s.
• Then there's Andrew M. Greeley's novel God Game, a rather forgettable piece of fiction apart from the assertion that a computer with a 286 processor apparently can do enough calculations per second to simulate an entire world, right down to blades of grass.
• Although the novel does hint that the computer may be only linking to an Alternate Universe rather than actually simulating it.
• Pretty much any depiction of an artificial intelligence from before the 1960s or so will involve vacuum tubes. Then after that there are transistors. For example, in the original Astroboy, at one point Astro is put out of commission because one of his tubes is damaged in battle and in a later story Professor Ochanomizu says "All you really need for a robot's head is a bunch of transistors". These days, most writers have abandoned this sort of thing, as it's unlikely that even modern microprocessors can support a true artificial intelligence and rely on ill-defined fictional Applied Phlebotinum to explain how their robots can think and feel the way humans can, such as the Transformers' mystical "Sparks" and later incarnations of Astroboy's "Omega Factor" and/or "Tenma Chips".
• In Ivan Yefremov's Andromeda Nebula (written in 1955) the crew of the latest Earth starship compute their trajectory on what amounts to a programmable calculator, but takes at least a large desk and a couple of cabinets. They are aware of its shortcomings and complain that fully functional computers that are able to completely automate their vessel are too large and fragile to be mounted on starships.
• The irony of the story lies in fact that it's an entirely true description of the situation of that time: In 1955 a programmable calculator would indeed take a large desk and a couple of cabinets at best, and the universal computers only just have started to appear and indeed couldn't be put on any moving vessel.
• In Jack Vance's short story Sail 25 a ship's computer's hard disk is sabotaged on a training flight in the asteroid belt. The students apparently have only that one computer on the entire ship, and no calculators or similar electronics — they get home by computing their orbit on abacuses.
• Referenced and royally mocked in George Alec Effinger's short story "The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything": The titular aliens use vacuum tubes to run their spaceship. Needless to say, they're more than a little interested in trading their knowledge of space travel for modern hardware. (As for how they're intergalactic when humanity's advanced tech hasn't gotten out of the Solar System, well...)
• In an odd non-SF example, Rachel in Pet Sematary (which was written in the mid-1980s) recounts a lecture about the human brain's superiority over computers: "He made a persuasive case for this incredible assertion, telling them that the human mind was a computer with staggering numbers of memory chips — not 16K, or 32K, or 64K, but perhaps as much as one billion K: Literally, a thousand billion.". In other words, a terabyte. By the end of The New '10s, you could fit it in a fingernail-sized MicroSDXC card. And we've yet to figure out what the closest approximation to the "storage" capacity of the human brain is, estimates range from 1 TB to 2.5 PB to "not a clue".
• All of this assumes each "brain memory chip" contains one byte of storage. The book goes on to mention the entire contents of the Encyclopedia Britannica being able to be stored in 2 or 3 memory cells. The most recent version of the Encyclopedia Britannica can be stored on 4.75 GB. If the human brain stored that much per memory cell and had "one billion K" cells it would have a capacity of 2.375 to 14.25 zettabytes; close to estimates of the amount of data generated worldwide by the middle of the The New '10s.
• In Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity and Star Light (as in 'not heavy'), the humans in the stations orbiting the supermassive "Terrestrial" type planets Mesklin and Dhrawn use slide rules. "Star Light" was published in 1970.
• The desk computer, not desk top computer — i.e., the computer is actually small enough that it can be fit into an executive size desk. Seen in John Brunner's The Jagged Orbit (1969) and many others into the 1980s. Some computers in the 1970s actually were built into office desks.
• The Adolescence of P-1 by Thomas Ryan. A 1977 tale of an artificial intelligence that propagates itself by way of punch cards, acoustic coupler modems, and reel-to-reel tape spools that necessitate signaling human operators to change tapes.
• In The Pendragon Adventure, Bobby uses a 5000-6000 AD holographic computer. While we still don't have holographic computers, the use of the computer (like an encyclopedia), can be accessed today using That Other Wiki.
• In the Evil Genius Trilogy, Cadel's first major challenge is to make himself a computer phone — one that even connects to the Internet! There's an app for that, but Cadel does it the hard way, developing some new DNA-based technology so that it will all fit in his cell phone.
• In Robert L Forward's Dragon's Egg (written in 1980), at the university in the future year 2000, there are no personal computers and no Internet. Indeed one of the issues is the department has to pay for computer time — one professor even dips into his personal bank account to help a student, which is rather hilarious knowing how widespread and easy to come by computers actually were long before 2000.
• Never mind 2000, you could get your own computer (admittedly much simpler than anything you'd have to buy time on) for less than a thousand dollars by 1980. The savings on buying mainframe time would pay for it in remarkably short order.
• In Greg Bear's book The Forge Of God, copies of the Library of Congress are purchased in CD-ROM format. They are inconveniently bulky.
• In the Gene Wolfe short story Alien Stones, it is somehow possible to determine the last number held in the main register of an alien computer (a bearing). Modern computers have their registers buried inside chips, and the number never stops changing. Also, the computer is identified as the main central computer by the vast number of very fine wires feeding into it from all over the ship. Modern cars eschew complicated cable looms by running a simple 1 or 2 wire bus all over the car, and decoding the messages on that bus using many micro-controllers dotted all round the vehicle.
• Global satellite broadcasting was first used in 1962, but a handful of years later Rene Barjavel has his Antarctic explorers relaying their discoveries to the Trio satellite to be broadcast live on a 24-hour news channel in his 1968 novel La Nuit des Temps (The Ice People). One executive is watching this proto-CNN on an airplane.
Live-Action TV
• Various Columbo episodes feature tech that was advanced or uncommon for the time of the episode, but commonplace today. These include a home video camera security system (relatively common for anyone who wishes to install one now), sound activated electronics (the release of devices such as The Clapper brought that into the home), a staircase elevator for a wheelchair (relatively common in homes with stairs where an occupant uses a wheelchair), machines to record phone conversations (way too common to do this now), a watch that prints the time in digital numbers (for the early '70s, advanced—as of the '80s into today, nothing special), a home security alarm(being a late-'60s episode, something owned more by the wealthy rather than the common homeowner) a cell phone (something of a luxury at the time of the '80s episode, of course- not so much now) and as in the Rockford example above, a computer system that takes up a room yet takes 5 minutes just to print a single sheet of paper containing an employee's basic information, one line of text at a time (again, this was the '70s).
• Doctor Who: In the 1960s serial "The War Machines", one of the scientists developing WOTAN insists it's the most advanced computer in the world despite it not being the biggest.
• PADDs, and to a lesser extent Tricorders, in Star Trek. Device consolidation in the real world has led to tablets and smartphones matching them in terms of computing power, but also adding capabilities like voice/video communications and speech recognition, which in the various series were relegated to dedicated devices or else much larger computers. Often, processor-intensive tasks were performed at terminals directly linked into the ship's computer, implying that the PADDs were little more than ebook readers. They also seemed to have limited storage and no way of transferring data; many a captain was swamped by piles of PADDs. The commbadges were not an aversion. Although they seemed to have limited speech recognition capabilities, if they were somehow blocked from connecting to the ship's computer they would mostly just beep petulantly at the user. Tricorders hold their own mostly in terms of their sensor functionality.
• Communicators in general are in something of a strange place; on the one hand, their closest modern analogues (satellite phones) are indeed more like the classic Trek comms and less like smartphones. On the other hand, apparently that technology hasn't really advanced much over the intervening centuries. In general, the featurelessness of the communicator is seen as a trade-off for its range — reaching orbital ships with no problem unless the plot demands it — and ruggedness.
• In general, Star Trek is in a weird state of Zeerust. Some of it is astoundingly futuristic (for the time it was written in); on the other hand, in a post world-war three post-scarcity technological utopia they apparently haven't rediscovered circuit breakers yet because Explosive Instrumentation is a persistent hazard even in the 24th Century.
• There are some wonderful examples of "what the general public thinks computers are like" on The Rockford Files, gigantic structures full of spinning discs, flashing lights and tweeting sound effects, that can tell you practically anything about anyone just by typing in their name. One thing they did get right was the size of the air conditioners that would be required to cool these monstrosities.
Tabletop Games
• In the first edition of Rifts published in 1991 and taking place about 300 years in the future, the hand-held computer listed in the equipment section is described as having a "dual drive system, 150 megabytes hard drive with 4 megabytes of Random Access Memory (RAM) and uses one inch disk." Later reprints removed specific capabilities on the computers and simply had it state that they are simply a lot better than the ones that are used currently.
• Which is actually rather strange, as Rifts is a sort of After the End Scavenger World where much of the planet is struggling its way back to some semblance of technological civilization in the face of unrelenting attacks by various extra-dimensional threats, and has explicitly lost a huge amount of technology.
• What is even weirder is that the end the setting is after happens almost 100 years into the future, so it isn't that the tech everyone scavenges is from before the disaster, it is that the tech they scavenge is from 100 years before the disaster.
• BattleTech (published 1984):
• It's not unknown for players to express disbelief and/or poke fun at the game's 31st-century targeting computers, which tend to have weights measured in tons and take up corresponding space in a BattleMech or other suitable unit. This was later handwaved as all the additional peripheral hardware required to improve the linked (and heavy) weapons' performance significantly beyond the "regular" universe-wide defaults, not merely the processing unit alone.
• And they're still unable to hit targets at ranges that pre-digital gunnery computers routinely did in the 1940s... though that's as much a matter of keeping the battlemaps smaller than an auditorium.
• While Cyberpunk does not give stats in Real Life units for its computers and has an Internet a la Neuromancer (contrast Shadowrun, as discussed below), it did not predict smartphones and their ubiquitynote , nor how cheap telephone calls would be.
Video Games
• Ace Attorney is set between the years 2016 and 2026. And people still use cellphones the size of a small notebook with monochrome screens and monotone ringtones and call them "modern". A reasonably modern (by 2009 standards) phone appears in Miles Edgeworth's spinoff, set in 2019, where it's still treated as a novelty.
• Also, Case 1-2 featured a Mobile Phone which would record every conversation you had and store it automatically. Phones nowadays can't do that, yet, or can they?, so it's a bit of a mish mash.
• Ultima VII largely takes place in Britannia, but has a little bit which betrays its time period in the opening cinematic when "you" as the Avatar thump the old CRT computer screen, which has gone static-y. Also in the game the "Save" Icon is a floppy disk — a 5.25 disk, which wasn't even the floppy disk's last incarnation.
• It's funnier, since the game was first sold in 3.5 disks!
Web Original
Western Animation
• This whole concept is lampooned in The Simpsons in a flashback where a circa 1975 Professor Frink states "I predict that within one hundred years, computers will be twice as powerful, ten thousand times larger, and so expensive that only the five richest kings of Europe will own them." This is in turn a reference to the 1943 Thomas J. Watson misquote, "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." (The integrated circuit hadn't been invented back in his day...)
• The transistor hadn't been invented in 1943, either. It was going from tubes to semiconductors (and, once the bugs were worked out, their vastly greater reliability) that made really interesting and powerful computers possible.
• "Could they be used for dating?" "Theoretically yes, but!! the results would be so perfect as to eliminate the thrill of romantic conquest!" Computer dating didn't work out exactly that way...
• Thanks to the espionage conducted by Paul Smart, a super-advanced, AI-driven Robo-Buster X1 was set to put The Real Ghostbusters out of business. At its unveiling, the robot revealed it had an incredible 20MB of on-board memory.
• On Inspector Gadget, Gadget's niece Penny was the one who usually solved his cases, and her most iconic tool was her "computer book," a powerful computer shaped like a large book. Young viewers in the '80s when the show aired (and early '90s in syndication) thought it was the coolest gadget ever, but nowadays we would just see it as a glorified laptop.
• Most of the desktop computers used in Godzilla: The Series are that with the large square-shaped monitors that weigh about five pounds instead of wide flatscreens. The aversion comes in with the palm-size laptops Mendel and Randy uses to do half the tech-magic shown, from hacking, interface with a MUCH older computer, and various forms of remote controlling.
• Late '80s series C.O.P.S. was set in the year 2020. Despite the fact they have flying cars and robots with very advanced AI — the newspaper vending machine is of human intelligence with emotions, for example — and enough medical prosthetic advancement to replace many missing body parts or even implant a brain into a new body (or implant a set of machine guns with infinite ammo capacity into a criminal's chest), they are still using VHS tapes, computers still use DOS without even a mouse to operate them, and cell phones do not exist whatsoever. Much like Back to the Future Part II (assuming they weren't inspired by that directly), they predicted video conference phones would be the common thing.
• In one episode of Transformers: Generation 1, back in the 1980's, Swindle sells his team's body parts when they are blown apart. Megatron is pissed off and tasks him with getting them back, and Swindle manages this fairly easily, with the exception of Brawl's brain. "I didn't think it would make any difference" is Swindle's excuse. Brawl's brain? It's about the size of a modern Desktop Tower. The thing is that back then it would have seemed unfeasibly complex for a computer to be that size while packing any significant power. Now, it's not quite such an impressive thought, even for that of a Cybertronian.
Real Life
• Netbooks started a phase of "small, inexpensive computers for going on the Internet." Small indeed, as they started with 7" screens. However, this is now inverting itself as the concept took off and people were making bigger Netbooks that were more comfortable to use. Netbooks are now, on average, 10".
• Same with the Personal Data/Digital Assistant (PDA). What started as literally, a palm sized computer has marched in the form of smartphones (essentially a PDA with cellular phone capabilities) and tablet computers, such as the iPad. Though with tablets, the size inverted itself since most tablets are at least 7".
• Rules for keeping your kids safe on the Internet usually start out with keeping your computer in a public area. After all, there's no way your kid can drag the computer off to their room — the network cable is too short. Of course now with WiFi and tablet computers, it's all to easy to sneak off to your room...
• A smart parent could figure out the kid's MAC address and block it. Of course, an equally smart kidnote can figure out how to change the MAC address (although this has risky implications)...
• Schoolchildren of the 1980s (that in-between generation right before the Internet Age) remember hearing it: "You have to learn how to do this in your head — you can't carry around a calculator with your wherever you go!". Those teachers — who were trained in the 1950s-60s — didn't realize those schoolchildren would be carrying around cellphones which had a calculator built in — and upgradable to handle trigonometry and calculus!
• Even worse, by the mid-1970s, there were affordable scientific calculators (the TI SR-50) that included trigonometric and statistics functions and were small enough to carry in your shirt pocket, so you could carry it with you wherever you went. A decade later they were operating entirely on solar power. (This leaves aside the fad of wristwatches with calculators at the same time. They worked, but the buttons had to be impractically small for use... unless you were a school-aged child.)
• Modern day teachers, instead of fighting the unstoppable wave of computer-powered mathematics, instead go along with it and allow their use in the classroom as a learning tool. Instead of just grading the outcome, these teachers will have their students solve the problem with a calculator, ask the students to solve it themselves with the calculator's result as a known-good reference, and grade the students in terms of the procedure used to reach the correct answer. On exam day, all calculators and electronics must be put in a corner of the classroom, and the exam questions will be specially designed so that only small numbers will show up during their execution in order to negate the need to even use a basic numeric calculator.
• Higher-level math classes (usually Algebra 2 and above) do tend to allow calculators on at least some exams, and some may even require one. Teachers and standardized test boards can even require a specific brand of calculator, usually a TI-84 in North America or a Casio calculator in Eurasia. The SAT currently has both a "math with calculator" and a "math without calculator" section.
• An aversion: the computers used in the US Space Shuttle were ridiculously outdated technology by the time the Shuttle was ever actually launched. NASA was well aware that a mission specialist with a $30 programmable calculator in his pocket had orders of magnitude more computing power available to him than the Shuttle itself did, but the computers in the Shuttle were known to work, and replacing them (and redesigning the Shuttle's systems to work with the newer technology) was considered to be an unacceptable risk for no real benefit... the existing systems worked well enough.
Computer Speed and Internet
Nowadays, computer processing speeds and Internet capabilities often fall victim to this:
Anime and Manga
• For being humanoid computers in Chobits the specs of persocoms weren't so great. Although very rarely do you hear about the capacities of persocoms (especially Chii) those that you do learn are rather contemporary for early 2000s computers. Could be a case of Alternate History.
• Though, of course, Chii and Freya are packed with honest-to-goodness indistinguishable from human Artificial Intelligence, which still makes them much more advanced than modern computers (as of this update).
• Mnemosyne has a fantastic scene set in 1990 where Mimi says that with a computer this powerful, the guy they're tracking really knows what he's doing. Keep in mind that the show was written in the 2000s, so they were definitely playing the trope for laughs. Although in-universe, it really was top of the line for the characters. Since they're both immortal, they keep up with technology as it happens just like anyone else normally would.
• Played for Laughs in Hi Scoool Seha Girls: Dreamcast can access the internet, but her ability to do so is hampered by both dial-up speeds (the console she represents having been released in the late 90's) and the time of day (she gets the best speeds only when accessing the net at night).
Comic Books
• A minor one concerning Spider-Man character Cindy Moon/Silk. She'd been locked away in a Gilded Cage since the late '90s-early 2000s (or since the days after being bitten by the radioactive spider), thus she suffers a bit of Fish out of Temporal Water when, in her attempt to find her parents, she's left utterly confused at the fact that the last web browser she used, Netscape Navigator, isn't on Peter's computer. Pete also realizes that something like Facebook would be way over her head as it would have been barely started when she was locked away.
Comic Strips
• In Dilbert 2.0: 20 Years of Dilbert, Scott Adams' commentary points out instances of this in early strips. For example, in one '90s strip the joke was that Dilbert and Wally were sending e-mail to each other despite their cubicles being right next to each other. Yes, that was considered funny all by itself. Also, when Adams started inserting his e-mail address into the strip in 1993, it was labeled "Internet ID" so newspapers wouldn't think it was an embedded advertisement. He further reports that much of the e-mail he got at the time essentially read "I contacted you because I don't know anyone else who has e-mail."
• Some of the older FoxTrot comics are susceptible to this. For instance, there's one from the early 1990s where Jason has a dream about finding an unopened present under the Christmas tree, and when he unwraps it he's absolutely thrilled to have been given a Macintosh Quadra 950 with 64 MBs of RAM and a 240 MB hard drive. Those specs made for a nice high-end desktop computer system in 1992; in 2012 it would make for a nice high-end graphing calculator.
• This sort of thing was eventually lampshaded when Jason spends a week (of reader and comic time) drooling over a high-end computer in a magazine. Andy just ignores him. Then we see Jason saying the computer is obsolete, and Peter goes "duh, it's been a whole week".
Film — Live-Action
• The film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower has the song Heroes by David Bowie playing in the tunnel scene. None of the characters know the name of the song at first until later. Today, they would be able to Google a few lyrics or so right when they hear it, or use a specialized app to do so, and know the song right away.
• The modems in WarGames are museum pieces today, but were so cutting-edge for their day that the film was many people's first introduction to the concept. The film even featured the first cinematic reference to the term "firewall".
• In Scanners, the very idea that someone could intrude upon a computer system via its connection to the phone lines seems to be an alien concept to ConSec's security director. He and the ConSec technicians ponder aloud exactly how it might work, presumably because audiences in 1981 would be equally confused by the notion.
• Hackers is rooted in mid-'90s technology.
• The characters are in awe of somebody's new, super-fast 28.8k modem.
• The main characters talking very highly of the RISC architecture (which is commonly used today in smartphones and tablets, but before those it'd faded into insignificance from a consumer point of view for about a decade and a half)
• The "battle of the tapes" scene — nowadays tape is pretty much unknown and they'd be fighting over digital files.
• The conspicuous absence of the Fate computer from V for Vendetta in the film adaptation. Understandably, a computer network where someone can just Google your arse is not going to have the same impact as it did in 1982.
• Back to the Future Part II predicted something like today's heavily inter-connected and information-driven society, but assumed it would be based around the fax machine, not the computer. It also assumed that, by 2015, Japan's economy would have completely overtaken America's. It wasn't such an odd concept at the time; Japan was (and still is) a major worldwide provider of technology and electronics. Even so, it comes across as fairly quaint.
• In GoldenEye, Natalya goes to an IBM office so she can contact Boris via the Internet, and gives the sales rep a purchase order as a rather clever lie to use their connection. Computers using 500 megabyte hard drives, with 14.4 kbps modems, seem woefully underpowered today. Although those were impressive specs at the time the movie was made, the fact that Bond films are always "present day, present time", essentially makes this an Unintentional Period Piece. Then again, the same is true of everyone struggling to adjust to the post-Cold-War era as a new thing, which is a big part of the plot.
• Johnny Mnemonic got the Internet both right and wrong; while there is in fact a widespread data network in the film that is used for information and communication all around the world, the interface to access it requires a (implied very expensive) virtual reality rig and is impractical at best — and despite the fact that such a graphically intense interface would require a massively wide data pipe just to work, a huge deal is made of ferrying a couple hundred gigabytes from one place to another. And then, despite all this, the spreading of pirate information from the LoTek — who would surely be able to steal the 3D-Internet technology — happens by analog TV transmission.
• Kids in America: In 2005, social media was just getting started, yet the students manages to get the news media's attention to their plate. Today, a cell-phone with the ability to film and quickly upload to a social media site, like Facebook and/or Twitter, would've got Donna much faster.
• Wayne's World (The Show Within a Show from the film with the same name, not the film itself) would not look out of place as a YouTube sensation today... but since the film was made in 1992, WAAAAAAY before the kind of Internet traffic speeds that make video streaming a reality, the guys broadcast it on cable access instead.
• A.I.: Artificial Intelligence has Dr. Know, which is a public database that can answer any question you have. In effect, it's a less convenient version of Google that you have to pay for.
• School of Rock: Dewey Finn's ploy could not work in a world with social media. A glance at his friend Ned's Facebook or a YouTube video of Dewey with his first band would immediately tip the school off.
• This is part of the reason the ending to Trading Places wouldn't work today: all the trading is done through automated computer trading rather than in person, on the floor trading, making Winthorpe and Valentine's scheme impossible in the modern day. The other part falls under Artistic License – Economics (since there's no Economics Marches On)-the insider trading that the scheme relies on (which wasn't illegal in the 80's) was made illegal in 2010, with this movie even specifically being cited when the law was made.
• The original Star Wars trilogy doesn't have anything akin to the Internet despite being at least centuries ahead of modern day Earth in terms of technology, due to it being made in The '70s and The '80s. The prequels added a "holonet" which is basically the same thing, though that has the side effect of causing Early Installment Weirdness as it makes you wonder why the holonet is never mentioned in the original trilogy.
• A particularly good example is The Face On The Milk Carton, a baroque horror story/thriller/teen melodrama where every single thing the teenage heroine believes is a lie. The story is the long, painful process she goes through to find the truth... a process that would take ten seconds if online search engines had been invented at the time the book was written (1990).
• The existence of Google renders the main character's job in Foucault's Pendulum (finding the obscure connection between seemingly unrelated pieces of information, using a cardfile) completely unnecessary. Much of the rest of the plot is connected to how computers would go on to change the perception of information, as well, with one character spending half a chapter gushing over his new typewriter that let him delete words at will.
• William Gibson's 1984 novel Neuromancer was one of the first works of Cyber Punk and popularized (or updated) common tropes and sci-fi setting elements like virtual reality, networked artificial intelligences, cybernetics and computer hackers. Today, though, its depiction of the "matrix" as a collection of brightly colored simple geometric shapes seems laughably old-fashioned. The countless sci-fi movies that shamelessly aped the look didn't help.
• The use of Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) is also extremely dated, today it's adapted, diversified, and become many things, including wikis. Always keep in mind that the Internet is a connection system, which is simply better than dialing into a dedicated BBS.
• The infamous "three megabytes of hot RAM" are laugh-inducing to a modern audience who consider an 8 GIGABYTE MP3 player to be one of the cheap and low-capacity ones. Gibson's view of what computers can be capable of is still futuristic, but his prediction of how much actual physical technology would progress became obsolete barely out of the '80s.
• Of course, this beautifully demonstrates how even this site can fall victim to this trope, since these days most people's response here would be "What's an mp3 player?", while 8 GB of storage is as laughable today as 3 MB RAM would be.
• Phone booths are still omnipresent in the novel, since Gibson (to his shame and acceptance) didn't count on the creation and immense progress of cellular phone technology.
• Also from Neal Stephenson, his 1999 novel Cryptonomicon has a couple of scenes showing Randy connecting to the Internet on his laptop with a dazzling fast, state-of-the-art 56k modem. Sometimes he connects with a cutting-edge cell phone modem (which would now amount to a 3G dongle). Said laptop also has a makeshift webcam.
• Most of the time he's using this equipment he's either travelling or in places where the cell-phone modem (still used today, in the form of tethering) is the best or most practical option, though. Lots of business travellers continue to have laptops with modems in them, because there are lots of places in the world where traditional telephony is all that is readily available.
• In Aquila, the titular ship connecting to the Internet wirelessly was pretty mind-blowing back in 1998.
• In Speaker for the Dead, there is a character who has artificial eyes. He explains that he has to deal with a lack of depth perception, because only one of the eyes is actually a lens; the other is where the "jack" plugs in so he can download what he sees. Bluetooth, anyone? These books aren't that old, it is surprising that Orson Scott Card didn't see more widespread uses for wireless. Particularly since he did a decent job at predicting computer technology in Ender's Game. Written in the year 1985, it features both portable laptop computers and the Internet (albeit a very differently structured Internet from the one we know). Remarkably accurate for the time it was written. On the other hand, the author also did not predict the search engine speeds. These days, you only have to wait a few seconds to get thousands of results back (in the book, a search routinely took hours). The trick isn't the speed, it's sifting through all the false positives. Oh, and one character is amazed by such high-tech feature as auto-complete (he had a stroke and can't speak quickly).
• Parts of the Harry Potter books would be a lot shorter if wizards had some version of the Internet or at least if the Hogwarts Library had some kind of magical search engine to look up books on. Hell, if the first book weren't set in 1991-92 according to the official timeline, Hermione could have just Googled Nicholas Flamel (a real historical figure) on a Muggle computer while she was home for the holidays.
• The Michael Crichton novel, Congo, at one point mentioned the possibility that one day all of the world's computers would be connected. It also made reference to a counterargument that there would be no way to feasibly create and lay all the linking infrastructure, the advent of wireless communication was completely overlooked.
• Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series: The first stage of Hari Seldon's plan involves publishing an encyclopedia, with updates every ten years, which seems a little quaint from a post-Internet point of view. Later books in publication order catch on to the idea of The Wiki Rule just before the invention of the internet.
• Paula Danziger:
• PS Longer Letter Later (1998) and Snail Mail No More (2000), co-written with Ann M. Martin, both date themselves just by the use of letters. The books are a series of letters between friends Tara Starr and Elizabeth after Tara moves away. The second novel introduces e-mail (hence the title), but is still dated, since it came out when e-mail and the Internet were still relatively new technologies. Nowadays they would probably use social networking sites, cell phones, or even video messaging.
• "This Place Has No Atmosphere" is even funnier on this score. Written in 1986, set in 2057, this book features a society where people live in malls and on the moon, take classes in ESP and telekinesis, get their music by video disks and holograms and watch TV on their watches, and write letters home to update their family with how it's going on the moon. An amusing interlude features the main character practicing writing backwards during downtime in class, and she notes that this is what she usually does at school when the projector breaks down. One of the overall themes of the book (mused upon by the main characters when putting together a school production of "Our Town") is that while times change, people are about the same as they have always been.
• Alex Packer's teenage-aimed etiquette book How Rude! may have been up-to-date and devoid of Totally Radical when it was first published in 1995, but by 2011, its 'Netiquette' section has not aged well at all. Gems that come to mind include keeping responses as succinct as possible, staying away from images, and not using allcaps in emails, a common early-Internet practice.note
• 1988's Chess With A Dragon presumes that none of the thousands of alien races who participate in the InterChange have a clue how to dig up the exact information they want from this gargantuan, out-of-control galactic data library. In retrospect, the humans could've dodged the whole indentured-slaves-and-meat-animals crisis by signing up as data-retrieval specialists and using search engines.
• A 1954 story written about baseball in the year 2044 has newspapers as the main source of news in the year 2044, severely underestimating television and completely missing the idea that there could be new types of mass media in the future. The author, like just about everybody else, hadn't seen the Internet coming.
• Matilda: Mrs. Trunchbull torturing and mistreating the pupils at her school remains a Dark Secret of the school, "because nobody would believe it if you would have told them." Nowadays, in an age of cell phones with movie cameras, Mrs. Trunchbull would have been sent to jail easily.
• The clues provided to teams 1, 3, 5, 6, and 8 in The Westing Game, if entered as keywords, all come up with the sought-after song title in seconds with a Google search, usually as the first result (discounting links referencing the book itself). Turtle and Flora could likewise have gotten the answer in a matter of seconds by googling " May God thy gold refine", a quote from the will which we know they remembered (because it inspired Turtle's stock-market solution).
• Done intentionally in the Past Doctor Adventures novel Blue Box, written in 2003 as though it had been written in The '80s. The narrator explains what ARPANET is, and adds that some computer scientists think it might double in size by the year 2000. In general, the book is very careful about writing a technothriller with (by 2003 standards) outdated technology; bulletin boards and Usenet instead of discussion forums, needing physical access to systems because everything is not online, and even having to gimmick payphones to gain network access. The Doctor's computer of choice is an Apple II, and at one point a "meeting in cyberspace" scene is handled through a Multi-User Dungeon.
• The Langoliers: Laurel Stevenson's reason for booking an expensive flight from Los Angeles to Boston is to meet a guy she's never actually met in person but corresponded with through a personal ad in a magazine. The story was written in 1990, so this was plausible at the time, but Laurel's gullibility aside (which she admits to), the internet and webcams have made this plot thread rather dated.
• Animorphs: Book 16 in the series, "The Warning" revolves around the protaganist typing the name of the alien species "Yeerk" into a search engine and is surprised to find it receives one return. Since the book came out in 1998, it's become the object of ridicule among fans for its portrayal of the Internet from that time period.
Live-Action TV
• Star Trek:
• Viewers today tend to feel some dissonance due to the apparent absence of anything resembling the Internet, or even a proper local area network on board Starfleet ships. For example, characters often carry PADDs around to hand to others in order to show them some information, because no equivalent to email seems to exist in the future. Similarly, all data seems to be tied to individual data rods, and whenever it needs to be transferred to another computer, that particular rod needs to be physically moved there. The idea that data could be copied to a server or transferred through a network doesn't seem to exist. Bizarrely, files could be moved, but rarely copied. Thus any given piece of data or software was fundamentally linked to some storage device. To be fair, many of these could be plausibly handwaved as security measures.
• As for processing power, the android Data is stated as being capable of 60 teraflops, or 60 trillion operations per second. In the 80's when Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered, this was 60,000 times faster than the most powerful supercomputers of the day. But by the 2010's, high-end computers have already surpassed 100 teraflops. Since Star Trek takes place in the 23rd century, this means Data (or at least his CPU) is 300 years obsolete. The memory capacity of a hundred petabyte is still above what we have today, but not that far... Data's torso packed up with the best Micro SD cards of 2018 would just about get there.
• Current viewers of Seinfeld probably wonder why George doesn't just ebay that book he took into the bathroom with him at the bookstore.
• Ditto for many of the plots on Friends, many of which could have been avoided with cell phones or the Internet. In one, Chandler mentions the chaos he went through to get a birthday gift for a girl he likes, a rare first edition of The Velveteen Rabbit. He mentioned having to hunt through book stores and contacting the author's grandchildren. Nowadays, he could have easily found a copy of the book on eBay
• An infamous example of this is in Series 2, Episode 8 - The One With the List. Chandler boasts that his new laptop has: "12 MB of Ram, 500 MB harddrive, built in spread-sheet capabilities, and a modem that transmits at over 28,000 BPS (28 kbps, or about 3.5 KBps, for the non-geeks out there)". Today, nobody even makes anything with specs that weak. For comparison, a reasonable computer today would be expected to have between 8 and 16 Gigabytes of RAM, 1 TB HDDs are common (even SSDs under 120GB are rare), the number of options for spreadsheet programs is bewildering, and connection speeds today are measured in megabits per second at a minimum. Considering Chandler's laptop was supposed to be top-of-the range, the equivalent today could have something like 32GB RAM (about 2600x more memory) and a 512 GB Solid-State Hard Drive (500 times bigger) with 4 TB HDD (4000 times bigger), and 2.8 Gigabits (nearly a hundred thousand times faster) networking connections are not unusual.
• There are numerous situations in books, television and movies that simply could not happen today because of cellphones, GPS and surveillance/security cameras.
• The season one Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "I Robot, You Jane", which was created right in the middle of the panic that online chat rooms were crawling with horrible perverts that wanted to kidnap you. Then there's the scene where Buffy doesn't quite catch on to Willow saying she met a guy online, thinking they were "on line" for something. Most amusingly, the demon Moloch ends up in a deliberately cheesy and ridiculous robot body to demonstrate how much he doesn't belong in modern times, except that it's almost impossible to pick this out from all the unintentional cheesy and ridiculous stuff around it.
• In The West Wing, it happens several times that a news story is about to break, and a character reports that it has already been published on the internet, which means that it will be reported by traditional media soon - the implication being that internet outlets themselves don't matter and are only relevant indirectly through their impact on traditional media outlets. This rather dates the show for people viewing it in times in which many or most people get their news mainly from the internet.
• In Wishbone, the episode "One Thousand & One Tails" features a bad '90s understanding of the Internet. Joe and Sam ooh and awe as David logs onto the Internet for the first time, repeatedly gasping "Go to that one!" before he's even online. Also, the Internet is apparently a Viewer-Friendly Interface, labeled "Internet Online Access" and consisting of a few icons. David accesses a coded chatroom run by cybercriminals by clicking on the oh-so-not-suspicious icon of someone wearing a Conspicuous Trenchcoat, which is helpfully labeled "Private" and is apparently one of only four chat groups which exist on the Internet. He accidently logs into his dad's bank account while investigating this chatroom, which somehow causes three million dollars to get transferred into his dad's bank account. FBI agents show up at their house about five minutes later. Where to start??
• In The Rockford Files 1978 episode "The House on Willis Avenue", Jim's apprentice Ritchie types Jim's name into a computer terminal and a few seconds later receives a huge amount of information about his personal life. The rest of the episode, dealing with a villain's attempt at omniscient surveillance and information gathering on ordinary citizens, is frighteningly prescient.
• In an episode of Married... with Children has Marcy proudly list out the specs of a new, top-of-the-line 486 computer. To show how fast tech was changing, by the end of the episode, she described the same computer as "slow and stupid."
• The "megabyte modem" in the Doctor Who serial "The Trial of a Time Lord".
• In the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode featuring The Starfighters, Mike is shown to be quite proud of Crow getting onto the "Information Super Highway" (complete with quotation marks). Crow's computer is claimed by him to be a "nothing special, basic multimedia package", listing off all of its amazing specs... then spends the entire episode not being able to get online and fighting with the tech support to help him.
• In a Reddit AMA, Bob Saget said that one of the reasons why he stopped hosting America's Funniest Home Videos was that as the Internet was becoming popular in the 1990s, people were finding more websites (even before YouTube) for uploading funny home videos. He felt the show had become pointless and he honestly didn't think the show would last much longer after he left.
• Some of the jokes in Weird Al's song "It's All About The Pentiums" haven't aged well (Y2K, the trademark "Pentium" itself has moved from top-of-the-line CPUs to cheap bottom-shelf models, etc.), but the "Hundred Gigabytes of RAM" remains a ludicrously large amount note , and the "Flat Screen Monitor Forty Inches Wide" is still huge. note
• In the "Weird Al" Yankovic song "White and Nerdy" the nerd sings, "My MySpace page is all totally pimped out/I got people begging for my top 8 spaces..." Not likely these days.
• One can only assume that 50 Cent was trying to make his listeners envious when he bragged his car that contains, among other things, a fax machine and a phone. For reference, this song, "High All the Time" was released in 2003.
• Lampshaded by Kid Rock in "All Summer Long" when he sings "it was 1989" and "we didn't have no Internet".
• Everclear's song "AM Radio" similarly lampshades the trope in its first verse, which is an extended explanation that things like VCRs, DVD players, the Internet, and CDs didn't exist in 1970, and thus the singer had to listen to the radio and wait to hear his favorite music.
• "Computer Love" by funk band Zapp & Roger was released in 1986 and is about falling in love with someone through a computer dating service. Since the internet wasn't commercially available in the mid-80's, the song was considered funky and ultra-modern at the time, completely in line with Roger Troutman's signature use of the digital talk box (a spiritual precursor to auto-tune). Needless to say, online dating has long become mundane and unremarkable, making the song painfully dated nowadays.
• This trope makes the Tom Smith song "Tech Support For Dad" funnier every year, because the whole point of the song is that the singer's dad has a computer that is hopelessly outdated and is utterly clueless as to how to maintain it. Among the cracks are a mention that the computer in question was bought before the Clinton Impeachment Trial, and its owner is still using a dial-up modem (which means that downloading the necessary patches for the computer will take forever).
Tabletop Games
• Traveller's first edition is an offender here as well, with the computers that drive interstellar ships being measured in tons but having tiny (albeit unstated) amounts of memory. A comic in Space Gamer magazine joked that they only had 16K, which seems to have stuck.
• A semi-official magazine, the Travellers' Digest, gave stats for storage in 1987. Tech Level 13 computers use holographic storage crystals that hold 200 million words - up to 4GB or so depending on text encoding and word length. Tech Level 11 computers use optical discs that hold about 20 million words each - less than a modern CD-ROM at the time the magazine was written (considered to be high Tech Level 7 to low Tech Level 8).
• Subverted in the latest edition, which says that any computer that's higher-tech than Tech Level 8 (21st century) has effectively unlimited storage.
• Shadowrun averts this by using a fictional measurement for memory (Megapulses, or MP). When asked how many megabytes were in a megapulse, one of the designers pointedly declined to answer the question, citing the Traveller example in doing so.
• And yet not totally, as the Megapulse is roughly plot-sized and it doesn't always line up nicely. In 3rd Edition, an implanted camera could take high-fidelity video at a rate of roughly one minute of video per Megapulse, or 60 still shots per MP... compared to the tables for program sizes for things like hacking, hacking countermeasures, or "skillsofts" which allow you to temporarily upload a skill into your brain. Given rough comparisons of the real-world sizes of similar programs, and how big they'll probably get to satisfy the vastly increased complexity of the Shadowrun future, well... that's ridiculously wasteful encoding and compression for video, even extremely high-quality video.
• A couple of GURPS books published in the '90s feature flavor text made up of discussions which appear to be taking place on Usenet.
Video Games
• The Hollywood Hacking simulator Uplink mispredicted the future in a telling way: It takes place in a 2010 where a 60 Ghz computer is considered slow. In Real Life late 2010 a quad-core 3 Gig is seen as solid. For the tech-savvy, this makes it a bit of a Period Piece. During The '90s, computing power was mostly boosted by increasing the clock frequency and this prediction was no doubt based on that trend continuing, probably helped by the PC market focusing on the MHz as selling point. In reality, clock frequency didn't change all that much during other decades, and is unlikely to ever grow much beyond current values. For one thing, current clock frequencies are well within the microwave range, and microwave electronics are different. There is also the matter of clock cycle length putting an upper bound on the physical size of the computing device, by speed of light. You are able to buy better computers with space for more processors, in a core-like fashion, but really only for a higher amount of clock cycles.
• In The Legend of Kyrandia Book 3: Malcolm's Revenge, clicking on the Fish Queen's tic-tac-toe board will cause Malcolm to state his idea of a proper circa 1994 PC gaming system. And cordless mice still aren't that common.
• Cordless mice will continue to not be that common until they come out with one that won't possibly run out of juice midway through an MMORPG dungeon/important work stuff/etc. note
• Despite possessing artificial intelligence, advanced cybernetics and genetics, the ability to deconstruct matter and create it into something useful... The world of Fallout continue to use computers that boast a whopping 64KB of RAM and use a command line like interface. This is, of course, part of the game's Zeerust aesthetic, set in a world where nuclear technology advanced by leaps and bounds while computer technology stagnated (the transistor was never invented).
• However, it's also worth noting that the technology is hardy enough to withstand electromagnetic effects from a nuclear blast, as well as last through two hundred years of neglect and downright abuse. Also worth noting is that the primary storage medium is a tape that can be used to hold anything from an audio recording to programming instructions for a robot, and is compatible with practically anything that has some level of processing capability.
• Played for laughs in TRON 2.0, set in the early 2000s. Jet Bradley has to retrieve some code written in the 1980s (after the first movie) from an old mainframe. One of the programs in the mainframe starts commenting on the specs, which were state-of-the-art in the mid-'80s, but a handheld console would be embarrassed to have them these days.
I-NO: EN12-82, top of the line mainframe. Capable of 16 bit processing, full monochromatic display support, and a local storage of 128MB! I challenge you to find a more robust system!
• Becomes a minor Tear Jerker later on when the mainframe is on the verge of breakdown due to the protagonists' actions and I-NO decides to stay behind and face deresolution claiming that the modern computing world has no place for an obsolete program like him.
• Spoofed in this flashback in Penny Arcade:
Tycho: Alright. The modem works again, and I tucked in thirty-two megs of RAM.
Gabe: Is that... is that good?
Tycho: Let's put it this way. You'll never need to buy a computer again.
Baldur's Gate is a game I bought twelve years ago to my PC. It came on five CD-Roms. Now, I am going to condense it out of thin air and install it on a machine you would have seen on Star Trek. We are living in the future but I didn't even notice. I was confused by the lack of hoverboards.
• Invoked in this XKCD strip when two folks browsing through old magazines find advertisements for woefully outdated '90s-era computers... and the more or less unchanged Texas Instruments graphing calculator. note
"OK, what the hell, TI?"
"Maybe they cost so much now because there's only one engineer left who remembers how to make displays that are that crappy."
• Also played with in that strip because the Texas Instruments graphing calculators sold the early-to-mid-'90s had a processor designed for general purpose computing, were capable of very limited networking (which wasn't a given with computers back then), came with a BASIC interpreter, and could be programmed to do things you wouldn't expect a calculator to be capable of (like play Tetris). They were some of the first truly inexpensive mobile computers and are still useful because most modern computers usually don't come with equation solving mathematics software.
Western Animation
• On an episode of the cartoon Birdz, Eddie Storkowitz has to explain e-mail to his friends. In 1998.
• Lampshaded in several jokes about the Internet in Futurama:
• That it took Farnsworth years to log onto AOL (AOL!), which is accompanied by dial-up noises. That the future Internet is pretty much virtual reality is a borderline example, as it's not impossible at this point but VR never quite took off despite ITS hype in the '90s. Plus there's a joke about having to wade your way through hordes of flying pop-ups ("My God! It's full of ads!") which is less of a problem for most websites today, as they realized that people just don't click on those things. (Or, more likely, have at least one and probably at least two popup blockers, in the browser itself and a script-blocking addon)
• That it takes Farnsworth years to logon to AOL is a reference to an actual phenomenon. Back when most everybody was on dialup, you only received a certain allocation of hours per month in order to keep network load within reasonable limits. Eventually AOL abandoned this and permitted users to remain logged on as long as they wanted. While this was great for users who could get a connection, AOL's network hit capacity very quickly and people had to wait in a queue for long periods of time- hours, even- for enough users to log off. This was exacerbated by the fact that, freed of limits, many people simply remained logged in to AOL 24/7 so they wouldn't have to wait!
• In an early, promotional interview for the series with Wired magazine, Matt Groening made some jokes about how his vision of the future was actually a lot like the present in many ways, including crime still being prevalent, politics still being crooked, and "the Internet is still slow."
• Parodied when, in his first appearance, Richard Nixon's Head made a joke about computers being twice as fast as they were in 1973. He said this in the year 3000.
• In one episode, the crew are playing an online game and Farnsworth tells them to get off the internet so he can use the phone.
• Lampshaded to hilarious effect in Megas XLR, with the '50-era Area 50 robot's boast "There is no way you can defeat the superior power of my massive 56 Kilobyte processor!note " This giant robot also ran on magnetic tape reels.
• The Simpsons
• "Homer Goes to College" – From 1993, it had the series' first reference to the then-novel medium of the Internet, nerds Doug, Benjamin and Gary use a phone line to hook up their computers to connect to the Internet (dial-up, which was state-of-the-art at the time) and engage in a newsgroup discussion about Star Trek.
• "You Only Move Twice" – Originally aired in 1996, the Simpson family moves to a planned community called Cypress Creek. One example of how advanced the town is is the fact that its elementary school has its own website, which few real-life schools had at the time. On the episode's DVD Commentary, Simpsons writer Josh Weinstein says this is one of the most dated jokes they've ever done.
• "Half-Decent Proposal" (2002) – Artie Ziff has become fabulously rich with a device that converts the sound of a modem dialing into soothing music. No wonder Ziff had hit the skids by his next appearance.
• In Family Guy, an in-universe example occurs with Quagmire believing that as of 2009, the Internet was still incredibly slow and only used solely by nerds, only to be informed that's no longer true, in addition to the ridiculous amount of pornography that can be found online. When he's next seen finally venturing outside of his house several days later, he's clearly not slept, is severely dehydrated and has the left arm of a bodybuilder.
• Lampshaded by Randy in the Whole Plot Reference/Homage-episode "Trust No One" in Godzilla: The Series. He waxes poetic on how the 1940s/1950s transistor computer shown is a classic, and then notes that his wristwatch has more memory than it does.
• An episode of The Venture Bros. centers around the Venture Compound's superscience computer systems misunderstanding a problem and deciding to begin World War III... by dialing up the Pentagon on a 1200 baud modem. After the 3rd line-noise disconnect the characters decide that, while the problem is real, they probably have some time to sort it out.
Real Life
• NASA still uses old fashioned DOS systems and computer chips with a few hundred megabytes of RAM for their spacecraft. Huh.
• Should be noted this only applies to critical systems of the spacecraft or satellite in question. Mission control is up to date (where permitted) and when the scientists need to do actual work, they do it on modern laptops.
• Any space mission has good reason to use rather primitive systems. Satellites and space probes have to operate for years, and the last maintenance most of them get is right before launch. Space is a really harsh place, so the hardware has to be as rugged as possible — much easier to do when a system is kept simple. Programming and testing these systems is much more straightforward, and sending equivalently shorter commands is faster, more accurate, and more reliable, especially when the distant end is millions of miles away. Upgrading the system would cost a lot (and NASA is often subject to budget cuts), mostly due to the exponentially increased time required to test every single potential problem — problems that will prove fatal out in space.
• A lot of NASA's spacecraft are built with off-the-shelf equipment left over from previous missions (as spares, test articles, etc.). The space shuttle Endeavour, built as the replacement for Challenger, was almost entirely made of spare parts. To save both time and money, they use what's already been paid for, even if it is a little more primitive.
• To get a sense of how "behind the times" NASA is with selecting their parts, the Mars Curiosity Rover, launched in 2011, has a PowerPC-750 based CPU, 256MB of RAM, and 2GB of flash memory. This is slightly better than the original Apple iMac released in 1999. On the other hand, it's now into year 7 of it's two year mission and still working. How many of your devices do you still have that are seven years old? And how many of them are likely to have still been working after being shot 350 million miles into space?
• Similarly, nuclear power stations take a long time to update their controls software. Even hardware is rarely updated with new wiring on top of or combined with old wiring to build in additional levels of redundancy and security. Considering that, barring a complete shutdown and removal of all potentially radioactive material, the monitoring instruments and controls of a nuclear plant can never be turned off this is a good thing. Some plants refuse to upgrade, fearing that even the slightest error would cause a catastrophe.
• Even more similarly, software. For instance, a lot of math based libraries for Python are based on the very old and "obsolete" Fortran and Pascal. They haven't updated the software because they have years and years use and acceptance. And plenty of other companies don't update old code unless it's absolutely necessary for this very reason.
• This is called "library code"; it's code that has been tested and works for the application it's used for. Many languages have libraries that are decades old so they don't have to reinvent the virtual wheel.
• Also, FORTRAN is still in use for scientific programming. Yes, it's old. Yes, it's kind of clunky at dealing with things like text. But for pure number-crunching, it can be orders of magnitude faster than more modern languages ... programmers have had a long time to work on the optimizers, so optimized FORTRAN code will probably be faster than even assembly language except for the most basic tasks.
• And even some businesses. It would cost more to train the IT department (who has probably documented all issues for the past 20+ years) and the normal users of the program than it would to just keep the old system. Upgrading hardware doesn't tend to be an issue thanks to DOSBox and virtual machines now able to run on consumer level computers (unless you happen to need DOS to drive some ancient hardware that uses a connector that no longer exists on modern computers). But so help you if your entire system was on a PDP-8.
• IBM mainframes address this by having their OSes be entirely binary-compatible with their predecessors: It is possible to take a program written in 1970 on an 8-bit System 360 mainframe, and run it on a modern zSeries mainframe with almost no changes, and it is also possible to take a program written in 1990 on an AS/400 server and put it with no changes at all on a modern POWER7 server running the IBM i OS.
• In the early 1990s there were several big news stories about people who had heart attacks, strokes, etc and were saved by their online friends who called the person's home police department. The Internet is so prevalent today that while these stories can still make news, they aren't such a big deal anymore. And lots of old people get cellphones so that they can make their own 911 calls when they've fallen and they can't get up.
• Most of the world's embedded devices (more basic than your cellphone), either uses Intel's 186 (1982), Intel's 8051 (1982) Freescale's 68MC000 (based on the Motorola 68000 from 1979), Zilog Z80 (1976), MOS 6502 (1975), and various 8-bit micro-controllers from PIC, AVR, etc. Why? Because they don't need features of a modern processor, they're simple to program, and they tend to use a lot less power (important for a sensor that needs to stay out for weeks without intervention). ARM has come out with cheap yet effective 32-bit micro-controllers, but it also comes with the complexities of such, so the 8-bit/16-bit guys will still be around for a while.
• Anyone remember the modem dialtone?
• Fax machines don't seem to be going away just yet...
• Linguists — not that long ago — wondered where the various branches of English would go. Some people said that within 200 years or so, British and American English will have little in common. However, this was mostly said by aging linguistics scholars in the 1980s. Then the Internet came along, and we're talking to each other, watching each other's TV programs, talking live to each other on headsets as we play World of Warcraft... and it seems English is moving closer together rather than apart. Almost all similar languages are experiencing this now.
• The same effect is intensifying the pressure against minority languages. Except for those groups that are intentionally insular (living among people who speak a different mother tongue, but not with them) many minority language groups are finding themselves dying out faster than ever.
• Rather weirdly, branches of major languages are coming closer due to modern media (albeit slowly, as the German spoken in Vienna has plenty of different words and a funny pronunciation compared to Standard German), while languages who evolve apart from modern media (regional dialects which are not taught in school and do not creep into TV or newspaper speech) are going away from standard language. Centralized school systems prior to 1980 forced the standard language on all social groups in a country, which no longer happens.
• The California Science Center in Los Angeles was originally built in 1913, and a massive expansion was done in 1998. The museum's technology exhibit seemingly hasn't been updated since that renovation — every screen in the exhibit hall is a cathode-ray tube, the CPU on display is an ancient Pentium, the description of e-mail and the Internet is highly archaic, and no discussion of video games at all. The transportation exhibit is just as outdated; the exhibit's example of clean transportation is a fuel-cell car (touted as the future in the 1990s) instead of a more realistic electric car (the problems with fuel cell vehicles haven't been solved, and electric vehicles are much more common now). However, given the speed at which technology advances, it may be unfeasible to keep updating these two exhibits, though an update once every five years should be enough.
• Now that the world has fully embraced digital technology, anything that has the characteristics of analog medium (static, uneven synching of video, etc.) seems out of place.
• It used to be that computers that people would normally used were dumb terminals that had to connect to a mainframe or servers as the "micro computer" or personal computer hadn't taken off yet (mostly because it was slow). Once hardware got powerful enough for a personal computer, this idea started to fade out. But now this is inverting itself as Internet speeds got fast enough. With "Cloud computing", a basic computer could have expanded storage to even playing high-end games like Crysis over an Internet browser.
• There's an Internet exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry featuring a timeline of important events contributing to development of computers—and its most recent date is in 1999. As one could imagine, many elements of the exhibit are quite behind the times, such sections extolling the then-new wonders of downloading image and picture files from the Internet. To modern visitors, the whole thing feels like huge Captain Obvious.
• Internet cafes. While they were somewhat common in the late '90s to early 2000s as Wi-Fi wasn't as readily available, the idea of needing to go to a public space and pay per hour just to go on the Internet on what is basically a public terminal seems odd and outdated, at least in developed nations where computers are relatively affordable and home internet service readily available. Unless you're geeky enough to go for, or you have home internet limitations.
• Looking at the website for the movie Space Jam, which for some reason has been up since 1996, is like observing a time capsule of website design from the mid-'90s. Frames, repetitive background artwork, simplistic layouts, animated GIFs with few colors and frames of animation, the works. See it here.
• The same can be said for the homepage for the libpng library, and its sub-pages. It even still has a Yahoo! search field (Google didn't even exist back when the page was created.)
• The rise of online dating sites, social networking, and smartphone apps have had a negative affect on gay bars and bathhouses. Once considered sanctuaries of the community, they've been on the decline as GLBT people are less likely to feel the need to segregate themselves and endure "the scene" in order to socialize and find a mate. It can get annoying, however, if one actually enjoys going to such places...only to find everyone glued to their phones browsing Grindr.
• Those who grew up with old 486 or XT computers might recall that some of them had a feature known as a 'Turbo' button, which would decrease the clock speed. One reason for this, rather than keeping the processor buzzing at its maximum speed all the time, was that certain programs, especially video games, were coded to run at the speed of the computer's clock. For example, The Oregon Trail for DOS will now instantaneously zip through most of the game, bypassing most of the messages and making hunting an impossible feat. Fans of older DOS games can now use programs like DOSBox to run them and adjust the clock speeds manually, but without such tools, many games are simply unplayable.
• DSL. While it was state-of-the-art at the Turn of the Millennium, because it was (and still is) faster than 56K dial-up, it has largely been superseded by true broadband Internet from a cable, satellite, or fiber provider (which is much faster). Nowadays, the only people that use DSL are people who live in very remote, rural areas, where cable and fiber Internet are not available (if they're unwilling to put up with the latency issues of satellite Internet), people from low-income households that literally can't afford to get anything faster (or else they would), and (generally older) people who use the Internet sparingly and thus don't feel a need to pay more money for broadband.
• Webpages from the Turn of the Millennium tend to look clunky and dated today, because of the proliferation of higher-speed Internet, as well as improvements in web-design technology.
• Inverted, this iteration of the trope was an issue in the unsuccessful plagiarism lawsuit over Trouble with the Curve. The plaintiff argued that the first draft of the film's script was supposedly written and set in 1995, yet, among other oddities, had one of its baseball-scout characters keep real-time track of scores of other baseball games using his wireless laptop.note
Storage Devices
It is several decades ago by now, but the effect the invention of IC chips had on storage is more profound than its effect on the processing of data. Before IC chip memory, every single bit of RAM had to be built manually, which made the very idea of storing large amounts of data electronically pretty much absurd; if a computing device in fiction back then could store much data, it was probably a full-blown AI. When IC chip memory came into general use, memory size became very firmly hitched to the Moore's Law rocket, and since then the sky is no longer the limit. Current trends of solid-state hard drives (which as flash drives are just another application of IC chips) replacing magnetic disks may be the final step in which older types of memory are replaced.
Anime & Manga
• People use floppy disks all the time in Mobile Fighter G Gundam.
• A.I. Love You has the protagonist getting worked up over the prospect of having a computer with one gigabyte of storage space on the hard disk.
• Cowboy Bebop: Faye Valentine's home videos in the 2000s were taped on Betamax. 54 years later, she has to resort to raiding an abandoned museum to find a working machine to play them on — whereas VHS machines are still ubiquitous and readily available second-hand. Even in 1998, when Cowboy Bebop was released, Betamax machines were becoming scarce; while Sony managed to keep the format on life support in Japan until 2002, pretty much everyone had moved on long before that. VHS remained popular for longer, but video tape of all varieties has lost ground to other media, and the last manufacturer of new VHS machines desisted in 2016. It's likely that by the time of the series VHS and Betamax will be equally obsolete, and the distinction of interest only to historians.
• Yu-Gi-Oh!: KaibaCorp is one of the largest companies in the world, and their supercomputers use floppy disks. This comes from the same company that has machines that can project holograms and other highly advanced technology.
• Pokémon has a character in the Advanced Challenge season's Castform showcase episode use a floppy disk to store information on Castform. The episode in question aired in 2004, when USB flash drives started to become commonplace among computer users, and computers began phasing out their floppy drives.
• According to The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service (or rather the advertising for an eighties cryogenic fraud company they have to deal with), the billionth Betamax was sold in 2052. As previously mentioned, the format was basically dead by the early nineties.
• In the original 1992 version of the Sailor Moon manga and The '90s anime, Ami's seminar used floppy discs for brainwashing. Following the Orwellian Retcon in the Updated Re-release of the manga, Act 2 of Continuity Reboot Sailor Moon Crystal uses a CD-ROM.note
Comic Books
• Attempts to update Transformers cassetticons such as Frenzy, Rumble and Lazerbeak have always been difficult, but in More Than Meets the Eye, Roberts uses Rewind (an Autobot cassetticon) to suggest that such characters are adept at data storage and change into giant immobile USB sticks, and that before the war they were considered second-class-citizens — Chromedome comments that "You might as well be a Mono-Former" which is a Transformer who doesn't transform at all. Honestly, it's not really any worse than such characters previously being flying cassette tapes and boom-boxes.
• Their size (about 6-7 feet) as compared to today's tiny but high-capacity USB sticks is balanced out by it being implied that they can record, store and re-edit a whole lifetime's worth of data perfectly as opposed to a normal Cybertronian whose memory is about the quality of a standard human's.
• Minor character and technician Mainframe (who's implied to turn into a computer) has it noted in his bio that he can store 200,000 megabytes of data. None too shabby in 1990, but in modern terms, that makes him about 2/5 of a PS4.
Film — Live-Action
• In 2001: A Space Odyssey, when Hal detects a fault on the AE-35 unit, Dave requests hard copy of that information. Hal produces a punched card - a technology that would vanish almost completely by the early 1980s.
• It's a little strange seeing Timmy and Lex flip out at the sight of the CD-ROM inside the Jeeps in Jurassic Park.
Lex: Wow! An interactive CD-ROM!
• According to Back to the Future Part II, the LaserDisc format will have just gone out of style in 2015.
• All future fashions and inventions were a joke, with writers and director aware that technology was moving fast and trying to make a joke out of it by going much further than anybody expected technology to go - the irony being that they probably came closer than many other movies.
• The forgettable and all-but-forgotten 2001 film One Night at McCool's features numerous characters oohing and awwing over the fact that one of the characters owns... a DVD player. It'd be a minor thing, but the movie just keeps harping on it, with two characters even deciding to rob the DVD player owner's house, and arguing heatedly about who get to keep this fine luxury item. This was bordering on dated even in 2001, when DVD players were falling rapidly in price. Might have made more sense circa '97-98 when they were still very new.
• Johnny Mnemonic, a 1995 film set 20 Minutes into the Future (in 2021) in which the protagonist sacrifices his long term memory to be able to transport 80Gb of data in his head, 160 if he uses a doubler. He finally squeezes 320, but spends the rest of the film having seizures and headaches and dying because of it. J-Bone also urges people to get their VCRs ready to record the story's MacGuffin from their pirate TV broadcast.
• The original short story, written in the '80s by the same author as Neuromancer below, the units were megabytes.
• Then there's the concept of a "doubler" itself. Compression algorithms are ubiquitously incorporated into most modern file formats, which are stored on cavernous drives where a handful of bytes either way doesn't matter; young computer users have probably never even used external compression software (besides the convenience of zipping an archive into "one file"), let alone considered the then-staggering performance tradeoff of compressing an entire drive.
• Peter's floppy disc with the virus in Office Space.
• Records of Mugatu's attempted assassinations are stored on a zip disk in Zoolander.
• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope: As was lampshaded by Irregular Webcomic! here, "We have the ability to destroy a planet and tape is the best backup medium we have?"
• This is a case of Reality Is Unrealistic as tape is still very much used in areas that require storage for MASSIVE amounts of data. While it is much slower than more modern methods, it can hold much more, and for security reasons, if someone were to hack into the system, it would take them much longer to steal/destroy the data than it would on modern methods.
• Also, the Death Star plans are treated throughout most of the film as a physical object, even though an early line of Darth Vader's dialogue indicates that they were "beamed to this ship by Rebel spies". In the subsequent quest to recover the plans, nobody ever seems to even consider the idea that the files might have been transferred again to one or more other parties, or copied to other storage devices. (It is observed that "no transmissions were made" out of the Tantive IV, but after they reached the planet all bets should have been off.) Instead they focus recovering the specific droids believed to have the plans stored in their memory.
• Hilariously (one must wonder whether it was intentional), while the unit handed to the Rebels in Rogue One looks like a rather flimsy circuit board, the original Imperial storage unit appears very similar to a VHS cassette.
• The makers of Free Enterprise, a 1998 film, were avid collectors of movies on LaserDisc, as were the film's characters. The movie includes a scene filmed on location in Los Angeles' premier LaserDisc shop, and the long-awaited LaserDisc release of Logan's Run even provides one of the movie's central metaphors. The format was already in its death throes while the movie was being made. By the time most audiences saw the film, it was quite dead, and those audiences almost certainly were watching it on... DVD. Free Enterprise also has the distinction of being one of the last films to be released in the LaserDisc format.
• Used for laughs in SLC Punk! when a wealthy punk rocker in the 1980s brags about his new LaserDisc player, a technology that would very quickly become obsolete.
• There's a wonderful scene in the 1951 film When Worlds Collide: A rocket is built to rescue a small remnant of humanity from the impending destruction of Earth, taking with them the entirety of human knowledge. Queue a room full of people frantically scanning encyclopedias onto microfilm.
• Compare that to the fact that you can download all the text of Wikipedia all for you to do as you please right now. The text of every article, excluding discussion pages and edit histories, comes to about eight gigabytes; on a good broadband connection you could download that in a couple of hours. Want all the pictures and audio/video content as well? That runs to about three terabytes, so it'd probably need a weekend to torrent, and would mildly stretch the storage capacity of a commercial-grade file server.
• The novel (written in 1933) has them taking the actual books with them. They aren't quite as inefficient as it sounds, though... they also function as insulation for the ships.
• RoboCop (1987) predicted several pieces of technology that would become mainstays in later years (notably, the fact that VHS would be succeeded by videodiscs — a la LaserDisc and DVD, and Dick Jones' PDA-like tracking device). However, it also made it a point to show that Old Detroit's police department stored its records on the most advanced technology (funded by OCP) — tape-to-tape reels, which are shown as taking up a massive amount of space in the department. This concept carried over to the 1994 television series, even though the series had a 20 Minutes into the Future aesthetic and computers were in the process of minaturization.
• In Tim Burton's Batman Returns, a big deal is made about the Batmobile having an on-board CD recorder. At the time, this seemed incredibly futuristic; now, after the rise of flash memory storage for music, it seems more pointless than anything else. Imagine the kind of Bat-Suspension the laser would need.
• Hackers, made in 1995, has many examples. First and foremost is that the main storage media is 3.5" floppies. While Dade is fiddling with Kate's brand-new laptop, she mentions that it has an internal 28.8 kbps modem (an impressive amount at the time; for an internal modem, doubly so). The tech-savvy team of hackers mostly have pagers rather than cell phones. And also, the trick of using recorded dial tones to spoof pay phones into accessing pay-to-call numbers was obsolete even when the movie came out.
• In the first Wayne's World, Wayne puts a CD in his dashboard CD player and Cassandra asks him when he got a CD player. He responds "With the money!" (that he had gotten from selling the rights to his cable access show). Portable CD players then were still pricey and status symbols — cassette tapes were still big in 1991.
• In the 1990 film Taking Care of Business, Jim Belushi plays an escaped prisoner. At one point, in a bid to flatter some guy, he acts all impressed by the guy's IBM PC, specifically mentioning, in awestruck terms, its "20-megabyte hard drive".
• Also, the entire plot hinges on the fact that Belushi's character is able to impersonate a stuck up advertising exec due to having found... his filofax. (His what?)
• In Men in Black, K shows J a miniature (about thumbnail sized) disc and says "these're going to replace CDs soon". Not only were mini-discs larger than that, when they did come out they didn't exactly catch on, and nowadays we have pretty much abandoned discs entirely when storing music for flash memory.
• In the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever, made in 1971, the codes that control the satellite are stored on a tape cassette that protrudes prominently in Tiffany's bikini bottom. Today, a flash drive would've been more discreet, though there'd still be the communication SNAFU between Bond and Tiffany.
• Played with in TRON: Legacy, when Sam returns from The Grid and ensures its continued existence by copying the entire cyber-universe's '80s-era program — the most complex simulation his father could construct back then, using every available resource of a massive cutting-edge software firm, stored in a console roughly the size of a fridge — onto one memory card.
• In The Fast and the Furious (2001):
• The main plot is motivated by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew stealing shipments of DVD players. While it was probably more plausible back when the film released in 2001 (though, like One Night At Mccools, DVD players were rapidly falling in price by this point), it comes off as over-the-top many years later when the thieves risk life-and-limb by using harpoon guns to steal shipments of low-end consumer electronics in transit, the LAPD has organized a joint investigation with the FBI and Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) gives up his career to aid Toretto and the others.
• At one point, Jesse (a member of Toretto's crew) demonstrates the schematics of a vehicle to Brian... by putting a floppy disc in a computer and showing him a picture of the vehicle. Most modern software can do this much easier, including AutoCAD (which had been available for desktop use for a long while at the time the movie was made), Visio and many others.
• Real Genius touches upon pretty much every aspect of computer tech advancement, but the climax of the film involves Chris and Mitch sneaking onto an Air Force base to take control over the Death Ray Hathaway built from Chris' design. In particular, they have to sneak onto the plane carrying the laser and manually swap out EPROM chips in order to take control of the laser. These days, if anything, a thumb drive would have been used for the climactic scene.
• Timothy Zahn's The Cobra Trilogy has mostly no indication that it was written in the 1980s... then a character mentions storing computer data on a cassette. On the other hand, still nothing beats tape in the term of the long-time archive storage of large amounts of data.
• Virtually all of Zahn's '80s SF falls victim to this, to greater or lesser extents. Ironically one 1985 novel that takes place beginning in 2016 is the least affected, with networked computers, widespread personal cell phones, etcetera, while ones set 400 years later feature tapes and '80s style computers. When he wrote a 2006 sequel to one of these, he chose to embrace the Zeerust rather than retcon the setting.
• The Novelization of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan features a scene where some researchers on a space station orbiting an alien planet are enthusing over the brand-new, high-tech magnetic bubble memory storage device they've invented. It's the size of a filing cabinet, and stores an amazing 40 megabytes of data. Later Star Trek works introduced the fictional quad unit of computer memory capacity to avoid this sort of problem in the future.
• 500 pages of printed text is about 1.5 MB. Depending on how the data is presented and exactly how big a file cabinet they were talking about, they could a much better data-to-space ratio with paper.
• The Star Trek Novel Spock's World has a scene where Kirk is attending to routine duties, one of which is requests for data allocation. That's right, hard drive space on the Enterprise is so sparse that it take's the Captain's signature to increase space allocations.
• For a storage device of a different kind, some of the Myth Adventures novels show minor characters being stunned by Skeeve's incredible wealth because he carries (gasp!) a credit card.
• An early plot point of William Gibson's Neuromancer involves the hustler protagonist moving "three megabytes of hot RAM" — enough, apparently, to kill for. Life's cheap in Gibson's future Chiba City, but probably not that cheap. At the time of the novel's release (1984), RAM was around $1000 a megabyte — now the price is closer to half a cent per megabyte. Other stories set in the Sprawl feature things as complex as human memories recorded on tape.
• In Dream Park, the Griffin boasts of being the best thief in the world. One of the examples he facetiously cites, to prove his credentials, is his claim of having procured the only existing copy of Star Wars. Pre-digital media and mass-market home video, this probably did seem impressive.
• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of the first murder mysteries to feature the use of a sound recorder as part of the murder plot (written in The Roaring '20s). Specifically a Dictaphone is used, and part of the reason the murderer is found out is that he needed to move furniture to conceal the large machine.
• Rather implausibly, the playback of the Dictaphone is apparently indistinguishable from an actual human voice (admittedly through a closed door).
• The End of Eternity uses punchtape, film — which takes two meters to store a bookcase, and a molecular recorder — sixty million words in less than a cubic inch. The last one would have been still impressive by today's standards had it been recording words as sound, but an attached transliterator is described.
• Arthur C. Clarke's The Space Odyssey Series series makes this list again. In 3001: The Final Odyssey, the current method of data storage is a glass-like block that holds 1 Terabyte. While having it use a transparent medium is still out of reach, 1TB of storage is nothing special in 2012, let alone 3001.
• The Caves of Steel is three thousand years in the future. The first storage media mentioned? Mercury delay lines. How many here have heard of that? The trope is further emphasized by the fact that the technology to create sentient robots with "positronic brains" exists, the technology has been around since the 21st Century, and a robot with such a brain is shown impressed at Earth computers!
• In Gerard O'Neill's 2081, a 1981 futurist treatise incorporating fiction segments, the orbital-colonist narrator marvels over various high-tech gadgets he encounters while visiting Earth. One of these, a "slate" that functions as an e-book reader, can store at least a hundred thousand words; not only is this a much lower capacity than a present-day Kindle or Nook, but it's hard to believe anyone from an orbital colony would've grown up reading non-digital books.
• The novel Jurassic Park has the program which tracks the dinosaurs. It stops counting when it reaches the target numbers, as that is all that's necessary to make sure if all the dinosaurs are in their enclosures, to save processor cycles. This, of course, comes back to bite the heroes when it turns out the dinosaurs have begun to breed. For the time, it was a reasonable, if slightly shortsighted, set-up. For the modern reader, whose cellphone has more processing power than the park supercomputer, it seems mind-bogglingly stupid.
• In Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosigan Saga," books are stored on "book discs;" from the text, it appears that each disc is one book. The text doesn't exactly explain how large these discs are, but given that a micro-SD card can currently hold a large number of books, this is dated.
• Notably, however, the same series has "wrist comms" that function exactly like cell phones...and comconsoles, which are effectively desktop/videophone hybrids. Apparently, tablets and laptops were never really invented in this universe, which is odd, because the series started in the '80s, when laptops existed and were becoming increasingly popular.
• Isaac Asimov's Foundation's Edge (published 1982) has the main characters Trevize and Pelorat carrying a very important historic library aboard spaceship on one disk. This is treated as some major technological breakthrough 15 000 years into the future. It wouldn't exceed the capabilites of a mid-1980s CD.
• In Asimov's The Martian Way, one person complains that his partner brought along a lot of dead weight — fifteen pounds of books. Now, maybe he meant microfilm, but today, a lot of books will be needed to fill fifteen pounds of storage medium appropriate for a Martian colony...
• In The Bourne Identity, Jason Bourne's Swiss bank account number was on microfilm. The 2002 adaptation put it into a special laser pointer because director Doug Liman thought most young viewers wouldn't know what microfilm was.
• Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Even though the Empire and the Rebel Alliance have advanced Artificial Intelligence droids and starships, they use tapes for storing information. This is because in 1978 when the book was published tapes were still widely used as data storage devices.
Live-Action TV
• In the 1980s revival of Mission: Impossible, Jim Phelps' trademark reel to reel tapes are updated to a small CD-Rom device. In the pilot episode when he gets his first mission, he takes a second to marvel at the small disc in his hand saying to himself "Time DOES march on."
• In the commentary to Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge, the cast cringe at the phrase "CD-ROM dotcom paranoia".
• This process is justified in Red Dwarf: Back to Earth (2009), where DVD were rendered obsolete and VHS tapes were phased back in when it was realised that nobody could get the DVD back into their cases. This may also be an in-joke since video boxes frequently appeared in earlier series, which were filmed in the late-Eighties and Nineties. Then there was that time they once digitally stored Lister's mind on an audio cassette.
• Not just any audiocassette, either, they used a microcassette from a dictaphone. These are still around today, outliving their larger cousins, but are generally even shorter.
• Two notable examples from the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997-98. When Angel loses his soul and reverts to evil, the information that Willow needed to restore Angel's soul was stored on a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk that fell between desks. Earlier, Joyce's boyfriend Ted, who worked for a computer company, curried favor with Willow by giving her freebies from work, including a new hard drive with a gargantuan capacity of 9 gigabytes — a tad more than a $15 USB drive could hold little more than a decade later.
• Examples from Babylon 5 (written in 1994-99, happens in 2257-62):
• Reports are routinely passed around on paper. This was supposed to be more realistic than Star Trek, in which paper has disappeared from common use. It remains to be seen which show's depiction of the 23rd century is more realistic, but bear in mind that the "paperless office" has been confidently predicted as imminent since the early 1970s. The series itself lampshaded this in one episode, where a character bemoans the fact that "every time someone tells me we're moving to a paperless society, I get three new forms to fill out."
• One thing that is pretty jarring to modern eyes is the frequent use of Universe Today (a reader-customizable Captain Ersatz IN SPACE! of USA Today), as a print newspaper. A decade later, and print journalism is a dying medium. Whoops.
• In "Deathwalker", Garibaldi refers to a character named Abbut as a "vicker", a cyborg who acts as an all-purpose recorder (Kosh hired him to record Talia's thoughts). According to Garibaldi, the term "vicker" is a phonetic pronunciation of VCR. One wonders what they would have called him in the DVD and Blu-ray era. (A "daver"note , maybe?)
• "Data crystals" are commonly used to carry important data, and seemed pretty cool and futuristic at a time when the CD-ROM was just starting to be widely used and "multiple floppy disks" was still a common storage method. But today, the data crystals are larger and a bit more clunkier than a USB drive, with no clear advantage in capacity over that 21st century storage medium.
• In an episode of the Spin-Off Crusade the entire output of an alien culture was stored on a dozen or so crystals, implying that they have a very high data capacity.
• The original Star Trek references tapes as data storage. The later series, did, at least, take measures to specifically avoid this trope by inventing their own fictional unit of data storage, the quad, and avoiding giving any quad-byte ratio, in the light of data storage capabilities constantly rising quicker than people might initially predict.
• One exception (though it might not be in a few years' time) was when they gave the storage capacity of Data's positronic brain in Star Trek: The Next Generation as "eight hundred quadrillion bits". In other words, one hundred petabytes, which is still one hundred thousand times larger than the average computer hard drive in 2011. Quite brave considering the episode was written in The '80s.
• In the TNG episode "Evolution", out-of-control nanites start compromising ship systems, and Wesley states that each nanite has a storage capacity of 1 gigabyte. Not very large by today's standards, but still quite impressive when you consider that it's all packed within a microscopic space (and that there are billions of nanites, for a total storage somewhere in the millions of terabytes).
• The Disney Channel original movie Twas the Night (released in 2001) has Santa, Kaitlin, and Peter going to the computer store to use a top-of-the-line computer there to hack into the sleigh's computer. Kaitlin comments that the computer has an 8 GHz processor, a 1 terabyte hard drive, and... 512 megabytes of RAM. 8 GHz is just below the world record overclock as of 2013, with 4 GHz being about the maximum for high-speed CPUs, a 1 terabyte hard drive is a stock standard part in even budget computers, while 512 megabytes of ram is below the common stand of several gigabytes of RAM.
• In the Doctor Who episode "Logopolis" the highly advanced aliens who are holding the world together with pure mathematics use bubble memory. As the Doctor puts it, "Bubble memory is non-volatile. Remove the power and the bit patterns are still retained in tiny magnetic domains in these chips!" The writer was a computer scientist and bubble memory was quite cutting edge in 1981. Nowadays, not so much. This still isn't as bad as "The Ark in Space" where the entirety of human knowledge on a space station built in the 30th century is stored on microfilm.
• In a 1970s episode of Columbo, the murderer was a rich TV actor played by William Shatner who faked an alibi using an amazing high-tech wonder called a VCR. (He tricked an acquaintance into thinking they were watching the ball game together at the time of the murder.) Columbo was appropriately awed when Shatner showed the VCR off to him and explained how such a device would cost about three thousand dollars. (Today you can get a DVD player for less than a hundred dollars and that's without taking inflation into account.) At the end Columbo commented that it was "very brave" of Shatner to show him the VCR, saying "you certainly like to take a chance."
• A 1980s episode has Columbo fascinated with a fax machine in much the same manner.
• In an episode of The X-Files, a FBI computer expert tells Mulder and Scully that the information they got from... somewhere would be enough to fill "seven 10 gigabyte hard drives". Not one seventy gigabyte hard drive, no, "seven ten gigabyte hard drives".
• This might be more subtle than it appears. Until the early 2000s, you had to make a rather strange choice in hard drives for big systems: You could go for the types of hard drives used in PCs (which were rapidly growing into the hundreds of gigabytes in size) or you could go for the smaller but faster SCSI drives, which were limited to 10 GB for a long time. The latter largely died out when the former got as fast as them.
• In a 1980 episode of Buck Rogers, Buck is put on trial for evidence taken from a Betamax videotape from 1987. The show seems to have assumed that VHS would have been supplanted by Sony's Betamax as the dominant video format by this time. In fact, by 1987, VHS had clearly won the format war, and in early 1988, Sony effectively surrendered when it announced the production of the company's first VHS-format VCRs. That said, Betamax didn't really die in the US until the mid-1990s, when Sony stopped selling blank tapes for it, and even had one more decade in Japan.
• On the other hand, the tape in question was never specifically referred to as a Betamax tape by any of the characters, so this is probably just a case of the production staff using whatever props they happened to have lying around at the time and figuring the viewers wouldn't notice or care. (Seeing as how this was one of the last episodes filmed before the series was cancelled, it's likely the production staff didn't care, either.)
• This, of course, assumes that the videotape (and the equipment needed to play it) was either preserved or restored in such a way as to render it playable five centuries into the future. Most magnetic media would do well to last 50-100 years under controlled conditions.
• The grand prize for contestants who caught Carmen on Where In Time Is Carmen Sandiego was a desktop computer with an 850 MB hard drive. 850 megabytes. Yeah. Now, those lucky winners can fit their whole computers on USB drives and still have space left.
• JAG: In 3rd season episode “Impact” (1998), when escaping from the Bradenhurst facility, Harm captures a 3.5” floppy disc containing digital photos of the UFO-like UCAV, taken directly out from a digital camera.
• In The Brothers Garcia (2001) George talks excitedly about wanting to give his mother a gift-a computer with 850 MHz, 100GB of storage and a CD burner. Nowadays it's standard for every computer to be able to burn CDs and there are hard-drives capable of storing ten times that amount of GB.
• And now in early 2019, CD burners have become rare again, first being supplanted by DVD and briefly Blu-Ray burners, but currently most computers don't have an optical drive anymore as standard equipment. They're still available, of course, but they no longer have one by default.
• The original Evil Overlord List includes "Any data file of crucial importance will be padded to 1.45MB in size" meaning it could not be put onto one floppy disk.
• In a Season 3 episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Simmons, who is stranded on a distant planet, meets an American astronaut who has been stranded there since 2001 - at the time of airing, it was 2015. He is impressed by Jemma's smartphone, remarking that computing technology had apparently come on in leaps and bounds since he left Earth. When he asks how much storage it has, he's boggled to hear it can hold 120 Gigabytes - a traditional hard drive exceeding 137GB would not be achieved until 2002, and the first flash drive, which went on sale in late 2000, held just 8 megabytes.
In general, the amount of time that a particular storage medium is in general use for music has been rapidly dropping. Vinyl lasted nearly one hundred years before being superseded by compact discs. Cassettes existed alongside vinyl for around twenty five years before compact discs again replaced them as the default. Compact discs themselves were only on top for around fifteen years before digital storage began to replace them. Hard drives (at least on portable models) lasted less than ten years — all modern music storage is on flash or similar memory. With the advent of cloud storage, instant mobile streaming and other technologies even the idea of locally storing music may be on the way out.
• Ironically this is actually a step backwards, since the cost of solid-state memory means almost all cloud storage actually uses hard drives.
• No Aphrodisiac by the Whitlams (released 1997) contains the opening lyric 'A letter to you on a cassette...' Still a great song though.
• Gotye and Kimbra's "Somebody I Used to Know", released in 2011, has a line in the chorus: "But you didn't have to stoop so low / Send your friends to collect your records and then change your number". Even considering the song was about a relationship that was some time in his past, there probably wouldn't have been many "records" to collect.
• Even in 2014, someone who's dating a singer-singwriter is quite likely to own vinyl records, which have even been on an upward sales trend for the last few years.
• Poked fun at in "300MB" by Neil Cicierega, a song in the 2017 "Mouth Moods" album, where the "lyrics" are audio of someone giving a sales pitch about how massive "Three. Hundred. Megabytes!" of storage capacity is.
• Similar to the movie, Johnny Mnemonic recognizes the last player who accumulates 320 gigabytes of data as "The Cyberpunk".
Tabletop Games
• In the first edition of Rifts published in 1991 and taking place about 300 years in the future, the hand-held computer listed in the equipment section is described as having a "dual drive system, 150 megabytes hard drive with 4 megabytes of Random Access Memory (RAM) and uses one inch disk." Later reprints removed specific capabilities on the computers and simply had it state that the computers in Rifts are 100 times better than the ones that are used currently (which is still bad; Moore's Law predicts computers reaching 100 times better in just over 13 years).
• In Cyberpunk 2020. computer specs that are not given in abstract game terms are funny to look at in real-world 2020 terms with decent systems having just a couple of megabytes of RAM and a similar hard disk capacity.
• The song "Mix Tape" and accompanying scene from Avenue Q, which debuted on Broadway in 2003. The term "mix tape" itself is still commonly used, even though said "tape" nowadays would most likely be an MP3 playlist, but Princeton specifically tells Kate that he went through his CD collection and made her a tape, and later on they both mention "side A" and "side B" while they look through the songs he picked. The most recent off-Broadway and touring productions of Avenue Q have changed and updated some of the other lines and dialogue in the play in order to stay as current as possible, but so far this charmingly dated little scene remains untouched.
• In many ways, Avenue Q is a love letter to The '90s. Using Gary Coleman as fodder for comedy was a decade-old joke at that point, and even in 2003 few people were still making mix tapes. They were burning CDs instead.
• In newer productions, it's changed to just a "mix," burned onto 2 CDs, but the lyrics remain the same. Just calling it a mix sounds clunky anyway.
Video Games
• Parodied in Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich, set in the 1960s: Minuteman brags how the Freedom Fortress' computer (which is made from alien technology, mind you) can store "hundreds of kilobytes of information" (the game itself requires over half a million kilobytes).
• And he's doing the bragging to their visiting allies from the '40s, who have no idea what he's talking about.
• Many DOS-era games (Duke Nukem, Jazz Jackrabbit...) had floppy disks as collectible items. (Often said to carry a copy of the game.) CDs were used briefly like this as well before the 3D age took over.
• Done intentionally for some 1980s nostalgia in World in Conflict, when one of the U.S. soldiers shows his buddy the latest and greatest gadget of the day....a portable CD player.
• The Grand Theft Auto series had a history of intentionally evoking this for nostalgia purposes by how save icons are fashioned, appearing as period storage devices that have fallen or are falling out of use by the time each of the games was released: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City has cassette tapes, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has 3.5" floppy disks, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories has compact discs, while Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories has 5.25" floppy disks.
• The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series has long since used VHS tapes as one of the collectibles in its career mode. The HD remake has switched over to DVDs.
• Metal Gear:
• In Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, set in 1999, a scientist stores the secret of his genetically engineered petroleum-excreting microorganism on an MSX cartridge. This is somewhat justified by the character being established to be a computer hobbyist who programs video games on his spare time. Still, Snake immediately knows what an MSX is , describing it as 'the legendary worldwide computer' (sure, Snake.).
• In-Universe — in Metal Gear Solid, the character Psycho Mantis' claim to fame was reading data off your memory card. In Metal Gear Solid 4, Psycho Mantis' ghost comes back to haunt Snake and tries the same trick, only to freak out when he sees that the PS3 uses an internal hard drive for data storage and thus has no memory card.
• Earlier in the latter game, Otacon tells Snake to switch to Disc 2 before suddenly remembering that the game is on Blu-Ray and thus disc-swapping isn't necessary.
• In Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall — which is set in the future, the player happens upon a pile of ancient optical discs that are identified by an older character as DVD re-writables. A brief quest ensues to find a DVD-player in the year 2054.
• In Quake II apparently the human race still uses CDs (not even DVDs) despite the game taking place in circa 2050 at the earliest.
• In a El Goonish Shive comic from 2005, during Grace's birthday party, Sarah gushes about the capacity available to her for photos:
Sarah: Digital camera, a 512 megabyte memory card, and a computer with gigs of memory that we can transfer photos to... oh yes... there will be many pictures taken tonight!
Western Animation
• The CD-ROM in the description was inspired by an episode of Batman: The Animated Series.
• In the Futurama episode "When Aliens Attack", the crew must perform an episode of Single Female Lawyer for aliens because all VHS tapes were destroyed during the Second Coming of Christ. No DVDs or YouTube in the future?
• Evil bureaucrat Morgan moves Bender's entire brain contents onto what appears to be a 3.5" floppy that pops out of the drive in the back of his head when he threatens to expose her affair with Fry in "How Hermes Requesitioned His Groove Back".
• Professor Farnsworth pulls out the holodisk of Harold Zoid's movie in "That's Lobstertainment", It appears to be a laserdisc... four feet across.
• Transformers:
• Any attempt to update Soundwave's alt mode from tape deck to a more modern audio storage device is very likely to be flat-out rejected before coming to fruition, which is odd, since — as a communications specialist and spy for the Decepticons — you'd expect him to keep with the times and alter his alt mode, accordingly to keep from being spotted due to how Zeerust his original form looks. Even a recent toy of his that doubles as a functional MP3 player is modeled wholescale from his original tape deck form. Sometimes he has been remodelled as a satellite dish. Evidently, his underlings aren't as picky as he is. This largely due to the fact that minions that turn into CDs or SD cards is a lot harder to pull off than cassette tapes. This is parodied in a Robot Chicken sketch where Soundwave is sent to infiltrate a science lab. The scientists are quick to laugh at the old boom box. Rumble, labelled as '1985 Summer of Love', has his tape pulled out and dies, and Soundwave's D batteries are removed and he's sold on Ebay.
Shockwave: Request permission to buy it now!
• An issue of the Marvel comic takes the cake, though, by ending with Optimus Prime's mind being copied onto a...floppy disk. A similar thing happens with another character in the cartoon.
• Recess: Gretchen Grundler has a Personal Digital Assistant called Galileo, which was a big deal in the 1990s. Forward to 2010 and beyond, where having Smartphone is Serious Business.
• In the South Park episode "Here Comes the Neighborhood", circa 2000, the kids mock Token for being from a rich enough family to have a DVD player and not knowing what a VHS is. New viewers could soon have the same question.
• Similarly in the episode "The Ring" (the one making fun of the Jonas Brothers) Kenny and his girlfriend are said to be watching Netflix, a statement that at first glance has aged rather well at least through the late New Tens, until it's shown that this means DVDs delivered in red envelopes. Yeah, remember when that was Netflix?note
• Arthur used the record player joke in the episode where Francine plays Thomas Edison in a school play.
Mr. Ratburn: Thomas Alva Edison invented the phonograph. (deadly silence) The ... record player? (more silence) It was before CDs. Plastic hadn't been invented yet.
• Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law parodies this trope as it applies to The Jetsons. When they come back from the "magnificent far-off year of 2002" (as Harvey glances at his 2004 desk calendar) to sue the people of the past for ruining the environment, they bring evidence in the "futuristic" form of punch cards and a Betamax tape.
• An episode of The Magic School Bus features a lesson on how computers work. The disc being used is a floppy disc.
Real Life
• In both reality and in fiction, a physical Porn Stash of videos and magazines is an Unintentional Period Piece. These days people buy a USB storage device or keep it buried on their hard drive — or just leave it all on the Internet and bookmark it.
• Video especially. Each physical format had a narrow window between invention and obsolescence.
• Anyone remember Digital Audio Tape? Thought not. Think of them as digital 8-track tapes... Oh, you don't remember 8-tracks? DAT seemed to be around in the early 1990s in radio/audio, as a more stable digital recording format than CDs, which tended to scratch and skip. DATs were replaced by minidiscs. Oh, forget it...
DAT and MD (MiniDisc) hit the market at roughly the same time. DAT died fairly swiftly in the consumer-audio world due to the RIAA throwing a hissy-fit over how its ability to make perfect bitwise copies would promote piracy (sound familiar) and threatening lawsuits if it was marketed to consumers, but it hung around in the professional-audio world for quite a while, and as a data-storage and backup format as well. The MD, on the other hand, was quite popular in Asia and Europe, but didn't do well in the US due mostly to some mis-aimed marketing by Sony which made people think MD was supposed to replace the CD, at a point in the early '90s when most people hadn't even finished making the leap from LP to CD yet, when what it really was, was the logical successor to cassettes because you could record and erase them at will on a portable device, which couldn't be done with CDs back then.
Here is an excellent video on DAT by Techmoan. The guy has a lot of interesting videos about old tech, especially old audio tech. It's worth checking out.
• A common complaint about "obsolete computer entities we still use" (the fifty-cent term for which is 'skeuomorphisms') is the floppy disk icon for saving. A lot of people probably don't even know what it is now.
• The 3.5" floppy disk, which topped out at a whopping 1.44MB, was briefly superseded by a number of removable disk formats such as "floptical" drives and, most notably, the Iomega Zip drive, which started off with a whopping 100 MB per disk and eventually expanded to 750 MB! Zip drives even became standard equipment on Power Macintoshes and other workstations alongside the old 3.5" floppy and CD drives. However, the widespread adoption of CD burners for mass removable storage quickly put an end to those floppy drive alternatives, as did later USB Mass Storage drives.
• In The '90s, various attempts were made to replace the floppy. Like Betamax, Zip drives, "superdisks" (aka LS-120), Jaz Drives and other removable media all died as CDs became cheaper. Zip disks had technical problems, Jaz drives were expensive and the LS-120 (as souped-up floppy disk) was slow, and portable storage today is taken care of by either cheap USB drives, or cloud-based storage like Dropbox or Google Drive, which eliminates even the need to carry a physical object around. Around the Turn of the Millennium Apple just removed floppy drives altogether, other computer makes followed suit.
• Funnily enough, it feels like optical disks are going this route, due to the cheapness of external hard drives and the capacity of thumb disks. When was the last time someone asked you to burn them a CD/DVD for data?
• That is, unless you work for the US Government or in a high-security section of a technology company, who often avoid the fundamental security flaws of USB by disabling the ports altogether. CD/DVD burning is usually the go-to media since malicious programs can't download without the user or security programs knowing.
• Some Linux GUIs have taken note of this and use an arrow pointing at a hard drive.
• A debatable example happens on Android, which often uses a microSD card as a save icon, as microSD cards have been the de facto standard removable storage used on Android cell phones. However, as of 2014, Google began to attempt to go down the iPhone route of making the phone a completely sealed device with fixed battery and no SD card slot and applied this design pattern to its Nexus phone and the Motorola Moto X. Nobody followed suit at first, but then 2015 saw Samsung's flagship model, the Galaxy S6, being released with no removable storage and battery. And now Samsung had presented its S7, and it has the SD slot back, so no idea whether the tendency will go anywhere.
• Emacs uses an icon of an arrow pointing down at a file cabinet — although any real Emacs user knows the toolbar is for newbies, and that the proper way to save a file is by pressing Control-x Control-s, or Control-x Control-w to "save as".
• Similarly, Lotus SmartSuite, last updated in 2002, uses an icon of an arrow pointing into a file folder. Naturally, in its successor Symphony, ever-state-of-the-art Lotus has replaced that icon with...a floppy disk.
• LibreOffice has also reverted to the floppy disk icon as of version 4.
• Computer Science has a trend on this:
• Hard Disks are usually represented as a tall cylinder on disk activity LEDs. There haven't been hard disks shaped like this in decades. Similarly, some logical HDD addressing schemes still use cylinders, heads and sectors.
• Eventually, hard disks themselves will be this trope, as solid-state drives are making headway — although SSDs' uptake will continue to be limited by the fact that flash memory can't be written non-destructively, meaning that every time you save a file to that shiny new SSD, you're measurably shortening its remaining lifetime. Mechanical hard disks, in spite of those who disparage them as "spinning rust", have no such inherent limitation; especially when power cycles are avoided (i.e., the disk is kept constantly spinning, which is actually easier on the hardware than stopping and restarting it would be) it's not unusual for a server-class hard disk to remain continuously in service for ten years or more.
• Some PCs identify Ethernet ports with an icon showing 2 or more PCs connected to a single line. The bus architecture represented by such icon is no longer in use, and current Ethernet interfaces don't even work like that anymore.
• Virtual architecture still reflects the designs of yesteryear. On Microsoft OSes, A:\ used to be the floppy directory, because the first few editions of MS-DOS had to be booted from a floppy. Because the floppy had to remain in the drive, if you wanted to move something out of your computer you required a second floppy drive, which was B:\; if you had a hard drive, it would get mounted to C:\. Today, floppy disks are long obsolete, but on Windows the default hard drive directory remains C:\, and poorly written programs will often malfunction if for some reason you didn't choose C:\ as your system partition's letter. The convention of having filenames end with a three letter filetype also comes from the old days of MS-DOS, which limited filenames to 8 letters and a 3-letter filetype.
• In fact both conventions came from an even older system, Digital Research's CP/M, which Microsoft copied to facilitate porting of popular CP/M programs to MS-DOS.
• The traditional UNIX convention of putting system programs on /bin, /sbin, /usr/bin, /usr/sbin and /opt comes from the third edition of Ritche and Thompson's Research UNIX, which required four hard drives to store the core system programs and usually had an extra hard drive for user-provided programs. Some Linux distributions have simplified this layout by dropping /bin, /sbin, and /usr/sbin in favor of merging them with /usr/bin.
• Data centers still use magnetic tape drives for data storage. However, that's because it is much easier in general to save data to a long, slow-moving sequential tape than it is to save data to a platter that spins at 5600-7200 RPM — as of 2015, it is not uncommon to see a single tape cassette being able to stash more than 150 terabytes of data. Because magnetic tapes have the limitation of having to rewind or fast forward the tape in order to find the required data, they are usually used for backups and data archival.
• There are other reasons for this besides the volume they are capable of storing. The first reason is simple, a magnetic tape casette has fewer moving parts (just the spools) and has less risk of mechanical failure over time. The second reason is that, when properly stored in a cool and dry environment, magnetic tape will last far longer than other mediums.
• Unfortunately for John Logie Baird, his AVD was a no-starter. Still, recording an actual image on something other than a roll of film was really something for the 1920s.
• Around the same time the leading Soviet electronics magazine, "The Radio", discussed recording mechanical TV programs on the blank phonograph disks or celluloid tape, with sound.
• In 1956, this was the modern day equivalent of a flash drive.
• Never mind the size, note the price — it leased for $3200 1956 dollars a month, which in 2018 dollars is about $30,000 — it cost literally one luxury sedan a month.
• As of The New '10s, motion pictures are still often called ''films'', despite the fact that a large number are no longer shot on or projected with film. Similarly, directors often talk about filming a scene.
• Editing is done digitally now, but we still use terms like left on the cutting room floor. Traditional animation is sometimes still called cel animation although actual cels have mostly been replaced by digital ink and paint.
• The term celluloid is often used in reference to cinema, particularly the phrase on celluloid. They stopped making film stock out of highly flammable celluloid in the 1950s.
• As anyone with eternal (or near-eternal) archive legal requirements knows, in the '80s, it was popular to microfilm important documents for easier mass storage. As anyone trying to digitize these archives knows, these neat, little microfilms are a pain in the neck to use and quite time consuming to transfer to computer.
• Some universities still have a lot of their library information on microfilm, as they either don't have the resources or it's too much of trouble to transfer it all.
• Brazil had a magazine called Revista do CD-ROM (Magazine of the CD-ROM), which had an attached CD with programs. 15 years and 175 issues later, it evolved into Revista do DVD-ROM in 2010. Then in 2013 it became Revista dos Apps, ditching the bonus media for only web and computer journalism.
• In his landmark 1945 essay "As We May Think", Vannevar Bush predicted many technologies we take for granted today, like a desk-mounted appliance (i.e., home computer) that gives the user access to vast sums of human knowledge quickly (i.e., the World Wide Web), and the ability to cross-reference related terms instantly (i.e., hypertext). But he thought the total of human knowledge would still be stored on microfilm.
• Interestingly, storage for MP3 players has actually regressed a bit nowadays. Around 2005-2008 it was possible to buy them with capacities in excess of 40GB; the iPod Classic, for example, was released with capacities of 80, 120 and 160 GB. This trend reversed quite quickly because A) your average Joe from that time didn't usually have more than 4 GB of music in total, B) the only way to achieve this was using 2.5-inch hard drives, the kind with moving parts which don't tolerate rough handling very well, and C) as wireless broadband connections developed, your average Joe stopped saving his music on his portable device and began to just stream it from Spotify — no hunting for your favorite songs, no dealing with a cumbersome file sharing program, no having to put up with virus infections spread through P2P networks, no having to maintain an entire music collection, you just search for your artist, touch Play and It Just Works.
• Until the song suddenly cuts out because the smartphone's Internet data connection just dropped while driving around — cellular networks are hardly reliable with their coverage, which makes the lack of high-capacity storage options on devices without SD card slots painful, especially now that one can buy microSD cards with 200 GB and more — well beyond what any iPod ever shipped with, and all on efficient solid-state flash memory!
• Around 1978 bubble memory was touted as the Next Big Thing. Permanent memory (did not go away when the power was turned off) which was better than delay line memory and Core memory, smaller and more robust than hard disk drives (the refrigerator-cabinet type). But then semiconductor memory chips became cheaper, bigger and faster, and for permanent storage floppy disks gave you more capacity for a lower price. Today (2016) anything bubble memory could do is done better by flash memory.
• This trope is actually played down a bit in real life, since most people don't realise just how long some storage media has stuck around. Tape is often considered obsolete, but it remains by far the dominant medium used for backups and long term storage due to its low price and very good long-term stability. Solid-state storage has become ubiquitous in mobile platforms, but its high price means hard drives still dominate in areas where mobility or speed aren't the main requirements - almost all servers and cloud storage, as well as things like bulk storage in PCs, are predicted to remain on magnetic hard disks well into the 2020s at the very least.
• In addition, flash storage has issues with long-term stability (know as "bit rot"), making it unsuitable for archive storage. This means tape is likely to remain in use in the foreseeable future, even after hard drives have become obsolete.
Computer Interface
Old computer interfaces certainly didn't look like a modern one; computer programs came in the form of punch cards, and they were ugly. It mostly applies to works from before the 1990s.
Film — Live-Action
• The bizarre 3D interface in Jurassic Park that has been mentioned in passing above was a real file-browsing tool made for a custom UNIX distro that shipped with Silicon Graphics workstations.
• When Nedry's seemingly talking on a videoconference call, he's actually just talking to some QuickTime movies. Moviegoers these days are more likely to detect and understand the scrollbars on the bottom of the screen.
• The fact that technology marches on is the driving force behind the entire plot of Space Cowboys. The main character, a remnant of the defunct Air Force space program, is chosen for the mission to repair an old Russian satellite because he is intimately familiar with several outdated computer technologies which are present in the satellite. His fluency in COBOL is particularly noteworthy.
• Whilst keyboards, mice and WIMP interfaces are still the norm for desktop PCs and Macs, Scotty's futile attempt to talk to a Mac Plus in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is now even more Hilarious in Hindsight now we have Siri. Likewise as smartphones and tablets seem to be almost taking over, so is his description of the keyboard as "quaint" (well, almost).
• Much like with Star Trek, the late-70s early-80s technology that inspired Star Wars was hopelessly outdated within a decade of each movies' release: no windowed interfaces, enormous glowing grids for screens, special droids for interfacing with other computers, big flashing lights and mechanical switches. Luckily, Star Wars is entirely focused on old-fashioned things, so the farther we get from 1977 the less the tech sticks out. When you have guns from the 40s, spaceships from the 30s, dresses from the Middle Ages and plots from the dawn of time, computers from the 70s don't stick out that much anymore.
• Isaac Asimov's The Fun They Had mostly avoids this trope, aside from the digital books being on a TV screen. But when the only things keeping school days from being utopian is the computer being large and ugly and the tedious punch cards (the elimination of a facet of society doesn't count, as the main characters don't mind that and it eliminates many, many problems) this becomes a Plot Hole. And the computers are glitchy and require an actual repairman to come in and fix problems. You'd think that Asimov would expect such problems to be fixed by the 24th century in which this short story takes place.
• In The End of Eternity, everyone walks around with a decoder for punch tapes — and no one thinks to put one in a mainframe.
• Robert A. Heinlein's The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress has Mike, a computer that can be programmed from multiple locations!! However, when he gets glitchy, they have to call in a computer repairman (who got expensive training in microcircuitry back on Earth) who can program him at the main computer using the powerful microtools of his mechanical arm.
• Stanisław Lem's old fifties novel Astronauci ("The Astronauts"), set in 2003, features a spaceship's computer which has no textual interface at all, instead displaying all its output as wavey graphs without any numbers or words. The operators must specifically learn to read these.
• Those would be analog computers. Unlike digital computers, which solve scientific problems by number-crunching (not unlike manual computations on paper), analog computers compute by forming an electrical circuit whose behaviour matches the mathematical formula of interest. The output device was typically an oscilloscope or a roll of graph paper. Due to imperfections in the electrical components (in particular, they tend to be sensitive to temperature) the results were always only approximate, but the same is true for slide rules. The number of components needed to do useful scientific calculations with analog computers are orders of magnitude lower than for digital computers, so before integrated circuits were invented, analog computers were a more natural match for manned spacecraft.
• Also the spaceship's computer (The Predictor) is designed to actually fly the ship — until it gets into an Asteroid Thicket and it begins to manoeuver like a crazy World War II fighter pilot to avoid them. The crew has to painfully crawl to it and push a few buttons to return to a normal trajectory. Any computer, regardless how primitive, designed to predict a spaceship's trajectory would gain data from sensors and plan in advance.
Live-Action TV
• The creators of Star Trek: The Next Generation were aware of how outdated it looked by having starships in the future being run by dials, switches, sliders, knobs, and buttons (really, The Original Series has not aged well in this regard), so they decided to invent a new interface by which to run the starships and computers: The LCARS interface. This let the actors look like they were controlling the ship entirely through a touch interface, and that touching the same small series of buttons could read out numerous different functions. The catch is, back when this was first envisioned, Windows had only just begun its fight in becoming the most preferred interface to use for computers, so all the starships and computers in the future are run by what is basically a touch screen version of DOS.
• This in turn, was intentionally inverted in Star Trek: Voyager by history and pop culture enthusiast Tom Paris. When given the task of inventing a new type of shuttle craft for Voyager, he intentionally designed the cockpit with an entire section of knobs, switches, and a flight stick to control the craft with because of the nostalgic feel it gave, despite being pointed out by Tuvok that it was functionally unnecessary since the LCARS was still just as efficient. Paris also included this because he was well aware that the computers could fail, and having a flight stick for manual control would allow him to fly the craft better during an emergency.
• Manual backups only make sense if you have manual flight controls. Modern jet fighters have flight sticks that are connected to computers. If the computers fail the stick won't help you.
• The communicators used in the Original Series were basically a Walkie-Talkie version of Flip-Phones (the clam-shell design eventually became a reality in our world precisely because the Original Series popularized it).
Video Games
• I Wanna Be the Guy, as one of its many nasty and unfair tricks, tries to fake you out with a fake error message. Which is in the style of the error message from Windows XP, which was released in 2001, had its final update pushed out in 2008 in favor of its successor Windows Vista, and had official support for it ceased in 2014note . Nowadays, this trick is hard to fall for; if you purchase a new computer, it will come with a far newer version of Windows with a completely different error message style. There's also the matter of players who run the game with a different Windows color scheme, a different language, or compatibility layers on a different OS line altogether (such as Linux), but that's a different story.
• Several fourth wall-breaking sanity effects in Eternal Darkness are rooted in technology from 2000. The blue screen of death expy is based on the version seen between Windows 3.1 and 95/98/NT, the TV turning off does a mild iris-out like a CRT would, and the video-mode change font as well as that of the volume either lowering or muting are similarly tied to standard televisions of that era. Playing either with digital displays or on an emulator gives away the tricks.
Web Video
• In Caddicarus ' review of Putty Squad, Caddy really wants you to know what the game was released on the PlayStation 4.
"THIS IS PS4!"
Real Life
• Command Line Interfaces (CLI) still exist, despite the fact that only a small fraction of computer users can use them effectively. While commonplace up until the early '90s, they're a mystery to the mainstream world, so much so that some people actually think such interfaces are magical tools capable of Hollywood Hacking. Which is actually kinda-sorta-somewhat true; a well-used CLI handily outdoes a GUI for whole categories of tasks — like, say, making a text file listing everything in a given directory, or batching a hundred repetitive jobs into one single instruction.
• For the curious, the UNIX command to write a file listing everything in a directory is ls > output.txt — Windows is similar, dir > output.txtnote . Handy tip — Shift-right-click on a folder allows you to open a command prompt at that folder... with Windows 7, at any rate. How long before that is declared obsolete?
• Command-line interfaces are still widely used for accessing and maintaining remote servers (especially UNIX servers). These servers often don't have even any kind of display hardware. An experienced system administrator will usually find the CLI significantly more flexible, expressive and powerful than any kind of graphical administrative tool (which by its very nature will often be limited in functionality). A CLI is like writing in a scripting language on-the-fly. (Many Linux/UNIX users, especially those with decades of experience, will also often use the CLI even on their local computers for maintenance and other tasks.)
• Even GUI-intensive operating systems like Mac OS X, Apple iOS and Android will sometimes require some command line fiddling for advanced tasks or when fixing issues. For example, if the media file scanner is eating way too much of your Android phone's battery, you have to open a command line, type ps | grep mediaserver, find the process ID of the mediaserver process, then type lsof | grep <mediaserver's process ID> and delete the file that is hanging the media scanner.
• Go up to a server running a VMWare ESXi host and you may be surprised that everything is operated from a simple text-based menu with an option to access a command line. The justification for this is that the simple interface will allow the server more resources to run its virtual machines.
• Cisco's Internetwork Operating System (IOS) used on their professional routers & network switches is a command line interface, so most hardware resources can go to actual network function.
• Linux and UNIX-like operating systems have lots of holdovers from as far as the early days of Dennis Ritche and Ken Thompson's Research UNIX. The physical terminals, for example, are known as ttyX because the first few text terminals were teletypes ([TTYs) — electric typewriters connected to the system that physically printed out program output and sent key presses to the computer. The idea of putting all executables under /bin, /sbin, /usr/bin and /usr/sbin was because the third edition required four hard drives to store the entire suite of system commands. The dd command's syntax was designed to mimic that of a similar IBM mainframe command. UNIX-like operating systems that officially stick to the Single UNIX Specification such as IBM AIX and Mac OS X have their basic commands perform exactly like the old System V UNIX commands of yesteryear (unlike Linux, whose basic commands usually have much more functionality).
• The pioneers of the Modern Internet as it grew by bounds in the 1990s assumed their children would use desktops with keyboards and mice — that's still around of course, but many people in the 2010s are enjoying sitting on the couch (or toilet) or lying on their bed as they interface with their portable tablet or smartphone through WiFi and a touch and swipe interface.
• Interface changes have rendered a number of programming languages (many developed at MIT for reasons related to one of the things that helped kill them) effectively unusable. A whole group of languages were developed that required a wide range of exotic characters to be typable from the keyboard, usually using a special keyboard known as the Space Cadet Keyboard. This interesting (and obsolete) interface had a total of seven different keys that performed functions analogous to the Shift, Control, and Alt keys on a modern keyboard, allowing direct typing of over 8000 distinct characters (using double-width key codes, this thing produced 14 bit keycodes in an era when 7 bits was the norm). This keyboard was invented at MIT, and was used on many machines there, and the design influenced the development of dense, symbol-laden languages like APL. (The Space Cadet Keyboard dying out in favor of IBM-style keyboards helped kill languages like APL, as did their extreme lack of readability and difficulty of debugging. The poem "There are two things a man must do before this life is done, write two lines of APL and make the buggers run" isn't really a jest.)
• As an example, the notoriously hotkey-heavy and unwieldy (on modern keyboards) interface of the aforementioned GNU Emacs, sometimes called in jest "Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift", among others, was directly influenced by the Space Cadet Keyboard, because its author Richard Stallman happens to hail from MIT. All those escape characters and modifier keystrokes? — there was a dedicated key for any of it!
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Serial ATA (SATA) killed off a lot of connectors. PCMCIA, SCSI, most of the "serial" and "parallel" connectors. Before The New '10s it was common for printers, cameras and other devices to have special connectors so they could be hooked into a computer. Some programs required a "dongle" to run, lose it and your software won't work. Copy protection schemes advanced as did connectors. Aside from Apple, most now use USB and most drives use SATA. Dongles are a thing of the past.
• USB DRM dongles are still a thing — just ask anyone who owns Steel Beasts Pro PE or the FAA-certified version of X-Plane!
• Or any IT support staff at large enterprises who have to manage specialist enterprise software like WGIM Nexus or Intergraph PV Elite.
• A quite common connector-that-no-longer-exists problem is the parallel port, commonly used for printers before USB came along. There are a lot of high-end laser printers out there in commercial and industrial installations that will last for decades (because they were both very well made and were designed to be repairable). The solution is the USB-to-parallel adapter, essentially a parallel port that connects to USB. You can also gets USB adapters for serial, base-T ethernet, and just about anything else you can imagine.
• Ironically despite the ubiquity of USB and the extinction of parallel ports, there are still headers for a standard RS-232 port if you really need one. From 2005 to roughly 2009 mainboards with parallel ports were practically extinct, none could be found in ordinary shops. After 2009, producers brought back the classic mainboard configuration (2 serial ports, 1 parallel port, 4 to 8 USB ports, 1 PS/2 port), due to public demand. This is because their underlying circuitry is very simple — so simple, that college sophomores are often tasked with designing a serial port as final assignment for their Intro to digital electronics courses — which means that if you're a DIY tinkerer or an embedded system developer, chances are that your microcontroller will have out-of-the-box support for RS-232 signaling with dedicated pins that will make it very easy to talk to a computer or other devices.
• Another likely reason why RS-232 ports are still around: UNIX and Linux may, by default, dump out console output to it. Even at a horrendously low speed by today's standards (9600 baud, or 9.6kbits per second), it's still sufficient enough to provide some way to see what's going on in the system. Cisco Systems network appliances are also by default configured via a port that has an Ethernet jack but actually communicates with RS-232 signals, which is used to enter the device's command line when the configuration is totally blank and the network interfaces don't even have an IP address.
• Apple went all-in on deprecating their old ADB port, RS-422 serial ports, SCSI and floppy drives with the original iMac, quickly necessitating the rise of USB and IEEE 1394 FireWire peripherals to either adapt or replace old Macintosh equipment.
• SATA may quickly be joining the list of legacy ports as an interface designed for old spinning-platter hard drives in an age of increasing proliferation of solid-state drives. Modern SSDs are starting to abandon SATA in favor of a PCI-Express interface for bandwidth reasons, which has culminated in high-performance SSDs taking the form of PCIe expansion cards, SATA Express and M.2 slot cards.
• AGP ports have been made extinct by PCI-Express ports, while PCI has generally been reduced to a single 'legacy' port on new chipsets, with various types of PCI-Express being used for the majority of slots on a motherboard.
• Even before PCI, you had ISA and MCA on PCs, NuBus on Macs, Zorro slots on Amigas, and various other expansion card interfaces that were all eventually deprecated by PCI.
• The traditional computer interface, aside from the keyboard and mouse, used to be a huge CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor. The LCD and plasma display have surpassed the CRT. They are lighter, use less energy and can be wall mounted without a lot of hardware.
• It also used to be common to consider televisions and computer monitors as separate devices, with the former being low-resolution and over-sized so that they can be seen from far away, and the latter being smaller and higher-res for viewing up close. HDTV and the transition to digital TV signals over analog has nearly eliminated this distinction, and most LCD "TV's" sold nowadays are pretty much just monitors with speakers, a TV tuner, a remote, and some legacy audio/video ports tacked on. And they can still be used with a computer just by hooking up the right cable and pressing a button.
• Home theater used to be a big honkin' projection TV or a large CRT. Now LCD projectors and large LCD/plasma TV have killed off projection and CRT's. A serious home theater setup can be had for half the price of even the cheapest large CRT's.
• With the old home theater system getting replaced by wall-mounted televisions and smaller peripheral devices, entertainment centers, the furniture that would hold these, are no longer selling nearly as well as they used to.
• Even with the proliferation of modern flat-panel displays, CRTs are still favored by retrocomputing and retrogaming enthusiasts because modern multi-sync monitors don't have native resolutions that must be rescaled to with a major impact on image quality, are devoid of input lag normally imposed by a display scaler, had refresh rates well in excess of 60 Hz long before LCDs caught up, and have perfect viewing angles, among other reasons. There are people who still keep around aperture grille CRT monitors that were once top-of-the-line professional graphics monitors and use them with modern computers in 2016, despite the phasing-out of analog VGA ports on graphics cards, because they're simply better than flat-panel displays at any price today — just ask anyone who owns a coveted Sony GDM-FW900, one of the last CRT professional graphics monitors made around 2002-2003, and a widescreen one to boot. People will still pay a pretty penny to get one in working order, and even if it's $1,000, that would still be a bargain for what was once a $2,500 top-of-the-line monitor.
• Despite all the stereotypes about Japan being on the edge of technology, most of the economy is still being run by older generations who refuse to upgrade technology in a country that is already notorious for refusing to adapt to just about anything. In fact, the country that is modern and on the edge of technology is the USA, and all those modern Korean and Japanese contraptions sold in the USA are just Asian corporations cashing on Americans' undying love for what hasn't even been released yet. This Cracked article has no qualms about shattering the illusions of many a Japanophile of how incredibly modern the country must be by pointing out that most banks do not have outdoor ATMs; many businesses do not accept credit cards of any sort; and most businesses still operate using fax machines, paper, and a good old-fashioned no. 2 pencil. Much like the NASA examples listed above, many computers being used in businesses are likely to be primitive '80s or pre-Windows 95 systems just because they know that the systems work. Whereas USA lives by the adage of "If it isn't broke, fix it anyway because it's old", Japan sticks to the old adage of "If it isn't broke, don't fix it."
• Virtual Reality on a home computer is Older Than They Think, with the Forte Technologies VFX1 predating the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive by two decades, but the VFX1 was quickly doomed due to dependency on a litany of deprecated interfaces. It relied on an ISA card that connected to a graphics card with a VESA feature connector and also hosted a motion-sensing Cyberpuck controller through an ACCESS.bus port — a standard that was ultimately displaced by USB.
• Keep in mind that in the mid-1990s, PCs were already transitioning to PCI to replace the old ISA interface, and newer 3D-accelerated cards like the 3dfx Voodoo Graphics card had no VESA feature connector, only a VGA passthrough, making the VFX1 incompatible with the big push in 3D graphics it direly needed as a stereoscopic HMD.
• Also note that competitors like the Virtual i-O i-glasses! VPC only needed VGA, DB-9/RS-232 serial, and 3.5mm TRS audio input/output connections to the host computer; it's more of a cable mess, but also far more compatible with later PC hardware to the point that you could even play in 3D with it using the NVIDIA 3D Stereo drivers.
• It used to be common for employees in the US and Europe to "punch in" via a mechanical clock (hence Punch-Clock Villain and Punch-Clock Hero). That changed to an electronic clock/computer and the "time cards" with the "punches" became computer files. Some companies even let employees use an app on their phone or just their fingerprints on a scanner.
Other computer peripherals have come and gone over the years as well.
Film — Live-Action
• The C-3PO expy in Spaceballs is named Dot Matrix. At the time the movie was made, that was the most commonly used style of printer in the computer industry. They stopped making dot matrix printers back in the nineties (replaced by inkjet and laserjet), so people who weren't old enough to watch the movie within a decade of its first release likely won't get the joke. (Additionally, "Dot" has stopped being a fairly common nickname for Dorothy, although since she was meant to be matronly that may have been intentional.)
How well does it match the trope?
Example of:
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Emotion Detecting Tech: What Is It? Why It Should Be Banned?
Human emotions are natural and it is expressed through facial expressions along with verbal expression. These two things are automatic. Its computational methodology has also been developed in recent days. Emotion is a major topic in the study of Psychology. The Emotion Detecting Tech classified into three major categories.
• Body movement and Gestures
• Speeches
• Expressions
Now a day, these are processed through technology use. The technology involves three methods and that are Bayesian networks, Mixture model and Hidden Markov models. All three models analyze the facial expression, gestures and emotive speech.
Techniques Used In Emotions Detecting Tech
Different emotions are detected through the integration of expression of text audio or video of a person. And, the process carried out for detection is called the Emotive Internet. The Emotive Internet catches the knowledge-based technique, statistical method, and hybrid approaches.
1. Knowledge-based Technique
Under this approach, the domain knowledge approach is utilized to detect emotion types. One of the advantages of this approach is the accessibility and huge availability of the resource. However, there are limitations to use this technique; just like that, it is unable to detect the concept nascence and complex linguistic rules. This approach is applied through a dictionary search for synonyms and antonyms application and tries to measure the emotion of human beings.
2. Hybrid Approaches
Hybrid approaches make a list of the opinion of emotional words and expand the database to find other similar words with context-specific matters. It has great difficulty in the measurement of emotions of the human being as words in one domain can have a different meaning in other domains.
3. Statistical methods
Corpus-based approaches generally involve different machine learning algorithms. By through, a wide and large set of annotated data is fed into the system to predict the right emotion types. The statistical method is more superior to the other two methods. It has greater classification accuracy than the other two approaches.
4. Other Methods
In addition to the three methods, there are various other emotion detecting tech methods for the measurement of emotions of a human being. The technology is so fast running, inventions became inevitable and its happening more frequently. Meanwhile, technological innovations includes SMV (support vector method), Maximum entropy, deep learning, and many others.
Why Emotion Detecting Tech Should Restricted By Law?
A research center has urged to restrict the use of AI learning of emotions to the various governments throughout the world through its research. The Institute has named the research as “Build in the markedly shaky foundation”. The emotion detection AI-based system is against humankind’s behavior. Although the use of machine learning can easily detect the criminals’ activity and their confession. It is just like a Narco test. Meanwhile, Narco Test forbidden in many countries and without prior Judiciary permission.
The institute issued ban on the software that affects people’s lives to determine their access to opportunities. If it not banned immediately, the job seekers will find more difficult to find suitable jobs. The US-based Institute has all support from the UK based organizations. Owing to that, voicing their protest over the use of this software on humans as it is against the natural laws. The organization, which works for human rights, has also come forward with its support for the Organizations view.
Studies On Emotion Detecting Tech
The research paper carried by various experts’, talks over the growth of this AI technology and its benefits. In that, the experts have mentioned lesser harmful effects of the AI technology on the human being. In its Annual General report, it has mentioned as “If you will, our inner-emotional states by interpreting the micro-expressions on our face, the tone of our voice or even the way that we walk“. Also, “Currently the software usages seen commonly everywhere. On hiring employee, to assessing patient pain, and to track which students paying attention in class.”
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The studies also pointed as “It is the right time to roll out this technology and to safeguard human privacy. Similarly, large numbers of studies are showing that there is no substantial evidence. Meanwhile, people have this consistent relationship between the emotion that you are feeling and the way that your face looks.”
The laws
No country has so far made any ban on their laws regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence and emotion detecting tech. However, when the question of the use of Artificial Intelligence and its bad use on the human being is concerned there is a partial restriction in many countries including India. In India, the use of the Narco Test allowed but it is subject to judicial permission. Similarly, different countries like the UK, the USA, Australia and many other countries in the world.
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No machines or any organizations permitted to carry this work to watch the use of Artificial Intelligence on human beings and their effect. The Human rights activists throughout the world have carried on the protest by the organizations over the issue. However, no concrete law so far made by any country to ban this irrational event.
AI Tech Used By Companies
There are many countries in the world where profit-making companies use this technology in their recruitment process amid huge protests. The companies using this technology suffice that this technology used for the proper search for perfect recruitment. The use of this technology easily catches the micro-level deficiency of job seekers. Since there is no concrete law in this respect, its free use emotion-detecting tech by the companies.
Voice From Media Against Emotion Detecting Tech
The BBC has come out with a recent article publication criticizing the use of AI on a human being. Also against the testing process of emotion detecting tech on humans. However, no other media has so far published any such Editorial or article related to it. The issue is controversial and needs immediate attention to different media.
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The emotion of the human being is a biological process and natural. It can measured through a different process. Now, through artificial intelligence software on emotion detecting tech, it can measure the use of the different styles of human. The AI uses three board-based approaches. There are no permanent laws to ban the process for using AI over the humans. But Human Rights organizations has taken this issues in their hand and starts protesting. The issue is controversial. It has both merits and demerits. It is on our hand to pick the right tech and leave the unnatural thing. |
This Wednesday marks 501 years since the beginning of what we know as the Protestant Reformation… A German Monk named Martin Luther, at the age of 34, nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg… The Catholic Church at the time had lost sight of the gospel, they were teaching false doctrine, and they had begun indulging in many ungodly activities… Luther’s goal in nailing his 95 Thesis to the door was to reform the Church, not to separate from it; but, the Catholic Church had other plans, and thus the Protestant Reformation was born.
After everything was said and done, what ended up being the core issue in the Reformation was justification by faith. The Catholic Church had an understanding of justification and righteousness where basically the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus doesn’t justify us in the eyes of God, but essentially cleans our slate. So, your past sins are forgiven, but from then on out you are on your own; and depending on where you were at in the process when you died would determine what would happen next… So no one ever had any real assurance, and basically no one ever expected to go to heaven—at least not right away…
In contrast to the Catholic Church Luther taught what he found in God’s Word, that, “For our sake [God] made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV). That we don’t have a righteousness of our own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith (Philippians 3:9)… And how wonderfully freeing this is… We can have assurance because our forgiveness, our justification, our righteousness is all in Christ, not in us…
Jesus does not simply wipe our slate clean, but He gives us His slate… Praise God for the Reformation, praise God for His mercy and grace!
I am nothing; Christ is all!
Pastor Nick |
Croc in the pot
The toils and spoils of Congo’s crocodile-killers
They threaten wildlife. But other jobs are scarce
Middle East and AfricaMar 19th 2020 edition
CICERON NYALOWALA’S parents are disappointed. Their son took a boat from their riverside village to the city of Mbandaka, in the heart of the Congo Basin rainforest, where he enrolled in a teacher-training college. They wanted him to become a crocodile hunter, like his father and most of his ancestors. “There is a lot of pressure,” says Mr Nyalowala. Hunting for bush meat is popular—and may pay better than teaching.
However, it harms wildlife in the rainforest, which spans six countries and is second in size only to the Amazon. Around 6m tonnes of bush meat are thought to come out of the Congo Basin each year. The number of animals killed for the pot has been increasing, according to a study from 2016 led by Goethe University Frankfurt. More hunters are selling their prey in markets, instead of eating it themselves. The trade has emptied out parts of the forest; 39% of it is at severe risk of over-hunting, the study says. Everything from bonobos (an endangered species of ape) to cobras, antelopes and, occasionally, elephants, appear at market stalls in Mbandaka.
Over-hunting has made life more dangerous for crocodile hunters. The number of dwarf crocodiles, once common in the Congo river, is dwindling. So hunters have to chase the ferocious Nile crocodile instead. There are plenty of those. Their scaly bodies stretch to six metres and they often kill humans. Stalkers in canoes go after them at night, shining a torch while stirring the water. “The crocodile does not like that,” says Mr Nyalowala. “He begins to writhe and then comes to attack.” As the animal pounces so do its pursuers, spearing it.
A live crocodile fetches more than a dead one in the markets in Mbandaka, so hunters bind their jaws and transport them some 200km downstream in their canoes. They sell for around $150 each. A teacher at a state school, by comparison, earns around $170 a month, though many did not get paid at all last year. No wonder Mr Nyalowala’s parents wanted him to follow in his father’s footsteps.
This article appeared in the Middle East and Africa section of the print edition under the headline "A crocodile-hunter’s tears"
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Organic Foods that contain more Calcium
Sat 14 Mar 2020, 00:43:40
Calcium helps you lose weight, studies show. "Really exciting research shows that if you get three servings of dairy daily, you're not only preventing osteoporosis, but you're enhancing weight loss,"
Nonetheless, calcium in any form is good for your body. Some of the top calcium-rich foods are:
1. Cheese
2. Yogurt
3. Milk
4. Sardines
5. Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, turnips, and collard greens
6. Fortified cereals such as Total, Raisin Bran, Corn Flakes (They have a lot of calcium in one serving.)
7. Fortified orange juice
8. Soybeans
9. Fortified soymilk (Not all soymilk is a good source of calcium, so it's best to check the label.)
10. Enriched breads, grains, and waffles
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What Is Acid Reflux?
What is acid reflux? If you want to stop your heartburn and upset stomach, you need to understand what's going on.
Heartburn, often used as a synonym for acid reflux, is a burning feeling behind your breastbone, caused by acid coming from your stomach. It is the most obvious and relevant symptom of acid reflux
Other names are gastroesophageal reflux or GER, gastric reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.
What Is Acid Reflux?
wrong way arrow
Reflux means 'flow back' in latin. 'Acid' refers to your stomach juices that are full of acid. If these acid juices flow back upwards into your throat, you have got acid reflux. Acid isn't supposed to end up in your throat. It causes heartburn and can cause long-term harm, say scientists
Sour Stomach
If you have stomach troubles and heartburn, you might think that you have stomach that is too sour.
That is not true! Everyone of us has a stomach content that is highly acid. Cells in the lining of your stomach produce 'hydrochloric acid', which has a very low PH. This strong acid protects you from potential intruders.
The acid kills contaminating micro-organisms that enter your body with the foods that you eat. The acid also serves as an aid to digestion. It helps to break down porteins into smaller pieces.
Treating heartburn with acid reflux medication can be very effective to stop heartburn. The problem is that stomach medication, like nexium, disturbs the protective and digestive function of stomach acid. A better solution is to improve your heartburn with acid reflux remedies. Just be a bit more friendly to your stomach instead of reaching for pills. If you have acid reflux, there are no shortcuts. If you are not planning to pop pills for the rest of your life, you will need to change your lifestyle; more exercise and a healthy diet. And an acid reflux wedge pillow at night for a good night's sleep.
Stomach And Throat
If your stomach is filled with burning juices, it needs proper protection. It has a thick, wet mucuous layer that covers its walls. Drinking enough water is a good habit to maintain this protective layer.
If stomach acid manages to leave your stomach and flow back into your throat, you have a problem. Since gastric juice is made to digest proteins, it is able to 'eat away' esophageal tissue. It irritates your throat and gives you that typical burning sensation on your chest called 'heartburn'.
If acid reflux inflames your esophagus if you have it on a daily base, . This condition is called 'reflux esophagitis'.
Who Suffers From Acid Reflux?
The usual suspect ; Office job, overweight, stress, sitting all day. Loves coffee during the day and alcohol prior to going to bed.
The sportsman ; athletes with intense fitness regimes who have heartburn as an unpleasant side effect.
Future mama's ; a growing baby and specific pregnancy hormones cause acid reflux
Babies ; young babies are at risk because of their immature stomach valve
Barrett's Esophagus
Chronic Heartburn Sufferers at Risk
If you have acid reflux for many months or years, your esophagus tries to adapt by changing the structure of its cells. It is an abnormal, unhealthy adaptation that is called Barrett's esophagus or Barrett's syndrome.
The presence of Barrett's syndrome is associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer.
Understand And Stop Acid Reflux
What is acid reflux? What causes acid reflux? What are the heartburn home remedies? What if your baby has acid reflux? How about acid reflux medication? Do you need a gastroscopy? Dive into this site and discover how you can get better.
Return from what is acid reflux to stopping-acid-reflux
Copyright © 2012 - 2019 exreflux.com. |
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The Messenger
The Messenger
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The poor, backward town of Itapucumi, Paraguay, did not have much of a future to offer five-year-old Miriam Merlot. Her single mother had left her in the care of her uncle, Silverio, in order to find work in the city. When measles outbreak hit the area, Miriam fell ill along with many others. The nearest hospital in the capital city of Asunción offered free medical care, but getting there cost money. Hope slipped as more and more people died. Surely frail little Miriam?s life was at risk.
About that time, the town gossips whispered about some foreign doctors traveling down their coastline on a boat called El Mensajero (The Messenger). The boat stopped at each port and offered hope in the form of vaccinations, medical care, and Bible school lessons for children.
However, the local priest, also privy to the news, forbid the townspeople to receive the Evangelistas (Evangelical Christians). This was typical for South America in 1957, when all attempts made by mission groups outside of the confines of the Roman Catholic Church were stomped out. So El Mensajero was only allowed to drop its anchor in the river waters. The sick would have to wait.
But Silverio knew his niece would not survive the wait. One cloudless night, he scooped up the feverish girl into his wooden fishing boat and silently rowed out to the deep waters and up to the starboard of El Mensajero. Throughout the night the Christian doctors worked attempting to lower her fever. When Miriam was finally able to sit up and eat, she remembers a Doctor Elsa tenderly caring for her.
Itapucumi was buzzing the next day with the news of Silverio's betrayal, as well as Miriam?s recovery. As a result, the priest could do nothing but relent and El Mensajero was invited to make its landing. For a week, the missionary doctors treated the entire town and held Bible schools for the children. Miriam remembers learning her first Sunday school songs there. By the time El Mensajero left Itapucumi, Miriam had been saved twice. The miracle of her healing did not mark her memory as deeply as the simple prayer of salvation she repeated with Doctor Elsa.
When Miriam was 22 years old, she embarked on a journey to better her life similar to what her mother had done 17 years earlier. Except, Miriam crossed the border to Argentina, and arrived in Buenos Aires'the city of opportunity.
Her beginnings were difficult, but by the time she was 35, she was a wife and a mother. Her son, Edgardo grew, as did their family businesses. Miriam and her husband had soon acquired rental properties and established small but successful businesses. Despite the fact that her husband was not a believer, Miriam could not forget her covenant with the Lord.
Grief struck the household the day that Miriam lost her husband. As a teenager, Edgardo allowed sadness to lead him to rebellion, a life of parties and gambling. In her pain and loneliness, Miriam?s prayers seemed empty and flat. Young Edgardo used his winsome personality to talk his way out of complicated situations. His creativity made his lies believable. Soon, this rebellion began to strip Miriam of her savings, her peace of mind, and her faith. Yet she could not relinquish the belief that God could heal and mend lives. Edgardo?s behavior became more extreme, especially with regard to gambling. Although his father?s death played a role in Edgardo?s rebellion, gambling had become an addiction. Edgardo knew his actions were destroying his mother, but he could not stop.
When Edgardo's addiction landed him in jail, Miriam was at the end of her emotional rope. She spent the last of her savings to cover his debts and pay for his bail. She was even forced to sell her car to pay off outstanding loans.
In the midst of her desperation, a friend invited her to visit a small neighborhood Nazarene church. Miriam testifies that in that first service the pastor spoke about the power of righteous living through the Holy Spirit. Miriam shares:
'Something moved within me that morning and I realized that the message of salvation which I had heard as a little girl was not limited to eternal life. It was also the promise of abundant life here on earth. I knew this was what I needed, and was convinced that this was the only hope for my son.'
When the service ended, Miriam introduced herself to the pastors and stated, 'I have found my church home!'
That next week, the church began promotion for Nazarene Youth International (NYI) camp and Miriam begged the pastor to invite her reckless son. That afternoon, Edgardo walked into church with a cool swagger. He casually stated that he wanted to go to the camp, but the family had no money. The pastor took a risk and paid for Edgardo?s camp fees while praying that the experience would change the young man?s perspective.
It was at that camp that Edgardo chose Christ. He later testified that as he watched the other youth, he realized that being a Christian was more enjoyable than the life he was living. Quickly, Edgardo quickly began an incredible process of transformation into freedom.
Previously, his charisma and charm allowed him to con others. But now he was a magnet for Christ. His friends began coming to church because of his example. People like Pamela, who at one time had attempted suicide| Nestor, a former drug addict| el Chino, a fellow gambling addict| and Diego, his cameraman friend, came to know Christ through Edgardo?s witness.
Today Edgardo is studying to be a film director. The first movie he plans to make is a documentary about the realities and devastation of gambling. He now leads the drama ministry in his local church and is one of the main characters on a Nazarene TV show for preteens called Industría X, He was elected to be a delegate for the 2013 General NYI Convention in Indianapolis.
Because the Lord has blessed him over these last three years, he was finally able to purchase a brand new car for his mother. As he drove up to surprise her with the gift, she gasped. She read the words he had decaled on the windshield'testimony of the spiritual heritage that had begun with a small missionary boat. By the way, the new car was named El Mensajero.
Robin Brunson Radi serves with her husband, Carlos, as global missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene in Argentina.
Holiness Today |
Cystic Fibrosis
A mother, on behalf of her 17-year-old daughter, arrives at the pharmacy counter and presents a prescription for azithromycin 500 mg 3 times weekly to a fourth-year pharmacy student intern. The student is confused about the azithromycin dosing prescribed and, eager to make a valuable clinical recommendation, excitedly walks over to his precepting pharmacist to ask if he can call the physician to get the prescription changed to the common Z-pak dosing. The pharmacist and student look up the daughter's profile and note that she is receiving pancreatic enzymes, an ADEK vitamin supplement, inhaled tobramycin, dornase alfa, and nebulized albuterol.
How should the pharmacist respond to the pharmacy student?
MK is a 76-year-old woman who was recently seen at an outpatient clinic following a fall. She was given a bone mineral density scan and was found to have a T-score at the spine of -1.8 and at the hip of -2.6. The physician at the clinic gives her a prescription for alendronate 70 mg by mouth weekly, and she brings the prescription into the pharmacy. The pharmacist reviews MK's profile and sees that she is also taking simvastatin, lisinopril, lansoprazole, and calcium carbonate plus vitamin D. MK tells the pharmacist that she feels fine and does not understand why she should take this medication. She also asks if it is true that she has to stand up for 2 hours after she takes the alendronate.
What should the pharmacist tell the patient? |
penicillin G benzathine
Pronunciation: PEN i SILL in G BEN za theen
Brand: Bicillin L-A
What is the most important information I should know about penicillin G benzathine?
You should not be treated with this medicine if you are allergic to penicillin.
What is penicillin G benzathine?
Penicillin G benzathine is a slow-onset antibiotic that is used to treat many types of mild to moderate infections caused by bacteria, including strep infections or syphilis. Penicillin G benzathine is also used to prevent the symptoms of rheumatic fever.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving penicillin G benzathine?
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
• an allergic reaction to a cephalosporin antibiotic (Keflex, Omnicef, and others);
• any type of allergy;
• asthma or breathing problems;
• heart disease; or
• kidney disease.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
How is penicillin G benzathine given?
Penicillin G benzathine is injected into a muscle. A healthcare provider can teach you how to properly use the medication by yourself.
Penicillin G benzathine must be injected slowly and deeply into a muscle of the buttock or hip.
Penicillin G benzathine is sometimes given as a single injection. In some cases you may need an injection once every 2 to 4 weeks, or once a week for only 3 weeks. How often you receive an injection will depend on the type of infection you have.
Be sure to receive all doses your doctor has prescribed, even if your symptoms quickly improve. Skipping doses can increase your risk of infection that is resistant to medication. Penicillin G benzathine will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold.
After you have finished all doses, your doctor may want to do tests to make sure your infection has completely cleared up.
Store in the refrigerator, do not freeze.
What happens if I miss a dose?
What happens if I overdose?
Overdose may cause a seizure.
What should I avoid while receiving penicillin G benzathine?
What are the possible side effects of penicillin G benzathine?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; fever, chills, joint pain; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Some side effects may occur if the medicine has been accidentally injected near a vein or nerve. Tell your doctor right away if you have:
• pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or feeling cold;
• pale or mottled skin, blue-colored lips, fingers, or toes;
• severe pain, tingling, weakness, or swelling in your lower leg;
• weakness in your arms or legs; or
• blistering, peeling, discoloration, or painful skin changes where the medicine was injected.
Also call your doctor at once if you have:
• pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
• confusion, agitation, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't real), extreme fear;
• a seizure;
• warmth, redness, or bleeding where the medicine was injected;
• easy bruising or bleeding;
• pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine;
• urination problems; or
• signs of a new infection --fever, chills, mouth sores, warmth or redness under your skin, vaginal itching or discharge.
Common side effects may include:
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
• itching, sweating, allergic reaction;
• feeling anxious, nervous, weak, or tired;
• headache, dizziness, drowsiness;
• muscle or joint pain; or
• pain, swelling, bruising, or a hard lump where an injection was given.
What other drugs will affect penicillin G benzathine?
Where can I get more information?
Copyright 1996-2020 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.02. Revision date: 9/12/2019.
Related Locations |
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Rehabilitating our nation's bridges; maintaining bridges is no small task. Here's how we make decisions about repair and technology that will help them last longer.
According to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), 591,061 bridges in the United States are more than 20 feet long. Of this total, 360,446 (61 percent) are constructed of concrete and 194,827 are structural steel (33 percent). The rest are wood, masonry, aluminum, or other materials. Currently 29 percent of the concrete bridges and 55 percent of the steel bridges need repair, and 81,543 bridges are obsolete and need to be replaced.
The average age of bridges in the United States is 40 years. Paul Kivisto, the metropolitan region bridge engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MinDOT) says, "The average life of a bridge is approximately the same as for a person--about 70 years." Whether a bridge makes it that long or exceeds its life expectancy depends on how well it's maintained over its life span--the same as for people.
To ensure that bridges are safe and maintained, the federal government enacted legislation in 1969 mandating inspections by qualified engineers every 2 years for all bridges in the country that are more than 20 feet long. The FHWA has the responsibility to see that bridge owners comply.
The timing and the type of bridge inspection depends on several factors: its age and size, the amount of traffic it carries, the role it plays in relation to cities around it, and the access it provides to emergency facilities. An accident triggers an immediate inspection.
Niket Telang, a senior engineer with Construction Testing Laboratories (CTL), Skokie, Ill., explains that there are two types of federally mandated inspections: routine and in-depth. Routine inspections are the most common, involving only a visual inspection. They document areas of noticeable damage and signs of distress. In-depth examinations are much more rigorous and "hands-on." Inspectors literally run their hands over an entire structure and perform more sophisticated testing where it's needed. Bridges with a history of problems are inspected annually, and large important bridges have assigned inspectors who inspect them continuously.
A small bridge inspection requires two inspectors working 3 to 5 days to finish the onsite portion. Large bridges involve larger teams. Not all team members must be engineers, but each member is trained and certified. The leader of a team is always a structural engineer who isn't required to be on the site of an inspection but must sign-off on the inspection. States and counties conduct inspections "in house" if they have enough staff; otherwise they hire consultants. Consultants almost always perform the underwater inspections of piers and footings.
The NBI includes guidelines for rating bridge conditions. Each bridge element receives a rating between 1 and 9. A condition code of 1 means there is a serious problem. (There is a code 0 also. It requires that a bridge must be closed and replaced.)
"When bridge inspections are complete, the next step is to decide which will be repaired and which won't. Engineering decisions are now interfaced with budgets and political constraints," says Telang. The most important problems get funding. Adrian Ciolko, vice president of CTL, adds that over the past few years many bridges were marked for removal and replacement, so they weren't to be repaired. But in today's downturned economy, there is a new interest in rehabilitating them. And when there is no money to fix a bridge, owners have the option to close it. So, currently there are thousands of closed bridges around the country.
When money is allocated for a project, design teams create plans, predict costs, and recommend techniques for repairs. They finish their task by completing drawings, specifications, quantities, and cost estimates, which become the bid documents for a project. Kivisto adds that in Minnesota, if the expected cost for repairs exceeds 70 percent of the cost of a new bridge, they replace it.
Telang states that it's not always the low bid that gets the work. Contractors must frequently submit their qualifications with their bid, and the low bid may not be qualified. And sometimes bid documents require contractors to supply value engineered alternates either before a bid opening or as an alternate part to the bid package. This can work to the contractors' advantages because they can value-engineer their particular expertise.
In terms of frequency, bridge decks are the most repaired element, mostly due to chloride penetration from deicing salts that cause spalling and corrosion of the steel reinforcement. Ralph Anderson, director of bridges for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) states that salt damage is a big concern because IDOT frequently salts bridges in preparation for snow, so they won't become slippery when snow starts to fall.
Chloride-induced corrosion problems in marine settings are also common--the salt source being the ocean rather than deicing salts. Next in line are superstructure issues involving beams, trusses, stringers, and cross frame members. Piers are next, followed by curbs and guard rails. Kivisto says that cold weather presents special problems, sometimes causing bridge bearings and elastomeric joints to contract beyond their limits. Lack of proper air entrainment also causes problems.
The goal for repairs is to add to the life expectancy of a bridge. But decisions about which methods and products to use also consider the public disruption involved, effectiveness over time, and the extent of the deterioration.
Proactive maintenance is beginning to receive more attention because problems are less expensive to fix when they are first developing. In that light, electronic monitoring holds good promise.
Tom Weinman, manager of the sensors and diagnostic group for CTL, says that there are interesting bridge projects around the country that demonstrate this approach. Monitoring chloride penetration is easy for electronic sensors, which can be installed on new construction or retrofitted.
Sensors also can be embedded in sacrificial overlays to measure chloride penetration through the topping. The readings help owners know when it's time to remove and replace the topping in order to avoid chloride damage to the structure. "And by monitoring corrosion in steel reinforcement, you can add inhibiting admixtures such as calcium nitrite--and then monitor how successful the effort was," he adds.
Ciolko reports that much of the damage to decks first occurs at the expansion joints. Engineers are currently designing more "jointless" deck systems. IDOT wants to eliminate all the joints in their bridge decks.
In terms of concrete technology, Michael Sprinkel, associate director of the Virginia Transportation Research Council, Charlottesville, reports that high performance concrete (HPC) mixes, which are more impermeable and have low water/cement ratios (w/c), are being used for most bridge decks now and should help to eliminate many of the problems that older bridges now face.
He adds that most decks today, either new or repaired, are constructed with hydraulic cement, polymer modified concrete, or 100 percent polymer overlays. The latter consists of epoxy resins and stone aggregate and is usually 1/4 inch in thickness. Sprinkel likes this alternative because it's fast and the cost is low. The moisture content in the deck isn't an issue. "If you can shotblast a deck, the product can go down," he notes. Toppings are considered to be sacrificial protection for structures and can be removed and replaced when needed typically every 15 to 40 years.
Another interesting technology involves electrically removing chlorides from concrete structural members, according to Sprinkel. The process takes 4 to 8 weeks and uses electrical current similar to cathodic protection. When the process is used on bridge substructure, traffic isn't affected during treatment.
The use of sacrificial embedded galvanic anodes to manage the corrosion of steel reinforcement is becoming more common, says Sprinkel. Workers attach small anodes to steel reinforcement in the most endangered areas of a deck. Then, over time, corrosive products gradually consume the anodes, leaving the steel reinforcement in good condition. This is a low-cost way to extend the service life of patch repairs. Embedded galvanic anodes are also used to address potential corrosion problems at the joints and for general substructure repairs. They are also commonly used to protect prestressed concrete elements.
Siloxane and silane sealers are increasingly being used on bridge decks to add up to 5 years per application. Sprinkel prefers them to surface sealers, which can be slippery in severe weather.
In terms of bridge construction, Ciolko states that prestressed and post-tensioning (P-T) reinforcement is the primary reinforcing method today. As a result, bridges are stronger and don't develop the cracks that can transport chlorides to the structural steel. Segmental bridge construction falls under this category and is performing very well in terms of maintenance.
Joey Hartmann, a research structural engineer with the FHWA's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, thinks the most important trend in bridge construction and maintenance is the shift from construction costs to life cycle costs--how much a bridge really costs over time. This holistic approach includes upfront corrosion or deterioration protection strategies, inspection technologies, and maintenance methods.
"We will build bridges in the future that are more resistant to deterioration and easier to both inspect and maintain," says Hartmann. "Nondestructive evaluation technologies will be incorporated into bridge components that provide more detailed, quantitative information than the subjective information provided by current hands-on engineering inspections. Also, the use of alternate forms of reinforcement that are less susceptible to corrosion in concrete bridge decks will increase."
One promising experimental study Hartmann is doing involves eliminating the need for mild reinforcing steel from the concrete bridge decks. Concrete bridge construction will continue to have significant funding, and its use will be increased.
RELATED ARTICLE: Using SCC to Repair Bridge Decks
In St. Louis, the congested Poplar Street Bridge Complex ties Interstates 55, 64, and 70 together. Constructed in the late 1960s, the decks gradually succumbed to the ravages of freeze-thaw cycles and chloride damage.
During the summer of 2003 the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) contracted 10,000 square feet of bridge deck replacement with St. Louis Bridge Construction, St. Louis, requiring work to be completed in 10-hours shifts, with concrete that would achieve 3200 psi within 4 hours of placement so that traffic could use it during rush hour the following morning. Cleveland-based Master Builders helped the contractor develop a self-consolidating concrete mix design (SCC), including a nonchloride accelerating admixture.
Toward the end of each day ready-mix trucks were loaded with aggregate and water. During the night when concrete was needed, workers added the portland cement and admixtures and placed the concrete. Repair sections averaged 100 to 220 square feet each night, opening the completed section to traffic by 5:00 a.m. Concrete attained the required 3200 psi, and in many cases reached 4000 psi.
--Nasvik is a senior editor with CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION magazine, a Hanley Wood publication. This article originally appeared in the December 2003 issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Hanley-Wood, Inc.
Copyright 2004 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
Article Details
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Title Annotation:Bridge Repair
Author:Nasvik, Joe
Publication:Public Works
Date:Feb 1, 2004
Previous Article:Can you fill forms without vibrating? Self-consolidating concrete is used for both its flowability and durability--and for its incredible ease of use.
Next Article:Mix design meets demanding road repair criteria; West Virginia officials took part in a fast-track repair project to accommodate local motorists.
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There are many reasons for termination that are justifiable, while others are completely illegal. All Texas workers have the same rights, regardless of their race, gender, age or other protected characteristics. When a worker is terminated and feels that it is due to workplace discrimination, he or she has the right to pursue legal action.
A former black Bank of America employee believes that she lost her job without just cause. According to her complaint, she excelled at her position and only received positive feedback on her reviews. She claims that all changed after she began to report to a new white male supervisor. The new manager was allegedly conspiring to transfer or fire all of the black female employees who were working at his location.
The plaintiff claims that she was terminated because she had given a directive on a file to another black female who worked under her. The error was caught by another black female who worked in the quality control department. Both women separately approached the plaintiff and told her that their supervisor tried to convince them to say that she had given the directive when they knew that she had not.
It is illegal for Texas employees to be fired due to protected status characteristics. Those who feel that they have been the victims of discrimination may first wish to talk to their employers about the issues and try to resolve them. If no agreeable solutions are reached, the workers may choose to move forward and take legal actions. Based upon evidence of discrimination, the workers may be awarded lost wages, compensatory damages and any other related financial losses under state employment laws.
Source:, “Former employee accuses Bank of America of discrimination“, Annie Cosby, Dec. 19, 2014 |
A Farmer’s Drill: Planting 40 Feet at a Time
A drill, or seeder
We got a new drill at the farm, but it probably doesn’t look like any drill you have in your toolbox at home. A drill, also called a seeder, is what we use to plant our fields each year. Everything from our KAMUT® wheat to our alfalfa are planted using a drill.
Drills last a long time and ours have been around for a while. In fact, we still use an old drill that was made back in the 1950’s for our small experimental plots These “new” ones we got are really about 15 years old. We sold our large air drill to allow us more flexibility and precision, seeding the many crops we plant. It’s been our experience these more conventional drills do the job better for us and are easier to operate and maintain.
A drill is pulled behind a tractor, but it’s not meant to till the soil. They’re actually best if they don’t. Drills are meant to plant seeds and they can be set to drop seeds at set intervals, to achieve the desired seeding rate. They can also control the seeding depth, which is important because small seeds are normally seeded less deep than large seeds. Packer wheels behind the drill firm the soil over the seed so there is good seed to soil contact. Not unlike planting a seed in your garden or flowerpot.
The hoppers along the top of the drill are where we put the seed. At the base of each hopper are several tubes. Each tube leads to what’s called a shank and at the end of the shank is a point. Together, the shank and point look like a long, metal claw which can be lowered using a hydraulics system.
There’s a certain appeal to these older model drills, the biggest of which being that there are very few moving mechanical parts. This means that basic repairs can be maintained here on the farm or worked around when we’re out in the field. They also tend to be lighter because there’s not as much heavy gadgetry weighing them down. This is particularly good since it means less soil compaction and better crop yields. Our drill works entirely by gravity; the seeds fall through the tubes and into the shanks. The points are only meant to open the earth to the desired depth, dispersing the seeds at the desired rate, while the rollers follow after, packing the seed in.
With planting season just around the corner, we’re checking and double-checking our equipment in preparation. This particular drill covers a 40-foot spread, and chugging along at 5 miles per hour, it takes us about an hour to plant 24 acres. It makes for long days but there’s nothing more satisfactory than the look of a newly planted field and the anticipation of the new crop for the coming growing season. |
Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Mary Cassatt: Portrait of an American Impressionist
Mary Cassatt: Portrait of an American Impressionist
Thomas Streissguth
For ages 8 to 12
Lerner, 1998 ISBN: 978-1575052915
When Mary was seven years old her family left their home in Pennsylvania and went to live in Europe for a while. They began in Paris, and the experience greatly affected Mary, showing her that a very different world existed outside the United States. Four years later, the Cassatts went back to America but later, when she was a young woman, newly emerged from art school, Mary pestered her father to allow her to return to Paris, which in her mind was the only place to get a real art education.
It was here, surrounded by galleries, museums, studios, and artist's garrets, that Mary really began to stretch her artistic muscles, taking lessons with famous artists, and seeing and copying great paintings. After some time, her work was accepted in the highly competitive Salon, but at the same time her paintings were also respected and liked by the Impressionist painters who were causing such a stir in the artistic world at the time. Mary did not choose to align herself with any particular movement. Instead, she remained independent and she was successful creating what she wanted, painting pictures of family scenes that were bought by collectors on both sides of the Atlantic.
This well written and interesting biography not only tells readers the story of Mary Cassatt but it also paints a picture of a very fascinating period in art history. The author also shows us that Mary was quite unique, for there were very few women who were able to make a career in the art world at the time. Even more remarkable is the fact that Mary was not French, and yet she was able to create a life for herself and her family in France and became very much admired by the French people. So much so indeed that one could say that they claimed her as one of their own. Readers will find both black and white and color photographs of Mary's paintings throughout the book. |
Difference between revisions of "Bindings"
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Latest revision as of 11:46, 25 February 2020
Bindings define what happens when a user:
In other words, bindings are simply the term for actions that are associated with certain events in FlightGear.
There are different types of events supported by various subsystems, but the resulting action that can be triggered will typically involve either a hard-coded command (a so called fgcommand), or a block of scripted code (using Nasal). Bindings can be parameterized/customized using properties as arguments that are passed to each binding as a props.Node object. And Nasal code can also be registered to become available as a dedicated fgcommand.
You can assign multiple bindings to one object, button or key. Bindings may contain conditions to make them conditionally executed. Each binding must specify a command node with its particular type, see below.
Note Planes are free to override key bindings to fullfill their needs. The Space Shuttle for instance has no mixture control, so the m-key switches from translational to rotational hand controller.
The key only performs as mixture control if the plane has mixture settings and if the plane didn't re-assign the key - so dependent on what plane you try, it may or may not. Usually the aircraft-specific help spells it out.[1]
This article gives a small overview of frequently used bindings. Please refer to $FG_ROOT/Docs/README.commands for additional information and refer to $FG_SRC/Main/commands.cxx for a complete list of available bindings.
All given codes are examples, found on various places in the FlightGear package.
Below are some useful commands, some also with their equivalent Nasal call. A more complete listing can be found in the readme file, $FG_ROOT/Docs/README.commands.
To learn more about adding your own custom fgcommands to the source code, see Howto:Add new fgcommands to FlightGear.
Toggles replay.
Closes the active dialog.
Shows a dialog, which should be present in $FG_ROOT/gui/dialogs. In addition, from FlightGear 2.8, dialog files located in <aircraft directory>/gui/dialogs are also loaded. This should be used for dialogs specific to a certain aircraft.
fgcommand("dialog-show", props.Node.new({"dialog-name": "location-in-air"}));
The name of the dialog, as designated in its XML file.
Nasal is frequently used for complicated systems, because it can execute virtually any function and allows running previously-defined Nasal functions.
The Nasal script to execute.
Note Make sure that the script does not conflict with the predefined XML entities This is a link to a Wikipedia article. If it does, you can either put it in a CDATA section This is a link to a Wikipedia article or use a non-interpreted version (e.g., > in place of >).
The cmdarg() function is often useful in these situations to extract offset values passed to the binding. It returns the specific <binding> node, which contains a <setting> node at runtime if used in a joystick axis that represents the value of that axis.
In joysticks and keyboard keys, the script is run in a specific namespace; please see Howto:Understand Namespaces and Methods for more information on namespaces.
Increases or decreases a property's value with a given step. Maximum and minimum values are optional.
Property that will be changed.
Amount to increase or decrease the property's value. Defaults to 0.
Offset from the property's current value. If step is not given, this is multiplied by factor.
When step is not given, offset is multiplied by this. Defaults to 1.
The minimum allowed value. Defaults to "no minimum."
The maximum allowed value. Defaults to "no maximum."
If true, the value will be wrapped when it passes min or max; both min and max must be present for this to work. Defaults to false.
This argument accepts three value: "integer," "decimal" and "all" (default). "integer" means that step or offset * factor is applied to the part of the property's current value left of the decimal point first. "decimal" does the same, but applies it to the prt to the right of the decimal point. "all" simply applies it to the whole number. This parameter does not seem to affect the resulting new value of the property, and so is not needed.
One of the most important commands. It sets a property to a predefined value.
Cycles between a list of values and assigns one to a property. The value-list can vary in length. If the current value is "value1", it will change to "value2"; if it is "value2", it will change to "value3", and so on, wrapping around the end. If the current value is not in the list, it will jump to the first one.
<value type="string">ARM</value>
<value type="string">DISARM</value>
<value type="string">OFF</value>
As of May 2013, the command supports additional behaviours to simplify use with the new knob and slider animations. The wrapping behaviour can be disabled by setting <wrap>0</wrap>, and the command uses the 'offset' argument to select a direction of movement. This means a property-cycle bound to a multi-position knob will function as expected for movement in both directions.
Interpolates to a value with a given rate of change (per second).
<value type="double">0</value>
<rate>0.5</rate><!-- 2 seconds to 0 from 1 or -1 -->
Instead of using <rate>, one could use
<time>2</time><!-- 2 seconds to 0 from 1, 0.5, -1 etc. -->
You can also interpolate to a value given by a property.
<property>/controls/flight/default-aileron-trim</property><!-- the value to interpolate to, is 0 -->
Multiply the value of a property by a given factor.
• factor: the amount to multiply by.
• min: minimum value.
• max: maximum value.
• mask:
• integer: mutiply only left of the decimal point.
• decimal: multiply only the right of the decimal point.
• all: multiply the entire value.
• wrap: true if the value should be wrapped if it passes min/max. It is required to set both min and max in that case.
Assigns a random value (between min and max) to a property.
Set the value of a property based on an axis, often used in joystick configuration files.
• offset: the offset to shift by, before applying the factor.
• factor: the factor to multiply by (use negative to reverse).
• squared: if true will square the resulting value (same as power=2).
• power: the resulting value will be taken to the power of this integer value (overrides squared).
Remember: (property^power + offset) * factor = result
Swaps the values of two properties, useful for radio panels.
Toggles the value of a property on each click, between true (1) and false (0).
Or - if defined - it toggles between two custom values.
fgcommand("request-metar", props.Node.new({"path": "/foo/mymetar", "station": "LOWI"}));
If you pass an existing path, the station ID will be updated, and if you pass the same station ID as before, no additional request is made. As usual for metar-properties, there's a time-to-live and valid flags you can check, and the metar refreshes automatically every 900 seconds. You can also write to the station ID directly to change station, update the time-to-live, and wait for the valid signal.
There's also an unregister command ('clear-metar') to cancel the binding into the property tree.[2]
— James Turner
1. Thorsten (Nov 9th, 2016). Re: trouble with m-key .
2. James Turner (Sun, 23 Sep 2012 08:56:48 -0700). [Flightgear-devel] Requesting arbitrary metar.
Related content
Readme file
Note that many commands are defined elsewhere. The readme file has a more complete listing. |
Saturday, 28 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Infant
Q. Which of the following should the nurse use to determine achievement of the expected outcome for an infant with severe diarrhea and a nursing diagnosis of Deficient fluid volume related to passage of profuse amounts of watery diarrhea?
A. Moist mucous membranes.
B. Passage of a soft, formed stool.
C. Absence of diarrhea for a 4-hour period.
D. Ability to tolerate intravenous fluids well.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The outcome of moist mucous membranes indicates adequate hydration and fluid balance, showing that the problem of fluid volume deficit has been corrected. Although a normal bowel movement, ability to tolerate intravenous fluids, and an increasing time interval between bowel movements are all positive signs, they do not specifically address the problem of deficient fluid volume.
Thursday, 26 April 2018
Nurse Expert Advice, Nursing Skills, Nursing Guides
Nick Angelis doesn’t get much flak from doctors or other nurses because he has built himself to be eccentric and people never know what will come out of his mouth.
“I work with an improvisation group, and I do a lot of writing and acting. People bully those who they think will cower. If they aren’t sure how it will go over with certain people, doctors will pick out the weakest,” he says.
Angelis, C.R.N.A. and M.S.N., is the author of How to Succeed in Anesthesia School (and RN, PA or Med School) and co-owner of the Florida-based BEHAVE Wellness, which trains individuals and corporations about bully prevention.
What is considered inappropriate behavior?
As a nurse, he has seen his fair share of bad doctors who bully, throw things, get in people’s faces, and make workplaces miserable for others and a whole bunch of other bad behavior.
Understanding what is considered inappropriate behavior could be the first defense against a difficult doctor. According to Jacksonville, Fla., University, disruptive behavior from a physician can encompass abusive, demeaning or profane language; rage or violent behavior such as throwing objects and physical abuse; insulting or disrespectful comments to or about staff, patients or families; inappropriate sexual comments or touching; repeated failure to respond to calls; and failure to take recommended corrective action.
What should you do if you feel unsafe? If you do feel unsafe with a doctor, Angelis says that most hospitals and workplaces these days have policies in place for these situations.
“If you go to your boss or the human resource department and say, ‘I don’t feel safe right now,’ or ‘this is a toxic environment,’ most the time every management will pounce on it right away,” he says.
When should you report inappropriate behavior?
Nurses are masters of hiding their true feelings, Angelis adds. But when something doesn’t feel right, and you have to start walking on eggshells at every move around a doctor, it’s time to say something. Also, you need to get to know certain doctors to understand if they are just being a jerk temporarily and let it roll off your back, he says.
If the situation allows you to talk with that doctor before turning them in, then do it. Stand up for yourself and explain what that person did to you. If things don’t change, then go talk to a superior.
Here are some tips to help your situation with a bad behaving doctor:
The end goal is to have a better workplace for yourself, Angelis says.
“No one can work endlessly at a job always going with righteousness and truth. Sometimes, you just need to get along opposed to having right on your side all the time.”
The Type A personalities will confront bullying, and the others will hope it goes away, Angelis adds.
When people around you and in the administration don’t care that the doctors are bullies, then it’s time to find another job. Sometimes, that’s easier than making a fuss. Being honest in an exit interview can be the tough part, especially if you are in a highly specialized nursing area. You don’t want to burn any bridges, he adds.
Angelis uses flippancy, apathy or goofiness, and it has worked for him. Several times, he has said to a ranting, raving doctor that “This isn’t as a big of deal as you think it is.” That is a more direct confrontational way. If you take that approach, it’s not giving the doctors the benefit of worrying about something. You are basically saying to the doctor that they are overreacting, he said.
Hear what it’s like at prospective employers and how not to be an easy, lonely bullying target, Angelis says. Compare the rumors and opinions of several people to get closer to the truth.
“I have a great sense of humor and an absent sense of drama,” he explains. “I find fun in situations that others would find dreary or stressful, and I don’t get offended easily.”
This combination allows him to work long hours in difficult situations long after his peers are burned out or discouraged. Someone not as random or carefree needs to mentally prepare for an always shifting work environment. This way, you’re not making drama over petty, possibly misinterpreted behavior from physicians.
When Angelis has had a doctor get misbehaving, he would look really seriously at them and say things like, “Cheetahs can only charge at 65 mph for about a quarter mile, but the key is in the flexibility of their spine.” They get unsettled trying to find the passive or aggressive meaning behind his nonsensical statement and then leaves him alone.
Doctors have bad days, too, and sometimes, those stresses make them say and do things against those around them – just like everyone else. Angelis says that even nice people who get unhinged at work are finding their self-worth from that. It’s much harder to force good behavior from someone whose very identity is tied to their clinical performance, he says.
Angelis has found through the years and through bullying research that no one needs to feel like they have to be the crusader if they take some other job.
“The Type A personalities will confront bullying. The others will hope it goes away,” he says.
Q. When assessing an elderly client, the nurse expects to find various aging-related physiologic changes. These changes include:
A. increased coronary artery blood flow.
B. decreased posterior thoracic curve.
C. decreased peripheral resistance.
D. delayed gastric emptying.
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Aging-related physiologic changes include delayed gastric emptying, decreased coronary artery blood flow, an increased posterior thoracic curve, and increased peripheral resistance.
Wednesday, 25 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Medication and I.V. Administration
Q. A client is scheduled for an excretory urography at 10 a.m. An order directs the nurse to insert a saline lock I.V. device at 9:30 a.m.. The client requests a local anesthetic for the I.V. procedure and the physician orders lidocaine-prilocaine cream (EMLA cream). The nurse should apply the cream at:
A. 7:30 a.m.
B. 8:30 a.m.
C. 9 a.m.
D. 9:30 a.m.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: It takes up to 2 hours for lidocaine-prilocaine cream (EMLA cream) to anesthetize an insertion site. Therefore, if the insertion is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., EMLA cream should be applied at 7:30 a.m. The local anesthetic wouldn't be effective if the nurse administered it at the later times.
Tuesday, 24 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Basic Psychosocial Needs
Q. A worried mother confides in the nurse that she wants to change physicians because her infant is not getting better. The best response by the nurse is which of the following?
A. "This doctor has been on our staff for 20 years."
B. "I know you are worried, but the doctor has an excellent reputation."
C. "You always have an option to change. Tell me about your concerns."
D. "I take my own children to this doctor."
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Asking the mother to talk about her concerns acknowledges the mother's rights and encourages open discussion. The other responses negate the parent's concerns.
Saturday, 21 April 2018
Question Of The Day, The Nursing Process
Q. When developing a care plan for a client with a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order, a nurse should:
A. withhold food and fluids.
B. discontinue pain medications.
C. ensure access to spiritual care providers upon the client's request.
D. always make the DNR client the last in prioritization of clients.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Ensuring access to spiritual care, if requested by the client, is an appropriate nursing action. A nurse should continue to administer appropriate doses of pain medication as needed to promote the client's comfort. A health care provider may not withhold food and fluids unless the client has a living will that specifies this action. A DNR order does not mean that the client does not require nursing care.
Friday, 20 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Gastrointestinal Disorders
Q. Which of the following laboratory findings are expected when a client has diverticulitis?
A. Elevated red blood cell count.
B. Decreased platelet count.
C. Elevated white blood cell count.
D. Elevated serum blood urea nitrogen concentration.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Because of the inflammatory nature of diverticulitis, the nurse would anticipate an elevated white blood cell count. The remaining laboratory findings are not associated with diverticulitis. Elevated red blood cell counts occur in clients with polycythemia vera or fluid volume deficit. Decreased platelet counts can occur as a result of aplastic anemias or malignant blood disorders, as an adverse effect of some drugs, and as a result of some heritable conditions. Elevated serum blood urea nitrogen concentration is usually associated with renal conditions.
Thursday, 19 April 2018
My husband and I are both travel nurses and we started our journey in San Francisco. We got a taste for the real estate there when we found a studio apartment in the city for…wait for it…$2,600 a month. Yup, all 400 square feet of it. It was furnished, allowed dogs, and was leased to us for 3 months.
Travel Nursing, Nursing Skill, Nursing Pros and Cons
After a few weeks into our assignment, we became inspired to buy a Volkswagen Westfalia Vanagon, one of those nostalgic buses that look super cute on Instagram (#vanlife.) We bought a big orange one and used it as a means to see the country. We’ve used it to take multi-week road trips, as a temporary apartment when on assignment, and as a daily commuter.
This little van gave us a taste of setting up a portable living situation when going travel nursing and while living in this 60 square foot space was definitely challenging, there are many travel nurses that are doing it right! If you are considering taking your RV, camper, or any other home on wheels to your next travel assignment, add the following pros and cons to your research!
The PROs
It’s all about the money, honey.
Cost of renting an apartment can be steeply more expensive especially when renting apartments in highly populated areas. From deposits to pet fees to up-charges for short-term rentals, these costs all add up and don’t “go anywhere” in comparison to spending the same money investing in an RV or RV-like home. If you’re able to get your hands on a deal for a mobile living space - your savings have begun. Oh and that housing stipend? Straight to the bank, baby.
The space is always yours.
No matter what happens, you always have a furnished space that feels like home. You know exactly where everything is. You know the intricacies and the idiosyncrasies of your space. And for all my healthcare germaphobes out there – you at least know that it’s only your cooties you’re dealing with, and not any previous unknowns.
Paws and portable snuggles.
We have always traveled with our two dogs, and from experience, transitions are the hardest on them. The quicker we get into a routine, the better for their digestive systems – and our sanity. When we’ve moved around in our VW van, however, our home stays familiar to them and they go through a more minimal period of acclimation. The tricky part is keeping the space cool, especially during times when we leave for the day or night.
You get to change your mind as easy as one, two, free.
There are a lot more RV parks than you’d think! If you claim your stake somewhere and decide you’re not vibing with it after a few weeks, you have all the freedom to pick up and head out to the next park that has a café and a swimming pool. (Seriously, don’t underestimate RV parks. There are some pretty sweet ones out there.)
Greater connection with the outdoors.
This comes naturally when living in a mobile space. It’s easy to get good sunlight and campsites typically have picnic tables and other outdoor amenities that draw people to enjoy the outer space. In contrast, it’s easy to get cooped up in an apartment, and there are way too many first-floor units out there that don’t get enough sunlight…even in the sunniest of cities.
You don’t get to move into a space that’s unique to that city.
Sometimes, I want to get a feel for the city, which to me means living in a space unique to that area, carving my place in the local community of permanent residents and transients alike. It makes me feel like I am truly “living” in the city, not just passing by.
You carry everything with you, like a turtle and its shell.
There’s something kind of freeing about only packing your clothes, laptop, and yoga mat when you move somewhere for three months. Walking into furnished apartments and setting up life doesn’t take but maybe half a day, and when the assignment is all done, packing up and peacing-out is a breeze. Maybe you even board a plane and hit up your next destination without a second thought.
What’s your bathroom situation?
You could have one of those sweet RVs that have a shower and toilet (and maybe even a tub). Or the camping site may have community showers and bathrooms. But if you’ve parked your VW Westy in the hospital parking lot like we did for a bit, you better get creative about how to stay hygienic and how to manage your waste. We have spent many weeks showering after work in the cath lab employee bathrooms, using a bucket and kitty litter when the going was inevitable, and stocking up on enough scrubs to make it through a couple weeks without needing to visit a laundry mat. Ideal? Not really. Adventurous? Arguable.
Any breakdowns and it’s your issue.
This is true of any renter vs owner situation. If you’re renting and the pipes freeze, your landlord better be high-tailing it over. But if you didn’t take proper precautions of your camper and find out the hard way about cold weather, now you’re shouldering that cost and labor, and it may not be pretty. Not to mention breakdowns that could happen in-transit; if you’re on deadline to make it to your first day, you may find yourself ditching your kombi - with half of your things in it - at a storage facility en route to your next assignment, coming back to save it later (been there, done that).
Storing the thing.
What do you do with this home on wheels when you’re done with it? If you’ve got a place to park it in between assignments, you’re set. But sometimes parents’ homes are already overcrowded with cars and a 5th wheel doesn’t do much to help. Also, if you take an extended break from using it, you must stay mindful of sun-damage, mold, and other unfortunate things that could happen when a space goes unoccupied for long.
The Bottom Line
When you decide to go travel nursing, you must ultimately do what makes you happiest; this will get you through the toughest time of either option - and there will be tough times. Whether it’s fixing the AC on your home at a truck stop in 100-degree weather, or when you’re on your hands and knees scrubbing your apartment floor (after spending all day moving out) in order to avoid the $300 fee your complex will charge you if you’re unit is not “move-in ready.” Make the decision that best speaks to your soul (and your wallet) and those rough times will all be worth it!
A. Increased forced expiratory volume.
B. Normal breath sounds.
C. Inspiratory and expiratory wheezing.
D. Morning headaches.
Correct Answer: C
Wednesday, 18 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Gastrointestinal Disorders
Q. A home health nurse who sees a client with diverticulitis is evaluating teaching about dietary modifications necessary to prevent future episodes. Which statement by the client indicates effective teaching?
A. "I'll increase my intake of protein during exacerbations."
B. "I should increase my intake of fresh fruits and vegetables during remissions."
C. "I'll snack on nuts, olives, and popcorn during flare-ups."
D. "I'll incorporate foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids into my diet."
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: A client with diverticulitis needs to modify fiber intake to effectively manage the disease. During episodes of diverticulitis, he should follow a low-fiber diet to help minimize bulk in the stools. A client with diverticulosis should follow a high-fiber diet. Clients with diverticular disease don't need to modify their intake of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Q. The nurse is serving on the hospital ethics committee which is considering the ethics of a proposal for the nursing staff to search the room of a client diagnosed with substance abuse while he is off the unit and without his knowledge. Which of the following should be considered concerning the relationship of ethical and legal standards of behavior?
A. Ethical standards are generally higher than those required by law.
B. Ethical standards are equal to those required by law.
C. Ethical standards bear no relationship to legal standards for behavior.
D. Ethical standards are irrelevant when the health of a client is at risk.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Some behavior that is legally allowed might not be considered ethically appropriate. Legal and ethical standards are often linked, such as in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill." Ethical standards are never irrelevant, though a client's safety or the safety of others may pose an ethical dilemma for health care personnel. Searching a client's room when they are not there is a violation of their privacy. Room searches can be done with a primary health care provider's order and generally are done with the client present.
Monday, 16 April 2018
Q. Which of the following interventions would be most appropriate for the nurse to recommend to a client to decrease discomfort from hemorrhoids?
A. Decrease fiber in the diet.
B. Take laxatives to promote bowel movements.
C. Use warm sitz baths.
D. Decrease physical activity.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Use of warm sitz baths can help relieve the rectal discomfort of hemorrhoids. Fiber in the diet should be increased to promote regular bowel movements. Laxatives are irritating and should be avoided. Decreasing physical activity will not decrease discomfort.
Saturday, 14 April 2018
Nursing Skills, Nursing Tutorials and Materials, Nursing, Nurse Healthcare
Active shooter incidents are increasing at an alarming rate, and although they occur mostly in public places, at businesses, and in schools, they can happen anywhere, at any time – including in a healthcare facility. These incidents strike suddenly, without warning, and people are usually stunned into inaction. Being mentally prepared will help you to take action immediately on the “Run, Hide, Fight” continuum and could save your own and other’s lives.
An active shooter incident is defined as a situation in which the attacker is “actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area.” The gunman does not come to the area with the intent to commit any other crime. Most often the incident is over within 10-15 minutes, even before law enforcement arrives. This emphasizes why it is essential for ordinary people to know how to react.
Chaos and panic usually characterize the scene – there is noise from gunshots and alarms, people are running and screaming. Even those who are trained initially experience the typical human reaction to fear and anxiety, often combined with disbelief and denial. Many of those who have suffered active shooter incidents say afterward that they didn’t know what to do or that they were just waiting to take the next bullet. Knowing how to react provides the mental preparation needed to gain self-control, recall some of what was learned and proceed to action. A single individual taking the lead can contribute significantly to their own as well as others’ chances of survival.
Run, hide, fight
The essence of action in an active shooter situation is to respond immediately with run, hide or fight – in that order. No one situation is the same and the specific circumstances, including on how close you are to the shooter, will determine the choice of action. One might not make the best decision, but any action is better than doing nothing.
Nursing Skills, Nursing Tutorials and Materials, Nursing, Nurse Healthcare
The idea is to run away from the shooter wherever possible and to encourage others to do the same. Assess exits and have an escape plan in mind. Encourage or help others to escape – a forceful call of “Follow me” or “Gunshot! Get away!” can be used to pull bystanders out of their inertia. However, don’t get caught up by anyone who chooses not to follow and don’t try and move persons who are already wounded. Leave personal belongings behind and keep your hands visible while moving. You can call 911 once you are in a safe space.
If you are unable to evacuate the area the next option is to try and hide away where you will be out of the shooter’s view. Ideally, look for a space where you will be protected if shots are fired in your direction, for example behind a door or a piece of furniture. Wherever possible get into a room and lock the door, which can also be barricaded with heavy furniture. Remain quiet and avoid any noise by putting phones on silent and turning off any radio or television. You can dial 911 if it is safe, even just leaving the line open if you cannot speak. This will assist law enforcement in locating the shooter.
The last resort, if your life is in immediate danger, is to fight. Try to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter by acting as aggressively as possible towards him – yell, throw heavy items at him or even try and take him out with makeshift weapons. While this advice appears counterintuitive, your chances of survival if you can’t escape are much greater if the shooter can be distracted or taken down.
Co-operate with law enforcement officers once they arrive. Their priority is to stop the shooter as soon as possible. They could appear aggressive – they are armed, may use pepper spray or tear gas, shout commands and push people around. Follow the officers’ instructions and answer their questions promptly. The information they need is the location of the shooter/s, how many there are, and the type of weapons if known. Don’t try and get information from them, expect them to guide you or to attend to the wounded. Put down anything you may be holding in your hands, even bags or jackets, raise your hands and keep them visible.
Give help once it is safe
Injured people can be attended to once it is safe. As a nurse, you could provide life-saving assistance, such as quick hemorrhage control, while waiting for emergency medical staff to arrive. Bear in mind that once the shooter is incapacitated or arrested the location is a crime scene and nothing should be moved or touched except in relation to helping the injured. After initial treatment, casualties are usually moved to a central assembly point where a mass casualty plan will be implemented. Here you can also help in line with your knowledge, training, and skills.
Every healthcare facility is required to have an emergency action plan, and most of them conduct training exercises to prepare staff for emergency situations. These exercises are often limited to evacuation drills in the case of fire or bomb threats. The current reality, however, also calls for activities to prepare staff on what to expect and how to react in an active shooter situation. Arrangements can also be made with one of the various agencies to provide staff with active shooter preparedness training.
Question Of The Day, The Nursing Process
Q. During the health history interview, which of the following strategies is the most effective for the nurse to use to help clients take an active role in their health care?
A. Ask clients to complete a questionnaire.
B. Provide clients with written instructions.
C. Ask clients for their description of events and for their views concerning past medical care.
D. Ask clients if they have any questions.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: One of the best strategies to help clients feel in control is to ask them their view of situations, and to respond to what they say. This technique acknowledges that clients' opinions have value and relevance to the interview. It also promotes an active role for clients in the process. Use of a questionnaire or written instructions is a means of obtaining information but promotes a passive client role. Asking whether clients have questions encourages participation, but alone it does not acknowledge their views.
Friday, 13 April 2018
Q. Which of the following client statements indicates that the client with hepatitis B understands discharge teaching?
A. "I will not drink alcohol for at least 1 year."
B. "I must avoid sexual intercourse."
C. "I should be able to resume normal activity in a week or two.
D. "Because hepatitis B is a chronic disease, I know I will always be jaundiced."
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: It is important that the client understand that alcohol should be avoided for at least 1 year after an episode of hepatitis. Sexual intercourse does not need to be avoided, but the client should be instructed to use condoms until the hepatitis B surface antigen measurement is negative. The client will need to restrict activity until liver function test results are normal; this will not occur within 1 to 2 weeks. Jaundice will subside as the client recovers; it is not a permanent condition.
Thursday, 12 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Antepartum Period
Q. A client in the triage area who is at 19 weeks' gestation states that she has not felt her baby move in the past week and no fetal heart tones are found. While evaluating this client, the nurse identifies her as being at the highest risk for developing which problem?
A. Abruptio placentae.
B. Placenta previa.
C. Disseminated intravascular coagulation.
D. Threatened abortion.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: A fetus that has died and is retained in utero places the mother at risk for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) because the clotting factors within the maternal system are consumed when the nonviable fetus is retained. The longer the fetus is retained in utero, the greater the risk of DIC. This client has no risk factors, history, or signs and symptoms that put her at risk for either abruptio placentae or placenta previa, such as sharp pain and "woody," firm consistency of the abdomen (abruption) or painless bright red vaginal bleeding (previa). There is no evidence that she is threatening to abort as she has no complaints of cramping or vaginal bleeding.
Wednesday, 11 April 2018
Question Of The Day, The Nursing Process
Q. A parent brings a 5-year-old child to a vaccination clinic to prepare for school entry. The nurse notes that the child has not had any vaccinations since 4 months of age. To determine the current evidence for best practices for scheduling missed vaccinations the nurse should:
A. Ask the primary care provider.
B. Check the website at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
C. Read the vaccine manufacturer's insert.
D. Contact the pharmacist.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The CDC is the federal body that is ultimately responsible for vaccination recommendations for adults and children. A division of the CDC, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, reviews vaccination evidence and updates recommendation on a yearly basis. The CDC publishes current vaccination catch-up schedules that are readily available on their website. The lack of vaccinations is a strong indicator that the child probably does not have a primary care provider. If consulted, the pharmacist would most likely have to review the CDC guidelines that are equally available to the nurse. Reading the manufacturer's inserts for multiple vaccines would be time consuming and synthesis of the information could possibly lead to errors.
Tuesday, 10 April 2018
Correct Answer: A
Monday, 9 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Gastrointestinal Disorders
Q. A nurse preceptor is working with a student nurse who is administering medications. Which statement by the student indicates an understanding of the action of an antacid?
A. "The action occurs in the stomach by increasing the pH of the stomach contents and decreasing pepsin activity."
B. "The action occurs in the small intestine, where the drug coats the lining and prevents further ulceration."
C. "The action occurs in the esophagus by increasing peristalsis and improving movement of food into the stomach."
D. "The action occurs in the large intestine by increasing electrolyte absorption into the system that decreases pepsin absorption."
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The action of an antacid occurs in the stomach. The anions of an antacid combine with the acidic hydrogen cations secreted by the stomach to form water, thereby increasing the pH of the stomach contents. Increasing the pH and decreasing the pepsin activity provide symptomatic relief from peptic ulcer disease. Antacids don't work in the large or small intestine or in the esophagus.
Friday, 6 April 2018
Most nurses cringe at the idea of working night shifts. However, while the majority of us have a long list of bad ideas about working at night, some nurses actually prefer the working schedule.
If you’ve ever wondered why they like night shifts, then this list will surely give you a much clearer idea.
1. Higher pay
Working on night shifts can increase your pay by as much as 10%, depending on your state’s law. It can even go up if you’re working on night shifts on a weekend
“I used to hate going on night shifts. But considering night differentials, I thought the same 8 hours I work during the day can earn me more if I clock in at night,” a ward nurse share
2. More relaxed patient routine
Morning shifts come with a lot of interruptions, from meetings to doctors doing their rounds. There’s also more visitors checking in on their patients during the day. Although these things sound relatively reasonable for nurses, we must have to admit that they can cause us a lot of stress.
Nurses Skill, NCLEX Exam, Nursing Tips and Tutorials
Night shifts aren’t only relaxing for the patients but for nurses as well.
Night shifts are slower in pace. Since patients are set to rest and sleep, most of them only need monitoring. Aside from the benefit of a more relaxed environment, working at night also gives us more opportunity to connect with our patients, such as addressing concerns or giving them a soothing back rub.
3. Fewer people on the floor.
If you get annoyed by visitors persistently asking you questions, then night shifts are definitely for you. During the night, there are fewer people visiting patients which mean there’s also fewer people persistently asking you questions!
“Night shifts work best for me because I have very limited tolerance for visitors whom I have no clear idea what they’re asking or which patient they are referring to. Nurses can only get so busy, and the last thing we want is to have to discuss our patient’s anatomy and physiology to his clueless relatives,” an ICU nurse said.
4. Better family time.
Nurses Skill, NCLEX Exam, Nursing Tips and Tutorials
While night shifts can mean lesser sleeping hours, most parents wouldn’t trade these precious moments for anything.
Working at night enables nurses who are parents to catch up with their children and family. You’ll be able to prepare your kids’ meals for school, help them with their home works and tidy up your home. You can even attend to their school activities or take them for a short trip to the park.
5. Improved working relationship
Working at night enable nurses to foster a closer friendship since the environment is less tense and hectic. They can share stories and even their tips and tricks on surviving night shifts and transition from day to night shift.
“My co-workers and I have a favorite place where we eat after our shift. If we’re not eating there, we spend breakfast at each other’s house. We always have a good laugh. It’s really a good way to de-stress,” an ER nurse shared.
Q. A nurse is developing a nursing diagnosis for a client. Which information should she include?
A. Actions to achieve goals
B. Expected outcomes
C. Factors influencing the client's problem
D. Nursing history
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: A nursing diagnosis is a written statement describing a client's actual or potential health problem. It includes a specified diagnostic label, factors that influence the client's problem, and any signs or symptoms that help define the diagnostic label. Actions to achieve goals are nursing interventions. Expected outcomes are measurable behavioral goals that the nurse develops during the evaluation step of the nursing process. The nurse obtains a nursing history during the assessment step of the nursing process.
Thursday, 5 April 2018
Q. A nurse assesses a client's respiratory status. Which observation indicates that the client is having difficulty breathing?
A. Diaphragmatic breathing
B. Use of accessory muscles
C. Pursed-lip breathing
D. Controlled breathing
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The use of accessory muscles for respiration indicates the client is having difficulty breathing. Diaphragmatic and pursed-lip breathing are two controlled breathing techniques that help the client conserve energy.
Wednesday, 4 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Neurosensory Disorders
Q. When planning care for a client with a head injury, which position should the nurse include in the care plan to enhance client outcomes?
A. Trendelenburg's
B. 30-degree head elevation
C. Flat
D. Side-lying
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: For clients with increased intracranial pressure (ICP), the head of the bed should be elevated to 30 degrees to promote venous outflow. Trendelenburg's position is contraindicated because it can raise ICP. Flat or neutral positioning is indicated when elevating the head of the bed would increase the risk of neck injury or airway obstruction. A side-lying position isn't specifically a therapeutic treatment for increased ICP.
Tuesday, 3 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Gastrointestinal Disorders
Q. Before an incisional cholecystectomy is performed, the nurse instructs the client in the correct use of an incentive spirometer. Why is incentive spirometry essential after surgery in the upper abdominal area?
A. The client will be maintained on bed rest for several days.
B. Ambulation is restricted by the presence of drainage tubes.
C. The operative incision is near the diaphragm.
D. The presence of a nasogastric tube inhibits deep breathing.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The incisions made for upper abdominal surgeries, such as cholecystectomies, are near the diaphragm and make deep breathing painful. Incentive spirometry, which encourages deep breathing, is essential to prevent atelectasis after surgery. The client is not maintained on bed rest for several days. The client is encouraged to ambulate by the first postoperative day, even with drainage tubes in place. Nasogastric tubes do not inhibit deep breathing and coughing.
Monday, 2 April 2018
Question Of The Day, Antepartum Period
Q. A 16-year-old primigravida at 36 weeks' gestation who has had no prenatal care experienced a seizure at work and is being transported to the hospital by ambulance. Which of the following should the nurse do upon the client's arrival?
A. Position the client in a supine position.
B. Auscultate breath sounds every 4 hours.
C. Monitor the vital signs every 4 hours.
D. Admit the client to a quiet, darkened room.
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Because of her age and report of a seizure, the client is probably experiencing eclampsia, a condition in which convulsions occur in the absence of any underlying cause. Although the actual cause is unknown, adolescents and women older than 35 years are at higher risk. The client's environment should be kept as free of stimuli as possible. Thus, the nurse should admit the client to a quiet, darkened room. Clients experiencing eclampsia should be kept on the left side to promote placental perfusion. In some cases, edema of the lungs develops after seizures and is a sign of cardiovascular failure. Because the client is at risk for pulmonary edema, breath sounds should be monitored every 2 hours. Vital signs should be monitored frequently, at least every hour.
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The media today is reporting that the European Union (EU) is preparing to ease some of its climate change mitigation rules. The political reasoning is that the EUs of greenhouse gas (GHG ) reduction efforts, which are driven by a desire to achieve a long term global benefit, are in conflict with EU countries’ near term economic imperatives. The global recession continues in many European countries, and the political pressure to make economies better right now is understandably much stronger than the pressure to make the world more livable in the future.
From inception, CleanTECH San Diego has been based on the premise that something as long term as climate change mitigation needs to be addressed in a manner that will withstand the inevitable economic and political cycles. For this reason, our members have focused on the business side of cleantech. What can be done that is “clean” and “sustainable” while at the same time creating immediate jobs and economic opportunities?
This question is more important today than ever. Early approaches to politically define GHG reduction targets were centered on the production of cleaner power, primarily through renewables such as wind and solar. Certainly that was the EU’s focus. What we have learned over the past few years is that while renewables have huge potential to produce an ever increasing share of the power mix, there are economic and systems limits to just how much GHG reduction can come from the production side alone.
But production is only part of the story. Energy is produced because there is demand. Reduce demand and the production needs are reduced. Saving a megawatt is always faster and cheaper than figuring out new ways to produce that megawatt.
What is so exciting is that products and ideas and methods to save massive numbers of megawatts are evolving rapidly. Society clearly needs to continue to develop its wind and solar resources, as we push hard to reduce the need for fossil fuel generated power. At the same time, rather than back off of important GHG reduction targets, as the EU is considering, business and political leaders need to maximize and emphasize the great potential of energy demand reduction technologies. By taking a broader policy approach, it is possible to maintain forward-looking GHG targets, the very existence of which spur the immediate innovation, job, and economic growth that countries and workers everywhere need for immediate economic security.
Jim Waring, Executive Chairman and Co-founder of CleanTECH San Diego
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AIG Goals
From the 2016-2019 AIG Plan:
K-2 Problem-Solver Goals
-make appropriate use of activities which extend manipulation, experimentation, and application
-develop reasoning skills through logic and problem solving activities
-begin to develop a sensitivity to language and an awareness of the functions of words and figurative expressions as they contribute to the appreciation of quality literature
-develop skills or independent, critical, and creative thinking skills
3-8 AIG Enrichment Goals
-gain awareness of themselves as individuals who have unique academic and social-emotional needs
-engage in meaningful work that strengthens independent, critical, and creative thinking skills
-foster independence in identifying and solving meaningful problems
-articulate thoughts and ideas effectively in increasingly complex contexts
-think critically about humankind and demonstrate social responsibility in a global community
-collaborate effectively with diverse teams to accomplish a common goal
-commit to learning as a lifelong process and demonstrate accountability for one's own learning |
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Idioms, Wikipedia.
a method of crop irrigation in which water is sprayed over the surface of the soil and on plants. Experiments in sprinkling were conducted in many countries in the 19th century. Sprinkling became industrially important in the early 20th century in Germany (more than 100,000 hectares [ha]), the USA, Italy, and Czechoslovakia. It was first used in Russia (1875) in Saratov Province by the agronomist G. I. Aristov. In 1913 and 1914, on the initiative of A. N. Kostiakov, research on sprinkling was conducted at the Kostychev and Bezenchuk experimental stations. In the USSR the area irrigated by sprinkling (in ha) was 180,000 in 1962, 357,700 in 1964, 760,600 in 1966, and 1,477,000 in 1969. Sprinkling is widespread in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Czechoslovakia, the USA, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the German Democratic Republic.
Sprinkling has a number of advantages over surface watering. It improves conditions of plant growth, since it increases the moisture, not only of the soil but also of the surface air, by lowering their temperature and evaporation losses from the surface of the soil. Sprinkling washes the dust from plants, which strengthens their respiration, assimilation of carbon, growth, and accumulation of organic matter. After sprinkling, the soil structure is less disturbed and postirrigation work may be begun earlier, as a result of which more moisture is conserved in the soil. Sprinkling makes possible the introduction of fertilizers together with the irrigation water. Sprinkling may be done at any time of day and at any irrigation rate, starting with the lowest (30 m3/ha). Sprinkling makes possible the maintenance of optimum soil moisture for plants on lands with complex terrain, as well as on areas of shallow soil situated on strongly water-permeable rock (sand or gravel), on which surface irrigation requires a great deal of planning or entails significant losses of water through seepage. Sprinkling generally does not require shallow conduits and furrows; therefore, the land area is utilized more fully and the operation of farm machinery is more productive. Sometimes this method of irrigation is economically less profitable than surface methods—for example, during irrigation at high watering rates (more than 700 m3/ha) and with frequent waterings.
Sprinkling is used for growing, freshening, feeding, and warming irrigation and in combating weeds. It is widely used in growing vegetable, industrial, fodder, grain, and fruit and berry crops, especially in zones of fluctuating moistening. Sprinkling is most efficient when used against the background of the fall water supply of the soil. During drought years sprinkling yields large crop increases in the nonchernozem zones and even in the north (for example, near Yakutsk). In the Baltic region, sprinkling is used to irrigate pastures and hayfields. Irrigation rates for sprinkling are generally somewhat lower than for surface watering. Watering rates range from 30 to 600 m3/ha (under favorable conditions, up to 800); watering during the growth and development stage should ensure the moistening of soil beds down to root level.
Sprinkling should be conducted in such a way that the water is equally distributed throughout the field, not forming puddles or causing runoff. The occurrence of runoff depends on the physical and water properties of the soil, the size of the spray drops, the intensity of the spray (the layer of rain in mm per unit time), and the nature of its delivery—constant or periodic (with intervals of 1-8 min and more). High-quality sprinkling may be produced if the diameter of the drops does not exceed 1.5-2.0 mm and if the intensity is less than the actual permeability of the soil. For actual conditions, these amounts are generally determined by experiment.
Rivers, ponds, canals, and other basins and channels are used as sources of water for sprinkling. The transmission network (canals and stationary pipelines) and distributing network (open, closed, or combination) feed water to the plot being irrigated and distribute it inside the plot, carrying it to sprinkling machines and installations. The planned arrangement and design of the transmission and distribution networks for sprinkling have the following features: the shape of the plot being irrigated should be close to rectangular, its width should be a multiple of the range of the sprinkling machine, and its length should not be less than 400-600 m; temporary sprinklers and piping are arranged parallel to one another, and the distance between them should be double the length of the wing of the machine or of the spraying radius (taking into account the area of overlap).
Pospelov, A. M. Dozhdevanie. Moscow, 1952.
Cherkasov, A. A. Melioratsiia i sel’skokhoziaistvennoe vodosnabzhenie, 4th ed. Moscow, 1958.
Lebedev, G. V. Impul’snoe dozhdevanie i vodnyi obmen rastenii. Moscow, 1969.
References in periodicals archive ?
The feature that we have called the sprinkling sign is first noted on low-power examination by virtue of the presence of multiple scattered dark small spots in what appears otherwise to be an unremarkable benign follicular nodule, that is, either a follicular adenoma or a hyperplastic (adenomatoid) nodule depending on the presence or absence of a capsule, respectively.
Log moisture analyses.--Data in Table 3 and Figure 6 show how the MCs of the MPB logs changed after sprinkling and vat conditioning.
High levels of mercury exposure can result from sprinkling mercury on the floor of a home or car, burning it in a candle, and mixing it with perfume.
However, sprinkling oil in a barn requires more labor and techniques for room cleanup after pigs are removed.
For example, trusts that accumulate income may qualify as S shareholders, as may trusts with multiple beneficiaries and trusts with "sprinkling powers." However, taxpayers need to keep in mind that the trust will be taxed at the highest individual rate.
He stated that they had been keeping a close eye on the environmental aspect of the project and had been regularly sprinkling water so as to reduce the concentration of dust in the air.
New Delhi [India], November 10 ( ANI ): Following a directive by Delhi's Environment Minister Imran Hussain, the Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited on Friday has been assgined to settle down particulate matter (PM) in the national capital region through aerial sprinkling in Delhi.
He informed that 80 percent subsidy would also be provided to farmers for installation of solar system for sprinkling and drip irrigation units.
RAWALPINDI -- Sprinkling system installed for watering the plants in the parks of Rawalpindi has become dysfunctional due to negligence and lack of attention of Parks and Horticulture Agency (PHA).
2 tbsp go sugar, plu sprinkli FO PUD7wgssf Rice pudding and spiced plum bake THIS seasonal twist on rice pudding makes a lovely change to crumble Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 500g/1lb 2oz plums, halved and pitted 1 cinnamon stick juice and zest 1 orange 150ml/-pt sweet sherry 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling FOR THE RICE PUDDING 700ml/1'pts whole milk 50g /2oz golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 200g /7oz pudding rice ' nutmeg, grated 170g can evaporated milk knob of butter METHOD 1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
IF your pets are making the room smell, then try sprinkling baking soda over the smelly surfaces.
Beef stroganoff with peppercorn-coated steak Serves: 4 Ingredients 500g Waitrose British Rump Steak, sliced thinly into long strips 1tbsp Bart Bristol Blend Five Pepper, lightly crushed 1tsp ground paprika, plus extra for sprinkling 50g unsalted butter 2tsp olive oil 1 large onion, sliced 200g pack button mushrooms 2 tbsp Waitrose French Brandy 142ml pot soured cream Method Place the rump steak in a shallow bowl, sprinkle the peppercorns and paprika over and toss well to coat evenly, then set aside. |
The Flaw of Postmodernism
Are minds real? Do humans have free will? Is evolution true?
Postmodernism is the idea is that reality is subjective…that there is no absolute truth, and that reality differs from person to person. The phrase “what’s true for you might not be true for me” typifies a postmodern point of view.
Another way to understand postmodernism (or “Pomo”) is to say that no truth can be extended beyond an individual’s experiences. Postmodernists will necessarily have trouble with my definition, since they like to suggest that words only have the meanings we give them…and, in defining postmodernism, we try to give it a meaning for all to share. That’s the contradictory essence of postmodernism: we can’t even discuss what it is without the conversation devolving into an uncomfortable silence.
Steve Taylor referred to the postmodern dilemma in Whatcha Gonna Do When Your Number’s Up:
Sally’s into knowledge
spent her years in college
just to find out nothing is true
She can hardly speak now
words are not unique now
’cause they can’t say anything new
Listen on YouTube
Here’s the point: postmodernism essentially says “there are no absolute truths”. It’s a self-defeating statement, to be sure…but that doesn’t stop some people (like my friend Sean) from trying to live by it anyway. Many postmodernists avoid looking for answers because, were they to find real answers, they’d then have to change the way they live.
The NBC show ER (Season 14, Episode 13) aired an episode that exposes the flaw of postmodernism: it’s completely useless for people who want actual answers. We all believe in absolute truth, yet the postmodern person rejects truth anyway. In this clip, the hospital’s postmodern chaplain can provide no answers for a dying man who seeks forgiveness for his sins:
Your thoughts? |
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Common Ostriches
COMMON OSTRICH (Struthio camelus)
Adapted from Wikipedia
Original image by Yathin S Krishnappa
Ostriches are large, flightless, terrestrial birds. The scientific name means "ostrich camel" which is frustrating because ostriches are not camels. But, they do live in the desert and some crazy motherfuckers ride them, so I can see where the comparison is apt.
Ostriches are one of those animals that we accept as real only due to familiarity. They look as though the whole point of their evolutionary history was to make all who look upon them say "what the fuck?". Allow me to describe an ostrich to you: they stand at least 2.1 meters tall, and can weigh up to 157 kg (that's 6'11 and 346 lbs, respectively). Unlike normal, god-fearing birds, they cannot fly, which is a mercy because flying ostriches would be even more terrifying. They have long sexy legs that end in three toes equipped with talons that would make Dr. Alan Grant nod approvingly. And finally, they have a crazy sock puppet neck with a tiny head and eyes filled entirely with malice. I ask you - does that sound like a real animal? Or has the giant goose that chases me in my nightmares begun to manifest physically in the world? I'm giving them half a point because even though they scare me, they are too big to fly.
Points: 0.5/1
Ostrich brains have a highly developed cerebellum (the part of the brain that is mainly involved in motor function), and a very small, smooth cerebrum (the part of the brain that's involved in, well, pretty much everything else, including, but not limited to, thinking and decision making). This means that ostriches are good at moving their big crazy bodies around, but they're stupid as fuck. So, basically, they're big-ass chickens, which makes them less impressive overall.
Points: 0/1
The common ostrich lives in the grasslands of Africa on either side of the equator. There are three subspecies: Struthio camelus camelus, the northern African ostrich, lives north of the equator; S. c. massaicus, the Masai ostrich, lives in eastern Africa; and S. c. australis, the southern African ostrich, lives in southern Africa and not Australia like what I thought from the name. With several different subspecies, I expected the common ostrich to live in a broader range of biomes, but it pretty much only lives in the grasslands and deserts. Fortunately for them, climate change is converting large swaths of the planet into desert so there will be lots of places for them to live post-apocalypse. If you're going to only live in one type of habitat, desert is probably the best one right now so all in all the ostriches made a good call.
Points: 1/1
It's hot as shit in the desert and ostriches are huge, so they have long naked legs and necks in order to shed heat into the environment and stay cool. Their muscle distribution, joint organization, and foot structure are all about being able to run really fast so they can cover large areas to find water, and also to escape from predators. They also eat pretty much anything, from plants and seeds, to lizards and small mammals. Just about everything that's crazy looking about an ostrich is an adaptation to living in their environment. Good job.
Points: 1/1
There used to be a whole shitload of different species and subspecies of ostrich found throughout Africa and Asia, including the Asian ostrich (Struthio asiaticus) which went extinct some 25,000 years ago possibly due to human activity, and the Arabic ostrich (Struthio camelus syriacus) which went extinct some 50 years ago definitely due to human activity. Currently, there are only two extant ostrich species, S. camelus and the Somali ostrich S. molybdophanes, the former of which is doing okay, while the latter is considered vulnerable under IUCN. Ostriches are members of the ratites, a (debatably) paraphyletic group of paleognathid bird monsters including such real-life kaiju as rheas, emus, cassowaries, elephant birds, moas, and the totally out of place, adorable, fuzzy kiwis. So, while ostriches are intimidating, they're not nearly as horrific as their close relatives, the cassowaries. Obviously, they're not trying hard enough.
Points: 0/1
Life History
Ostrich eggs are the largest egg known to man, but the egg to adult size ratio is the smallest among birds. One would expect that, being large desert dwelling animals, ostriches would have a K-selection life history strategy (that is, investing a lot of energy in few offspring, and having low infant mortality), like elephants or rhinos. Instead, they invest relatively little energy in a lot of eggs, and have just off the charts infant mortality, with most of their eggs and chicks succumbing to predation before they reach maturity (this is called r-selection in case you're wondering). It's somewhat unusual for larger animals to employ that life history strategy, but animals that do tend to fare better under environmental stress, so this is another reason that ostriches might come out on top while other, more sensitive animals get taken out by climate change.
Points: 1/1
Interaction with Humans
There is evidence that humans have been using ostrich eggs for at least 60,000 years based on engraved ostrich shells found in South Africa. Realistically, humans have probably been using ostrich meat, feathers, and shells for almost as long as there have been humans, since humans originate in roughly the same place as ostriches, and they're a good, multipurpose animal. They've been depicted in Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Roman, and Chinese artwork, an acknowledgement of their huge importance to humans over the millennia. Today, ostriches are farmed on an industrial scale for meat, leather, feathers, eggs, and tourism. Ostrich farming, along with their huge spatial distribution and genetically distinct sub-species, is one of the reasons ostriches might not actually go tits up in the upcoming Anthropocene extinction event, so there's that. Ostriches are also known to occasionally kill people by disemboweling them with their massive claws, meaning there's a chance that ostriches will rise up, cast off the shackles of human oppression, and succeed man as the dominant biped on the planet. Ostriches are a species whose history and future are truly interwoven with those of humans for better or for worse.
Points: 1/1
Final Score: 4.5/7
Ostriches are not bad at all, and surprisingly cool in a lot of ways
References / Further Reading
• Associated Press. 2000. Man killed in ostrich attack
• Baker AJ, Haddrath O, McPherson JD, Cloutier A. 2014. Genomic support for a moa-tinamou clade and adaptive morphological convergence in flightless ratites. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 31(7): 1686-1696
• IUCN Redlist: Common Ostrich
• IUCN Redlist: Somali Ostrich
• Jan S, Rai N, Kumar G, Pruthi PA, Thangaraj K, Bajpai S, Pruthi V. 2017. Ancient DNA reveals late Pleistocene existence of ostriches in Indian sub-continent. PLoS One. 12(3): e0164823 Open Access
• National Geographic: Ostriches
• Peng K, Feng Y, Zhang G, Liu H, Song H. 2010. Anatomical study of the brain of the African ostrich. Turkish Journal of Veterinary Animal Science. 34(3): 235-241
• Phillips PK, Sanborn AF. 1994. An infrared, thermographic study of surface temperature in three ratites: ostrich, emu, and double-wattled cassowary. Journal of Thermal Biology. 19(6): 423-430
• Schaller NU, Herkner B, Villa R, Aerts P. 2009. The intertarsal joint of the ostrich (Struthio camelus): anatomical examination and function of passive structures in locomotion. Journal of Anatomy. 214(6): 830-847
• Schaller NU, D'Aout K, Villa R, Herkner B, Aerts P. 2011. Toe function and dynamic pressure distribution in ostrich locomotion. Journal of Experimental Biology. 214(7): 1123-1130
• Texier PJ, Porraz G, Parkington J, Rigaud JP, Poggenpoel C, Miller C, Tribolo C, Vartwright C, Coudenneau A, Klein R, Steele T, Verna C. 2010. A Howiesons Poort tradition of engraving ostrich eggshell containers dated to 60,000 years ago at Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa. PNAS USA. 107(14): 6180-6185
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What Is a Schedule 1 Drug?
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Related Articles
For the purposes of drug testing and legal reporting, drugs are categorized into several classes by the federal government. If you are undergoing a background check relating to an employment application or licensing procedure, you may be asked to submit to a drug test. Depending on the purpose of the test, your sample may be tested for a number of drugs. Similarly, your legal history may include incidents involving drug use, categorized by class. In either case, drugs should be classified in the same manner.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)
Drugs are broken down into five categories, called schedules, by the federal government. The greater the chance for dependency and the lower the medically accepted use of a drug, the higher it is on the list. Schedule 1 drugs are the most likely to cause dependency and abuse.
What Classes of Drugs Are There?
At the federal level, drugs are categorized into five classes, called schedules. These groups are arranged by drugs’ acceptable medical uses or abuse and dependency potential. The schedules are numbered 1 through 5, with 1 being the most likely to be abused or lead to dependency, and 5 being the least likely.
Drugs classified as controlled substances are regulated by the federal government. This can mean that they are available solely via a prescription or that they are illicit. Drugs not classified as controlled substances can still be considered Schedule 1 drugs when it comes to criminal prosecution.
Some states have additional classification systems for drugs. For instance, Tennessee has seven schedules of drugs, rather than just five.
What is a Schedule 1 Drug?
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, a Schedule 1 drug is a substance or chemical with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. These drugs include heroin, LSD, marijuana, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (also known as ecstasy), methaqualone and peyote.
What is a Schedule 2 Drug?
The DEA defines Schedule 2 drugs as those with a high potential for abuse. In addition, these drugs are known to cause severe psychological or physical dependence. For these and other reasons, Schedule 2 drugs are considered very dangerous. Examples of this class of drugs include Vicodin (in certain concentrations), cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall and Ritalin.
What is a Schedule 4 Drug?
Schedule 4 drugs are classified by the DEA as substances or chemicals with a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence. Some examples of Schedule 4 drugs include Xanax, Soma, Darvon, Darvocet, Valium, Ativan, Talwin, Ambien and Tramadol.
What is a Schedule 6 Drug?
According to the federal government, there are only five categories of drugs. However, some states classify drugs differently. For instance, in Tennessee, marijuana is a Schedule 6 drug. Possession of drugs at this level in Tennessee results in a misdemeanor at most quantities. However, possession or sale of large amounts of this class of drug can still be a felony.
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create data source from zip file
libzip (-lzip)
#include <zip.h>
zip_source_t *
zip_source_zip(zip_t *archive, zip_t *srcarchive, zip_uint64_t srcidx, zip_flags_t flags, zip_uint64_t start, zip_int64_t len);
The function zip_source_zip() creates a zip source from a file in a zip archive. The srcarchive argument is the (open) zip archive containing the source zip file at index srcidx. len bytes from offset start will be used in the zip_source. If len is 0 or -1, the rest of the file, starting from start, is used. If start is zero and len is -1, the whole file will be copied without decompressing it.
Supported flags are:
Try to get the original data without any changes that may have been made to srcarchive after opening it.
When adding the data from srcarchive, re-compress it using the current settings instead of copying the compressed data.
Upon successful completion, the created source is returned. Otherwise, NULL is returned and the error code in archive is set to indicate the error.
zip_source_zip() fails if:
Unchanged data was requested, but it is not available.
srcarchive, srcidx, start, or len are invalid.
Required memory could not be allocated.
Additionally, it can return all error codes from zip_stat_index() and zip_fopen_index().
libzip(3), zip_file_add(3), zip_file_replace(3), zip_source(3)
zip_source_zip() was added in libzip 1.0.
Dieter Baron <> and Thomas Klausner <> |
It’s Avocado Monday again! Time to explain some important health benefits of avocados.. On #avomonday you are fully alowed to use this beautiful piece of fruit to the max! Actually, I incorporate avocados into my diet at least four times a week. I spread them on toasts or sandwiches, use them in my smoothies and even bake with them. In this post, I explain to you important health benefits of avocados by showing what vitamins and minerals avocados contain and where these vitamines are good for.
Important health benefits of avocados
1. Avocados are nutrient rich. This is important because good nutrition helps to promote your overall health, to maintain a healthy weight and to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Avocados are among others a source of:
• Vitamins C, E, K, and B-6: These vitamins boost your immune system and support your all round health and wellbeing.
• Riboflavin (also known as Vitamin B2): Helps to produce energy for the body and works as an antioxidant. Contributes to the aging process.
• Niacin (also known as Vitamin B3): Helps the digestive system, skin, and nerves to function. It is also important for converting food to energy.
• Folate: Helps the body make healthy new cells. It can prevent birth defects on baby’s brain or spine during pregnancy.
• Pantothenic acid: Helps the body break down and use food. Also needed for growth.
• Magnesium: Is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels and making protein, bone, and DNA.
• Potassium: Helps the nerves to function and muscles to contract. It helps the heartbeat stay regular and to move nutrients into cells and waste products out of cells.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Have a variety of health benefits related to their anti-inflammatory properties. They may help lower the risk of heart disease, skin problems, depression, dementia, and arthritis. Vegans have low Omega-3 intakes, so this is a big plus!
• Beta-sitosterol: Helps to maintain a healthy cholesterol level
2. They also lower the risk of depression because of their high levels of folate (Young, S.N., 2007).
3. They protect against cancer. Researchers believe that folate protects against mutations during cell division (McWilliams, L., 2013).
4. They improve digestion since they are high on fiber.
5. They support a healthy pregnancy.
6. They are healthy for the heart because they contain beta-sitosterol.
When you read all of this, it is not weird that the avocado is often touted as a health food. So I would say: keep incorporating them into your diet!
These health benefits based on several studies: Ware, M., 2017 and U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Fun facts about avocados
Fun fact 1: Did you know that avocado is actually a fruit? And more specifically, that it is classified as a berry? Avocado consist of an outer layer (the skin), a middle layer (the flesh) and it is cased around a seed, which are the features of berries, one of the two main classes of fleshy fruit (Storey, W.B., 1974).
Fun fact 2: Did you know that the seed of an avocado is more nutrient-rich than its flesh? 70% of the amino acids that this fruit is found in its seed. The avocado seed extract supports healthy body weight and reduces the blood sugar level (Alhassan, A.J. et al., 2012). You can dry the seed, put it in a small towel and slam it with a hammer. After that, you grind it and add it to your food. Note: make sure you mix it with enough sweet ingredients, such as fruit, to equalise the bitter taste.
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Xx Charlie
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Taeguk 8 Jang
The last taeguk poomse. The Gon or ‘kon’ theory is one of the eight divination signs and it is symbolic of the Earth. This pattern is the root of taekwondo which allows further development and growth. The Earth allows for life, energy and growth. The student perfects their techniques and executes them strongly. The 1st kup will have learnt dubal dangsong bakkat palmok momtong kodureo bakkat makki, twio chagi and palkup dollyo chigi. The student is well on the way towards the path for black belt.
Koryo poomse is named after the ancient dynasty within in Korea (circa 900-1400 A.D). In fact the name Korea is a derivation of Koryo. It is also symbolic of seonbae which is a knowledgeable man. It also represents the strong spirit of mankind combined with the martial spirit. The dynasty is famous for the reason that Korea was successfully defended against the attack of the growing Mongolian empire. The new techniques appearing include kodeum chagi, opeun sonnal bakkat chigi, sonnal araemakki, khaljaebimureup nullo kkokki, momtong hecho makki, jumeok pyojeok jireugi, pyonson kkeut jecho jireugi, batang son nullo makki, palkup yop chagi, and me jumeok arae-pyojeok chigi. All movements should be executed with conviction and be strong in order to pay homage to Koryo’s struggle against the Mongolians.
Keumgang represents hardness and matter that is difficult to break. It also means diamond, which is one of the hardest substances in nature. Korea’s famous mountain which represents the nation’s spirit is named Keumgang Seok. Mountains and diamonds are both strong and beautiful and like this the movements of this Taekwondo pattern are to be performed with the strength of the inner spirit. Movements are executed powerfully but balanced. New techniques include batangson teok chigi, santeoul makki, han son nal momtong an makki, Keumgang makki, kheun dol tzogi, and the hak dari seogi.
Taebaek poomse is named after the ‘bright mountain’. Ancient Korean literature (circa 4000 years ago) tells us that Tangun was the founder of the nation of Korean people. The mountain of Taebaek is symbolic of Tangun’s soul and inner mind. In the present day it is known as Mount Baekdoo, which is the highest mountain in Korea. The line of the poomse symbolises the connection between heaven and earth, whereby the nation has been founded via orders from heaven. New techniques include sonnal area hecho makki, sonnal opeo japki, japhin-son-mok-ppaegi, dol-tzeogi, Kumkang-momtong-makki, deung-jumeok-olgul-bakkat-chigi.
Pyongwon represents the vastness of land or a plain. The movements of the poomse are designed to display the infinity of the spirit and a majestic atmosphere. They also represent the movement of peace against struggle. A fertile plain allows for the cultivation and maintenance of human life. The plain is also the place where the human returns to upon death. New techniques include palkup ollyo chigi, kodureo olgul yop makki, hecho santeul makki, dangkyo teok jireugi, meongye chigi.
Sipjin is symbolic of longevity and the ten creatures of life. These are the sun, the moon, water, mountain, pine tree, stone, herb for eternal youth, deer, tortoise and crane. Two heavenly possessions, three natural wonders, three animals, and two plants. These cultivate the human feelings of faith, hope and love. Every movement of the poomse is delivered with stability. New techniques include hwangso makki, son badak kodureo makki, opeun son nal jireugi, son nal area makki, bawi milgi, son nal deung momtong hecho makki, son nal deung momtong makki, kodeo olligi, chettari jireugi, son nal otkoreo area makki. The poomse line comes from the Chinese letter meaning ten which signifies the infinity of the decimal system.
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Infant Intracranial Hemorrhages (Brain Bleeds) and Birth Trauma
Intracranial hemorrhages (otherwise known as brain bleeds) are birth injuries that range from minor to extremely severe. They can be caused by birth asphyxia (oxygen deprivation during or around the time of birth) or birth trauma (injuries caused by excessive mechanical force to the baby’s head). In many cases, these complications stem from medical negligence. For example, doctors may misuse tools such as forceps and vacuum extractors. It is imperative to diagnose intracranial hemorrhages as soon as possible in order to provide the right type of treatments and to limit the extent of the damage (1).
Infant Brain Bleeds and Hemorrhages
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Types of brain bleeds
There are many different types of brain bleeds, including intracranial (inside of the brain) and extracranial (outside of the brain) bleeds.
Intracranial Hemorrhages
• Hemorrhagic stroke: A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel ruptures, causing bleeding within the brain. This can cause certain brain cells to be deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Hemorrhagic strokes can also cause pressure buildup, irritation, and swelling, and may ultimately lead to neonatal brain damage. There are two main types of hemorrhagic stroke (2):
• Intracerebral hemorrhage: Also known as cerebral hemorrhage, this type of brain bleed is characterized by bleeding that originates from blood vessels within the brain.
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage: Subarachnoid hemorrhages are characterized by bleeding in the subarachnoid space, which is the area between the innermost of the two membranes that cover the brain.
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Infant Intracranial Hemorrhages, Brain BleedsLateral Ventricles | Neonatal Brain
• Intraventricular hemorrhage: Intraventricular hemorrhages occur when there is bleeding into the brain’s ventricular system, where cerebrospinal fluid is produced. It is a very serious type of intracranial bleeding and is usually seen in premature infants and infants with low birth weight. This is because blood vessels in the brain of premature infants are not fully developed, and are therefore weaker than that of term babies (3). Oxygen deprivation and birth trauma can also contribute to intraventricular hemorrhage (4, 5).
• Subdural hemorrhage or subdural hematoma: Subdural hemorrhages occur when there is a rupture of one or more blood vessels in the subdural space, which is the area between the surface of the dura and the arachnoid membranes (6). These ruptures are usually caused by traumatic injuries, which can include birth trauma.
Extracranial Hemorrhages
• Caput succedaneum: A swelling of the scalp, which can be hemorrhagic. It extends across the suture lines, and usually happens because the baby has had vacuum extraction or has been in the birth canal for a prolonged period (7).
• Cephalohematoma (cephalhematoma): Cephalohematomas are brain bleeds characterized by bleeding that occurs between the skull and its covering as the result of ruptured vessels. Cephalohematomas manifest as a raised bump on the baby’s head. Cephalohematomas are often the result of forceps or vacuum extraction injuries. Cephalohematomas usually go away on their own, but should be carefully monitored by medical professionals. Sometimes babies require treatment for associated complications such as anemia and jaundice (8).
• Subgaleal hematoma: An SGH occurs when blood accumulates in the area between aponeurosis and the periosteum (the skull and the scalp) where there is loose areolar tissue (7).
Risk factors of intracranial hemorrhages
Common risk factors for and causes of intracranial hemorrhages in babies include:
• Macrosomia: This is a pregnancy condition in which the fetus is larger than average for the gestational age, which can make vaginal birth dangerous.
• Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD): CPD is a similar problem to macrosomia, except that it specifically refers to a size mismatch between the fetal head and the mother’s pelvis (the head is unusually big and/or the pelvis is unusually small).
• Abnormal fetal presentation, such as a fetus in the breech, face, or brow presentation
• Trauma from prolonged labor
• Abnormal changes in blood pressure
• Blood disorders, such as vitamin K deficiency or hemophilia
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a dangerous neonatal brain injury resulting from decreased oxygen and blood flow to the baby at or near the time of delivery. The lack of blood flow results in cell death and causes the blood vessel walls to break down, leading to bleeding.
If risk factors for intracranial hemorrhage are present, medical professionals must closely monitor the baby for signs of fetal distress and give the mother the option for a C-section. If fetal distress occurs and normal methods of delivery are unsuccessful, an emergency C-section is required to minimize the risk of intracranial hemorrhage and other birth injuries. Medical intervention causes of intracranial hemorrhages Unfortunately, severe head and brain trauma to newborns can also occur from medical intervention during labor and delivery. For example:
• Forceps and vacuum extractors: Improper use of delivery instruments such as forceps or vacuum extractors is well-documented as a cause of intracranial bleeding.
• Delivery techniques: Improper delivery technique (for instance, excessive twisting or pulling of the infant’s head) and traumatic breech delivery can cause severe intracranial hemorrhages.
Additionally, premature babies are at a much higher risk for intracranial hemorrhages due to the fragility of their underdeveloped blood vessels. Therefore, it is very important for medical professionals to do all they safely can to prevent premature birth and deliver a premature baby safely.
Signs and symptoms of intracranial hemorrhages
Symptoms of intracranial hemorrhages in infants will vary based on the type and severity of the bleed, but include the following:
Diagnosing intracranial hemorrhages Fetal brain hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage, neonatal brain damage
If medical professionals detect signs of an intracranial hemorrhage or suspect that an intracranial hemorrhage occurred, brain imaging studies are performed to confirm the presence of blood within the skull. The best methods of detecting a brain bleed are MRIs and CT scans. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses magnetic waves to generate pictures of the brain. CT (computed tomography) scans use computer software and x-rays to create pictures of structures inside the baby’s brain. Occasionally, ultrasonography and testing of cerebrospinal fluid is performed. For more information on the process of diagnosing intracranial hemorrhages, please visit this page.
Treating infant intracranial hemorrhages
Treatment of brain bleeds is mostly of a supportive nature, although neurosurgical intervention may be necessary to manage certain types. The prognosis varies depending on the severity and location of the bleed. Some infants do very well with little or no residual effects. More severe bleeds can result in mental and physical impairments such as developmental delays, learning disabilities, and cerebral palsy (CP). Diagnosing an intracranial hemorrhage is crucial—the earlier a baby is diagnosed with an intracranial hemorrhage, the earlier treatment and therapy can begin. For more information on treatments for intracranial hemorrhages, please visit this page.
Long-term effects of intracranial hemorrhages
Intracranial hemorrhages have been found to have long-term cognitive and behavioral effects. One study found that, when evaluated at age 8, with neurologic assessments, a battery of behavioral, academic, and cognitive assessments, and a history of school performance, the children who experienced intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) as infants had more of these issues than those that didn’t have hemorrhages as infants (9). The children who had IVH had higher rates of hearing impairment and cerebral palsy, and had lower rates of IQ, daily living skills, and test scores in reading and math. The long-term outcomes of infant brain bleeds depend on the severity of the bleed as well as its treatment and management.
How do you pronounce intracranial hemorrhage?
Trusted birth trauma attorneys representing intracranial hemorrhage victims
Pursuing legal help for an intracranial hemorrhage is one of the first steps you can take to secure a better life for your birth-injured baby. Obtaining compensation from a successful medical malpractice case will better allow your family to afford treatment, therapy, lifestyle adjustment, adaptive equipment, life care, and more. At ABC Law Centers (Reiter & Walsh, P.C.), our team of attorneys, nurses, and other professionals exclusively focus on birth injury cases. Our narrow focus allows us to take on the most complex cases and build litigation experience in a wide array of complications, medical errors, and injuries. During your free legal consultation, our attorneys will discuss your case with you, determine if negligence caused your baby’s injuries, identify the negligent party, and discuss your legal options with you.
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Birth injury, birth trauma, and intracranial hemorrhages
1. Naidech A. M. (2011). Intracranial hemorrhage. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 184(9), 998–1006. doi:10.1164/rccm.201103-0475CI
2. Hemorrhagic Stroke. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2018, from
3. Children’s Hospital. (2014, August 24). Intraventricular Hemorrhage. Retrieved December 7, 2018, from
4. Al Yazidi, G., Srour, M., & Wintermark, P. (2014). Risk factors for intraventricular hemorrhage in term asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia. Pediatric neurology, 50(6), 630-635.
5. Ballabh, P. (2010). Intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants: mechanism of disease. Pediatric research, 67(1), 1.
6. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2018, from
7. McKee-Garrett, T. (2017, October 31). Neonatal birth injuries. Retrieved April 8, 2019, from extracranialhemorrhages&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~20&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
8. Healthline. (2017, June 5). Cephalohematoma (CH): Causes, Outlook, and More. Retrieved December 7, 2018, from
9. Vohr BR, Allan WC, Westerveld M, Schneider KC, Katz KH, Makuch RW, et al. School-age outcomes of very low birth weight infants in the indomethacin intraventricular hemorrhage prevention trial. Pediatrics. 2003;111(4 Pt 1):e340–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] |
Back to the blogMachine learning meets prototyping
Portrait of Steffen Süpple
Steffen Süpple
Agile Machine Learning
Machine learning techniques are finding their way into the standard repertoire of IT solutions. Many of the challenges when tweaking machine learning resemble those of software development. But while agile development with fast iterative development loops is becoming a standard for programming, machine learning is still regarded as a monolithic, isolated task.
At Intuity we are used to working in iterative processes, where prototyping makes ideas graspable and explorable. We wanted to use the same process for machine learning.
What is Machine Learning?
The internet is full of explanations of machine learning and discussions about its usefulness. There is no need to repeat this here. Only to be clear, when we talk about machine learning in this article, we mean statistical machine learning, and more specifically supervised learning. In less technical terms: Suppose you produce and sell handmade chocolate. Since you only have a small market stall, you can only display three of your ten varieties of chocolate. So each week you have to decide which chocolate to produce and to take to the marketplace. Over the years you have recorded data in a spreadsheet, for example for each date and the market town the number of chocolate bars that you have sold of each variety. You would like to predict the number of bars per variety that you are likely to sell at the market next week using machine learning.
In the most narrow sense of machine learning — and the one that has dominated machine learning research for decades — you would feed your spreadsheet into some machine learning tool. The result is a function that predicts the number of chocolate bars you are likely to sell at a specified time and place of a certain type of chocolate.
Unfortunately, this will rarely work. Imagine in the chocolate example that one day a rich lover of pecans passed your stall and bought every bar of your pecan chocolate. This is a rare event that is unlikely to happen again. The row in your spreadsheet that contains the data of that day may mislead a learning algorithm to predict a much higher pecan chocolate demand than it would without this row. Therefore, it is often advisable to preprocess data before feeding them into the learning algorithm. Besides outlier removal, such preprocessing can include data scaling, balancing or treatment of unknown values. Such additional operations on data are now supported by machine learning frameworks or other statistics tools.
The data preprocessing operates on the rows of your table, but you also have to consider the columns. In our example, we may have recorded the date of the market day. But what can we expect to predict out of the data from 5 April 2015, when we are interested in our planning for 13 November 2018? More interesting would be information like the weekday or the season as those are more general and applicable to days in the future. We could even consider to add new columns to our table that include the weather of that day or any events that took place in the market town. While there is some automatic support for selecting features (i.e. the columns we want to use) from predefined ones, for the definition of the features and addition of data, expert domain knowledge is irreplaceable.
Even more generally, we may have to reconsider our original question. Do we really want to predict the number of bars of each variety to be sold? Could we reshape the problem so that it outputs directly the three varieties that we should take to market next week? Or maybe there are other considerations involved that we cannot directly put into a machine learning algorithm. The chocolate we sell must first be produced. So our decision may also depend on the availability and price of fresh ingredients. We may add another learning problem that predicts such business considerations and we include both aspects into our decision.
We have now come a long way from simply throwing data onto a learning algorithm to designing a learning problem including the question to ask, the features to record in the data set, the preprocessing of data, and ultimately the learning algorithm. All these decisions are correlated: the tasks you can solve depend on the availability of data, but you can also decide to gather specific data; different types of questions require different classes of algorithms; each learning algorithm needs specific types of preprocessing. Obviously, the question and data collection depend on human knowledge, but even the choice of preprocessing and learning algorithm need to be determined by a combination of expert knowledge and experimentation.
Machine Learning Prototyping
If we treat machine learning as a design process, we can use design methods to solve it, in particular we can use prototyping to iterate through different combinations of data preprocessing, feature selection and learning algorithm, to enable a dialogue with domain experts to solve the overall problem.
ML prototyping
As with any other prototype, a machine learning prototype should be quick, reflect the properties of a final product, and be graspable and explorable. Our Artificial Intelligence Insight Tools visualize the data and the machine learning results to quickly give domain experts an intuition of what is possible within the current conception of the task. Our machine learning experts can quickly iterate through different combinations of preprocessing and learning algorithms and thus provide a preview of a fully engineered learning solution. Together, domain experts and machine learning experts reconsider the task, put it into the business context and develop an overall solution. Whether this solution consists of a single machine learning task, a combination of machine learning tasks or some completely different approach, our client has saved the effort to collect a huge number of data without even knowing whether these are the right data or whether they address the right question.
The results of our prototypical machine learning runs can directly be deployed into an overall agile development process. This is the path to lead machine learning from an isolated esoteric technique into the mainstream software development process. |
Summertime is synonymous with beach days, margaritas, patio lunches and, above all, sun. Many people love to soak up rays, but while you're busy lounging by the pool it can be easy to forget that the same sun that encourages you to break in your new swimsuit can also do some damage to your skin.
Few things age skin prematurely like prolonged exposure to direct sun, and unfortunately, summer is prime exposure time. You may have noticed some of the negative effects already.
Fear not! It's possible to keep your skin safe from further sun damage, so that you can enjoy the rest of your summer with peace of mind.
Don't get burned
The most common form of sun damage is familiar to everyone who's spent a day by the pool or a few hours on the tennis court. Sunburn is not only unsightly and painful, but is also damaging to your skin. Because it's so common and heals relatively easily, many people still don't take adequate measures to protect against this condition.
Sunburn may seem innocuous, but it's actually doing substantial harm to your skin on a cellular level. According to the Los Angeles Times, sunburned skin actually experiences damage to its DNA, with skin cells shriveling and dying under the harsh ultraviolet rays. As the National Institutes of Health pointed out, prolonged exposure to UV rays can severely increase skin cancer risk, but in the more immediate timeframe it can also leave skin discolored, dried out and prematurely aged.
Skin health gets spotty
Your skin has natural sun defense in the form of a chemical called melanin. As Mayo Clinic explained, melanin is a dark-colored pigment that your skin produces to keep harmful UV rays from penetrating and damaging deeper skin cells. The more time you spend in the sun, the more melanin your skin produces – the same principle harnessed by anyone who's ever spent a day working on a killer tan.
Of course, just because your skin can produce more melanin when needed doesn't mean that it wants to, or it even should. In fact, the more you put your skin to the test, the higher the likelihood that you'll incur some sort of damage. One of the more common forms of this is what Mayo Clinic referred to as solar lentigines – known to the common sunbather as sun spots. These are instances when skin produces melanin unevenly, resulting in discoloration and dark spots on the skin.
Summer vacation for your skin
The best way to keep your skin healthy is to stay out of direct sun as much as possible and to take preventive measures, such as sporting a high-SPF sunblock if you do venture into the rays. However, for those who have spent the summer soaking up rays and, by extension, potential skin damage, there are new solutions that can help your skin shine as brightly as the sun you've been hanging out in all summer.
Even for those who have put their skin to the test in the sun, new laser revitalization treatments can provide a much-needed respite for sun-damaged dermises. Some may have reservations regarding laser treatment, but the good news is that recent advances in technology offer a type of treatment that maximizes results, minimizes downtime and reduces potential skin damage that previous laser treatments have been known for. By penetrating top layers of skin with a precise picosecond pulse laser, it's possible to stimulate the generation of collagen and elastin – the substances that keep your skin looking young and healthy. After all, you may have spent your summer in the sun, but there's no reason to wear that on your face.
PicoSure® is the latest technology for laser tattoo removal and skin revitalization and offers faster and better results in fewer treatments. It is the first and only aesthetic picosecond laser that is FDA-cleared for the removal of tattoos and sun spots. Visit to learn more and find a PicoSure Practitioner near you. |
Multiple Sclerosis 101: A Brief Amazing Guide
3 min read
Multiple Sclerosis - 6812
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple Sclerosis or MS, is a lifelong autoimmune disease that affects the Central Nervous System and interferes with its function of information transmission. It may affect crucial organs like the brain, spinal cord, and eyes. It can also result in problems with different body functions.
We have a fatty material called Myelin, which wraps around the nerve fibres to protect them and enhance their functions. Without them, the nerves can get severely damaged and may even die. Multiple Sclerosis happens when your immune system treats Myelin as a threat and attacks it. It causes the nerves in the sheath to get damaged and leave scars, known as Sclerosis. Thus, the name- Multiple Sclerosis.
The effects of MS vary from person to person. If you have mild symptoms, you will probably not even realise about the disease. In such cases, treatment isn’t required but it is suggested that regular medical check-ups should be taken. If you have prominent symptoms, even daily tasks can be a challenge for you.
If you are suffering from MS, your brain can’t transmit information through your nerves which will make basic functions tough for you as almost every body function needs Nervous to work properly.
Symptoms of MS
Though the symptoms of MS aren’t clear or assured, if you have any or all of the following symptoms, you should get checked by your doctor.
• Trouble walking
Unless you’re injured, if you have any kind of trouble walking, like feeling tipsy or not getting enough support from the legs, this can be a symptom.
• Lacking energy or feeling drowsy
This might happen due to a number of reasons like lack of sleep or too much exercise but if the problem persists without any clear reason, you should see a doctor.
Muscle spasm usually symbolizes other conditions but if it occurs frequently, you shouldn’t take chances and should get a check-up.
• Blurred vision or double vision
MS often affects the nerves concerned with the eyes. If you are having any problems with your vision, it is better to get checked for MS as well besides the regular eye tests.
• Numbness and tingling in hands or feet
Tingling in hands or feet when there is sudden stress on them is normal and happens to everyone. However, if there is numbness or tingling without a proper cause, it could be a red flag.
• Not feeling enough sexual pleasures
MS reduces your ability to feel which includes feelings in sexual activities. If you are suddenly having low sensitivity to them, consider visiting the doctor.
MS can affect the working of the digestive system too. Digestion problems are common but if they reoccur too often without a specific cause like poor diet, MS could be the cause.
• Memory or concentration problems that you didn’t have before
This occurs due to MS affecting the functions of the brain. If the problem reoccurs frequently, you should get checked for MS.
In most women, the first symptoms of MS can be felt between ages 20 to 40. The disease may either be a cycle of worsening and improving on its own or may continue to get worse over time.
Relief note: Recently, with the advancement of medical technologies, scientists have found various new treatments for the disease which can significantly slow down the effects of it.
What causes MS?
While the exact cause of MS is not known yet, various things have been linked to it. Researchers say Genes and Smoking might have a significant connection to the disease.
Like most other autoimmune diseases, Multiple Sclerosis can also be triggered by a viral infection that affects the normal functioning of the immune system. If the disease is already present, such infections can also cause relapses of it. Though a prominent link between viral infections and MS is yet to be confirmed, if you have MS, it is better to take extra precautions to avoid viral infections.
Some studies also suggest that exposure to sunlight can lower your risks of the disease. Time for some natural tan, yay?
Diagnosis of MS
Multiple Sclerosis often have symptoms common with various other Nervous disorders. Since the diagnosis is tough, you should see a Neurologist (specialist of the nervous system) for it. The doctor will ask about your genetics and medical history and decide on the tests. The tests may include blood tests, OCT or MRIs.
At present, there is not a complete cure for MS but diagnosing the condition will help as there are a number of treatments that can slow down the worsening and prevent the relapsing of the disease. You may also be prescribed drugs to deal with the stress that comes with the disease.
The most common drugs used to treat the conditions are steroids. Steroids will make your attacks shorter and less severe. Physical therapies have also been proven to be useful to make patients. However, for best results, you have to do more than just treatments or therapies. Have a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Consult your doctor before taking any steps as treatments are different for everyone and self treatment of MS can worsen the condition further.
Multiple Sclerosis - 6812
Bottom Line
MS can have adverse effects including depression but you shouldn’t let it get the best of you. It is just a condition of your body and you are strong enough to deal with it. We know, things can be so tough and challenging but you can do it. You have got only one life and you have to make the best out of it, you can’t let these take away the best things of your life.
If you feel alone, there are MS support groups who have people just like you and you might connect better to them since they’re on the same road. If you are battling MS, you are stronger than you know. Live your life to the fullest! Love from VOW.
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Unmanned Aerial Systems
Entirely new job opportunities will be created as private businesses and civil agencies prepare to utilize these high tech unmanned vehicles. Industries such as power and gas utilities, mining, estate, and public institutions like law enforcement, fire departments, and public transportations are enthusiastic to use this leading-edge technology.
As reported in national news sources, major companies such as Amazon and Google are already gearing up to use unmanned vehicles to expedite deliveries, while search and rescue organizations explore new ways to help protect the public with airborne sensors. As a result of the developing unmanned air vehicle market, technicians will be required to troubleshoot and repair unmanned systems.
Classes in basic aerodynamics, composites, computer networking, and robotics will also be included to give the student a thorough understanding of how unmanned aircraft fly and how these remarkable flying machines can support the community.
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The 1920s in the United States of America is marked by a period of “conspicuous consumption” which is a phrase that was a coined by a Norwegian-American economist and writer back in 1899.
Think The Great Gatsby—luxurious cars and leisure as well as flashy accessories. The economist I just mentioned was named Thorstein Veblin, also a sociologist whose work changed the way everyday people were understood. Initially luxuries and flashy items were intended for the wealthy class, but studies show that people with low-incomes invest in less than practical items too. Not only does it assert social class, but it influences the dynamics of power. You may see someone who looks wealthy or poor (whatever those schemas mean to you) and that will change the behavior in which you interact with them—either consciously or subliminally.
It’s important to know that, visually, it could merely be an illusion and not an allusion of wealth.
It used to be that only those of nobility status could acquire enough precious metal to splurge on the impractical things in life, but with today’s notion of consumerism that is not the case. Another economist by the name of Paul Nystrom theorized that this was a result of the industrial revolution and there was an influx of addictive or narcissistic behavior which was caused by the immediate gratification that may result consumerism. That’s not to say that having nice things is bad—of course it’s not. But being conscious of the repercussions that can arise from the infatuation with man-made things is just something to be aware of. There’s a reason behind all the flashiness.
The term “Veblin Goods” refers to luxury items that undergo an increase in demand with an increase in price. This goes against logical principles at first, but once you understand the psychology behind it, you can put two and two together!
When you call in to get a loan, let us know that you saw our blog so an exclusive offer!
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Sunday, December 30, 2018
1968: When the World Was Watching
Opening a Senate investigation of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution in early March 1968, Senator J. William Fulbright described what was taking place across the country as a "spiritual rebellion" of the young against a betrayal of national values. The Resolution, passed in 1964, had given President Johnson a blank check to wage war against Vietnam, based on a trumped-up military incident. Subsequently, over half a million troops were mobilized to prevent a North Vietnamese victory, using fears of communism and falling dominoes to rationalize what soon became a major invasion.
By 1968, the operative logic was that it might be necessary to destroy the divided Asian nation in order to save it.
Back in the US, anti-war and "stop the draft" protests were on the rise. Even members of the Johnson administration and media establishment were having second thoughts. On returning from Vietnam, Walter Cronkite, the nation's TV "uncle," announced that the only "rational way out" was to negotiate a settlement. Meanwhile, the president's "wise men" advised that a change of policy was unavoidable.
But other forces were also at work. Responding to campus and New Left activism, the FBI concluded that a counter-intelligence program was needed to "expose, disrupt, and otherwise neutralize" the growing anti-war movement. Suggested tactics included instigating personal conflicts and animosities, spreading rumors that movement leaders were Bureau informants, arresting activists on marijuana charges, using "misinformation" to "confuse and disrupt," sending damaging anonymous letters to parents and officials, and exploiting "cooperative press contacts." If anyone was bringing the war back home, it was the FBI.
In mid-March, Eugene McCarthy, an ardent opponent of the war, won an astonishing 42 percent of the Democratic primary vote for president in New Hampshire. Four days later, Robert Kennedy entered the race, and by the end of the month Johnson announced he wouldn't seek re-election. But on the same day that Kennedy made his move, US soldiers lined up hundreds of old men, women, and children in the South Vietnamese village of Mai Lai and shot them dead, one of several massacres that remained secret until the end of the decade.
Just as the US was looking for a way out, it was losing its soul.
"Everywhere we talk liberty and social reform," wrote the prescient muckraker I.F. Stone in the midst of growing chaos, "but we end up by allying ourselves with native oligarchies and military cliques – just as we have done in Vietnam. In the showdown, we reach for the gun."
On April 4, a shot rang out in Memphis, ending the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Afterward, riots erupted in 125 cities, resulting in over 20,000 arrests and the mobilization of federal troops and the National Guard. Two months later, Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles, just after winning the California primary race. By July, there had been over 220 major demonstrations on campuses across the country. Despite clear signs of deepening social conflict, however, the war overseas continued to escalate. In the first five months of the year, almost 10,000 soldiers died in Vietnam, more than in all of 1967. At home, the violence and repression were just beginning.
"Keep clean for Gene" buttons were a familiar sight at the 1968 Democratic National Convention that August. But the protesters maced and beaten outside the meeting hall knew that McCarthy, the peace candidate, and his supporters inside were symbolically undergoing the same ritual. Barbed-wire fences around the amphitheater had led to the grim joke that the delegates were all prisoners in "Stalag 68." Keeping clean obviously wouldn't be enough.
Many who went to Chicago that summer and witnessed what became a police riot emerged either broken or radicalized. For them, the power structure had crossed a basic boundary, moving dangerously close to fascism. Even after McCarthy's headquarters was raided, the Democratic candidate for president, Hubert Humphrey, couldn't bring himself to criticize Mayor Daley's Gestapo tactics. Meanwhile, the party's plank on the war offered little solace, supporting the logic of its most hawkish elements. In short, the war was destroying the country, just as the US military was destroying Vietnam.
In the months that followed the 1968 Democratic Convention, activists preached liberation with even greater zeal. But the obstacles also increased, including a crescendo of busts aimed at leaders of the expanding movement. The FBI's counter-intelligence program was starting to take hold. Several pretexts were used for the arrests, among them dope, assault, obstruction of justice, and an “anti-riot” law. There were also lesser charges, such as "Failure to fasten the seat belt on a Rochester-Buffalo flight" – filed against the Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman, vandalizing a representation of Smokey the Bear, and disrespect for the flag by hanging it as a curtain – even though advertisers were using the same design to sell canned tomatoes and deodorant. Apparently, it was all a matter of "intent." Using the flag to sell products was patriotic, but hanging it across a window was disrespectful, an un-American act.
In November, Richard Nixon profited from the polarization and disillusionment, winning the presidential election in one of the closest votes in US history. During his campaign, he promised to end the war "and win the peace." Once in office, he quickly reversed himself, expanding it into Cambodia with over a year of secret bombings. Meanwhile, his attorney general, Richard Kleindienst, called anti-war activists "ideological criminals."
Before the end of the decade, the list of martyrs included Che Guevara, executed in Bolivia after a misguided attempt to export the Cuban revolution; Andreas Papandreou, the Greek reformer overthrown in a military coup that put CIA agent George Papadopoulos in power; Kwame Nkrumah, the brilliant anti-imperialist president of Ghana whose socialist leanings sparked another CIA-backed military takeover; and Fred Hampton, the Chicago Black Panther leader who was shot in his bed on December 4, 1969 as part of the FBI's obsessive crusade to destroy militant black groups.
Historian Eric Hobshawm wrote, "If there was a single moment in the golden years after 1945 which corresponds to the simultaneous upheaval of which the revolutionaries had dreamed after 1917, it was surely 1968, when students rebelled from the USA and Mexico in the West to socialist Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, largely stimulated by the extraordinary outbreak of May 1968 in Paris, epicentre of a Continent-wide student uprising."
In France, student strikes sparked a nationwide revolt that demolished the liberal myths of permanent stability in advanced societies. In Czechoslovakia, reformers defied Soviet power during the revolt known as Prague Spring. In Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, student uprisings challenged authoritarian rule. But the backlash was fierce and deadly. As Soviet tanks canceled reform in the East Bloc, soldiers opened fire on hundreds of students in Mexico City, and legalized repression came to the United States.
Half a century on, the wounds still haven't healed and the betrayals and lies continue.
From Dangerous Words: Part eight of “In the 60s: Education of an Outsider.”
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- Karl Lagerfeld
Once the clothes have been designed and manufactured, they need to be sold. But how are clothes to get from the manufacturer to the customer? The business of buying clothes from manufacturers and selling them to customers is known as retail. Retailers make initial purchases for resale three to six months before the customer is able to buy the clothes in-store.
Fashion marketing is the process of managing the flow of merchandise from the initial selection of designs to be produced to the presentation of products to retail customers, with the goal of maximizing a company’s sales and profitability. Successful fashion marketing depends on understanding consumer desire and responding with appropriate products. Marketers use sales tracking data, attention to media coverage, focus groups, and other means of ascertaining consumer preferences to provide feedback to designers and manufacturers about the type and quantity of goods to be produced. Marketers are thus responsible for identifying and defining a fashion producer’s target customers and for responding to the preferences of those customers.
Marketing operates at both the wholesale and retail levels. Companies that do not sell their own products at retail must place those products at wholesale prices in the hands of retailers, such as boutiques, department stores, and online sales companies. They use fashion shows, catalogs, and a sales force armed with sample products to find a close fit between the manufacturer’s products and the retailer’s customers. Marketers for companies that do sell their own products at retail are primarily concerned with matching products to their own customer base. At both the wholesale and the retail level, marketing also involves promotional activities such as print and other media advertising aimed at establishing brand recognition and brand reputation for diverse characteristics such as quality, low price, or trendiness.
Closely related to marketing is merchandising, which attempts to maximize sales and profitability by inducing consumers to buy a company’s products. In the standard definition of the term, merchandising involves selling the right product, at the right price, at the right time and place, to the right customers. Fashion merchandisers must thus utilize marketers’ information about customer preferences as the basis for decisions about such things as stocking appropriate merchandise in adequate but not excessive quantities, offering items for sale at attractive but still profitable prices, and discounting overstocked goods. Merchandising also involves presenting goods attractively and accessibly through the use of store windows, in-store displays, and special promotional events. Merchandising specialists must be able to respond to surges in demand by rapidly acquiring new stocks of the favoured product. An inventory-tracking computer program in a department store in London, for example, can trigger an automatic order to a production facility in Shanghai for a certain quantity of garments of a specified type and size to be delivered in a matter of days.
By the early 21st century the Internet had become an increasingly important retail outlet, creating new challenges (e.g., the inability for customers to try on clothes prior to purchase, the need for facilities designed to handle clothing returns and exchanges) and opening up new opportunities for merchandisers (e.g., the ability to provide customers with shopping opportunities 24 hours per day, affording access to rural customers). In an era of increasingly diverse shopping options for retail customers and of intense price competition among retailers, merchandising has emerged as one of the cornerstones of the modern fashion industry. |
Once upon a time: Art
Since 2009, the Seine-Saint-Denis County Council has been backing “la Culture et l’Art au Collège (CAC)”. This project is based to a large extent on the presence in class for several weeks (40h) of an artist or scientist whose mission is to engage the students in a process of research and creation.
Tutors: Marie Dekaeke, Marie-Laure Delaporte/ PhD students in art history, Claire Barbillon/ lecturer in art history, Aurélie Erlich, art historian and national guide
Project manager: Stéphane Coulaud
What do we do when we look at a work of art? What do we think about and what do we imagine? How can an art historian interpret what he sees seriously, whether he likes it or not?
Each class was allocated a set of major works from the history of art. It then had research the idea of “looking”: What did it see and how it could talk about the process of looking.
In the first stage, the pupils learnt basic technical vocabulary so they could describe what they saw: paintings on canvas and wood, photographs, water colours, bronze, marble, or plaster sculptures, sketches, drawings, rough sketches, etc.
Each class was given a different medium so they could cover a broad range of works.
To understand their importance in the history of art, each work or artist was put into a historical and artistic context, and the references were explained. At the same time as this study, the pupils observed and described the works themselves and the way they looked at them.
In the third stage, once they had mastered the analytical tools used in art history, the pupils began their interpretation. Rather than faithfully reproducing the discourse traditional in each discipline, the pupils were left free to say what they felt when they were confronted with the art works, which fuelled discussions with the tutors.
Publication of a 40-page illustrated booklet based on the pupils’ observations and comments in the workshops. 200 copies were printed and each class was given 30 to be distributed in the schools. In addition, the booklet was sent to partners in the project and to Paris museums.
The booklet touches on the pupils’ reactions to 17th and 18th century European painting, the origins of photography and the work of great photographers, and the sculpture of Rodin, Maillol and Bourdelle.
Special thanks to Catherine Chevillot, director of the Musée Rodin (Paris), Élodie Voillot, PhD student in art history, Amélie Dubois, plastic artist
Outings (selection):
Participating schools:
- Class (6th) SEGPA, Collège Jean-Zay, Bondy
- Class (5th) SEGPA, Collège Robespierre, Épinay-sur-Seine
- Class (3rd), Collège Rousseau, Le Pré-Saint-Gervais
- Class (3rd), Collège Jorissen, Drancy
Photo et graphisme: BIBLIS DUROUX
Once upon a time: Art
Once upon a time: Art
Once upon a time: Art
Once upon a time: Art |
Learning to Code with Robots
The Robots
The Test Course
• Go straight until it senses/runs into the first barrier
• Flash the lights
• Turn right
• Go straight until it senses/runs into the second barrier
• Flash the lights
• Turn left
• Go straight for a short distance
• Spin in a circle three times
• Flash the lights
Programming the Robots
Blockly Program
Dash Speed
Sphero On Collision
SPRK Error
Oval Code
Mindstorms EV3
Mindstorms Software
mBlock Arduino
Comparison Chart
Dash Mindstorm EV3 Sphero 2.0 mBot
Price $170 $350 $130 $79
Age Range 5+ 10+ 8+ 8+
Sounds Yes (fixed set) Yes No Buzzer only
Probabilistic Postal Address Elementalization
I haven’t posted in a few months because most of my time has been consumed with work and school. With respect to school, I have been taking Statistical Natural Language Processing at New York University. As my final project for this class, I have been working on something which I have been curious about for quite some time – probabilistic postal address elementalization.
What exactly does “postal address elementalization” mean? This is the process of breaking a postal address into tokens and classifying the function of each token, such as house number, street suffix or zip code. For my experiment, I created twelve distinct classes: five for administrative areas (country, state, county, city and neighborhood), one for postal codes and six for street address components (house number, prefix, pre-directional, base street name, post-directional and suffix). An example of an elementalized address is below:
address_elementalizationAlthough this seems like a straightforward problem, it is complicated by the fact that many countries have different languages and address formats. For example, in Ghana and Cameroon, there is no standard postal code system. In the Netherlands and Ireland, there is no province or state in the address. In some countries, such as France and Mexico, the postal code is placed before the city whereas other countries place it after the city. Furthermore, known names of terms in specific classes can overlap, so disambiguating streets can be tricky, like Avenue N in Brooklyn (“N” could be a post-directional or street name) or N Broadway in St. Louis (“St.” could be a suffix or part of a city name).
Traditionally, address elementalization has been implemented by building rule-based systems to handle each individual address format. This makes the process of building international address parsers very time consuming as one would need to implement a new rule-based parser for every single country. By building a statistical model to do this, implementing a new international format is as simple as training the model with a new data set.
Some interesting characteristics of postal addresses are that they have a grammar (as defined by the address format) and the elements are contextually dependent. These traits make the problem well-suited for natural language processing. There are natural language processing techniques that are used for similar purposes, namely part-of-speech taggers which are used to classify the parts of speech in a sentence.
For my final project, I looked at four different techniques of statistical part-of-speech tagging and applied them to the problem of postal address elementalization. The code is here.
The first strategy was a Hidden Markov model (HMM) tagger. HMMs are statistical models that can be used to find the most likely sequence of states for an input. This is done by using transition probabilities (the probability of a specific state given the previous state) and emission probabilities (the probability of the proposed state given the current input token). These probabilities are learned by observing a training set. The model then tries to classify the input left to right, calculating the probability of a proposed state as the product of the transmission probability, emission probability, and maximum probability from the previous state. The model tries different state combinations over the input and returns the sequence of possible states with the highest overall probability. A variation of this is the trigram HMM tagger, which uses the two previous probabilities to calculate the transition probability.
The second strategy was a Maximum-Entropy Markov model (MEMM) tagger. MEMMs are similar to HMMs in that they try to find the sequence of states that has the maximum total probability for an input. However, instead of just using observed counts for the transition and emission probabilities, we train a maximum-entropy distribution to calculate the probabilities. The main advantage of doing this is that we can have custom features factor into the probability, such as the current token length or whether the token contains a number. This allows for greater flexibility in tuning the tagger, but it makes the overall classification time slower.
The third strategy was a Transformation-Based Learning (TBL) tagger, also known as a Brill tagger. The TBL tagger generates rules based on observations in training. These rules indicate observed conditions on when a tag should be swapped with a different tag. During classification, initial tags are assigned to the terms based on the observed probability. The tagger iterates through the rules which were learned in training, swapping tags as necessary, until there are no more rules to be applied or a given score threshold is met.
The fourth strategy was a Conditional Random Field (CRF) tagger. CRFs implement a number of feature functions which take the proposed states and the input observation and return some value between 0 and 1. These features, like the features in MEMMs, can be just about anything, such as whether the current token is capitalized or whether it ends in -ed. Each of these feature functions has a different weight based on observations in training. The score for a sequence of states is calculated by summing the feature functions for every word over all words and then normalizing. Just like HMMs and MEMMs, we find the sequence that maximizes the overall probability.
From my initial work, I found that the Maximum-Entropy Markov model and the Conditional Random Field taggers consistently had the highest overall accuracy of the group. Both consistently had accuracies over 98%, even on partial addresses. For full format American addresses, these taggers had an accuracy around 99.7%. If I had to choose between them, I would go with the Conditional Random Field tagger as it was considerably faster in tagging the addresses.
I didn’t have enough time to finish everything that I wanted to implement, so this is still a work in progress. I still want to implement some smoothing techniques for unknown states, such as Katz backoff and Kneser-Ney interpolation. There are also a few more part-of-speech tagging techniques I would like to experiment with. I guess that old adage is true in this case – time flies when you are having fun… 🙂
Arduino and Sensors
I’ve been busy putting the finishing touches on a class I am teaching at NYC Resistor called Arduino and Sensors. The purpose of this class is to teach people how to use common sensors with Arduino so they can build awesome interactive projects. The class features the Adafruit Sensor Pack 900, as this pack contains a nice selection of common sensors. I’ve written some sample code for each of the sensors in the pack. We will discuss both digital signal and analog signal sensors.
Digital signal sensors are the simplest to use. They simply return a 1 or a 0 based on the reading of the sensor (just like a switch, it’s on or off). Therefore, reading the state of one of these sensors is as simple as hooking the output of the sensor to a digital pin on the Arduino (pins 2-13 on the Uno) and calling digitalRead() on that pin. Here is a simple example – an IR sensor:
Analog signal sensors are more complex. These sensors return a voltage on an analog pin somewhere from 0 volts to the max voltage of the microcontroller (with the Uno, it’s 5 volts). In order to read an analog sensor value, the sensor output needs to be connected to an analog pin on the Arduino (pins A0-A5 on the Uno). In the code, calling analogRead() on the analog pin will give you the sensor reading. The Arduino automatically converts the voltage on the analog pin to an integer between 0 (no power) and 1023 (full power). Generally, the reading can be mapped back to some meaningful value. For example, here is a simple analog sensor – a temperature sensor:
According to the datasheet, this sensor returns 0 volts at -50 degrees Celsius and 1.75 volts at 125 degrees Celsius. It has a scale of 10 millivolts per degree Celsius. To get the raw voltage reading, we take our reading value, divide it by 1024 (to get the percentage of the full voltage) and then multiply that by 5 (since the microcontroller is supplying 5 volts). To scale the voltage to the range, we can simply multiply the voltage by 100 (according to our scale factor, 1/100 volt is 1 degree Celsius) and then subtract 50 (since zero volts is -50 degrees Celsius).
Of course, many sensors are more complex than just reading a simple pin. We’ll discuss a number of different scenarios and how to handle them. Did you ever wonder what the AREF pin is for? It’s the analog voltage reference pin and we will be discussing how to use it. We’re also going to use potentiometers to tune the sensitivity of some of the sensors.
The class is already almost sold out! If all goes well, I will hopefully teach it again soon! |
Tokyo, Japan
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About Tokyo
Tokyo, officially Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan and one of its 47 prefectures. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It is the seat of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese government. Tokyo is in the Kantō region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. Formerly known as Edo, it has been the de facto seat of government since 1603 when Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu made the city his headquarters. It officially became the capital after Emperor Meiji moved his seat to the city from the old capital of Kyoto in 1868; at that time Edo was renamed Tokyo.
Tokyo Metropolis was formed in 1943 from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture and the city of Tokyo. Tokyo is often referred to as a city, but is officially known and governed as a “metropolitan prefecture”, which differs from and combines elements of a city and a prefecture, a characteristic unique to Tokyo. The Tokyo metropolitan government administers the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo, which cover the area that was the City of Tokyo before it merged and became the metropolitan prefecture in 1943.
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AP Psycho Final/AP Exam Review – Test 5
REM sleepAt 3 o’clock in the morning, John has already slept for 4 hours. As long as his sleep continues, we can expect an increasing occurrence of:
manifestShane, a straight-A student, remembers dreaming that he failed an important chemistry test. According to Freud, SHane’s account represents the ______ content of his dream.
would report a vivid dream if he were awakened during REM sleepForty-year-old Lance insits that he never dreams. Research suggest that he probably:
behaviorismThe school of thought in psychology that systematically avoided the study of consciousness during the first half of the last century was:
physical growthDeep sleep appears to play an important role in:
REM; stage 4Paradoxical sleep is to slow-wave sleep as ______ sleep is to ________ sleep.
the circadian rhythmOur inability to fall asleep early as we had planned, is most likely a reflection of:
hallucinationsSensory experiences that occur without a sensory stimulus are called:
viral infectionTerry has not had a decent night of sleep in over a week. If this sleep deprivation continues, he will become increasingly susceptible to:
serial processing; parallel processingConsciousness is to unconsciousness as ______ is to ______.
people often experience sudden visual images during REM sleepThe activation-synthesis theory best helps to explain why:
manifestAs Inge recalled her dream, she was dancing with a tall, dark gentleman when suddenly the music shifted to loud rock and the man disappeared. According to Freud. Inge’s account represents the ______ content of her dream.
the cessation of breathing during sleepSleep apnea is a disorder involving:
our awareness of ourselves and our environmentConsciousness is:
a relaxed but awake stateAlpha waves are associated with:
manifestFreud called the remembered storyline of a dream its ____ content.
any stage of sleep.Sleep talking may occur during:
sleep apneaMr. Dayton occasionally stops breathing while sleeping. He wales up to snort air for a few seconds before falling back asleep. Mrs. Dayton complains that her husband snores. He clearly suffers from:
some people are able to test their state of consciousness while dreamingResearch on dreaming indicates that:
have very relaxed musclesAfter sleeping for about an hour and a half, José enters a phase of paradoxical sleep. He is likely to:
Drink a glass of wine 15 minutes before bedtimeWhich of the following is bad advice for a person trying to overcome insomnia?
REM sleep; Stage 4 sleepNightmares are to ______ as night terrors are to ______.
delta wavesThe large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep are called:
REM sleepAfter Carlos had been asleep for about an hour and a half, his heart began to beat faster, his breathing became fast and irregular, and his closed and began to dart back and forth. Carlos was most likely experiencing:
mental processes.By 1960, the study of consciousness had been revived by psychologists’ renewed interest in: |
What are your Pela cases made out of?
Updated 2 months ago by Wesley Schnitzler
Our material is 35-40% biobased, which means it is made up of 35-40% biobased (renewable) content by weight. The ASTM Standard D6866 defines biobased as new carbon (carbon from renewable resources like plants). We add up to 10% flax shive to the base material to create Flaxstic®, which increases the overall biobased content by weight to 45%. The remaining 55% of our current Flaxstic® formulation is comprised of non renewable resources.
Our ultimate goal is to continue to work with the best bioplastic companies to advance the bioplastic and biopolymer science to get to 100% biobased (renewable) content. We are not there yet, but we will keep trying and we believe 45% biobased is better than none. #BelieveInBetter
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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz”Parigiiayo” is a slang term in the DR for a “party watcher”. Today this is translated as one who fits the stereotype of a loser,a slow person, and a man with no game to get a date. In the text, this term is used to describe Oscar during his sophomore year of high school. The text goes on to talk about how Oscar Couldn’t play sports, dominoes, was beyond uncoordinated, threw a ball like a girl, could not dance, and ultimately had no looks.In the text, Lola talks about her drinking coffee she made from the greca. The dominicans take a lot of pride into their coffee.The greca, an aluminum stovetop Italian- style espresso jug is found in most Dominican kitchens. It is said that the “greca” was one of the most famous brand names for this specific coffee pot, and Dominicans have adopted it as the generic word for this utensil. Other methods of making coffee are rarely seen, except for in restaurants and cafeterias where Italian espresso machines are used. Dominican coffee is popular and is known for its high quality at a low cost. General Rafael Trujillo assumed control of the Dominican Republic in 1930. He was successful in reducing foreign debt and fostering economic prosperity for the Dominican people, Trujillo and his human rights abuses—including the murder of thousands of civilians—managed to escape rebuke from international officials for decades, but his reputation became tarnished after reports of a massacre against an estimated 20,000 Haitians became public in 1937, it wasn’t until his failed assassination attempt on Venezuelan President Betancourt that the United States finally voted to break all relations with him. In the passage where the quote was taken, Beli was talking about the life of people under Trujillo’s power. People were not happy with his rule, yet they feared to act out against him. The level of fear was so intense, that even though the people were not happy with his rule still praised him.The narrator mentions Garcia in chapter three. Johnny Abbes Garcia was one of Trujillo’s “beloved Morgul Lords”. As chief of the secret police, Abbes was known as the greatest torturer of the Dominican People ever to have lived. He incessantly fought against Trujillo’s enemies. Abbes organized the plot to assassinate the democratically elected president of Venezuela Romulo Betancourt. After Trujillo was assassinated, Abbes became the consul to Japan and worked for another dictator: François Duvalier, who ruled Haiti.In this passage where this quote is taken from, Abelard’s daughter, Jacquelyn, is grown up now and Abelard fears that Trujillo will try to sleep with Jacquelyn if he catches glimpse of her. As a result Abelard tries to prevent this by keeping Jacquelyn at home. He convinces others that his wife has a health issue and that Jacquelyn has to stay home and take care of her. This is very risky, for hiding your daughter from Trujillo is a crime. Women were victimized by Trujillo since the beginning of his reign. He believed that he could have any woman he wanted to and treated women more as objects. Most women were so frightened by him that they just gave themselves up to him to avoid the harsher consequences.From a racial perspective in the Dominican Republic, skin color takes on significance. A darker skin tone resembles adversity and hardships, whereas lighter skin tones resembles success and happiness. In the quote above, Oscar is getting made fun of for not looking as “dominican” as the rest of his peers. Lola is warned not to get a tan for fear she will look Haitian, and therefore treated with the same disrespect Haitians receive. Oscar and Beli are the two darkest-skinned characters in the novel, so they are looked down upon by their families at birth. In The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, women are seen as inferior to men, and as a result, they are often objectified and subjected to violence. This inferiority of women is presented throughout the entire novel. It is embedded into the Dominican culture, where men are taught that women are nothing more than an object for them to win and women are taught to determine their self-worth on the man’s opinion of them. This is particularly seen during Trujillo’s reign. There are many scenes where female characters are beaten for going against the desires of the male characters. The men’s superiority allowed them to believe that the women should be disciplined for not doing as they were told.In terms of finding one’s sexuality Dominican Republic culture, this novel suggests the idea that males and females should have specific body types with ideal sex characteristics, and they should act in particular and distinct way, according to their gender. In The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, this idea of turning male and female bodies into as sexual objects defines the role of sexulity in the dominican culture. This quote is taken from the passage talking about Beli’s transition from girlhood to womanhood. She is coming to terms with her sexulaity which made her feel “terrifed, scandalized, and giddy” in a world of catcalling and sex driven men. The novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, revolves around the character’s beliefs of the idea that their lives are controlled by the Fuku curse. The Fuku curse can be reversed by the Zafra, which is also present within the characters lives, particularly Oscar. He is the character that undergoes the most identifiable issues pertaining to Fuku and Zafa. It is also noted that the characters believe Trujillo is an important part of the curse. Conversely, without the curse, all events would have different outcomes. If Oscar had died when he tried to commit suicide, he would not have lost his virginity. The Dominican diaspora in the United States estimates around 1.7 million individuals who were either born in the Dominican Republic or of Dominican origin. In The brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, diaspora is mentioned in the novel, and it holds a thematic importance. It becomes one of the novel’s main topics as the challenges the characters face are distorted by the diaspora, with the issues of the immigrant experience. This quote was taken from chapter 6, when Beli transfers to a private school. Her teacher asks her to write the date on the board and she is praised by her teacher for getting the right date.
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JAVA Design Pattern
JAVA Design Pattern
The design patten is a vast subject, I will be giving you an head start here
Gang of Four – widely used design patterns
1. Behavioral patterns
1. Chain of responsibility
2. Command
3. Interpreter
4. Iterator
5. Mediator
6. Memento
7. Observer
8. State
9. Strategy
10. Template method
11. Visitor
2. Creational patterns
1. Abstract factory
2. Builder
3. Factory method
4. Prototype
5. Singleton
3. Structural patterns
1. Adapter
2. Bridge
3. Composite
4. Decorator
5. Facade
6. Flyweight
7. Proxy
Definition:- Common Problem and Common Solution for them, If you have data with problem and to tackle that you need to find problem pattern and propose solution pattern for that.
Note: No body owns the design pattern
Standard pattern are 23 those are listed above.
J2EE design pattern standardize by sun
EJB Patterns
1. Intercepting Filter (apache mod rewrite)
2. Composite View
3. Front Controller
4. Service to worker
5. Business delegate
6. Service Locater
7. Transfer object assembler
8. Facade
EJB cont
Entity Bean
An entity bean is representation of single row in a databases. Entity always be an heavy component. But the connectivity to database will be a transparent to developer. When you create a new entity bean automatically in database new row will be added.
ORM – Object Relational Mapping, row in a table will be one object in memory.
Stateless Session Bean can have pooled creation.
Statefull Session Bean can have cached creation.
But Entity bean can have either cache or pooled creation.
Whenever you need to work with processed or in other words process matters over data you should use session bean. But whenever you want to work with DATA or in other words DATA matters over process you should use entity beans.
Entity beans are heavy object because its a in memory object for database table. Where each instance of entity bean object refer to one record set in table or row in table.
Entity beans are of two types
Bean Managed Persistence
Container Managed Persistence
CMP Bean
Local Client
Remote Client
Favourite topic WSAD entity bean example 🙂 without writing a single line of code get the entity bean in place here we go
1. Create new project EntityBean
2. Create new Enterprise bean
3. Select Type Entity bean
4. Select CMP bean 2.0
5. Bean detail select Remote & Local both the interfaces
6. Select the project
7. Run the Entity bean on server
8. Configure new Test Server or run on existing server
9. Create table and deploy entity bean
10. Finish
11. It will show success message, i.e. it will test the create and alter statement on newly created table.
12. Select server client local
13. Finish
14. It will open Test Client
15. Click on EntityExampleLocal
16. Click on CMPLocal.findByPrimaryKey
17. Enter value into and click invoke.
This how you will be testing tyour entity beans. Just now what we have seen is the Top to Bottom appoch, we have another approach which is Bottom to Top where in we will be having table already existing in and then will be creating the entity bean accordingly.
-EJB can be accessed using servlet
-Entity Bean should not be remote
-Session Bean should not be local
-In entity bean you should not use primitive data-type.
Model= EJB
View= JSP
Controller = SERVLET
Why should we go for EJB?
Scalability (application should work same for 2 client and 2 million client.)
Should be catering to multiple request simulatanously.
Problem with the thread is Sycronization.
EJB CONTANER, will work on instance pooling and multiple instance.
to enable tansaction, first step is to make the autocomit off.
set autocommit flase applicable to the JVM where this property is set.
focus should be buisness logic, let transaction manage by somebody so this will be managed by CTM (container transaction management)
Web server & application server
Application server is super set of web server. In other words web server can be one component in application server.
Main diffrence will be application server is aware of its surroundings.
1. Security
2. Application control
3. Infrastructural Capability
Application Server Main Properties
1. Transaction management
2. LDAP
3. Persistance
4. Threading
5. Socket
6. DBMS
Enterprise Level Application
EJB can be deploy only on Application Server. Used for scalable problems.
MESSAGE BEANS: asyncronous communication
If you need to generalizes something you make implementation and every one will write interface for it.
EJB distributed component need security any request comes in from cinet has to be checked.
EJB Contaner will decide whether to provide you access or not.
Per bean there will be one instance object.
Rule of thumb: One client one bean one instance will be always true.
Types of Bean
1. Session Bean
1. Stateless bean
2. Statefull bean
2. Enttyty Bean
1. CMP – Container Managed Persistence
2. BMP – Bean Managed Persistence
3. Message Driven Bean (MBD) – Asyncronous beans
what to used and when to use
Dealing with process, Its a temporary or volatile.
Stateless-Session bean without any instance variables. i.e. processed are not dependent on each other. Example could be Controlling Mechenism
Statefull-Session bean with instance variable i.e.
Dealing with DBMS or Data
EJB FrameworkEJB framework Session Facade (Mean entry point.)
Creating session bean from Web Sphear Application Development.
EJB Module -> Project -> EJB -> Create 2.0 EJB -> Project Name -> Module Deps -> Finish
1. newInstance()
2. ejbCreate
3. setSessionContext
Reflection & Retropection
Runtime can find out class and charachterstics
Call back method
Calles when an event occurs.
Thoughts on java
Java in not 100% OO?
1) Static classes, does not require instance to acces its charachterstics.
2) Reperesantation of real world entity without charachterstic is not possible. But we can create java class without any class variables.
Import Definations
Real world entity properties create class.
Coupling and Cohesion Software Engineering. |
LAWS versus STATUTES: A Brief Explanation
LAWS versus STATUTES: A Brief Explanation
by John-Henry Hill, M.D.
October 22, 2016
After reading this, you will know more than almost ALL attorneys and rookie district court judges!
LAW and legislated ACTS (STATUTES) (the latter often called “statutory law”) are NOT the same by a long shot! In America true (along with Britain) LAW refers to the unwritten Common Law (which determines what is “lawful” and “unlawful”) was developed over the centuries by juries and tribunals in Common Law courts in Britain, America and most former British colonies. LEGISLATED ACTS, STATUTES and ORDINANCES refer to legislated POLICIES (which determine what is “legal” or “illegal”, which are themselves derived from the word “legislated”) or rules passed by a legislature or legislature-like political body on the local level (such as a city council or a town’s board-of-selectmen). Regulations are simply detailed rules written by unelected, administrative government personnel to implement the legislated statutes and ordinances. These legislated POLICIES (a statute or a collection of statutes called “codes”) and administrative regulations are enforced by the POLICE – that is, “police” enforce legislated and administrative “policy”; they do NOT enforce true LAW, which is the unwritten Common Law. Common Law consists ONLY of unwritten Common Law established through numerous Common Law court decisions accumulated over the centuries in Britain and its former colonies, including America. Make no mistake: the unwritten Common Law remains today the highest “law of the land” both in Britain and America. Further, in America the Common Law is superior in authority to the U.S. Constitution and all U.S. Supreme Court decisions – a fact the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed in their written opinions to this very day!
Why is the distinction between Common Law (true LAW) and statutory law (i.e., legislated POLICY and administrative REGULATIONS) so extremely important? The Common Law, being the long-standing customs of the people, must be followed by everyone in your society and does NOT require your individual consent. It is the LAW of your society based on local customs established over the centuries. Conversely, statutes and regulations require that you, as an individual man or woman, give your CONSENT to that statutory law (legislated policy) BEFORE you fall under its jurisdiction and under the authority of the police and the legislative-administrative courts. A statute is NEVER a Law; ONLY after an individual man has freely consented to a statute does that statute acquire the FORCE OF LAW – but it NEVER becomes true law. That is what is meant by the phrase “consent of the governed”: You must give your individual consent BEFORE you are obligated to follow legislated statutes or administrative regulations. In short, a legislated act (statute) is simply an OFFER TO CONTRACT, which (as with ANY contract) each man can consent or refuse consent. The “catch” is that today the courts (and all departments of government at the federal, state and local levels) make the PRESUMPTION that you, by NOT objecting to a legislated act (statute), have consented to that new act or statute. The ancient Maxim of Law applies: “He, who does not object, consents.” (Senior level judges are well aware of this fact; BUT lower court judges, lawyers, the police, bureaucrats, and most of the populace have NO idea that a legislated act or statutes are simply “offer to contract”. Instead, the latter groups incorrectly believe that all legislated acts (statutes) are automatically mandatory!
You are required to follow Common Law, which is based on God’s law of “do no harm”. However you, as an individual man or woman, must CONSENT to a statute or regulation before you may be subject to any penalties under that statute and/or regulation as adjudged by a legislated-administrative legislated court. Most state and federal appeals and supreme court “judges” are, in fact, NOT judges at all. They are called “justices”; not “judges”. Justices in the state and federal appeals and supreme courts are required to act FIRST under Common Law – and, have no doubt, they know this fact of law. Only after the person has waived his Common Law rights in the inferior courts (lower-level courts such as district courts) may the higher (superior) courts invoke statutes and regulations. And these justices most certainly know the enormous difference between an “unlawful” act and an “illegal” act. That is precisely why they are properly called “justices” – they are required to administer justice under the Common Law FIRST. The “judges” of the lower state and federal courts (most often called “district courts”, “traffic courts”, etc.) are NOT properly called “justices” – they do NOT administer “justice” under the Common Law. Instead, they most often enforce legislated policy. But be warned: do NOT count on attorneys and lower-level judges knowing these facts, much less “police officers” by any titles assigned to them by their governments at all levels – local, state or federal!
True LAW is the “Common Law” only. Statutes, regulations, ordinances and codes are legislated POLICY; not true LAW. But WHY should it matter to the average person? What PRACTICAL significance can this distinction make in anyone’s life?
If you violate a POLICY created by a legislated statute, you have committed an “illegal” act – that is, you acted contrary to legislated policy – and have NOT necessarily committed an “unlawful” act (properly a “crime”) by violating Common Law. For our first example, by applying for and accepting a state-issued “driver’s license”, you have actually signed a CONTRACT. If you are then stop by the “police” for “speeding” (exceeding the posted “speed limit” which is an “illegal” act) while “driving” in a “motor vehicle” on a public road, you have violated public policy (statutes and regulations) under that contract. If you knowingly or unknowingly CONSENT to these statutes or regulations, either by word or deed, then you fall under the jurisdiction of their statutory administrative, non-judicial courts and/or their administrative agencies. On the other hand, while traveling in your automobile on a public road at a speed exceeding their posted speed limit, you have NOT committed an “unlawful act” under Common Law, UNLESS you caused injury or harm to another other human being and/or his property (which is a true “crime” in Common Law). Under Common Law, you have an inherent and unalienable right to travel. (An “Unalienable” right means a natural, inherent right that you can never forfeit or involuntarily have taken from you.) Further, under Common Law, you may be jailed or fined ONLY after being convicted of a crime by a 12-person jury operating in a true Common Law court-of-record. However, it is possible to WAIVE your natural rights under Common Law, after which you fall under the jurisdiction of statutes and regulations – deceptively called “statutory law”. The state is merely enforcing a contract to which you consented.
In our second example, if you rob another man’s house, you will have broken BOTH the Common Law and so-called “statutory law” (legislated policy). Under Common Law jurisdiction, if a 12-person jury finds you, the “accused”, guilty in a true judicial Common Law court-of-record, then the usual penalty is DEATH. (The only alternative finding by a jury is “innocent” – never “not guilty.) If you retain your rights under Common Law, you are assuming full criminal and commercial liability for your actions. However, the government offers you an alternative. If you waive your rights under Common Law and consent to the jurisdiction of the state’s legislated policies under STATUTES, then by contract with the state, the state grants you the “benefits and privileges” of “limited commercial liability”. The state assumes “full commercial liability” for your actions and reduces your criminal liability. In return, by contract and consent, you are required to follow their RULES enforced by their police and administrative courts, in which you are called the “defendant” (not the “accused”). Consequently, now you must pay fines for those speeding tickets and other “illegal” actions, even though you have harmed or injured no other man or woman. However, with the bitter comes the sweet! If you stole someone’s property or physically injured someone, you may choose to consent to the state’s jurisdiction under its “statutory law” or policy. By consenting to this policy, the state grants you the “benefit and privilege” of “limited commercial liability” and reduced criminal liability for your actions. As a result, your punishment will be limited by contract to a fine and/or brief imprisonment as prescribed by their legislated rules (statutes and regulations) – NOT death, as per Common Law. Under which system you operate in any given situation is YOUR choice.
When most people appear in a so-called “court-of-law”, in most instances they are appearing in a non-judicial, legislative-administrative court operating under commercial-contract law; and NOT a true judicial “court of record” which is required to operate ONLY under the unwritten Common Law – NO exceptions! Such a Common Law “court of record” out-ranks absolutely ALL other courts – even the U.S. Supreme Court (which may act either as a true judicial court or a legislated-administrative court under contract-commercial court). In numerous court rulings the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the superior and absolute authority of true Common Law court-of-record (which is the ONLY true “superior court”), stating that verdicts and rulings in a Common Law “court of record” can NOT be challenged by ANY other court, including state and federal district courts, state and federal appeals courts, state supreme courts, or even the U.S. Supreme Court and all international courts. Wow!
But HOW do you know if you are operating in a legislative-administrative court and not in a true judicial court, which by definition is required to be a true Common Law court-of-record? Quite easily, If the judge issues ANY decisions or rulings about proper procedure, issues warnings or rulings about “contempt of court”, or issues decisions regarding guilt or innocence; or threatens to fine or imprison you at ANY time, then you are DEFINITELY in a non-judicial legislative-administrative “court of no record”, regardless of whether or not a transcript (call the “minutes”) is kept of the proceedings. In a true judicial Common Law court-of-record, the judge can act ONLY as an administrator of court procedures, such as scheduling hearings, collecting documents and maintaining reasonable order. The judge can NOT ever function as the TRIBUNAL. Under Common Law the TRIBUNAL is the SOLE lawful entity that can decide what are the LAW and the FACTS of the case. And ONLY the TRIBUNAL (as either the person acting as the plaintiff OR a 12 jury of no fewer than12 people) can make any decision on the innocence or guilt of an accused person, or impose any sentence upon the accused person found guilty, whether the punishment is a fine and/or imprisonment. To repeat myself, in a true judicial Common Law court-of-record a court judge can NEVER act as the Tribunal, which is the ONLY lawful entity that can decide both the LAW and FACTS of the case and can impose a sentence upon those found guilty.
Further, ONLY a Tribunal can issue a judgment of “contempt of court” in a true Common Law court-of-record. Consequently, a judge in a typical court (a non-judicial, administrative court-of-no-record) may “legally” issue a “contempt of court” ruling against a person ONLY if that person has consented to the administrative authority of that court. If that person has NOT consented to the court’s jurisdiction, that same “contempt-of-court” is “legal”, but “unlawful” under true LAW (Common Law). If this explanation is too confusing, you can be absolutely certain that any court you have ever observed on TV or real-life was NOT been a true judicial Common Law court-of-record. A lower-level judge will almost NEVER allow it. In fact, the judge may be unaware of the different types of courts! Instead the judge will presume (under implied consent and/or by your words or actions demonstrating any adherence to his/her administrative court rules) that you have WAIVED your Common Law right to 12-person jury trial before a true judicial Common Law court-of-record, UNLESS you demand it over and over and over again!!! And under the unwritten Common Law, the judge will be correct: an ancient maxim of unwritten Common Law states that “A statement or presumption not rebutted before or during a court appearance becomes a fact of law in that particular case. As an ancient Roman maxim of law proclaimed, “He, who would be deceived, let him.”; or in modern English, “If you do NOT know the law and consequently waive your rights, that is YOUR fault! The court is under NO obligation to teach you.”
When in court, if you stand when instructed by the court when the judge enters the courtroom; or pass through the courtroom’s railing to the prosecution and defense tables; or plead either “guilty”, “not guilty” or “nolo contendre” (“no contest”) at arraignment, hearing or trial; or do NOT object to ALL rules, regulations, orders and decisions by the judge (even those favorable to you!); or if you remain silent and do not expressly object to EACH and EVERY presumption made the prosecution and the judge, then the judge will make a “presumption of fact in law” that you have WAIVED all your natural rights under Common Law, agree with everything the prosecutor and judge have said, and have CONSENTED to the jurisdiction of the judge’s legislated, non-judicial administrative court operating under legislated statutes and regulations. The applicable Maxims of Law are “An unrebutted presumption becomes a fact of law in the case.” and “He, who does not object, consents.”
That is why you can be fined and/or imprisoned in a legislated, non-judicial administrative court without the benefit of a 12-person trial by jury. Without consulting anyone else, the judge can issue a “summary judgment” deciding your guilt or innocence; plus what penalty you will pay (a fine and/or imprisonment) should you be found guilty. Further, should the judge decide to grant you a “jury trial”, the judge does so totally at his discretion – as a “PRIVILEGE” to you. (And a Maxim of Law states: “A privilege is, as it were, a private law.” And the jury will most certainly be composed of six (6) or fewer jurors – NOT a 12-man jury. Finally, the verdict of this jury is merely an “advisory opinion” to the judge, which he may accept or reject as he wishes. Thus, the jury could find you “not guilty, but because the verdict is merely an “advisory opinion” to the judge: the judge has the power to ignore the jury’s “advice” and find you “guilty”. [Note by author: I have actually seen this happen in court several times, although it is rare.]
At this point the reader might be thinking that the courts routinely violate the 7th Amendment which states:
“In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury [a 12-man jury of one’s peers] shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.”
So, how can a judge issue a “summary judgment” or even disregard the verdict of a jury from a “jury trial”. To back you up, you might even cite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling: “Where rights secured by the Constitution are involved, there can be no rule making or legislation which would abrogate them.” Miranda v. Arizona, 384 US 436 at 491.
The fact is that a trial by jury” [a 12-man jury of one’s peers] is NOT the same as ajury trial”. You waived your Constitutional guarantee of a “trial by jury” [a 12-man jury of one’s peers] when you unknowingly “consented” to be tried under the jurisdiction of the judge’s private, commercial (contract) court. That you did not know that you were consenting is YOUR problem: “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” The judge was under no obligation to inform you that you were waiving your rights guaranteed by the Constitution and placing yourself under the jurisdiction of his private, commercial (contract) court. You are SUPPOSED to know the Law!! Again, applicable Maxims of Law include:
“Consent makes the law.”; “A contract is a law between the parties, which can acquire force only by consent.“; “Consent makes the law: the terms of a contract, lawful in its purpose, constitute the law as between the parties.”; “To him consenting no injury is done.”; He who consents cannot receive an injury.”; “Consent removes or obviates a mistake.”; “The agreement of the parties makes the law of the contract.” And lastly, “The agreement of the parties overcomes or prevails against the Law.What this last Maxim of Law means is that you can waive your natural, Constitutionally guaranteed rights by entering into a CONTRACT. (Just try joining the U.S. Marine Corps – for which you sign a contract – then later demand that your drill sergeant respect your Constitutionally-guaranteed rights!!!! He will probably scream at you at a minimum; and may even beat the Hell out of you!)
But you might argue that you never signed a contract giving the judge and his private, commercial court any jurisdiction over you – which is undoubtedly true. However, by your words, actions and even your demeanor in court the judge made the presumption that you consented to his jurisdiction and that of his private, commercial (contract) court. And because you did NOT object, by law it became a fact in the case. “An unrebutted presumption becomes a fact of law in the case.” and “He, who does not object, consents.” Even you showing up in court was evidence of your agreement and consent. Other examples of your consent are obeying ANY instructions or commands from the court which you obey: “Take off your hat.”; “Stop chewing gum.”; “Come forward to the defendant’s table.”; “Be seated:”; etc. The applicable Maxim of Law is:Manner and agreement overrule the law.” In short, by following ANY of the judge’s (or other court official’s) instructions – however minor or innocent-appearing-, you are demonstrating evidence of your consent to be under his jurisdiction and that of his private, commercial (contract) court.
And when you open the swinging gate (that separates the spectators from the judge’s, prosecutor’s and defendant’s section), you have performed the equivalent of opening the gate on an old sailing ship and entering upon the vessel. And once on board a ship (it used to be only a ship at sea; not a docked ship), the captain has absolute powers over you.Manner and agreement overrule the law.” Another action that definitively places you under the court’s private, commercial (contract) jurisdiction is HIRING AN ATTORNEY. By hiring an attorney, you become a “client”, which is defined as a person mentally incompetent to defend himself. And because of that status, a “client” automatically becomes a “ward of the court” – supposedly for your benefit, even if that “benefit” means imposing a huge fine and/or imprisonment!!!
Knowingly or unknowingly, by either words or deeds, by actions or non-actions, even your demeanor, you have waived all of your rights under Common Law. You have instead provided evidence to support the court’s presumption that you have consented to a contract that places you under the court’s private, commercial (contract) jurisdiction Knowledge of the Law is YOUR responsibility. And Silence is NOT golden – it can be fatal!
Addendum #1:
How could you have avoided this “trap” which the current “justice system” has created? While the procedure is too complex to explain in detail here, you simply needed to file with the court a signed, sworn, notarized “Affidavit of Truth” in which you challenged the court’s presumption of jurisdiction over you. In essence you would be filing a COUNTER-CLAIM, making you the plaintiff and the judge (police officers, etc.) the defendants.
Under Law, all other actions of law must stop until the issue of jurisdiction has been resolved – meaning the state’s case against you is put “on hold”. Further, this is NOT a “motion” to the court’ this is a COUNTER-CLAIM. Thus, NO judge or other government private, commercial (contract) court may decide this issue of jurisdiction. It MUST be resolved in a true “Court of Record”, that is, a court operating under the Common Law.
However, you, as a private man, must file this affidavit against the judge (and any others) as a MAN in his PRIVATE CAPACITY – and NOT as an official of the court. You must also place yourself at financial risk by assuming full and unlimited commercial liability for any claims proved to be false. The Maxim of Law: “Claims made without accountability are void.” The accused or opponent MUST do the same.) You would state in your affidavit that the judge (as a private man) had, let’s say, 7 calendars days to respond to your affidavit with his own signed, sworn, notarized “Affidavit of Truth” in which he rebutted each and every item in your affidavit. If he fails to do so in the time you allotted to him (7 days), then you have won! (By NOT rebutting your affidavit, he has AGREED with everything you stated in your affidavit.) Applicable Maxims of Law: “An unrebutted affidavit stands as the truth in Law.”; ”An affidavit must be rebutted point-for-point.”; “He, who does not object, consents.”; “Truth stands supreme.”
If he does reply as a private man with his own “Affidavit of Truth” in which he rebuts all of your statements, you would then be able to hold YOUR OWN COURT operating under the Common Law in which the judge (as the PRIVATE MAN) would be required to PROVE with real evidence that you had signed some type of contract placing you under his and the court’s private, commercial (contract) jurisdiction.
Addendum #2:
The Foundation Of Law
There are basically three classes of laws:
(1) The Laws of God, which encompass the Laws of Nature;
(2) The Law of the Land, also referred to as the Common Law; and lastly there is
(3) Private Law, or man-made law, also referred to as Contract Law.
Our Founding Fathers believed that it was self-evident that the God of Nature is the sovereign of the universe and everything in it (as well as mankind) and that He had endowed all mankind with “certain unalienable rights” making them self-directing sovereigns, which means that any governments instituted among men derive their just powers (only) from the consent of the governed, who are the source of earthly power and authority. Hence any attempt to exercise any powers NOT conveyed by the People is unjust and unauthorized, and any act done pursuant to such usurpation of power is void.
They were further convinced that God’s temporal law for mankind was expressed in the law of the land. Common law is common-sense law. It is simple, straightforward and self evident, primarily because it is based on God’s Laws. It is the foundational law of the union of States.
The Founding Fathers authorized three legal systems in the Constitution, first Common Law, secondly Equity Law, and thirdly Admiralty Law, which is the law of the sea. Gradually Common Law has been displaced by Equity Law until today the Common Law is rarely heard of or understood because it has been covered up and hidden away by the legal profession for very understandable business reasons. Such people are pursuing their own private agenda. In fact the Common Law is generally looked upon as obscene, example: to have a common law marriage is considered to be unclean. Why? The first marriage license in the United States was issued in 1863. The question is not whether some third party should or should not perform the service; it is whether sovereigns must get permission from their servants (the government) before they can be married.
It should be remembered that the People are the sovereigns of State governments and the States are the sovereigns of the federal government. Thus the People, either directly or indirectly, are the sovereigns over both governments. The States have been given specific and limited power. They also made sure there were provisions that safeguarded the People’s right to abolish or change that government and to create a different one if they chose.
2.) Private Law [contract law] = MAN-MADE-LAW
Private Law is that law [contract law] which comes into being when people enter into agreements [contracts] creating the rules and terms by which they agree [CONSENT] to be bound together.
State and federal constitutions are examples of private law. They come under the heading of contract law because they are contracts that establish governments and are designed to protect the People from the government. To keep the government under control, the People were very precise in the language they used to make it perfectly clear exactly what powers were being delegated AND that any powers not specifically delegated were reserved (by the People) to the states or the People.
3.) Public Law [a form of private law]
Public Law is a form of private law that results when laws are made in proper application of the delegated authority conveyed to the legislators. Title 18 (the Federal Criminal Code) is an example of public law. It was drafted to grant unto non-citizens the protections and defenses Citizens have under common law; Title 18 does not apply to sovereign Citizens, who answer directly to violations of GOD’s Laws.
4.) Administrative Law is one term used to describe private law that comes into existence when someone acquires dominion over others and can dictate to them what the law is. Title 26 (the Internal Revenue Code) in an example of Administrative Law; it and the other federal titles classified by congress as “non-public” (administrative) laws, thus apply only to subjects of the federal government.
1. Can you provide examples of Americans who have filed with the court a signed, sworn, notarized “Affidavit of Truth” challenging the court’s presumption of jurisdiction over them? I am very interested in reading about how it transpired and what the results were.
1. 1.) Myself (4 times): 1 successful international commercial lien; 3 dismissals (speeding tickets)
2.) Ex-wife (chiropractor) 2 times: 1 dismissal of libel (written)/slander (written) case against her by her former employer; AND 1 successful international commercial lien for same; but we never dismissed the 99-year lien, so all of her former employer’s assets are “frozen” – which put her out of business. She tried unsuccessfully to have the courts dismiss or over-turn the lien, so we added a few lawyers and judges to that lien (“freezing” their assets as well). But we took pity on the judges and lawyers; and dismissed the liens on them after about 9 months.
3.) About 14 other people I know: I think 11 were successful; the other 3 people lost because they failed to write their affidavits properly or screwed up some other part of the commercial lien process.
1. dozier kurt · ·
Can you please explain a little bit of the process of what it takes to do what you did or a link that will better explain how to how to use the process of common-law to enforce your will. kurt
1. Kurt, that would take years! However, I must mention that when I am in court (which is VERY RARELY), I will use PRIMARILY the REMEDIES provided by International Commercial Law (Maritime-Admiralty law) and the Uniform Commercial Codes (UCC). I use the REMEDIES that they have provided via their “laws” and codes against them.
Only later (if at all) MIGHT I mention Common Law principles, but to try to use the Common Law explicitly in court is a “lost battle”. These judges actually attend SEMINARS on tactics regarding how to defeat Common Law arguments used by some people in a court.
2. Great article! Thanks for the clarification.
1. Justin,
I just “scratched the surface” with this essay. What AMAZES me is that people TODAY assume all legislated statutes are actual laws.
Until the early 1930’s people knew that the Common Law was mandatory; but legislated statutes were optional as mere “offers to contract”.
It is a GROSS FAILURE of our EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM – from elementary school through post-grad university.
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Surviving the South
By: Yara Hyman | Bogeret, Detroit
This past Sunday, January 26, we held an event for our Chavraya Bet division (High School.) The name of this event was called, “Surviving the South”. The goal of this event, was to educate the high school students on some of the struggles that people living in the south experience daily. We accomplished this by creating an escape room. Within the rooms, the students had to place themselves into the shoes of people living in the south; to truly see how they live their lives. Out first level of the escape room was a bomb shelter. the students had to get down to the “bomb shelter” in 15 seconds. This gave them a real feel of how fast people in the south have to move in order to stay safe. They then had to piece together a series of clues in order to get out of the bomb shelter. Once they solved the code, they could move on. The second room was designed as an army control room. When they entered this room they were treated as lone soldiers and given an important mission. They had to “find a Hamas tunnel”and “blow it up.” once the students became comfortable with the room, and understood what they were dealing with, they were able to work as a group and solve the puzzles. It was a great event that had a great level of education and unity. We are very excited to continue and create more events in the future with similar life lessons/ meaningful messages for Chavraya Bet. |
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There’s Finally an Easy Way to Retrofit Better Building Materials
Concrete is usually the choice material for highly-efficient buildings due to its high thermal mass. For older buildings made with wood or metal, thermal heat storage has often been considered out of reach. Now, with phase change materials, these buildings can get the same energy efficiency benefits.
What Are Thermal Mass and Latent Heat Storage?
Materials like concrete have high thermal mass, meaning they are able to absorb heat from the atmosphere and release it into a building when it cools down. This property has made materials like concrete a favorite for energy-efficient buildings, but other materials can also be combined with a material that has latent heat storage.
Latent heat storage happens with materials that are particularly sensitive to small temperature changes. As the ambient temperature changes, these materials will be pushed into phase change, so a liquid material may become a solid or vice versa. During this process, these materials are absorbing or releasing heat, helping to manage the temperature of a building.
Phase Change Material and Latent Heat Storage
Wood, metal, and other building materials do not have high thermal mass, but by installing phase change materials, they can provide latent heat storage for a building. Some phase change materials are specially made to melt at a temperature that fits within the normal comfortable range for a room, such as many of the ones we use specifically for office buildings and schools. However, not all PCMs are made this way. Other phase change materials can melt and thaw closer to a lower temperature, such as 45 degrees.
The ultimate goal of phase change materials is to absorb heat before a building becomes too hot and release it before the facility becomes too cold. This regulates the room temperature passively without using electricity.
What Is Retrofitting with Phase Change Material Like?
While using a material with high thermal mass needs to be considered when a building is being constructed, phase change material can be put into a building at any time. Among the best environments to install PCM is above drop ceilings, which provide an easy pathway for retrofitting without the need to remove drywall or fixtures. Drop ceilings also allow PCM to best connect to a building’s indoor environment.
All in all, installing PCM rarely requires any kind of heavy-duty construction. It can simply be placed into the building, where it starts working immediately.
How to Get Latent Heat Storage in Your Building
There are several different ways to get phase change material for your building, but the simplest and least risky way is to take advantage of a monthly utilization model. This type of agreement will let you pay for phase change material month-by-month. The fee will be less than the energy savings your building receives, or you’ll get your money back.
To learn more about how the monthly utilization model can bring latent heat storage to your building, contact D.I. Pathways today.
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Hugh Sexey Church of England Middle School
Together we believe; Together we achieve
Week 1 - Setting up Duolingo and practising negative sentences
Here are this week's tasks... good luck!
Contact Miss Kendall if you need any help, using your Office 365 email.
Just before the weekend...
Here is a short listening task - all you need is a pen and some paper (and your ears).
All the instructions are on the recording!
Negatives listening exercise.mp3 |
October... Distillation begins in the wine cellars of Armagnac. The still is the centre of attention, this intriguing copper machine with its complex system of tubes. Let us explain.
Old still - Ognoas
The still is a copper machine which is used for distillation. From distilling white wine, we obtain a colourless eau de vie with an alcohol percentage which is usually between 52% and 60%. Patiently blended and matured, this liquid eventually becomes a truly special elixir: Armagnac .
To fully understand the distillation process, you'll need to go to Domaine d’Ognoas.
This estate has the oldest still in Gascony. It dates back to 1804! Applying the technique of continuous distillation, the still is based on scientific discoveries made in the Age of Enlightenment.
Every year, it heats and produces 150 hectolitres of Armagnac, a superior eau de vie which has had AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) status since 1905.
Still - Armagnac distillation
The Armagnac still also employs the classical Archimedes screw technique. A blade made up of 43 copper plates causes movement in the liquid to allow it to move from plate to plate using an overflow system and reach a second heater.
Due to the strong heat produced by the stove, the wine vapours rise against the current and "bubble" in the wine where each plate is located. We call this the bubbling of alcohol vapours. They absorb the alcohol and the aromatic substances properties of the wine. From there, the vapours are transferred by a swan-neck towards the coiled pipes, where they condense and cool down.
The eau-de-vie produced by this distillation process will be put into wooden barrels to become Armagnac.
Next step: the maturation cellar to find out about the mysterious alchemical secret known as "the Angels' share"...
Marilys Cazaubieilh (CDT des Landes - Updated 22/03/2017) |
Your Health MattersCalifornia Health
California Health: Cal Water working on new regulation to keep water flowing when power goes off
Posted: 6:58 AM, Aug 13, 2019
Updated: 2019-08-13 16:32:55-04
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Water. It's a vital part of life. And it's the California Water Service' s, or Cal Water, job to make sure most of Bakersfield and parts of Kern County have clean safe water.
Kevin McCusker is a community affairs spokesman for Cal Water. He said, "From the meter box at the point of connection at their residence then it goes into their house where it's used for any number of things. From indoor use, so they might use it for drinking and bathing and for outdoor use irrigation."
70 percent of the water Cal Water uses in Bakersfield and Kern County comes from groundwater wells while 30 percent is surface water from the Kern River.
"Cal Water have to meet a set of state and federal primary and secondary requirements," said McCusker. "And our mission is 100% compliant 100% of the time. That's what we do. If we do something wrong there can be severe consequences."
Cal Water needs power in order to meet those state and federal standards. But meeting those standards got more difficult for Cal Water. The California Public Utilities Commission gave power companies the ability to turn off the power to prevent wildfires after last year's deadly wildfires in Paradise, California.
"It takes power to pump water out of the ground, it takes power to treat water, and it takes power to boost and pressurize the water around through the system," said McCusker.
In response to the new California Public Utilities Commission regulation, McCusker said, Cal Water has added extra power generators and has built up extra redundancies along their system so if the power is turned off to prevent a wildfire or from a blackout, water will still continue to flow.
"In addition because of the new scenario related to the public safety power shutdowns, we've also made fuel additional personnel and mobile generators available throughout our various district including here in Bakersfield just in case."
Within the last 5 weeks Cal Water's redundant system has been tested. First the earthquakes in Ridgecrest, which knocked out power in parts of the Ridgecrest area. While Cal Water doesn't serve that area, but they used it as a learning tool. And in Bakersfield a system error created low water pressure through the system leading Cal Water to issue a water boil advisory.
While McCusker said, Cal Water distributed a lot of bottles of water to the affected area, it's something they're working to avoid, especially during a large scale disaster.
McCusker added last winter a construction accident burst a water line causing a water outage. And he encourages people to call 8-1-1 before they dig.
For an annual Cal Water water quality report visit their website. |
C++ PROGRAMMING - UdemyFreebies.com
C++ is a High-Level, General-Purpose Programming Language. It's an extension of the C PROGRAMMING Language, or "C with Classes". The language has expanded significantly over time, and modern C++ has object-oriented, generic, and functional features in addition to facilities for low-level memory manipulation. Many vendors provide C++ compilers, including the Free Software Foundation, LLVM, Microsoft, Intel, Oracle, and IBM, so it is available on many platforms.
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An analysis into the works of harry f young
Explain how to do something or how something happens. Does any portion of the essay include concrete directions about a certain process? Does it evaluate or analyze two or more people, places, processes, events, or things? Does it explain why something happened?
An analysis into the works of harry f young
The History Place - Child Labor in America: Investigative Photos of Lewis Hine
Anne Frank is the narrator and the writer of the diary. She is thirteen when she begins writing. Anne is very outspoken, and before moving into the Secret Annex, she was very popular at school with both the boys and the girls.
She loves to read and to study, and she wants to be a writer when she grows up. She, too, keeps a diary. She and Anne grow closer throughout the course of their hiding, but it is with Peter that Anne shares her hopes and fears.
Margot gets on better with their parents, and Anne feels pressure to be good and sweet like her. He is the one who arranges for their hiding place.
He is modest, quiet, and generally low-key. Anne is not nearly as close with her mother as she is with her father. She finds her mother cold and often condescending. She has an idea of what the perfect mother should be—and Mummy does not fit the image.
Anne at first finds him boring and weak, but they begin to talk, and to open up to each other, and they form a strong bond. Anne falls in love with Peter, and he probably falls in love with her in return. He gives her her first kiss.
Eventually, though, she gets frustrated with him because he does not like religion, and because she feels like he is clinging to her. He does not even try to improve his weak nature, because he finds it easier not to make the effort. Anne, who finds herself in a constant state of internal conflict and self-improvement, cannot respect this.
Van Daan is one of the eight people hiding in the Secret Annex. She is desperately jealous of the bond between Anne and her son, and she wishes that he would talk to her more. She and Anne do not get along at all.
She criticizes Anne for being so outspoken, and Anne writes of Mrs. Van Daan frequently in the diary to complain about how spoiled and frivolous she is and how she flirts with Mr.
However, at one point, Anne notices that she is easier to talk to than Mummy, because she is not cold. He is one of the adults who often criticizes Anne. He enters the Secret Annexe last.
He was a dentist before going into hiding. At first, Anne likes him, but then he shows his true colors and is close-minded and stubborn and criticizes her. Sometimes she does things intentionally to annoy him.
Minor Characters Jopie de Waal: She is cheerful and often brings them gifts. At Christmas, she decorates a basket and fills it with presents. Peter Wessel is a young man on whom Anne has big crush. She fantasizes about marrying him and dreams of him touching her cheek.
She hopes that they will find each other again one day when she gets out of hiding.Psychoanalysis is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques related to the study of the unconscious mind, which together form a method of treatment for mental-health disorders.
Build a bibliography or works cited page the easy way
Freud first used the term psychoanalysis (in French) in Below is my film music analysis in which I take a look at some of the musical techniques Williams uses to convey the feeling of magic and mystery associated with the world of Harry Potter.
Refreshingly different: man is not circumcised, and resisting it is a token for thinking for oneself. Circumcision! A Slice of Life USA, Comedy in 10 minute episodes. Gleb Kaminer migrates from Azerbijan to Israel, where the army requires him to be circumcised.
L'Abbat, maître d'armes
To successfully analyze literature, you’ll need to remember that authors make specific choices for particular reasons. Scholars, critics, and readers in general consider The Pardoner's Tale to be one of the finest "short stories" ever written.
An analysis into the works of harry f young
Even though this is poetry, the narration fits all the qualifications of a perfect short story: brevity, a theme aptly illustrated, brief characterizations, the inclusion of the symbolic old man, rapid narration, and a.
Tony Awards Analysis & Winners: ‘The Band’s Visit’ Wins | Deadline |
A gentleman in Bombay told me that 50,000 people are killed in India every year by snakes and tigers, and his extraordinary statement was confirmed by several officials and others to whom I applied for information. They declared that only about one-half of the deaths from such causes were ever reported; that the government was endeavoring to secure more complete and exact returns, and was offering rewards for the destruction of reptiles and wild animals. Under instructions from Lord Curzon the authorities of the central government at Calcutta gave me the returns for British India for the ten years from 1892 to 1902, showing a total of 26,461 human beings and 88,019 cattle killed by snakes and wild animals during the fiscal year 1901-2. This does not include the mortality from these causes in the eighty-two native states which have one-third of the area and one fourth of the population of the empire. Nor does it include thousands of cases in the more remote portions of the country, which are never reported to the authorities. In these remote sections, vast areas of mountains, jungles and swamps, the danger from such causes is much greater and deaths are more frequent than in the thickly settled portions; so that my friend's estimate was not far out of the way.
The official statistics for British India only (the native states not included) for the ten years named are as follows:
Persons Cattle
1892 21,988 81,688
1893 24,016 90,253
1894 24,449 96,796
1895 25,190 100,107
1896 24,322 88,702
1897 25,242 84,187
1898 25,166 91,750
1899 27,585 98,687
1900 25,833 91,430
1901 26,461 88,019
- - - - - - - -
Total ten years 250,252 907,619
Taking 1901 as a sample, I find that 1,171 persons were killed by tigers and 29,333 cattle; 635 persons and 37,473 cattle were killed by leopards; 403 human beings and 5,048 cattle were killed by wolves; 1,442 human beings and 9,123 cattle were killed by other wild animals, and 22,810 human beings and 5,002 cattle by snakes. This is about the average record for the ten years, although the number of persons killed by tigers in 1901-2 was considerably less than usual.
The largest sacrifice of life was in the Province of Bengal, of which Calcutta is the capital, and where the imperial authorities have immediate control of such affairs. The government offers a bounty of $1 for every snake skin, $5 for every tiger skin, and a corresponding amount for other animals. During 1901-2, 14,301 wild animals were reported killed and 96,953 persons received rewards. The number of snakes reported destroyed was 69,668 and 2,858 persons were rewarded. The total amount of rewards paid was $33,270, which is much below the average and the smallest amount reported for many years. During the last ten years the amount of rewards paid has averaged about $36,000 annually. The falling off in 1901-2 is due to the discovery that certain enterprising persons had gone into the business of breeding snakes for the reward, and had been collecting considerable sums from the government by that sort of fraud. Hereafter no one will be able to collect claims without showing satisfactory evidence that the snakes were actually wild when killed or captured. It is hardly necessary to say that no one has thus far been accused of breeding tigers for the bounty, although large numbers of natives are engaged in the business of capturing them for menageries and zoological gardens.
In the maharaja's park at Jeypore we saw a dozen or more splendid man-eating tigers, which, the keeper told us, had been captured recently only twelve miles from that city. His Highness keeps a staff of tiger hunters and catchers for amusement. He delights in shooting big game, and several times a year goes into the jungles with his native hunters and parties of friends and seldom returns without several fine skins to add to his collection. His tiger catchers remain in the woods all the time, and he has a pleasant way of presenting the animals they catch to friends in India, England and elsewhere. While we were in Jeypore I read in a newspaper that the Negus of Abyssinia had given Robert Skinner two fine lions to take home to President Roosevelt, and I am sure the maharaja of Jeypore would be very glad to add a couple of man-eating tigers if he were aware of Colonel Roosevelt's love for the animal kingdom. I intended to make a suggestion in that line to him, but there were so many other things to talk about that it slipped my mind.
The maharaja catches tigers in the orthodox way. He has cages of iron and the toughest kind of wood set upon wheels so that they can be hauled into the jungle by oxen. When they reach a suitable place the oxen are unhitched, the hunters conceal the wheels and other parts of the wagon with boughs and palm leaves. A sheep or a goat or some other animal is sacrificed and placed in the cage for bait and the door is rigged so that it will remain open in an inviting manner until the tiger enters and lifts the carcass from the lever. The instant he disturbs the bait heavy iron bars drop over the hole through which he entered and he is a prisoner at the mercy of his captors. Sometimes the scheme fails and the hunters lose their time and trouble and bait, but being men of experience in such affairs they generally know the proper place and the proper season to look for game. When the watchers notify them that the trap is occupied they come with oxen and haul it to town, where it is backed up against a permanent cage in the menagerie, the iron door is lifted, and the tiger is punched with iron bars until he accepts the quarters that have been provided for him, and becomes a prisoner for life.
It is a terrible thing when a hungry and ugly man-eater comes into a village, for the inhabitants are generally defenseless. They have no guns, because the government does not allow the natives to carry arms, and their only weapons are the implements of the farm. If they would clear out and scatter the number of victims would not be so large, but they usually keep together for mutual defense, and, as a consequence, the animal has them at his mercy. A man-eater that has once tasted human flesh is never satiated, and attacks one victim after another until he has made away with an entire village.
The danger from snakes and other poisonous reptiles is much greater than from tigers and other wild beasts, chiefly because snakes in India are sacred to the gods, and the government finds it an exceedingly delicate matter to handle the situation as the circumstances require. When a Hindu is bitten by a snake it is considered the act of a god, and the victim is honored rather than pitied. While his death is deplored, no doubt, he has been removed from an humble earthly sphere to a much more happy and honorable condition in the other world. Therefore, while it is scarcely true that the Hindus like to be killed by snake poison, they will do very little to protect themselves or cure the bites. Nor do they like to have the reptiles killed for fear of provoking the gods that look after them. The snake gods are numbered by hundreds of thousands, and shrines have been erected to them in every village and on every highway. If a pious Hindu peasant sees a snake he will seldom run from it, but will remain quiet and offer a prayer, and if it bites him and he dies, his heirs and relatives will erect a shrine to his memory. The honor of having a shrine erected to one's memory is highly appreciated. Hence death from snake poison is by no means the worst fate a Hindu can suffer. These facts indicate the difficulties the government officials meet in their endeavors to exterminate reptiles.
Snake charmers are found in every village. They are usually priests, monks or sorcerers, and may generally be seen in the neighborhood of Hindu temples and tombs. They carry from two to twenty hideous reptiles of all sizes in the folds of their robes, generally next to their naked bosoms, and when they see a chance of making a few coppers from a stranger they draw them out casually and play with them as if they were pets. Usually the fangs have been carefully extracted so that the snakes are really harmless. At the same time they are not agreeable companions. Sometimes snake charmers will allow their pets to bite them, and, when the blood appears upon the surface of the skin, they place lozenges of some black absorbent upon the wounds to suck up the blood and afterward sell them at high prices for charms and amulets.
When Mr. Henry Phipps of New York was in India he became very much interested in this subject. His sympathies were particularly excited by the number of poor people who died from snake bites and from the bites of wild animals, without medical attention. There is only one small Pasteur institute in India, and it is geographically situated so that it cannot be reached without several days' travel from those parts of the empire where snakes are most numerous and the mortality from animals is largest. With his usual modesty, without saying anything to anybody, Mr. Phipps placed $100,000 in the hands of Lord Curzon with a request that a hospital and Pasteur institute be established in southern India at the most accessible location that can be found for the treatment of such cases, and a laboratory established for original research to discover antidotes and remedies for animal poisons. After thorough investigation it was decided to locate the institute in the Province of Madras. The local government provided a site and takes charge of its maintenance, while the general government will pay an annual subsidy corresponding to the value of the services rendered to soldiers sent there for treatment.
While we were waiting at a railway station one morning a solemn-looking old man, who, from appearances, might have been a contemporary of Mahomet, or the nineteenth incarnation of a mighty god, squatted down on the floor and gazed upon us with a broad and benevolent smile. He touched his forehead respectfully and bowed several times, and then, having attracted attention and complied with the etiquette of his caste, drew from his breast a spry little sparrow that had been nestling between his cotton robe and his bare flesh. Stroking the bird affectionately and talking to it in some mysterious language, the old man looked up at us for approval and placed it upon the pavement. It greeted us cordially with several little chirps and hopped around over the stone to get the kinks out of its legs, while the old fakir drew from his breast a little package which he unfolded carefully and laid on the ground. It contained an assortment of very fine beads of different colors and made of glass. Taking a spool of thread from the folds of his robe, the old man broke off a piece about two feet long and, calling to the bird, began to whistle softly as his pet hopped over toward him. There was evidently a perfect understanding between them. The bird knew what was expected and proceeded immediately to business. It grasped the lower end of the thread in its little claws as its trainer held it suspended in the air with the other end wound around his forefinger, and swung back and forth, chirruping cheerfully. After swinging a little while it reached the top, and then stood proudly for a moment on the fakir's finger and acknowledged our applause. Then it climbed down again like a sailor or a monkey and dropped to the ground. I had never seen an exhibition so simple and yet unusual, but something even better was yet to come, for, in obedience to instruction, the little chap picked up the tiny beads one after another with his bill and strung them upon the thread, which it held with its tiny toes. |
Puumala virus
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• The bank vole acts as a reservoir for the virus, and nephropathia epidemica therefore peaks at the same time the population of these voles, typically every 3 to 4 years. Farmers are often exposed to the droppings of these animals and are therefore more commonly infected.
Clinical Manifestations
Nephropathia epidemica is a virus-infection caused by the Puumala virus. The incubation period is three weeks. It has a sudden onset with fever, headache, backpain and gastrointestinal symptoms, but sometimes worse symptoms such as internal hemorrhaging and it can even lead to death. It is more mild than the haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome that can be observed in other parts of the world. 80% of infected individuals are asymptomatic or develop only mild symptoms, and the disease does not spread from human to human. The bank vole is the reservoir for the virus, which is contracted from aerosolized droppings.
This infection is known as myyräkuume in Finland (Mole fever) as the virus can spread to humans from dust that the virus has spread to from moles and mice. In Sweden it is known as sorkfeber (Vole fever). In Norway it is called "musepest" (mouse plague). |
What is DLL File? What does it do?
What is a Dll?
Dll” is a file extension. This extension is an abbreviation created from the first letters of Dynamic Link Library.
What Do Dll Files do?
In order for programs to run smoothly on our Windows-based systems, there are priority files needed called “executable files” or “program files.” Executable files are files with the extension “.exe”.
For example, the iexplore.exe file is the executable file used to open the Internet Explorer browser.
As for Dll files, they are each function libraries for programs used on the Windows operating system. Programs use these libraries when necessary to perform tasks they were programmed to do. If the dll files (dynamic link libraries) the programs need are missing or corrupted, you will come across errors such as “Dll file not found” or “dll file is missing or corrupt.”
We also aim to provide a solution to these dll errors that you have come across on our website where we host thousands of dll files. Furthermore, we don’t just provide downloads of the files, but we also explain how you can install the dll files you downloaded and be free from these dll errors through our illustrated guide specific to each dll file.
If you are coming across dll errors, you can find the dll files you need by using the search form in the top section of our site. You can download the file by clicking the “Download” button, and you can solve the problem you’ve come across by applying the methods explained in the solution guide on the same page.
We, as DLLDOWNLOADER.COM, wish you a smooth and error-free day!
6 thoughts on “What is DLL File? What does it do?”
1. So glad I found this site! Will try the illustrated installation guide. Will post a comment very soon!
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A fundamental barrier will be faced when offering an analysis of the influence of Conservatism in Wales, because very few academic sources deal with the subject. The academic situation reflects a wider situation in this regard, namely the perception that Conservatism is an English, alien tradition. Writing about the Conservative party or Conservatism in general therefore is, at best, a minority action. However, there is a danger that this can lead to a perception which marginalises the Conservative tradition in a way that does not match its relative significance in Wales throughout the modern period.
• The historic Tories in Wales
The term 'Tory' has its origins in the seventeenth century, and the turbulent period that began with the English civil war. The word comes from the Old Irish, and the term tóraidhe (a brigand or a thief) and it was originally used to describe the Irish who continued in their opposition to Oliver Cromwell's reign at the end of the Civil War. More recently, the term was used to describe the Members of Parliament who supported James the Second's right to succeed his brother, Charles the Second as king. James had turned to the Catholic Church at a time when Protestantism was rapidly gaining ground.
This direct link with Catholicism did not continue, but Toryism remained in other forms, and the tradition is now known as the forerunner of the modern Conservative and Unionist Party formed in 1834 under the leadership of Robert Peel. The cornerstones of the Tory tradition were strong support for the Monarchy, suspicion of radical social reform, and support for the Church of England. By the end of the eighteenth century these ideas had been coupled with the more liberal views of the Whigs, influenced by figures such as Edmund Burke, and Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger. This is the period in which modern Conservatism was formed in the United Kingdom.
The second half of the nineteenth century proved to be a challenging time for the Conservative Party as it wrestled with the consequences of the UK democratisation process. The franchise was gradually expanded through a series of important reform laws in 1832, 1867 and 1884 and this had a major impact on the support for the party and its status, particularly in Wales. Since the introduction of the Acts of Union in the nineteenth century, Conservative landowners had dominated the politics of the country, holding the majority of parliamentary seats. However, this changed from the 1860s onwards as more and more ordinary men gained the right to vote and extended their support to the Liberal Party. An event often cited as a symbol of this great change was the victory of the Liberal, Henry Richard, in Merthyr Tydfil in the 1868 election. Indeed, by 1906 there were no Conservative MPs left in Wales.
• Robert-Peel.jpg
Robert Peel
• The Conservatives in Wales 1885-1997
The Conservatives did not disappear from Welsh politics during the twentieth century. However, the party did not come close to regaining its status from the pre-democratic period. Indeed, at the end of the century in 1997 there was another election where the party did not win a single electoral seat. Given this background - alongside the fact that the Conservative Party has consistently secured a vote in Wales that was some 10% lower than in England - you can understand how the perception developed that Conservatism has not been a relevant tradition in the discussion of Welsh politics.
Indeed, some structural factors may have contributed to limiting the appeal of Conservatism to electors in Wales. For example, as individualism and property tend to be values that have greater significance for middle- and upper-class voters, it may not have been surprising that a country with higher percentages of the population belonging to the working class vote mainly for left-wing parties. Another factor that has been highlighted in trying to explain the relative failure of the Conservatives is the fact that some of the old features that go back to the Tory period - such as Anglicanism, love of the monarchy and wealth - have contributed to maintaining the perception that the Conservative party was essentially an English party.
However, despite these factors, care should be taken not to conclude that Conservatism has been irrelevant in Welsh politics. During the second half of the twentieth century, the party secured a foothold in a number of constituencies beyond the industrial areas. Indeed, in 1983 the party secured 14 of the 38 parliamentary seats in Wales. Most of these seats were in rural and relatively anglicised areas such as Pembrokeshire, the Vale of Glamorgan, the north coast and those areas bordering England - the areas described by political scientist Denis Balsom as 'British Wales'.
Yet, Welsh Conservatism in the twentieth century should not be interpreted as only an English and British force. Significantly, Conservative politicians contributed to many of the policy developments seen in relation to the Welsh language from the 1970s onwards. For example, the Secretary of State, Nicholas Edwards was key to the discussions that ultimately led to the establishment of S4C in 1980. More importantly, Sir Wyn Roberts, a former Member of Parliament for the Conwy constituency and a deputy-minister in the Welsh Office, was absolutely crucial to developments such as the 1988 Education Act (which led to the establishment of Welsh as an essential subject in the curriculum and to the establishment of the practice that pupils in Wales study a different education curriculum to England), the establishment of the Welsh Language Board, and also the 1993 Welsh Language Act which contributed to ensuring more prominent public status for the Welsh language.
Conservatism in the era of devolution
Although the Conservatives campaigned against the establishment of the National Assembly devolution offered the party the opportunity to re-establish a presence in Welsh politics following its great losses during the 1997 Westminster election. The party’s level of the vote and the number of seats in the Assembly increased in all elections between 1999 and 2011. Indeed by 2011 it succeeded in ousting Plaid Cymru as the main opposition party in Cardiff Bay.
During this period there was a deliberate attempt to try to adopt a more positive attitude towards devolution and also to try to give the party's image a more Welsh flavour. Nick Bourne, leader of the Conservative group in the Assembly between 1999 and 2011, was key to this move. Another important figure in the context of the development of Conservatism in Wales during the post-devolution period is Assembly Member David Melding. In a series of striking essays, Melding has argued for further devolution for Wales and also the need for fundamental constitutional reform across the UK including the adoption of full federal arrangements. Indeed, Melding's arguments reflect elements of Traditional Conservatism figures such as Burke and Oakeshott, in particular the assumption that major political and social changes should not be resisted, but rather embraced in a pragmatic way in order to lay stronger foundations for the future. The presence of individuals such as Bourne and Melding in the ranks of the Conservative party in Wales was all important during the post-2007 Assembly election period. At that time the possibility of establishing a 'Rainbow coalition' between the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and the Liberals was raised to oust the Labour government that had been in power since the beginning of devolution in the late 1990s. This is another example of the pragmatic approach that characterises the politics of many Welsh Conservatives.
Of course, the rainbow coalition was not established in the end. The reality was that there were deep doubts about the idea to be found among the ranks of the three different parties. In this respect, it is worth pausing for a second to consider the different attitudes to the scheme expressed by Plaid Cymru members. As a party that, since the early 1980s, has positioned itself firmly on the left of the political spectrum and which, on several occasions, has described itself as a party that professes a form of 'democratic socialism', it was no surprise that many of its members expressed considerable discontent about the idea of establishing a coalition which would involve working with Conservatives. At the same time, many other members were receptive to the idea. This highlights the fact that nationalist organizations can encompass individuals who have a range of different perspectives along the left-right spectrum.
Indeed, in the case of Wales, it is important to note that the National movement’s ideas have included a notable Conservative tradition. A key figure in this context was Saunders Lewis - a poet, playwright and leader of Plaid Cymru during its early years. In his numerous writings Lewis regularly combines nationalist beliefs with a romantic form of Conservatism. This can be seen, for example, in his famous political essay, the Principles of Nationalism, where he argues that Welsh life and culture should be interpreted as part of an old European tradition and that efforts should be made to conserve this heritage through reversal of the great industrialization experienced by Wales during the nineteenth century. Similar romantic features also appear in some of the ideas of philosopher J.R. Jones, who published several influential articles on nationalism and the connection between language and identity during the 1960s. In these essays there is an echo of Jones' desire to return to a past life, one that was free from the influence of the shallow Anglo-American culture which, by the 1960s, was rapidly gaining a foothold across the most Welsh areas of Wales through the media and TV. It was the threat to the Welsh tradition and organic society that Jones was most concerned about. |
This Is The Way Tesla Power Walls Work
Recent reports suggest that the cost of renewable energy sources such as wind power and solar power has fallen below the cost of traditional energy sources such as coal. However, one of the biggest problems with harnessing solar power is storage. The solar cells can only produce electricity during the daytime and that power needs to be stored somewhere in order for it to be used in times of need.
This is where the Tesla Power Wall comes in. You must have heard of Tesla, the electric car company. It is the company that is spearheading the race for electric vehicles and it is the biggest electric vehicle maker in the world today. In 2015, the company announced Tesla Power Wall which is a battery for the home.
In simple terms, it is a rechargeable lithium ion battery similar to the batteries you have in your mobile phones that can be recharged hundreds of times. This rechargeable lithium ion battery can be hooked up to solar panels or the electric grid in order to be charged. In other words, think of the Tesla power wall battery as a huge mobile phone battery that hangs off the wall.
Once the battery is fully charged, it is capable of feeding the energy back into the electric grid in case there is an excess or just store the energy in order for you to use it at a later date. Currently, the battery is available in two variants, 7 kWh and 10 kWh.
For a regular home, the 7 kWh battery should suffice. The company claims that it will charge during off-peak hours and the stored energy can be consumed during peak hours. The bigger battery is aimed at bigger homes as well as businesses. In case you have a bigger requirement, you can always buy multiple batteries and hook them up together in order to meet your needs.
The company claims to have sold thousands of these units to homeowners all around the world. As far as the cost is concerned, you will need to check online in order to figure out the cost of this battery in your location. You will also need to pay for the installation of the battery and that will add to the cost. In order to calculate whether investing in this battery makes financial sense for you, you will need to calculate the cost of energy in your location and then compare it with the savings you will make by investing in this rechargeable lithium ion battery.
One of the biggest advantages of this particular battery is that this is guaranteed by the company for 10 years which means you won’t need to replace the battery for a period of at least 10 years. Therefore, when you are calculating your costs, you need to take into account the fact that you are making an investment for 10 years. Most estimates available online suggest that owners should be able to breakeven in around five years. However, your breakeven point will depend on the cost of energy in your area.
There are also some concerns by prospective buyers whether this battery pack will look good in their home. It is a very well-designed unit that just hangs off the wall and looks great. So, you do not need to worry about the looks of this battery packs.
Overall, the Tesla power wall batteries work like just any other battery. The biggest difference is that these batteries are guaranteed for a period of 10 years which makes them financially viable for most households and hopefully, spark a rise in the number of solar power installations.
How Does Solar Power Leasing Work
Are you thinking about going green and using solar energy to power your home? Well, you might choose to hire a solar contractor who can install the relevant solar panels and get your home connected to the grid. However, it’s quite costly to do so and solar power leasing or a solar power PPA ( Purchase Power Agreement ) is yet another alternative you should consider. The initial cost of installation is considerably lower thus making the whole endeavor affordable.
What Is Solar Power Leasing And How Does It Work?
Here, you can lease solar panels and generate electricity for your home. Solar power leasing programs might differ depending on the provider but they are similar in a few ways. First, you should contact a solar leasing program provider. You can always find a list of providers online. Next, the provider will visit your home and determine if you meet the qualifications for the program. A few things will be evaluated during this stage including sun exposure, access issues and roof angle.
If your home meets all the qualifications for solar power leasing, the provider will collect a deposit and request your signature on an agreement for about 10 or 20 years. In some cases, if there are some solar incentives, you might not need to pay any deposit upfront. There are some solar leasing programs where you can get effortless transition to a new homeowner if you decide to move.
Next, the solar power provider will hire an installer but will still oversee the entire installation process. Note that, the provider is also responsible for managing the maintenance issues as well as the warranty while the contract is valid. They are responsible for collecting any tax breaks and utility incentives on the solar power installation. Once the installation is completed, you should start enjoying the benefits of reduced electricity bills in a while.
The solar power provider is already providing electricity at a considerably lower rate. Note that, the power rates negotiated with the solar power provider remain the same for the entire life of the contract. Therefore, if and when the utility rates start increasing, you will enjoy the same rates and actually save more every month on your electricity needs. On the other hand, it’s one of the best ways to generate clean and renewable energy.
There are some qualifications you must meet in order to fit the solar leasing program. First, you should live in a state that provides solar incentives. You can always research online to find out if your area qualifies for these incentives. Secondly, the state must be serviced by a major utility program with a program in place without it being municipal or local. Your house must have a huge space on the roof without any obstructions and actually faces south.
Currently, there are various companies that lease solar panels in the country. You can always find these online and fill out the application requesting an estimate of the leasing program. You can also contact your local utility provider or a solar contractor in your area to find the best referrals any of these leasing programs.
These solar leasing programs have become quite popular for many reasons. First, installing solar power is quite expensive since it involves buying solar panels and installing them on your roof. Secondly, you can save a lot of money on your utilities every end of the month. Therefore, if you’re tired of spending too much money on your lighting and heating bills, solar power leasing is the best way to go. You should find a good company and get prepared to get electricity in your home for the most affordable rates.
The Black River Park Solar Power Project In Cape Town South Africa
The Black River Park Solar Project SA
The Benefits of Solar Power
How Can Locals in Cape Town Save on Electricity Tariffs?
How Exactly Do Solar Panels Work?
If you are thinking about getting solar panels, you should know a little bit about how they work. Most people understand that they are able to generate electricity by simply being exposed to the sun. If you have seen solar panels installed, they are typically facing south in order to absorb as much sunlight as possible. However, there is a very specific reason that they work which has to do with how sunlight interacts with certain metals that can generate the electricity. There are several types of solar panels, some of which are much more efficient. You will pay more for those, but over time, they will pay for themselves many times over. Let’s look at the way that solar panels work so that you can understand which ones you should consider purchasing for your home or business.
How Solar Panels Work
Solar panels are made of what are called photovoltaic cells. The material in the photovoltaic cells is called a material called crystalline silicon. You will probably heard of the material silicon before. It is what makes computers work because of the silicon based computer chips that are able to process and transfer information. The difference between computer chips and photovoltaic cells is that sunlight is able to interact with the electrons around the atoms of the silicon crystals. When exposed to sunlight, some of the electrons are knocked free, causing the electricity to flow. It is a natural process, indicative of this material and its crystalline structure. There are different types of silicon crystals, many of which are extremely efficient at producing electrical current.
How Solar Cells Are Made
Crystalline silicon is processed into wafer thin strips. They are all placed together on a solar panel. They are connected by electrical wires so that when the electricity is produced, it can travel into a battery. This energy is stored in the batteries and is also used in households where AC current is used to power all of the devices that we have today. The more efficient the silicon crystals, the more energy will be produced. There are solar panels which include those that are made of a more for silicon, cadmium, copper, and other materials. This leads to the creation of three different types of solar panels. Mono-crystalline solar panels are the most efficient. They are made of crystalline silicon that is extremely pure. This simply means that the crystalline structure does not have a substantial amount of impurities which are developed as it is naturally produced in the ground. The other two types include polycrystalline solar panels and amorphous solar panels. Most people choose to get the monocrystalline, even though they are sold at a much higher cost. As mentioned before, this extra cost that you will pay will be offset by the amount of electricity that will be produced. Over a period of several years, you will not only pay for the solar panels with the savings that you will have on your electric bill, but you may actually produce enough to sell your electricity back to the electric companies.
How Are Solar Panels Installed And Connected?
These are typically connected through what is called a series circuit. This is a wire that delivers the current in one direction. There is going to be a positive terminal which represents the very first solar panel in the circuit. The negative terminal refers to all subsequent solar panels that are connected. They are going to be rated at 5 A and 12 V in most cases. This energy is then sent in series to the batteries. Your electrical outlets and other electrical components in your house will be able to access this electricity so that everything can operate as normal. You will likely have a substantial amount of electricity stored if you are using these during the summer. This is because of the increased amounts of direct sunlight that you will get at most latitudes, with the exception of equatorial installations which receive the same amount of light throughout the year.
Once these are hooked up, you will be able to generate a substantial amount of electricity. You may even want to upgrade to a much larger solar panel array. You will see these outside of businesses, or you will see them on the rooftops of large corporations. The more solar panels that they have, the more energy that can be produced. This is one of the best ways to generate electricity that exist today. It’s even better than windmills that are very popular. They take up less space, and because of how efficient they are at producing electricity, they are a primary focus for homeowners and business owners today.
Black River Park Solar System
Cape Town – A solar-powered producing plant on the roof of the office park around Observatory, Cape Town, is becoming the very first of its type to supply electrical power into Cape Town’s distribution system.
Black River Park, located just off Liesbeek Parkway in Observatory, is in the lead in the commercial real estatesector by using large-scale solar power systems to produce eco-friendly and sustainable power, for itself as well as the City’s electrical power grid.
The 1.2MW Black River Park Solar Project is likewise the biggest roof-mounted integrated PV (photovoltaic) plant around Africa and among the biggest on earth, based on the builders, who declare it’s capable of producing slightly below 2 million kilowatt hours each year coming from its 5 500 modules.
How Can They Supply Additional Electricity Into The Grid?
Black River Park’s solar panels cover up a space of 11 000 m2 (approximately 2 entire sized rugby fields), which makes it the second biggest rooftop solar series around Africa. They could cover 20 – 30% of their own usage demands on peak electricity usage periods. Ever since signing the very first small-scale embedded electricity generation contract along with the City of Cape Town, they’re now also capable to supply a limited quantity of additional electricity back to the city’s electrical power grid. Also, this allows an offset from the City’s monthly electricity records.
Additional electricity is given back to the grid during weekends and on low peak periods, for instance; if the office park’s electrical load is decreased.
Other than supplying additional electricity, it’s hopeful that Black River Park can help promote the city’s green economy by raising the demand for solar panel systems as well as other sources of sustainable energy. This could also help generate jobs on this industry.
The City of Cape Town has been recognized in the global level to be in the forefront green pursuits, as well as the Black River Park project is among the steps on the way to developing a sustainable city which deals with the issues facing the environment.
How Do Locals Save In Electricity Tariffs?
The City of Cape Town has develop a goal of sourcing 10% of its electrical power coming from alternative energy resources by 2020. The City is now operating a project to discover a solution which enables users to feed power back to the grid and get an offset on their own electricity tariff while doing this.
Locals can now offset a few of their own electricity charges by giving additional power into the grid via their very own Small-scale Embedded Generator (SSEG). In order to supply electricity to the municipal electricity grid, users must have a bi-directional advanced meter structure credit meter set up by the City at their own expense and bring their electricity supply in the suitable SSEG tariff.
Robben Island Solar Power Grid
Lots of people are aware of Robben Island because of its reputation being the prison which held numerous high-profile political prisoners like Ahmed Kathrada,Walter Sisulu as well as Nelson Mandela. Throughout the years, the island also has been a leper nest as well as a host location of WW2 garrisons. The island, hence, includes a rich political past – one that attracts the many hundreds of visitors to its shores every day.
Aside from the historical value, Robben island also is a biodiversity hotspot, with a number of bird species getting refuge and mating grounds over the rocky shoreline. The African jackass penguin – an endangered bird discovered only around the southern region coastline of Africa – also calls the region its home.
Energy to Robben Island has traditionally been provided by diesel generators. In order to fulfil the power needs of the island, about 600 000 litres of diesel were being used on a yearly basis – at great expense to the island’s management, and at great expense to the vulnerable natural environment on the island.
The solar microgrid was commissioned by the National Department of Tourism to help encourage sustainable tourism in important monuments all around South Africa, as an integral part of their Tourism Incentive Programme. The microgrid, that includes a 666.4 kW solar farm, 837 kW powerstore as well as several controllers, will shift the island far from its reliance upon diesel generators as well as toward the eco friendly resource of the sun.
The World Heritage status of the island made it an extremely delicate location to execute construction, and environmental and political factors resulted in the location for the PV farm was cautiously selected. SOLA staff needed to also be dispatched for training to take care of penguins, snakes as well as wildlife and the way to deal with archaeological items that could be found underground.
What makes solar microgrid great?
A blend of tourism, desalination plant as well as local site implies that Robben Island utilizes more than 2 Million kWh of electrical power each year. The solar microgrid includes a number of elements which will generate nearly 1Million kWh of electricity yearly, considerably minimizing expenses of purchasing diesel, ferrying it towards the island and using it up for electricity production.
The solar microgrid utilizes the most plentiful resource in the island – the sun – and switches this energy easily into electrical power, that could be utilized for operations. When combined, the battery system stores all extra power generated by the sun, to be used in the evening or during cloudy days. In case the two battery system as well as the sun are low, the smart microgrid controllers activate the diesel generators to start up, making certain that the island do not ever encounters power shortages or blackouts.
The mix of solar and batteries, an innovative move, is the important part of the return on investment for the island. The solar microgrid will make sure that the island decreases its fossil fuel usage significantly, by almost 250 000 litres of diesel per year. It will cause a decrease in the Island’s carbon emissions by around 820 tons, and also a great financial saving. The system can last more than twenty years. |
Lyme disease: Why does joint pain persist?
Islamabad (Online): Researchers have found clues that might lead to a treatment for Lyme arthritis. The secret may lie in the walls of the bacterium that causes the condition.
Lyme disease occurs when a person becomes infected with a tick-borne bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi.
Initial symptoms typically include general fatigue, fever, skin rashes, and headaches.
Although doctors can often treat Lyme disease with antibiotics, if they do not catch it early, the bacteria can cause long-term issues with the individual’s joints.
In fact, following infection with B. burgdorferi, about 60% of people develop a condition called Lyme arthritis, the hallmarks of which are inflamed and painful joints.
Lyme arthritis can persist for months or even years in some cases.
Researchers are still unsure why joint symptoms can continue long after antibiotics have destroyed the bacteria.
Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receive reports of close to 30,000 cases of Lyme disease among the United States population.
However, the true number of cases is likely to be much higher. In fact, the CDC estimate that there might be up to 300,000 cases each year.
According to the CDC, reports of Lyme disease have tripled since the late 1990s, and overall, tick-borne diseases are becoming more prevalent. This increase is due, at least in part, to rising global temperatures.
Due to the steady growth in the number of cases, scientists are keen to uncover more effective ways of treating the long-term symptoms.
One researcher who has embarked on this mission is Brandon Jutras from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. He and his team have the spent the last few years trying to understand what drives Lyme arthritis.
Among the scientists who contributed to the most recent work was Prof. Allen Steere, one of the doctors who discovered and named Lyme disease.
The researchers published their most recent findings in the journalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
Specifically, the team wanted to understand why some cases of Lyme arthritis do not respond to treatment. For some people, even when there appears to be no obvious infection, symptoms persist.
As the authors write, “Excessive, dysregulated host immune responses are thought to play an important role in this outcome, but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood.”
To investigate, they used samples that they had taken from people with Lyme disease who had not responded to antibiotic treatment.
They were interested in peptidoglycan (PG), a component of the protective layer that surrounds bacteria. Although most bacterial species synthesize PG, B. burgdorferi’s version of PG (PGBb) has unusual chemical features.
Additionally, most species of bacteria recycle their PG as they multiply, but B. burgdorferi do not have the enzymes necessary to reuse it. Instead, PGBb breaks off into fragments that remain floating free in the environment.
The scientists wondered whether these fragments might help explain why inflammation persists, even after antibiotics have eradicated the bacteria.
The researchers showed that the immune system mounts a response to PGBb fragments. They found that markers of this immune activity were significantly higher in the synovial fluid from the participants’ joints than in their blood serum.
To further investigate, the scientists purified PGBb, making sure that they removed all other traces of the bacteria. Then, they injected the sample into mice. As expected, within just 24 hours, the animals’ joints became inflamed.
Jutras is keen to design interventions that can destroy PGBb in the joints of people with Lyme disease.
“This discovery will help researchers improve diagnostic tests and may lead to new treatment options for patients with Lyme arthritis.”
The scientists hope that the findings will also be useful outside of Lyme arthritis, writing, “our finding that B. burgdorferi sheds immunogenic PGBb fragments during growth suggests a potential role for PGBb in the immunopathogenesis of other Lyme disease manifestations.”
Next, Jutras is hoping to develop a clearer picture of the chemistry of PGBb and understand how it can hang around in the tissues of the body for such long periods.
Designing a treatment based on these findings is still a long way in the future, but understanding more about how the condition manages to persist will certainly oil the wheels of future research. Scientists now have a new target to set their sights on.
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Network namespaces – part 2
How to run OpenVPN tunnel inside a network namespace
Linux network namespaces can be used to control which processes should be tunneled by OpenVPN.
First create an –up and –down script for OpenVPN. This script will create the VPN tunnel interface inside a network namespace called vpn, instead of the default namespace.
Then start OpenVPN and tell it to use our –up script instead of executing ifconfig and route.
Now you can start programs to be tunneled like this:
Or start a separate shell
How to Debug the Execution of a Program in Linux
strace is a useful diagnostic, instructional, and debugging tool. System administrators, diagnosticians and trouble-shooters will find it invaluable for solving problems with programs for which the source is not readily available since they do not need to be recompiled in order to trace them. Students, hackers and the overly-curious will find that a great deal can be learned about a system and its system calls by tracing even ordinary programs. And programmers will find that since system calls and signals are events that happen at the user/kernel interface, a close examination of this boundary is very useful for bug isolation, sanity checking and attempting to capture race conditions.
Trace the Execution
You can use strace command to trace the execution of any executable. The following example shows the output of strace for the Linux uname command.
Counting number of syscalls
Run the ls command counting the number of times each system call was made and print totals showing the number and time spent in each call (useful for basic profiling or bottleneck isolation):
Save the Trace Execution to a File Using Option -o
The following examples stores the strace output to output.txt file.
Print Timestamp for Each Trace Output Line Using Option -t
To print the timestamp for each strace output line, use the option -t as shown below.
Tracing only network related system calls
Trace just the network related system calls of ping command
Viewing files opened by a process/daemon using tracefile
tracefile: Output from cmd on stdout can mess up output from strace.
It is a pity that so much tracing clutter is produced by systems employing shared libraries.
It is instructive to think about system call inputs and outputs as data-flow across the user/kernel boundary. Because user-space and kernel-space are separate and address-protected, it is sometimes possible to make deductive inferences about process behavior using inputs and outputs as propositions.
In some cases, a system call will differ from the documented behavior or have a different name. For example, on System V-derived systems the true time(2) system call does not take an argument and the stat function is called xstat and takes an extra leading argument. These discrepancies are normal but idiosyncratic characteristics of the system call interface and are accounted for by C library wrapper functions.
On some platforms a process that has a system call trace applied to it with the -p option will receive a SIGSTOP . This signal may interrupt a system call that is not restartable. This may have an unpredictable effect on the process if the process takes no action to restart the system call.
Network namespaces – part 1
Linux namespaces are a relatively new kernel feature which is essential for implementation of containers. A namespace wraps a global system resource into an abstraction which will be bound only to processes within the namespace, providing resource isolation. In this article I discuss network namespace and show a practical example.
What is namespace?
A namespace is a way of scoping a particular set of identifiers. Using a namespace, you can use the same identifier multiple times in different namespaces. You can also restrict an identifier set visible to particular processes.
For example, Linux provides namespaces for networking and processes, among other things. If a process is running within a process namespace, it can only see and communicate with other processes in the same namespace. So, if a shell in a particular process namespace ran ps waux, it would only show the other processes in the same namespace.
Linux network namespaces
In a network namespace, the scoped ‘identifiers’ are network devices; so a given network device, such as eth0, exists in a particular namespace. Linux starts up with a default network namespace, so if your operating system does not do anything special, that is where all the network devices will be located. But it is also possible to create further non-default namespaces, and create new devices in those namespaces, or to move an existing device from one namespace to another.
Each network namespace also has its own routing table, and in fact this is the main reason for namespaces to exist. A routing table is keyed by destination IP address, so network namespaces are what you need if you want the same destination IP address to mean different things at different times – which is something that OpenStack Networking requires for its feature of providing overlapping IP addresses in different virtual networks.
Each network namespace also has its own set of iptables (for both IPv4 and IPv6). So, you can apply different security to flows with the same IP addressing in different namespaces, as well as different routing.
Any given Linux process runs in a particular network namespace. By default this is inherited from its parent process, but a process with the right capabilities can switch itself into a different namespace; in practice this is mostly done using the ip netns exec NETNS COMMAND… invocation, which starts COMMAND running in the namespace named NETNS. Suppose such a process sends out a message to IP address A.B.C.D, the effect of the namespace is that A.B.C.D will be looked up in that namespace’s routing table, and that will determine the network device that the message is transmitted through.
Lets play with ip namespaces
By convention a named network namespace is an object at /var/run/netns/NAME that can be opened. The file descriptor resulting from opening /var/run/netns/NAME refers to the specified network namespace.
create a namespace
power up loopback device
open up a namespace shell
now we can use this shell like user shell where it uses ns1 namespace only
In part-2 , I will explain how to connect to internet from ns1 namespace and adding custom routes.
Speed up Ansible
Update to the latest version. Ansible 2.0 is slower than Ansible 1.9 because it included an important change to the execution engine to allow any user to choose the execution algorithm to be used. In the versions that followed, and mostly in 2.1, big optimizations have been done to increase execution speed, so be sure to be running the latest possible version.
Profiling Tasks
The best way I’ve found to time the execution of Ansible playbooks is by enabling the profile_tasks callback. This callback is included with Ansible and all you need to do to enable it is add callback_whitelist = profile_tasks to the [defaults] section of your ansible.cfg:
# ansible.cfg
Enable pipelining
You can enable pipelining by simply adding pipelining = True to the [ssh_connection]area of your ansible.cfg or by by using the ANSIBLE_PIPELINING and ANSIBLE_SSH_PIPELINING environment variables.
# ansible.cfg
You’ll also need to make sure that requiretty is disabled in /etc/sudoers on the remote host, or become won’t work with pipelining enabled.
Enable Mitogen for Ansible
Enabling Mitogen for Ansible is as simple as downloading and extracting the plugin, then adding 2 lines to the [defaults] section of your ansible.cfg:
# ansible.cfg
SSH multiplexing
The first thing to check is whether SSH multiplexing is enabled and used. This gives a tremendous speed boost because Ansible can reuse opened SSH sessions instead of negotiating new one (actually more than one) for every task. Ansible has this setting turned on by default. It can be set in configuration file as follows:
But be careful to override ssh_args — if you don’t set ControlMaster and ControlPersist while overriding, Ansible will “forget” to use them.
ansible test -vvvv -m ping
UseDNS is an SSH-server setting (/etc/ssh/sshd_config file) which forces a server to check a client’s PTR-record upon connection. It may cause connection delays especially with slow DNS servers on the server side. In modern Linux distribution, this setting is turned off by default, which is correct.
So if GSSAPI Authentication is enabled on the server (at the time of writing this it is turned on in RHEL EC2 AMI) it will be tried as the first option, forcing the client and server to make PTR-record lookups. But in most cases, we want to use only public key auth. We can force Ansible to do so by changing ansible.cfg:
Facts Gathering
At the start of playbook execution, Ansible collects facts about remote system (this is default behaviour for ansible-playbook but not relevant to ansible ad-hoc commands). It is similar to calling “setup” module thus requires another ssh communication step. If you don’t need any facts in your playbook (e.g. our test playbook) you can disable fact gathering:
Another thing about forks is that if you have a lot of servers to work with and a low number of available forks, your master ssh-sessions may expire between tasks. Ansible uses linear strategy by default, which executes one task for every host and then proceeds to the next task. This way if time between task execution on the first server and on the last one is greater than ControlPersist then master socket will expire by the time Ansible starts execution of the following task on the first server, thus new ssh connection will be required.
Poll Interval
If you run “slow” jobs (like backups) on multiple hosts, you may want to increase the interval to 0.05 to use less CPU.
Asynchronous Actions and Polling
To avoid blocking or timeout issues, you can use asynchronous mode to run all of your tasks at once and then poll until they are done.
The behaviour of asynchronous mode depends on the value of poll.
Avoid connection timeouts: poll > 0
When poll is a positive value, the playbook will still block on the task until it either completes, fails or times out.
In this case, however, async explicitly sets the timeout you wish to apply to this task rather than being limited by the connection method timeout.
To launch a task asynchronously, specify its maximum runtime and how frequently you would like to poll for status. The default poll value is 15 seconds if you do not specify a value for poll:
Concurrent tasks: poll = 0
When poll is 0, Ansible will start the task and immediately move on to the next one without waiting for a result.
From the point of view of sequencing this is asynchronous programming: tasks may now run concurrently.
The playbook run will end without checking back on async tasks.
The async tasks will run until they either complete, fail or timeout according to their async value.
If you need a synchronization point with a task, register it to obtain its job ID and use the async_status module to observe it.
You may run a task asynchronously by specifying a poll value of 0:
Enable fact_caching
By enabling this value we’re telling Ansible to keep the facts it gathers in a local file. You can also set this to a redis cache. See the documentation for details.
Fact_caching is what happens when Ansible says, “Gathering facts” about your target hosts. If we don’t change our targets hardware (or virtual hardware) very often this can be very helpful. Enable it by adding this to your ansible.cfg file:
Enable facts caching mechanism
If you still need some of the facts groups, but at the same time the gathering process is still slow for you, you could try use fact caching.
Caching enables Ansible to cache the facts for a given host in some kind of backend.
Currently the caching plugin supports the following cache backend:
More information on the caching plugin, could be found here:
This is an example configuration of facts caching in json files
How to configure django app using gunicorn?
Django is a python web framework used for developing web applications. It is fast, secure and scalable. Let us see how to configure the Django app using gunicorn.
Before proceeding to actual configuration, let us see some intro on the Gunicorn.
Gunicorn (Green Unicorn) is a WSGI (Web Server Gateway Interface) server implementation commonly used to run python web applications and implements PEP 3333 server standard specifications, therefore, it can run web applications that implement application interface. Web applications written in Django, Flask or Bottle implements application interface.
Gunicorn coupled with Nginx or any web server works as a bridge between the web server and web framework. Web server (Nginx or Apache) can be used to serve static files and Gunicorn to handle requests to and responses from Django application. I will try to write another blog in detail on how to set up a django application with Nginx and Gunicorn.
Please make sure you have below packages installed in your system and a basic understanding of Python, Django and Gunicorn are recommended.
• Python > 3.5
• Gunicorn > 15.0
• Django > 1.11
Configure Django App Using Gunicorn
There are different ways to configure the Gunicron, I am going to demonstrate more on running the Django app using the gunicorn configuration file.
First, let us start by creating the Django project, you can do so as follows.
After starting the Django project, the directory structure looks like this.
The simplest way to run your django app using gunicorn is by using the following command, you must run this command from your folder.
This will run your Django project on 8000 port locally.
Now let’s see, how to configure the django app using gunicorn configuration file. A simple Gunicorn configuration with worker class sync will look like this.
Let us see a few important details in the above configuration file.
1. Append the base directory path in your systems path.
2. You can bind the application to a socket using bind.
3. backlog Maximum number of pending connections.
4. workers number of workers to handle requests. This is based on your machine’s CPU count. This can be varied based on your application workload.
5. worker_class, there are different types of classes, you can refer here for different types of classes. sync is the default and should handle normal types of loads.
You can refer more about the available Gunicorn settings here.
Running Django with gunicorn as a daemon PROCESS
Here is the sample systemd file,
After adding the file to the location /etc/systemd/system/. To reload new changes in file execute the following command.
Start, Stop and Status of Application using systemctl
Now you can simply execute the following commands for your application.
To start your application
To stop your application.
To check the status of your application.
Please refer to a short complete video tutorial to configure the Django app below. |
Jekyll2020-01-06T14:10:42+00:00 Meditator’s CraftThe Four Noble Truths2020-01-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-01T00:00:00+00:00<p>The four noble truths are the intellectual core of Buddhism. It was insight into them—a deep intuitive insight beyond intellectual reflection—that prompted the Buddha’s awakening.</p> <h2 id="the-original-text">The original text</h2> <p>The simplicity of the four noble truths is deceptive. A lot of the later literature has added a filter that distorts the original. Some of the platitudes attributed to the Buddha, such as the idea that <em>everything is suffering</em>, don’t exist in the earliest texts.</p> <p>Hence, I’d start with the original texts:</p> <blockquote> <ol> <li>Now this, monks, is the noble truth of <em>dukkha</em>: Birth is <em>dukkha</em>, aging is <em>dukkha</em>, death is <em>dukkha</em>; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are <em>dukkha</em>; association with the unbeloved is <em>dukkha</em>, separation from the loved is <em>dukkha</em>, not getting what is wanted is <em>dukkha</em>. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are <em>dukkha</em>.</li> <li>And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of <em>dukkha</em>: the craving that makes for further-becoming—accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now here & now there—i.e., craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.</li> <li>And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of <em>dukkha</em>: the remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, & letting go of that very craving.</li> <li>And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of <em>dukkha</em>: precisely this noble eightfold path—right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.”</li> </ol> </blockquote> <p>Adapted from Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu’s translation of <a href="">SN 56:11</a>. I left <em>dukkha</em> untranslated rather than using his choice of stress.</p> <h2 id="dukkha-suffering">Dukkha: Suffering</h2> <p>No single English word captures the full range of the Pali <em>dukkha</em>, which encompasses everything from physical pain to a subtle existential angst. I prefer to leave it untranslated. The traditional translation is <em>suffering</em>, although Ajaan Geoff’s <em>stress</em> captures the the psychological nuances better.</p> <p>Not everything is suffering, but sickness and death, which are big time suffering suffering, are inevitable. Modern psychology explores the background suffering this causes in <a href="">Terror Management Theory</a>.</p> <p>In daily practice, I find it helpful to monitor <em>dukkha</em>. Pay attention to the inevitable bits of pain that simply existing causes: headaches, being hungry, stubbing a toe. Compare those to the <em>dukkha</em> that the mind creates in reaction to daily events.</p> <p>The Buddha never promised that the practice would remove the former type of suffering—at least in this life. On the other hand, you can dramatically calm and reduce the second type of <em>dukkha</em> in short order.</p> <h2 id="samudaya-the-cause-of-suffering">Samudaya: the Cause of Suffering</h2> <p><em>Taṇhā</em>, craving—literally thirst in Pali, is what causes <em>dukkha</em>. Some later traditions have taken this a step further than the Buddha to say that any desire whatsoever is the craving that drives suffering. Yet the Buddha listed three specific types of craving:</p> <ol> <li><strong><em>Kāmataṇhā</em>: craving for pleasant sensual experiences.</strong><br />This covers everything from sex to posh luxuries. There’s nothing wrong with them in and of themselves, but craving for sensual pleasures always leads to disappointment. A good meal ends, sitting too long in a comfortable chair hurts and we ultimately can’t control how we experience pain. This is one part of the unreliability of sensual pleasure. The other is that even the best experiences can’t entirely block out the subtle background angst that Terror Management Theory describes.</li> <li><strong><em>Bhavataṇhā</em>: craving to become</strong><br />This ranges from wanting to live forever in the afterlife offered by most religions to creating an identity and building an existence around it. The later happens all the time on a psychological level, and each new identity you create for yourself will inevitably fade away and lead to suffering.</li> <li><strong><em>Vibhavataṇhā</em>: craving not to be</strong><br />This goes way beyond the obvious example of suicide. Any desire to become numb is <em>Vibhavataṇhā</em>: drinking to alleviate social anxiety, desperately wanting a boring meeting to end or zoning out all day instead of being engaged.</li> </ol> <h2 id="nirodha-the-end-of-suffering">Nirodha: the End of Suffering</h2> <p>The end of craving is the end of suffering. It’s a simple and as hard as that. Life isn’t a pointless endeavor. There’s an end to suffering.</p> <p>The early translations of Buddhist literature into English didn’t do the end of suffering justice and called the whole affair <em>cessation</em>. While it’s true to talk about the cessation of suffering that’s only half the story. Many of the traditional Buddhist metaphors focus on the joy and relief felt at having dodged misfortune, recovered from illness, come out of debt, etc.</p> <p>Practicing Buddhism doesn’t leave you a nihilist zombie. When you remove craving and <em>dukkha</em>, you’re filled with joy and compassion—in a sense you’re truly alive.</p> <h2 id="magga-the-path">Magga: the Path</h2> <p>Craving isn’t a switch that you can flip off. Instead, there’s an entire path of practice that creates the conditions that lead to the end of suffering.</p> <p>That path is the <a href="">Noble Eightfold Path</a>.</p> <h2 id="further-reading">Further Reading</h2> <p><em>The Buddha’s Teachings: an Introduction</em><br /> Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu<br /> There’s a succint chapter devoted to the Four Noble Truths that’s a good place to start. Available for free under the treatise section at <a href=""></a>.</p> <p><em>Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha’s First Teaching</em><br />Ajahn Sucitto<br /> This is a book-length exposition of the entire <a href="">Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta</a>, from which the Four Noble Truths come.</p> <p>Dhamma Talk: <a href="">The Four Noble Truth</a><br /> Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu<br /> There are <em>dozens</em> of similar talks from Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu on YouTube.</p> <p>The <a href="">Wikipedia article</a> is also not a bad place for general info.</p>The four noble truths are the intellectual core of Buddhism. It was insight into them—a deep intuitive insight beyond intellectual reflection—that prompted the Buddha’s awakening. |
HomeResourcesFoodMore Healthy Fruit Trees
More Healthy Fruit Trees
If you’ve never eaten a home-grown white peach dripping with luscious juiciness before, then you have never really eaten a peach!
© Scott Hitchins
Factors to consider
1. Sun: To produce fruit, fruiting plants need sunshine and usually plenty of it. Although some forest species survive well with some dappled shade as they evolved as understorey species, all plants need some sun to survive and need even more of it if we keep picking bits off to eat. Spend some time looking at your garden through the day: Which bits get sun most of the day? Which bits get some sun and which get none? The sun shines from the Northern part of the sky and is lower in the sky in winter than it is in summer so, first of all, find north. Next, consider how fences, sheds, neighbours, etc, impact on your access to sunshine, as well as how trees you might want to plant will produce shade when grown: use this shade as an asset, rather than letting it create a problem. You can’t change your yards aspect, but you can make the most of it.
2. Soil: Soil is something that you can change: mounding to improve drainage and adding composted organic material will go a long way to fixing any problems with the clay soil that is predominant on this side of town. Organic matter will also improve sandy soil. In fact, when in doubt, add organic material: Compost, mulches, manures, worm castings etc, are all good, just be careful with the richer manures, such as chicken poo which should be aged first or it will burn delicate roots. Chickens and bunnies are far more useful pets than cats & dogs as they will help turn many garden & kitchen wastes into manures that are useful rather than a disposal problem like cat & dog droppings.
3. Likes, dislikes & habits: A major consideration when deciding what to plant is to think about what you and your family like to eat and how you like to cook: Don’t plant a heap of apple trees if you are not into apples. Don’t select summer-fruiting raspberries if you spend summer up the coast: select autumn fruiting varieties instead. –and don’t let the apricot tree become huge if you are not into bottling and preserving and only need enough to east fresh: Prune it back hard and make room for a few other trees that are also kept small. Remember: you are trying to produce variety across the year, not a huge pile of one thing that ripens all at once. –That’s for commercial orchards.
Are you into Thai food? Then find space for a kaffir lime tree. –or do you envisage yourself sitting in the shade of your backyard food-forest during the summer heat, sipping on an icy gin & tonic? –then plant a Tahitian lime instead. Don’t forget to allow for new treats as well: If you’ve never eaten a home-grown white peach dripping with luscious juiciness before, then you have never really eaten a peach! -nothing like the cardboard stone fruit from supermarkets
Making the most of the space you’ve got
Most gardening books and plant labels give advice on spacing and pruning based on what commercial orchards do, but commercial orchards have to leave space to drive a tractor between trees and to ensure that the whole crop is ripe for picking on the same day. In a home garden, it’s actually better if the fruit at the top of the tree ripens first, so your harvest is spread over a longer period. –and so what if the trees grow together into one big tangle? It just makes it harder for the birds to find the fruit. Plant trees closer together; at about 2-3m between trunks for larger trees, and then use all the space in between and underneath for many other smaller fruiting plants. Many gardening books will give you some idea about pruning but we require some new rules for this type of garden: as well pruning to allow light access and air movement, there are new rules such as : Prune off that twig that might take someone’s eye out, cut off the branches that get in the way of the trampoline and definitely tie back that lemon tree that keeps poking you in the bum when you are trying to pick some parsley! Cover walls, fences and established trees with grapes, kiwi vines, passionfruit and espaliered trees. Squeeze in a tamarillo here and a feijoa there. Cover the ground with strawberry plants and shove a cape gooseberry where the sun don’t shine (as much). Use the ‘food forest’ method to fill every possible niche with edibles; fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Established fruit trees should be fed each season with good quality compost, aged manures such as sheep, horse & cow poo, and bird manure in moderation. Feed at the drip line, where the feeder roots are active and keep organic matter clear of the trunk. Skip feed in winter as deciduous trees will be dormant and evergreens, such as citrus will tend to sprout new lush growth prone to frost damage.
Pruning is traditionally done in winter, but here in Australia, our main pruning should be done in late summer to reduce rampant warm season growth and redirect the trees energy into next year’s fruit instead of lots of inedible leafy growth. Cut back anything above reach-height to an outward facing bud, thin out any growth towards the centre and then prune according to tree type.
Apples & pears are pruned to maintain fruiting spurs; Peaches to encourage one year old wood for next year’s fruit and Plums are pruned to maintain cluster buds and one year old fruit.
Winter pruning involves the ‘Three D’s’: Removing, Dead, Diseased and Damaged wood and any major shaping, especially of younger trees.
A year of organic pest and disease control for Fruit trees
Pear & Cherry Slug (also on plums)Dust the tree liberally with sifted wood ash or brickies lime. If you can’t get these, flour is fairly effective if the problem is urgent.
Codling moth (apples, quince and sometimes pears): Wrap a piece if corrugated cardboard around the tree trunk and dispose of it weekly over spring and summer.
Curly leaf (peaches and nectarines) Spray after leaf-fall and again just before budburst. Spray with a copper-based spray if curly leaf has been a problem or with 1Tbsp sodium bicarbonate per litre of water if there has been little or no curly leaf.
Winter: Mix brickies lime (not garden lime) and water to the consistency of paint. Paint all trunks to about 500mm high. This will prevent fungal diseases form being splashed on the trees when rain hits the soil. Spray the rest of each tree (except peaches and nectarines) with white oil to kill any over-wintering bugs and their larvae. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection while mixing and applying.
Citrus Pests and Diseases: The best defence against pest or disease attacks on any citrus is a well fed and watered tree. When this is done, disease rarely gets extensive enough to effect fruiting and insect pests just become part of your backyard ecosystem: eating and being eaten and doing no more than cosmetic damage to your tree. If you notice a problem, act; don’t overreact.
Common Problems and Solutions
Citrus Gall wasp: Caused by tiny wasps laying their eggs beneath the bark. As the larvae hatch and grow, part of the branch becomes swollen and disfigured. As the wood protects the larvae from any sprays (organic or conventional), the only option is to cut off the affected area and dispose of it. The wood must be binned or burnt as composting will allow the wasps to continue to hatch. If there are tiny pinholes in the branch, you are too late as the wasps have hatched.
Yellowing of leaves: This is usually a result of nutrient deficiencies. While you can search books and the internet for specific needs, it is better to just apply Trace Elements as this will cover all your bases and avoid misdiagnosis. For a quicker result, apply the mixture as per the pack but as a foliar spray, allowing the excess to drip down to the soil. Note that in winter, it is normal for some older leaves to yellow and drop off.
Scale: These are small encrustations on the branches and sometimes on leaves. Most look like brown, black, white or red shields but some varieties are fluffy white. One simple solution: Apply White Oil.
Ants: Ants are not a problem, they are a symptom: They are usually only there to feed off the sugary secretions of scale or aphids. Remove the scale and the ants will leave also. Think of them as a warning system.
Sooty Mould: This is caused by the sugary excrement of scale growing mould. Check for scale and treat. Open up the tree with a bit of pruning for better air circulation. Spray the leaves with a solution of one tablespoon of ‘Carb soda’ (sodium bicarbonate) per litre of water. This will temporarily make the pH of the leaf surface unsuitable for the mould to grow.
Brown leaf edges: Salt burn caused by artificial fertiliser, salty bore water or using grey water with high-salt products such as most fabric softeners. Flush well with clean water and check drainage is adequate.
Rotting, black and wilted leaves: Poor drainage or frost damage. Check drainage, mulch with Casuarina leaves for silica and cover on frosty nights.
Sucking & piercing bugs: Don’t bother too much unless they are actually doing damage. If they are, White Oil them.
Holes chewed in leaves: Usually Citrus Butterfly caterpillars. In the unlikely event that there are lots, pick them off. Otherwise leave them alone: The butterflies are really pretty and worth a few holes.
Silvery squiggles in leaf surface: Citrus Leaf Miner; White Oil.
Fruit spotting: Various colours and causes some nutrient-based but most are caused by various citrus mites or fungal diseases. Feed the tree well and spray with White Oil that has a tablespoon of carb soda added per litre of spray.
Fruit distortion and cracking: Caused by fungal disease: Carb soda and Trace Elements.
Thick skin: Can be viral but is usually a copper deficiency. Trace elements and feeding. |
Encryption and other Quantum Computer Impacts
Very soon, public key encryption methods will become obsolete. It won’t be long before quantum computers mature enough to easily crack the cipher keys used. Computers send encrypted messages for everything including internet banking, web browsing, shopping and email. Just think of all those credit card numbers, state secrets, medical records, you name it, travelling around the internet. This information is generally secure now because classical computers can’t easily solve the mathematical problems required to crack the encryption but a quantum computer of sufficient size could do it easily.
When quantum computers mature to the point where they can crack public key encryption, anything sent over the internet using that method will become readable. All you would need to do is intercept and copy the message and then access a quantum computer to decipher it. What’s more, decoding of previously intercepted messages would become possible! This may well lead to financial and or political instability for a period of time while banks, companies and governments scramble to replace the old message protocols with more secure alternatives.
More secure encryption methods are being worked on now and are collectively referred to as post-quantum cryptography. Lattice-based Cryptography is a one of the new protocols that looks like it could be a viable alternative. However, it will take a long time for all the world’s banks, governments, companies and e-commerce sites to make the switch given the current encryption methods are so entrenched and widespread . Unfortunately, anything sent and intercepted under the old encryption protocols is already at risk.
Complex Simulations
Quantum computers are excellent simulators because they can assess large quantities of data and spot patterns quickly. They will have massive benefits to humanity particularly in drug discovery, drug testing, material science, climate modelling, transportation optimisation, artificial intelligence, database searches, financial modelling and aeronautical simulation. Simulation of molecules, proteins, complex interactions or data will also be a big winner. It will take many years for the development of all the algorithms necessary to achieve these goals but when they are the advances are likely to be widespread and significant.
Other Possibilities
Quantum Computing is still in its early stages of development but other applications will evolve. Please share your thoughts on any areas you think may be impacted in the Comments section below.
Read more here about IBM’s encryption warning.
There is a great YouTube video here that explains how encryption works.
Post-quantum cryptography is described here.
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public archaeology
An Archaeology Ordinance for Savannah
Why do we need an archaeological ordinance? How would Savannah benefit? Why should you bother to attend a public meeting on the potential ordinance? I’m going to answer the last question first- The City of Savannah has previously balked at creating an archaeological ordinance, citing pressure from looters. Without a big turnout, I fear they will drop the issue, and we won’t get another chance. Join us tonight, September 26, 6pm at the Coastal Georgia Center (305 Fahm St, Savannah, GA) and speak out about the importance of archaeology.
How Savannah Benefits from Archaeology
3. Eliminates “surprises” to developers and the city, such as the discovery of unknown graves, unexploded ordnance, and other PR issues that would slow or stop development. Who remembers the family cemetery found on White Bluff Road that delayed the auto parts store?
Savannah is Georgia’s oldest city and holds national and international significance. Its history drives a massive economic engine. This history, most abundant in its archaeological sites, is being destroyed daily. Savannah can stop this destruction without slowing or stopping development. Savannah lags behind more than 269 cities, including ones in Mississippi and Alabama, in protecting its priceless archaeological sites. During the past 30 years, Savannah has revisited an archaeology ordinance but taken no action. In that time, hundreds of archaeological sites have been decimated. The irreplaceable information they contain is now lost forever, but it is not too late to save what remains.
Number of people who signed the 2016 petition for an Archaeology Ordinance in Savannah: 1,245
Heritage tourists spend more per day (27%) and stay longer (1-3 more days) than other travelers. Archaeology feeds heritage tourism.
Credits: Rita Elliott wrote most of this in a two-page brief for distribution to the public and city officials. It was written explicitly for R&D (rip-off and duplicate) and was designed to be shared. Please do!
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Anyone who is a companion to a feline knows the magical healing power of a cat’s purr. The calming soothing sound of our feline friend’s purring can bring us back from the farthest reaches of depression and anxiety. And to cat enthusiasts, the purr brings us so much joy!
But why do they purr?
Cats, contrary to popular belief, do not only purr when they’re happy. They purr when they’re hungry, they purr when they’re scared, and they even purr to heal themselves. Studies have shown that not only do cat purrs heal the cats themselves, but they also show that purring heals humans! Elizabeth Von Muggenthaler, a bio acoustics researcher, conducted studies which indicated that the frequency of their purr is conducive to bone growth, pain relief and wound healing. In her studies, there was also sufficient evidence that the frequency at which domesticated cats and some wild cats purr was also therapeutic to repair muscles and tendons, ease breathing and reduce pain and swelling.
Other studies have shown that the purr of a cat can reduce blood pressure and relieve stress. Due to the precise spectrum of noise of their purr, its healing effects are noted across the board.
Did you know that a mother cat purrs during labour? This is how the kittens learn to purr. This is a continually learned behaviour for kittens, as when they are feeding, they press and flex their paws to stimulate milk flow. This is where the kneading behaviour is born! Cats will knead you, your clothes and their toys while they purr because this is how they learned to feed. It is one of the very first activities they learned.
Some domesticated cats have adapted their purr to a frequency of a human baby’s. This serves the cat well when attempting to gain attention from her people. Usually, cats will purr for attention when they are hungry or want cuddles. They will also purr when they see that we are in emotional or physical pain because they are inclined to do what they can to help us feel better.
Are domesticated cats the only cats who purr? The answer is no! A variety of big cats can purr such as lynx, cheetahs and cougars.
Listening to your feline purr is one of the greatest treasures of cat companionship. No matter what our moods, they are always there to heal. Remember that just as our kitty friends love to heal our hearts and souls free of asking for anything in return, so too is it our responsibility to care for them in the best way possible.
By ensuring that they have proper rest, a nurturing home in which to live and feeding them according to their individual needs, we are replenishing all of the energy they selflessly spend healing us!
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The Japanese American National Museum
The Japanese American National Museum The Japanese American National Museum The Japanese American National Museum is an organization that contributes to the Japanese American community in numerous ways. Since it is a museum, it offers historical information and many services to both the Japanese American and non-Japanese community about the role that Japanese played in American history. It is an active organization that interacts with the surrounding community, as well as with other organizations and programs worldwide and an organization that serves to the public with exhibits, programs, and publications that explore the changing role of Japanese Americans. However, the history and the presence of the museum itself is significant because it is an establishment that serves as a landmark for people of Japanese ancestry, a compilation of a reflection of America, and a memorial for all the suffering that the Issei and Nisei have endured. THE MUSEUMS HISTORY The Japanese American National Museum began with the idea from a businessman and a war veteran.
These individuals wanted to preserve the Japanese American’s contributions to California and the United States history. Therefore, Bruce Kaji and two war veterans: Colonel Young Oak Kim and Y.B. Mayima decided in 1982 to erect a national museum in honor of the Japanese Americans. Their purpose was to inform the City of Los Angeles and the world that the Japanese American was an integral aspect in shaping California and the United States. The mission of the Japanese American National Museum is to make known the Japanese American experience as an integral part of our nation’s heritage in order to improve understanding and appreciation for America’s ethnic and cultural diversity.” The difficult task to building the museum was money. This non-profit endeavor required funding from many different sources.
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In the following years of 1982, California and the city of Los Angeles began donating money in support of the museum. The city of Los Angeles, under the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) agreed to match the donation from the State Legislature. Therefore, the State Legislature approved a $750,000 donation toward the museum and in return the CRA agreed to donate $ 1 million in 1985. For the museum, this funding was jus the beginning. Fundraisers and donations were organized to bring the idea to a reality. Money was not the only item that needed to be donated.
The museum wanted to preserve the Japanese American artifacts, documents, lost letters, furniture, and photographs into the museum. The museum needed a permanent building so the museum planners decided to have an old Buddhist temple as the home of the museum. The building they decided on was the first Buddhist Temple built in Los Angeles in 1925. The building was the abandoned Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. In the late 1980’s donations were abundant, “Dozens of volunteers answered phones and gingerly unwrapped donated objects, ranging from old kimonos to immigration documents and bundles of faded letters.” One of the many employees of the museum is Akemi Kikumura Ph.D.
She was hired by the museum to further facilitate the search for Japanese American memorabilia and materials. In 1986, Los Angeles decided to graciously award the museum a lease of one dollar per year for fifty years. The city also decided to award the museum and a section of North First Street as a historic cultural monument. Other private companies and institutions began to recognize the museum project as a growing vision. Some contributors include the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.
and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The volunteer board for the museum decided to tour the country in search of filling the remaining positions of the museum. The volunteer board went to places like Illinois, Texas, Idaho, and other states. The members wanted contribution from a national level. Therefore, they hired individuals that had experience in ethnic studies and that had a passion to provide a service to their community. Along with employing people from across the country, the museum had aspirations to further enhance the exposure of the Japanese American history by expanding and creating a new pavilion that would house more artifacts from the Japanese American community.
During the 1990s, the museum took on several significant changes. Along with the establishment of the temple as the museum, members, part of the museum, hired Japanese American architects, David Kikuchi, Yoshi Nishimoto, Frank Sata, and Robert Uyeda, to renovate the buildings. In addition to the buildings restoration process, the museum also hired James T. McElwain to assure that the buildings have their own unique and historic features. Not only were buildings renovated, its interior design was also completely redone since the museum needed new systems installed.
For example, a new electric system, heating/air conditioning was installed during the renovation. In addition, the Museum made it more accessible to handicapped people by installing three separate elevations for those in wheel chairs. None of these renovations could of happened without the help of the community. In expanding efforts, the Museum leader, Fred Hoshiyama, developed a fundraising campaign that raised more money for the expanding budgets that was caused by the renovation and preservation process. With the campaign, the museum was about to complete seventy percent of the Phase I campaign goals. Many of the money came for individuals, groups, families, and companies with money ranging from $3000 to 100,000 or more.
With the generous donations from all difference areas of support, the Museum began using the funds by developing the “Issei Pioneers” exhibit, which was one of the Museum first exhibit. The exhibit displayed a collection of Issei artifacts, clothing, tools, and diaries. These items were used to document the experience of the first generation Japanese immigrants. In efforts to make the exhibit more attractive, the Museum worked with Gene Takeshita, a northern California designer, to construct a exhibit design for the Issei materials. In addition, in order to enhance the experience of this exhibit, Robert Nakamura and Karen Ishizuka, were hired to archives amateur film footages, photo and movie images; the archives became a video presentation that included sound bits and music of that era. The music, along with poetry and natural effects, attempted to create and enhance the atmosphere and experience at that time. The Museum not only focused its audience towards the local Los Angeles community.
It also attempted to open out new exhibits around the country, thus, helping the Museum establish public awareness. Some of the exhibits that were displayed across the country were, “Extraordinary Ordinary People,” a four-day photographic display in Honolulu and “Indelible Influences: East and West,” an exhibit that documented Japanese Americans in New York during the late 19th century. Locally, the Museum established an exhibit in UCLA that offered artworks during the internment camp. In addition to the displays and exhibit, the Museum also formed an advisory council that consisted a panel of more than 100 scholars. These scholars added more depth to the Museum.
They became one of the most important values of the Museum. The Museum became a great establishment for thousand of people. During the official opening of the Museum, many people dedicated many hours to coordinate the events. Thousands and Thousands of museum supporters wanted to preview the Museum and attend the opening ceremony. Not only were there supporters from Los Angeles, people from over seas wanted to be part of the Museums historical moment.
Interestingly, the Museums official opening would not take place. The Los Angeles riots broke out on the preceding night of the opening. Although some members (mostly overseers) attended a mini-ceremony, the riots underscored the significance of the Museum. Nevertheless, a public opening was held ten days later, which drew a greater crowd. During the opening, members of the Museum announced that the Museum would help promote community-unity through education and history.
In an honorable presentation, a 13-year-old Yonsei honored a 101-year-old Issei in attempt to show the r … |
How to type faster
There are no secret tips or tricks to becoming a faster typist. That might seem disappointing at first, but what it actually means is that anybody can get fast at typing with time and practice.
Once you can type without looking down at keys you will find your speed going up. It’s not complicated, but you need a good body position and to know where to position your fingers on the key. With some patience and persistence, you’ll find yourself touch-typing at a very respectable speed.
Get to know the keyboard.
Most keyboards use the same layout, called the QWERTY layout because of the letters that make up the left side of the top row of letter keys. Many keyboards also have various other buttons around them that do different things.
Most keys on the keyboard are used to type their corresponding character into a text area. Open up a text file and try pressing all of the keys to see what they do.
Practice memorising the positions of the letter keys and common punctuation marks.
You will need to know where these are without looking at the keyboard if you ever hope to become a fast typist.
Learn the correct hand position.
To type quickly, you must hold your hands and fingers in a certain position over the keys, and let them return to that position when at rest.
• Your hands should also be slightly angled, i.e. Your right hand should be angled to the left (at about 145 degrees), whereas your left hand should be angled to the right, or at a 45-degree angle.
• In brief, your hands should arch up slightly from the wrists, and your fingers should rest lightly on the “home row” section of the keyboard.
• The home row keys along with the fingers that you should hit each letter with are as follows:
• Your left index finger should rest on the letter F and should hit the characters: F, C, V, G, T, and 6.
• Your left middle finger should rest on the letter D and should hit the characters: D, R, 5, and X.
• Your left ring finger should rest on the letter S and should hit the characters: Z, E, 4, and 3.
• Your left pinkie should rest on the letter A, and should hit the characters: A, \, Caps Lock, 2, 1, W, Q, Tab. Shift, and Ctrl.
• Your right index finger should rest on the letter J and should hit the characters: 6, 7, U, J, N, M, H, Y, and B
• Your right middle finger should rest on the letter K and should hit the characters: K, I, 8, and the comma key.
• Your right ring finger should rest on the letter L and should hit the characters: L, the full stop key, O, and 9.
• Your right pinkie finger should rest on the semi-colon (;) key, and should hit the characters: semi-colon, P, /, 0, ‘, -, =, [, ], #, Shift, Enter, Backspace, and the Ctrl key.
• Left and right thumbs should rest on and press the space bar.
Close your eyes and say the keys out loud as you press them.
One good way to help you get to know the positions of the keys without looking at them is to look away from the keys, and directly at the screen, and pronounce the keys as you press them. This will help you with the process of memorising the key positions. Keep doing it until you no longer need to say the letters as you press them.
Gauge your speed to start with.
There are many ways to estimate your typing speed, which is usually measured in WPM (words per minute).
The easiest is to simply type “what’s my WPM” into an Internet search and click one of the top links for a simple test. This will give you a starting point for your efforts.
Having a score as a benchmark will help to measure your progress over time.
Sometimes you will see your score presented in WAM (words a minute), rather than WPM.
There is no difference between these terms. Remember that WPM is best gauged over a set period of time. Typing for more or less time can change your WPM, so be consistent with the test you choose when you come back later to check your progress.
Start slowly with touch-typing.
Getting faster at typing is a matter of steadily developing your skill, and touch-typing (typing without looking at the keyboard) is generally the quickest way to type once you have mastered it.
If you’ve never touch-typed before, that means you’ll be spending quite a bit of time on this step. But once you can type without looking at keys you’ll get much faster.
It can be frustrating to start typing in this way and it may feel alien to you, but with some work and patience, you will improve.
Try to limit your finger movement only to what is needed to reach the keys.
Stick with it and don’t look at your hands.
It’s important to avoid looking at the keyboard as you type so that your fingers are forced to learn where the keys are through physical repetition. If you can’t look away from the keyboard, try typing with a light cloth, such as a hand towel, draped over your hands instead.
You might even find you are slower than before at the start, but stick with it. Once you touch-type you will reach much higher speeds than with your original technique.
Practicing and Improving
Practice, practice, practice. Touch-typing is a tricky skill to master, but once you have got you fingers in the correct position on the keys and have your posture lined up nicely, the only way to improve is through practice.
Take some time every day to practice touch typing and work on your speed and accuracy. Over time, your WPM will steadily increase.
If you can set aside just ten minutes a day where you open a document and type without stopping, you will notice you make fewer and fewer errors each time.
Practice with some online games.
There are a whole bunch of websites which have free typing games that you can practice on. They will normally give you a score and record your WPM too, so you can try to beat your record and compete with others doing the tests and games online.
Practice with dictation.
If you don’t know what to type, one good way to practice is by listening to something and typing it out as you go.
There is no end to sort of thing you could type, and this could be a good way to make practising more fun if you listen to something interesting, like an ebook, a lecture online, or a radio talk show.
Even a TV show could work, so be imaginative and try to make practice fun.
Monitor your progress.
Re-test yourself and keep track of your score for each week. You’ll soon notice a gratifying upward trend. But don’t get too obsessed with your WPM score, think about how comfortable you are and how much easier you are finding it to type quicker.
Consider more formal training.
There are a number of specially designed programs that can help you learn to touch type quickly. Most of these are either simple guided sessions or games whose outcomes are controlled by your typing speed and accuracy. If you’re in a hurry to improve your typing, consider investing in one.
These programs come in all varieties. Free Internet typing tutors are widely available, but there are also free programs you can download, and a wide range of programs that cost money. Some are more fun than others, but all will help you improve your typing.
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March 7, AD321 The Unconquered Sun
On March 7, AD321, Constantine I “The Great” decreed Dies Solis – Day of the Sun or “Sun-day”: “On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed”.
The cithara or kithara (Greek: κιθάρα, kithāra, Latin: cithara) was an ancient Greek musical instrument in the lyra family of instruments
For two thousand years, a popular story has told the tale of Emperor Nero, playing the fiddle while Rome burned. Far be it for me to leap to the defense of a man who ordered the murder of his own wife and mother, except in the name of historical accuracy. The viol class of musical instruments, to which the fiddle belongs, didn’t come along until the 11th century. If Nero played anything it was probably a Cithara, a heavy wooden instrument with four to seven strings.
At least five versions come down to us about the Great Fire of 64AD, and the Emperor’s role in it. The Roman historian Tacitus tells us that Nero sang about the fall of Troy while the city burned, but admits there were no witnesses.
Cassius Dio and Suetonius ask us to believe, in their turn, that Nero a) secretly sent guys out to burn the city, b) openly did so and watched from the tower of Maecenas while singing and playing the lyre, c) the fire was started by an obscure religious sect called “Christians”, d) Nero sent his guys out after all, but sang and played his lyre from a private stage and e) the fire started by accident while Nero was thirty-five miles away at Antium, and the emperor rushed back to help the now-homeless people of Rome.
images (26)Be that as it may, three things are certain. First, The fire burned for six days, utterly destroying three of the 14 districts of Rome, and severely damaging seven others. Next, Nero used the excuse of the fire to go after the Christians, having many of them arrested and executed. Last, the Domus Aurea (“Golden Palace”) and surrounding “Pleasure Gardens” which the emperor built on the ruins, would be the death of Emperor Nero.
Between AD65 and 68, Emperor Nero built a vast palace complex over an area of more than 200 acres, linking existing buildings on the Palatine Hill with the Gardens of Maecenas and other imperial properties on the Esquiline hills, and adding a grand colonnaded approach and vestibule surrounding an artificial lake.
Reconstruction of the Domus Aurea, of Nero
One of the Great Wonders of antiquity, Nero’s “Golden house” was ruinously expensive, 300 rooms of dazzling white marble with pools in the floors and fountains splashing in corridors. There were jewel-encrusted walls and ivory clad columns. An enormous vaulted ceiling lay underneath the dome of the main dining room, with an ingenious mechanism cranked by slaves, making the ceiling revolve like the heavens, as rose petals dropped and perfume was sprayed on assembled diners.
Suetonius described the complex as “ruinously prodigal”. Nero himself would say nothing further on the palace’ dedication, save to say that he “had at last begun to live like a human being”.
Artist’s rendering of the Colossus of Nero holds a rudder on the globe, symbolizing his dominion over land and sea.
At the center of it all, Nero built his Colossus Neronis, a giant gilded bronze statue – of himself. Sources place the thing at 98′ to 121′ tall, roughly equal to the statue of liberty, from her feet to her crown.
With all of Italy “thoroughly exhausted by contributions of money” and “the provinces ruined”, the Emperor himself was roundly hated. In June AD68, Nero learned that he’d been tried in absentia, and condemned to death as an enemy of the Roman people. Preparing himself for suicide, Nero muttered “Qualis artifex pereo” (“What an artist dies in me”).
Nero’s profligacy was a severe embarrassment to his successors. Within a decade, the palace and its complex was stripped of its marble, jewels, and ivory embellishments.
Within forty years, most of the grounds were filled with earth and built over, replaced by the Baths of Titus, and the Temple of Venus and Rome. Vespasian drained the lake and built the Flavian Amphitheatre, but Nero’s Colossus, lived on.
In 69, Emperor Vespasian added a sun-ray crown and renamed the thing Colossus Solis, a dedication to the Roman sun god Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”), patron of the legions and official Sun God of the later Roman Empire.
Around 128, Emperor Hadrian moved the statue from the Domus Aurea to just outside of the Colosseum, with a little help from the architect Decrianus, and 24 elephants. Emperor Commodus removed the head and replaced it with a likeness of his own, but the head was restored after Commodus’ death, and so it remained.
The Arch of Constantine, the last and largest of the Triumphal Arches of Rome and dedicated in AD315, was carefully positioned to align with Sol Invictus, so that the Colossus formed the dominant backdrop when approaching the Colosseum via the main arch.
Six years later, March 7, AD321, Constantine I “The Great” decreed Dies Solis – Day of the Sun or “Sun-day” – as the Roman day of rest (Codex Justinianus 3.12.2): “On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for grain-sowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost”.\
2000 years later Constantine’s day of rest remains, but the colossus of the Unconquered Sun is gone. The last known reference in antiquity dates back to the Calendar of 354, the earliest illuminated manuscript containing full page illustrations.
Saint Bede of northumbria
It may have been destroyed during the Sack of Rome in 410, or perhaps it toppled in one of a series of 5th century earthquakes, its metal scavenged. There is evidence that Sol Invictus outlived the western Roman Empire and survived into the early middle ages. Bede the Venerable, an English monk from the monastery of St. Peter in Northumbria, wrote sometime circa 672–735: “As long as the Colossus stands, Rome will stand, when the Colossus falls, Rome will also fall, when Rome falls, so falls the world“.
Today, nothing remains of the Colossus of Nero, save for the foundations of its pedestal at the second location, near the ruins of the Colosseum. |
Rare Diseases
Rare diseases are a many heterogeneous group of diseases with a little in like manner aside from of their irregularity affecting with influencing the individuals. It is a health condition of low prevalence that affects a very less number of people compared with other diseases in the general population. Most of these diseases are caused by genital variations and hereditary inceptions. There are more than 7000 rare diseases. Most rare diseases are genetic, and are present throughout a person's full life, even if symptoms do not directly appear. In Europe a disease or disorder is defined as rare when it affects less than 1 in 2000 citizens.
Rare diseases are considered by a wide diversity of symptoms and signs that vary not only from disease to disease but also from patient to patient suffering from the same disease.
Single gene mutations
Cystic fibrosis
Muscular dystrophies
Huntington disease
PI deficiency
Fields Condition
Hutchinson-Gilford proger |
Industrial Quilting Machines
2020 Miami Boat Show
What is a Quilting Machine? A Quilting Machine sews two or more layers of fabric together to make a thicker padded material. Typically, quilting is done with three layers: the top fabric or quilt top, batting or insulating material, and backing material, but many different styles can be adopted. ABM Quilting Machines can handle the toughest of materials and thread to adapt to any industry. Our programmable pattern sewing machines can run any .dxf pattern created in any CAD software. |
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Drug development
Drug development or preclinical development is defined in many pharmaceutical companies as the process of taking a new chemical lead through the stages necessary to allow it to be tested in human clinical trials, although a broader definition would encompass the entire process of drug discovery and clinical testing of novel drug candidates.
Additional recommended knowledge
New chemical entity (NCE) development
New chemical entities (NCEs) are compounds which emerge from the process of drug discovery. These will have promising activity against a particular biological target thought to be important in disease, however little will be known about the safety, toxicity, pharmacokinetics and metabolism of this NCE in humans. It is the function of drug development to assess all of these parameters prior to human clinical trials. A further major objective of drug development is to make a recommendation of the dose and schedule to be used the first time an NCE is used in a human clinical trial ("first-in-man", FIM).
If a compound emerges from these tests with an acceptable toxicity and safety profile, and it can further be demonstrated to have the desired effect in clinical trials, then it can be submitted for marketing approval in the various countries where it will be sold. In the US, this process is called a [[New Drug Application]] or NDA. Most NCEs, however, will fail during drug development, either because they have some unacceptable toxicity, or because they simply do not work in clinical trials.
Studies published in 2003 report an average pre-tax cost of approximately $800 million to bring a new drug (i.e. a drug with a New Chemical Entity) to market.[1][2]
A study published in 2006 estimates that costs vary from around 500 million to 2,000 million dollars depending on the therapy or the developing firm.[3]
These figures relate only to new, innovative drugs (drugs with a New Chemical Entity NCE, also called New Active Substance NAS). Each year, worldwide, only about 26 such drugs enter the market (2005: 26, 2004: 24, 2003: 26, 2002: 28). The development cost of the thousands of other drugs are much smaller. The $800 million quoted include the cost of all drug development which did not result in a new drug. It also includes some 400 million $ of opportunity costs.
See also
1. ^ DiMasi J. "The value of improving the productivity of the drug development process: faster times and better decisions". Pharmacoeconomics 20 Suppl 3: 1-10. PMID 12457421.
2. ^ DiMasi J, Hansen R, Grabowski H (2003). "The price of innovation: new estimates of drug development costs". J Health Econ 22 (2): 151-85. PMID 12606142..
3. ^ Adams C, Brantner V. "Estimating the cost of new drug development: is it really 802 million dollars?". Health Aff (Millwood) 25 (2): 420-8. PMID 16522582.
4. ^
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Drug_development". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia. |
Newswise — Women don't choose careers in math-intensive fields, such as computer science, physics, technology, engineering, chemistry, and higher mathematics, because they want the flexibility to raise children, or because they prefer other fields of science that are less math-intensive--not because they lack mathematical ability, according to a new study.
The study, an integrative analysis of 35 years of research on sex differences in math, offers explanations for why women are underrepresented in math-intensive science careers. The findings appear in the March issue of Psychological Bulletin, published by the American Psychological Association.
Researchers from Cornell University reviewed more than 400 articles and book chapters to reconcile conflicting evidence on why math-proficient women are underrepresented in math-intensive fields such as engineering, why they choose less math-intensive fields (such as biology, medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine), and why when they do choose math-intensive careers, they are more likely to drop out as they advance.
"Career preferences and lifestyle needs largely dictate why women aren't choosing physics or engineering as their profession," said lead author Stephen J. Ceci, PhD. Women with advanced math abilities choose non-math fields more often than men with advanced math abilities. They also drop out of scientific fields--especially math and physical science--at higher rates than do men, particularly as they advance, said Ceci.
"A major reason explaining why women are underrepresented not only in math-intensive fields but also in senior leadership positions in most fields is that many women choose to have children, and the timing of childrearing coincides with the most demanding periods of their career, such as trying to get tenure or working exorbitant hours to get promoted," Ceci said.
Further, if women enter these fields, they are more likely to drop out before they advance very far due to the need for greater flexibility and the demands of parenting and caregiving, said co-author Wendy M. Williams, PhD. "These are choices that all women, but almost no men, are forced to make."
Women today compose approximately 50 percent of medical school classes; however, despite these gains, women who enter academic medicine are less likely than men to be promoted or serve in leadership posts, the authors said. As of 2005, only 15 percent of full professors and 11 percent of department chairs were women. Non-math fields are also affected: for example, only 19 percent of the tenure track faculty in the top 20 philosophy departments are women.
"Hormonal, brain and other biological sex differences did not emerge as primary factors explaining why women were underrepresented in science careers," said co-author Susan Barnett, PhD. And the authors found studies on social and cultural effects to be inconsistent and inconclusive.
Much of the evidence on discrimination was dated or anecdotal, the authors said, and the effects were not strong enough to explain women's current low numbers in math-intensive fields. "Even though institutional barriers and discrimination exist, these influences still cannot explain why women are not entering or staying in STEM careers," said Ceci. "The evidence did not show that removal of these barriers would equalize the sexes in these fields, especially given that women's career preferences and lifestyle choices tilt them towards other careers such as medicine and biology over mathematics, computer science, physics, and engineering."
Men did outscore women on spatial ability tests, a measure that predicts later mathematics achievement but, said the authors, this still doesn't account for the low numbers of women in the STEM fields. Moreover, studies showing that men's scoring in the top 1 to 0.1 percent on the SAT-M and GRE-Q exams more frequently than women cannot account for the low numbers of women in math-intensive careers.
The evidence shows that if math ability were solely a function of sex, there would be roughly double the number of women in math-intensive careers compared to what exists now, assuming a 2:1 male-female ratio at the top 1 percent in math ability, Ceci said. "Women would comprise 33 percent of the professorships in math-intensive fields if it was based solely on being in the top 1 percent of math ability, but they currently comprise less than 10 percent."
Several large surveys examined in the analysis found that lifestyle choice had the largest influence on career preferences. In a survey of 2,000 33-year-old academic professionals in science careers who were in the top 1 percent of their high school math classes, the men devoted more time to their current job and said they would devote even more time in their dream job compared to the women, suggesting that this could lead to more productivity and promotions.
Another survey of almost 5,000 tenure-track faculty at nine California universities revealed that family issues affected women's success and satisfaction more than it affected men's. And a National Science Foundation survey of doctoral recipients in scientific and engineering fields found that women with children under 18 worked and published less than the men.
Science, technology, engineering and math are not the only professions affected by women's career choices, said the authors. Several studies showed that while women are well-represented in less math-intensive fields, such as medicine, law, biology, psychology, dentistry, and veterinary science, they are still underrepresented in the top positions of these fields. They are either not on tenure track, drop off tenure track or opt for part-time positions until their children get older, the researchers found.
"It appears that the family-career trade-offs constitute a major factor in the dearth of women in fields such as engineering, physics, computer science and in higher-level positions in non math-related fields," said Ceci. "Women who are good in math seem to have more career options. Those who are highly competent in math are more likely than men to have high verbal competence, too, thus opening up the option of going into the humanities or law, which may offer more flexibility in their career tracks."
There are ways to remedy the situation, the authors said. They suggest that universities, other institutions and companies create options for women with math talents who want to pursue math-intensive careers. These could include deferred start-up of tenure-track positions and part-time work that segues to full-time tenure-track work for women who are raising children, and courtesy appointments for women unable to work full-time but who would benefit from use of university resources (e-mail, library resources, grant support) to continue their research from home.
Article: "Women's Underrepresentation in Science: Sociocultural and Biological Considerations," Stephen J. Ceci, PhD, Wendy M. Williams, PhD, and Susan M. Barnett, PhD, Cornell University; Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 135, No. 2. (Full text of the article is available from the APA Public Affairs Office and at
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Psychological Bulletin (Mar-2009) |
10 myths about Demand Side Response
Demand Side Response is a vital part of our transition to a zero carbon economy and has the potential to transform how we use and deliver energy. But there are some common misconceptions about how businesses can get involved and what it means for them. To help cut through these, Chris Kimmett, Commercial Director at Open Energi, tackles some of the most common myths about Demand Side Response (DSR).
Myth 1: It’s too disruptive
This myth is especially prevalent in the press where headlines such as “UK factories shut down to prevent winter blackouts” are not uncommon. But this is a very outdated perception and technology advances have changed the game completely. There are lots of processes that have a degree of flexibility, where technology can be used to temporarily increase or decrease consumption without impacting performance, for example heating, cooling and pumping.
Take the air conditioning in a typical office building. It will be designed to maintain the temperature between certain bands, for example 18-22 degrees centigrade. Turning the unit on or off for a short period won’t have any discernible impact on the temperature and technology can automate its response so as soon as it approaches its upper or lower limit it stops responding.
Some demand is genuinely inflexible, such as lighting. The good news is that as battery costs come down, businesses can use these to participate in different Demand Side Response schemes and switch to battery power during peak periods.
Myth 2: It’s all back-up diesel generators
It’s true that there is a lot of back up generation participating in certain DSR schemes. Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) is a good example; 93% of the response comes from generation and 22% (743MW) of this is from diesel. That’s because there are a lot of organisations with back up diesel generators which for much of the time are under-used, so it makes sense to earn revenue from these where possible. However, there is also a significant and growing portion of real demand participating across a range of markets, coming from all kinds of different equipment, including fridges, pumps, chillers, motors, and fans. To date, we have connected over 60MW of demand flexibility from these types of assets across the UK, of which around a third is usually available at any one time.
Myth 3: There isn’t enough value to make it worthwhile
There are lots of businesses out there participating in DSR who would disagree with this statement. In a recent Energyst Media survey, 81% of businesses said they participated in DSR to generate revenue and National Grid’s PowerResponsive website features a range of case studies. These businesses are seeing significant value from participating in DSR, not just in terms of revenue, but also because it is the right thing to do and it is supporting their organisation’s sustainability credentials. Accessing all a business’ flexibility means it should be possible to return around 5-10% of its energy bill in DSR revenue. National Grid has clearly stated its desire and need to grow demand side participation significantly, and its value is expected to increase over time.
Myth 4: It’s a winter peak problem
There is a winter peak problem and margins remain slim at around 6.6%, but National Grid increasingly faces challenges in the summer and with the year round second-by-second balancing of supply and demand. As more of our power comes from wind, solar and other sources of distributed generation over which National Grid has no control, it is having to cope with periods in the summer months where supply exceeds demand, often overnight or in the middle of a sunny day. Rather than pay wind farms to turn off, it has been using a new service called Demand Turn-up to encourage businesses to shift their demand to these periods to help absorb the excess energy.
A very different challenge is that of managing the real-time balancing of electricity supply and demand, which National Grid must do 24/7, 365 days a year. Whether a gust of wind means a surge in power or a gas plant tripping means a shortage, demand flexibility is cleaner, cheaper and faster than ramping power stations up and down in response. Fast acting real time flexibility is essential to keeping the lights on in the future.
Myth 5: Participating in Demand Side Response means handing over control of my processes
Absolutely not! It is not the place of DSR providers to tell you how to run your business and you should always retain ultimate control. This should be a fundamental part of how you approach DSR. We spend a lot of time working with our customers to understand their assets and processes and agree the parameters within which they want their assets to participate. Once a control strategy is in place, each individual asset is then able to decide if it can respond, and the technology will enable it to kick us out automatically if it reaches a point where it can’t.
The beauty of DSR is that because the response is aggregated from many thousands of assets, where one fridge can’t respond we know that a pump or a bitumen tank will. Added to this there is always an override switch which means the system can be disabled on site at any time.
Myth 6: Demand Side Response is easy
It is getting easier, but it is certainly not easy just yet. As described above, much of the effort and resource is required pre-implementation, in understanding the assets and processes and developing a strategy to ensure there is no impact on operational performance. There is a lot of great learning happening in the UK and globally, connectivity is increasing, technology is improving, and we are starting to see equipment being manufactured “DSR” ready. These changes are making it easier for businesses to participate by the day.
Myth 7: Energy storage = batteries
Batteries are very interesting and the cost curve has been plummeting – especially for Lithium-ion batteries. But energy storage comes in many forms; there is thermal storage in a fridge, in a building’s air conditioning or in a bitumen tank for example.
Working with Aggregate Industries, we have found that a modern, well-maintained and insulated bitumen tank – which stores the liquid bitumen used to make asphalt for roads at between 150-180 degrees centigrade – can be switched off for over an hour with only a one-degree change in temperature.
Similarly, the water pumped to a reservoir represents a form stored energy. If we can find these small amounts of stored energy in everyday processes and unlock this flexibility for National Grid, then we can start to deliver a transformation in how our energy system operates without the need to build new batteries.
Myth 8: There isn’t enough demand flexibility to make a difference
A number of recent studies have looked at this, including the Association of Decentralised Energy and the National Infrastructure Commission. Our analysis suggests there is around 6GW of demand that can be shifted during peak periods, and that’s real demand only, not including back-up generators. 6GW is more than the UK’s two biggest coal fired power stations combined, and almost double the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear plant. Unlocking this flexibility means we can build fewer peaking plants, integrate more renewable generation and mitigate the effects of intermittency. It offers major advantages in terms of cost, network reliability and sustainability which is good news for the environment and bill payers!
Myth 9: It’s unreliable
In setting the Capacity Market Auction Guidelines, National Grid prescribed the reliability for each balancing technology class available. Demand Side Response was ranked as more reliable than Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT), coal, hydro, oil or nuclear power. For example, for a 100MW nuclear generator, National Grid estimate it can rely on 81.4MW being available, while for DSR they would expect 89.7MW to be available. Large centralised power stations do not necessarily confer reliability. By their very nature they represent large single points of failure with the potential to cause massive disruption should a problem arise. The aggregated nature of DSR which relies on many thousands of smaller assets working together has proved its reliability over many years.
Myth 10: I have no flexibility!
You probably have more than you realise. If you’re thinking about demand flexibility but not sure how or if it could work for your business, we recommend you:
1) engage the right people internally who know what equipment you have and understand how it is managed
2) find someone who understands the market
3) find someone who understands your industry and what you do
By overlaying the above in a meaningful you can identify how much flexibility you have and where you can use it in a way that doesn’t disrupt your business and delivers the value you need.
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Information Warfare: South Asian Cyber War
December 27, 2019: Internet security firms have noted an increase in Cyber War campaigns waged by Indian and Pakistani APTs (Advanced Persistent Threat) operations. APTs are well organized and very active hacker groups that are often created and sustained by governments or major criminal gangs. In this case, six Indian APTs (Lucky Elephant, Donot Team, Patchwork Group, Sidewinder Group and two unnamed) and the three Pakistani (Transparent Tribe and two unnamed) have been carrying out large scale and persistent Internet-based attacks. All APTs are given a number, as in APT23, and often a name as well. Many APTs stick with criminal activities over a long period, concentrating on stealing money, or information they can sell. The current online conflict between India and Pakistan is unique and deemed a Cyber War for several reasons. First, it has involved numerous attacks on military and government networks to steal information or plant malware that can later be activated to crash the network temporarily. Many other attacks are against media to sway public opinion over issues like Pakistani efforts (since the late 1940s) to annex Indian Kashmir or accuse the other side of promoting terror and disorder.
Since the 1980s Pakistan has been waging an unacknowledged Islamic terrorist campaign in Kashmir and accusing India of planning to invade and conquer Pakistan. This effort is the work of the Pakistani military and its ISI intelligence agency. A similar effort has been waged against Afghanistan. The most visible aspect of the Afghan effort is the Taliban, which was created in the mid-1990s by ISI to end the Afghan civil war with the Taliban in control of Afghanistan. Rule by a religious dictatorship backed by Pakistan was not popular with most Afghans. That led to the overthrow of Taliban rule in 2001 and persistent Pakistan-backed violence in Afghanistan ever since.
There were some ugly side effects. Pakistan could not control all the Islamic terror groups it hosted and many of these began seeking to establish a religious dictatorship in Pakistan. That led to the Pakistani army declaring war on these rogue Islamic terrorists in 2014 and for several years there was less violence in Kashmir. After three years of effort, the anti-government Islamic terror groups in Pakistan were suppressed, but not completely eliminated, and Pakistan once more turned its attention to Kashmir. Pakistan blamed India for all the Islamic terrorism in Pakistan and claimed this justified sponsoring Islamic terrorism in Indian Kashmir.
At this point, the rest of the world had caught on and Pakistan was being openly accused of all this mischief and condemned as a sponsor of international terrorism. India was also losing patience with this Pakistani aggression and threatening conventional war if Pakistan did not stop. Since both countries have nuclear weapons, things could get out of hand. Inside Pakistan, the situation was already out of control. For example, about half the time since Pakistan was created in 1947, its democracy was usurped by military rule “to restore order.” Eventually, public pressure restored democracy and these elected governments tended to agree with India that the problem here was the Pakistani military, which was becoming more and more powerful by acquiring control of large segments of the economy and sponsoring Islamic parties which openly supported religious war against India to “defend Islam.” Pakistan has fought several conventional wars with India since 1948 and lost them all. This was the main reason for resorting to Islamic terrorism. At this point, the Pakistani military controls many Pakistani politicians via corruption or coercion, and now exercises a great deal of control over the elected government. Most Pakistanis oppose this and the military and ISI are now using Cyber War to suppress or discredit critics in Pakistan and do the same in India. Pakistani media manipulation efforts inside India seek to win over Indian Moslems, who are 14 percent of the population, are more numerous than the entire population of Pakistan. Few Indian Moslems are won over by the Pakistani Information War campaign but the ISI keeps trying.
India, which has always been a democracy since independence in 1948, cannot be as ruthless as dictatorships like China, Iran and North Korea, The Pakistani military tried to exercise the same ruthless power as a dictatorship but has been unable to obtain that kind of control over Pakistan. With APTs it is attempting to gain such power but has to overcome the opposition of most Pakistanis, and India to do so. Cyber War may be the decisive weapon or the gambit that breaks the military stranglehold on the Pakistani government and popular opinion.
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What information does the neurosurgeon need for a diagnosis?
In order to assist the neurosurgeon in diagnosing disorders as efficiently as possible, we need your medical history, a physical examination, and may have to order testing such as MRIs, Cat Scans, Myelograms, EMGs, X-Rays, Discograms, etc.
How Are Neurosurgeons Trained?
While in the program, neurosurgical residents are trained in all aspects of neurosurgery, including cerebrovascular, pediatrics, spine, trauma and tumor. The resident program is long and difficult, due to the extreme complexity of the nervous system and the advanced techniques used in neurosurgical operations. Some neurosurgeons opt to do an additional fellowship in a particular area of study following their residency.
Following residency training and several years in practice, the neurological surgeon may take the American Board of Neurological Surgery examination — a thorough assessment of the neurosurgeon’s skill, judgment and depth of knowledge. The successful completion of this examination will result in board certification.
While the neurological surgeon has a comprehensive knowledge after medical school and residency training, there are continual changes in this specialty that require ongoing study throughout the neurological surgeon’s professional career. Monthly scientific journals, annual meetings, specialized symposia and other educational opportunities help the neurosurgeon keep pace with rapid changes and developments in neurosurgery.
What Is The Role Of The Neurosurgeon?
What’s New In Neurosurgery?
Neurosurgeons have been leaders in the incorporation of new technologies into the diagnosis, evaluation, and surgical and non-surgical treatment of patients. Although neurosurgery is by nature a surgical field, many patients suffering from neurological illnesses are undergoing non-surgical or minimally invasive treatments. To that end, the explosion of less invasive surgical equipment and techniques, such as microscopes, lasers and focused radiation, as well as cutting-edge medical tools such as stents, shunts and radiosurgery, are changing the way some neurological disorders are treated. These medical advancements have positioned neurosurgeons on the cutting-edge of technology, enhancing the neurosurgeon’s ability to care for patients and making surgery easier on the patient. |
Kappad Beach
Kappad Beach : 16 km from Kozhikode, Kerala, the historic beach of Kappakadavu is the place where Vasco da Gama landed 27th of May, 1498 with 170 men in three vessels and was credited with discovering a sea route to India. The rock-studded Kappad Beach is known for the sprawling rock that protruding into the sea with an 800-year-old temple on its top. A solitary pillar stands here as a testimony to Vaso da Gama’s success as testified by the inscription on it which says, ‘Vasco da Gama landed here, Kappakadavu, in the year 1498’. The sea is calm here and it is one of the most charming of Kerala’s beaches. Often described in the history and geography texts as the gateway to the Malabar Coast, it has been more than 500 years now since Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese navigator landed here to create a new chapter in the history of maritime, Kerala and India.
In his times, Kozhikode was the most important trade centre of the Malabar region its rulers, Zamorins were considered powerful and shrewd. The spices and wealth of Malabar attracted the Arabs, the Phoenicans, the Greeks, the Romans, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English to Kerala and earned it the name of ‘Golden Bird’. Kappad has been a silent witness to many such landings. The best way to reach Kappad is cruising through the untouched and quiet picturesque backwaters of Kozhikode through the Korappuzha River that embarks you at the beach. Kappad Beach is calm and serene dotted with country fishing boats. |
Mercury rising
Recent studies confirm that Arctic region populations have dangerous levels of mercury in their blood. Coal-fired power plants are the main source of this potent neurotoxin. Canada and the US are switching from coal to natural gas, but then are exporting their coal to countries that are much less concerned about mercury emissions from power generation. Airborne mercury travels the globe. It will come back to haunt Canadians who think it’s no longer their problem.
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Fall 2016 Safety Corner
Fall is that time of year where everything seems to turn into a pumpkin – our lattes, our beer, even the weather and our planes. The latter two are figurative of course, but fog and frost can bring our flying to a momentary halt. Frustrated by this, many will give up and hit the pause button until next spring. However, a better understanding of fog and frost fundamentals will actually help you know when to capitalize your flying before the “clock strikes midnight.”
Fog is formed when the temperature and dew point converge and adequate nuclei is present to form visible moisture close to the ground. The process in which types of fog form may vary, but the ingredients are always the same. Radiation fog is usually the most prominent form of fog we encounter here at Boeing Field. Clear nights allow the solar radiation that had soaked into the Earth’s surface during the day to escape creating a temperature drop close to the surface. With very light winds – usually less than five knots – a mixing effect with cooling air, moisture, and particulates in the air can occur. Once the air temperature cools close enough to the dew point fog can form. This tends to occur close to sunrise because it’s the coolest part of the day. This layer of fog can sometimes be persistent if the sun is not able to raise the temperature above the dew point. We can identify the telltale signs that fog may turn our flight plan into a “pumpkin” by answering the following questions: Is it going to be clear the night before a morning flight? Are the winds going to calm down? What is the relative humidity and dew point and how does that compare to the forecast temperatures overnight?
Frost can be frustratingly finicky as it can appear one morning (or evening sometimes) and not the next. Again, it’s an issue of getting the right ingredients. Frost forms when moisture from the air adheres to a cold surface and freezes. Like radiation fog, it requires little to no wind and cold temperatures. Even if the air temperature is above freezing, the surface which frost can adhere to might be below freezing and that’s all you need to ruin your plans to fly. Frost, like fog, takes patience and an understanding of the causes and what will resolve it. Once your understanding is sufficient, the most difficult part is remaining patient. Numerous times I have witnessed people melt frost off their aircraft only to see the liquid reform into frost a few minutes later. Why? Because the temperature is still at or below freezing on the surface the aircraft. Questions similar to the ones we asked about fog can be asked regarding frost: Are the temperatures going to be at or below freezing? Is there sufficient moisture in the air? Is it going to be a calm, clear night? By now you may notice a trend and might start to realize just how freezing fog could form and really ruin your flight!
So don’t give up completely this fall on your flying plans. Just apply some basic understanding of what could possibly delay your flight and plan accordingly. Do that and you’ll shine like Cinderella at the Ball. Just remember not to fly in glass slippers.
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Exploring the Arkansas
Exploring the Arkansas (HM2MI1)
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N 35° 15.147', W 93° 9.997'
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'The Arkansea' was a land of mystery, wonder and riches...
Back east rumors grew of the Arkansea, a land of vast swamps, gators, buffalo, elk, beaver, and more bear than could be imagined. There were huge flocks of green and yellow parakeets, and passenger pigeons would darken the summer sky. Stories were told about rugged mountains looming over stream-filled valleys. Legends told of their hot, healing waters. The Arkansea was a land of mystery, wonder and riches.
The French claimed this land in 1686, setting a flag at the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers. They explored, trapped and traded here leaving names like Fourche la Fave, and Petit Jean.
(right inset)
The Quapaw, Osage and Caddo had long enjoyed the riches of Arkansas. In the late 1700s, Cherokee settled throughout this stretch of the Arkansas River, and the Choctaw had treaty lands south of the river. In the 1820s, the Eagle, the first steamboat to ascend the Arkansas, did so to bring supplies to the Cherokee school at Dwight Mission, passing the river landmark Dardanelle Rock, which you can see across the river today.
(bottom inset)
Arkansas' many rivers were important in this wild land. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, these "water highways" brought people to settlements
at Davidsonville on the Black River, Batesville on the White River, Moro and Ecore a Fabre (Camden) on the Ouachita River, Fulton on the Red River, and Cadron and Dardanelle on the Arkansas River.
Rivers connected these frontier communities with trading and manufacturing centers on New Orleans, on the East Coast and Europe ... and trade flourished.
HM NumberHM2MI1
Placed ByUS Army Corps of Engineers
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)15S E 484842 N 3901052
Decimal Degrees35.25245000, -93.16661667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 35° 15.147', W 93° 9.997'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds35° 15' 8.82" N, 93° 9' 59.82" W
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Navigating the Public Domain
The concept of public domain is not well understood. One common misconception is that accessibility equals public domain. “It’s on the internet, so it’s in the public domain.”
A work in the public domain is one that is not protected by copyright, trademark, or patent laws and therefore can be used or adapted without permission. Conversely, much of the content on the internet is protected by copyright and cannot be used or adapted without permission.
The usual process by which works enter the public domain is upon expiration of their copyright period. In the United States, copyright expiration hasn’t happened for many years because of two pieces of federal legislation.
The Copyright Act of 1976 extended copyright protection to 75 years from publication, and then in 1998, the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act added another 20 years to the term of copyright. Those two laws created a 95-year copyright term.
On January 1, 2019, for the first time since the Sonny Bono Act took effect, thousands of works from 1923—books, poems, films, music—entered the public domain. The catalog of literary works reads like an English 101 who’s who: Willa Cather, Joseph Conrad, e. e. cummings, Robert Frost, Aldous Huxley, Rudyard Kipling, Ring Lardner, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Virginia Woolf, and many more.
The Center for the Study of Public Domain at Duke University provides a good overview of what public domain is and how the accessibility of works has been impacted by US legislation.
While the 2019 public domain release will have little effect on the world of scholarly publishing, a clear understanding of public domain is extremely important for anyone who is writing and publishing papers.
And if you want to include a passage from Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan and the Golden Lion in your next paper, you won’t need to ask anyone’s permission to do so. |
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Solar energy is a very important renewable energy. Renewable energy is energy can get from renewable resources, which are naturally replenished after a certain period, like sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Solar energy is a highly appealing source of electricity because of its huge magnitude. Solar power is the transformation of solar energy into electricity .We can have solar power directly by using photovoltaics or indirectly by using concentrated solar power , or a combination of the both. A photovoltaic cell is a device that transforms light into electricity using the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaics gets its name from the process of transforming the light to electricity, which is called the PV effect in abbreviation. The sun emits photons, which generate electricity when they strike a solar cell. In the same way a photovoltaic cell, made from a semi-conducting material, is a device that changes light into electricity. Solar cells are made of two or more thin layers of semi conductor materials, like silicon. The layers are of opposite charges ; positive & negative. When the solar cells are striked by sunlight , the electrons become free and move toward the front surface of the solar cell. Thus an electron imbalance between the front and back of the cell and electricity starts to flow. The flow of electricity depends on the intensity of light.Concentrated solar power system uses lenses, mirrors or tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. There are many concentrating technologies such as the parabolic trough, the compact linear Fresnel reflector and the solar power tower. We use different techniques to track the sun and focus light. A working fluid is heated by the concentrated sunlight to generate power and energy storage in all the systems. The parabolic trough consists of a linear parabolic reflector that concentrates light onto a receiver positioned along the reflector’s focal line. The receiver is a tube positioned along the focal points of the linear parabolic mirror and is filled with a working fluid. The reflector is made to follow the sun during daylight hours by tracking along a single axis. Parabolic trough systems provide the best land-use factor of any solar technology.The SEGS plants in California and Nevada Solar One can be the examples. Compact Linear Fresnel Reflectors are CSP-plants which use many thin mirror strips instead of parabolic mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto two tubes with working fluid. This has the advantage that flat mirrors can be used which are much cheaper than parabolic mirrors, and that more reflectors can be placed in the same amount of space, allowing more of the available sunlight to be used. Concentrating linear fresnel reflectors can be used in either large or more compact plants. A solar power tower uses an array of tracking reflectors to concentrate light on a central receiver atop a tower. Power towers can achieve higher efficiency than linear tracking CSP schemes and better energy storage capability than dish stirling technologies. The PS10 solar Power Plant and PS20 solar power plant are examples of this technology. A hybrid system combines PV and CSP with one another or with other forms of generation such as diesel, wind and biogas. The combined form of generation may enable the system to modulate power output as a function of demand or at least reduce the fluctuating nature of solar power and the consumption of non renewable fuel. Hybrid systems are most often found on islands.A project of The International Energy Agency informs us that by 2050, solar photovoltaics and concentrated solar power would contribute respectively about 16 and 11 percent of the worldwide electricity consumption, and solar would be the world’s largest source of electricity. In 2000 The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) found the annual potential of solar energy 1500–49000 EJ. This is many times larger than the total energy consumption of the world, as we used 560 EJ energy in total in 2012. The Sun emits a tremendous amount of energy, in the form of electromagnetic radiation into space. At Earth’s distance from the Sun, about 1368 watts of power fall on an area of one square meter. A survey tells that solar power provides just 1% of total worldwide electricity production currently. However the good news is that the production is increasing at 33% per year.Everyday the demand of energy is increasing, the source of non-renewable energy is decreasing, but we are still unable to utilize the 100% of renewable energy. Hopefully near future will help us to find a way to utilize the renewable energy to reduce the use of non-renewable energy like fossil fuel, petroleum oil and natural gas. The use of solar power will reduce pollution and will solve the problem of global warming as well. Above all ,the proper use of solar power will increase the energy security of the world for the coming generations.
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Renewable energies
Andalusia has a high potential of renewable energy resources distributed throughout the region and contributes 19,3% of the energy consumed, 29.3% of electricity and 10.1% in biofuels for transport (in 2012).
With regard to solar energy, Andalusia has a high number of sunshine hours, more than 3,000 a year in some areas, emphasizing the outstanding potential for its use. Our region has been a pioneer in the production of heat and electricity from solar energy.
Our region has important biomass potential, mainly from the cultivation of the olive grove and related industries: olive pruning, olive stone, olive pomace and olive marc. In 2012, biomass contributed 50% of the primary energy consumption from renewable sources in Andalusia. A total potential of 3,958 ktoe/year of biomass is estimated.
With respect to marine energy, the technology is currently in a very early state of development and the analysis of the potential of these sources is essential, which will mark the path to follow.
Andalusia is the Spanish Autonomous Community that possesses the largest coastline and the only one bathed by the Atlantic and Mediterranean Coasts. It is necessary to indicate the potential of the marine currents in the Strait of Gibraltar, which has an estimated average power of 600 MW, equivalent to a set of facilities of 1200 MWp. With regard to wave energy, Andalusia has an average power of 200 MW, out of a total of 2,000 MW, which is shared between the Atlantic Coast of Andalusia, the Strait and the western coast of Almeria. The exploitability of wave energy in Andalusia has an average power of 200 MW which is the equivalent to a set of facilities of 800 MWp.
With regard to geothermal energy it is necessary to indicate the existence of an important resource potential of low temperature in the area of the capitals of the provinces, particularly in Granada, Seville and Cordoba, where a high population density makes its use more profitable in centralised air conditioning. However, there are no resources of very high enthalpy in the region aimed at generating electricity.
The hydro energy potential of more than 10 MW cannot be operated easily, since priority is given to uses such as human supply or irrigation. However, there is an exploitable potential of mini hydro (<10 MW) in the numerous small abandoned plants that could be modernised and automated. |
Migraine and How To Eliminate it in a Natural Way
What is a migraine?
Migraine and How To Eliminate it in a Natural Way The migraine is a severe and disabling , pulsating headache on one side of the head, with an unbearable pressure in the head, the temples, the whole … Some people have problems with the sight, problems with the concentration and total feeling of pain and weakness.
Neuroscientists believe that migraines are caused by changes in the blood flow in the brain and the activity of the nerve cells.
Statistics show that 70% of the migraines are inherited.
Migraines occur more often in women than in men.
A recent study at Harvard was conducted to see whether there is and what kind of effect the migraines have on a heart attack. The study was conducted on more than 20 000 men at the age between 40 and 84, and the conclusion was that people with migraines have a 42% higher risk for a heart attack. The migraine is much more than a headache and carries the possibility of serious complications. Therefore, it is recommended to be treated on time.
Millions of people silently suffer from migraines, and even a greater number of people live with daily headaches. Studies have shown that about 50% of the affected people will not leave the dark room and try to find the cause of the unbearable pain.
Usually, the problem is eased with a couple of pills from a pharmacy or from a friend, who says that “it” helped them.
However, even with the strongest pills, a large number of people simply cannot function and perform basic daily tasks while having a migraine.
The attacks vary in strength and they are manifested in different ways: from the striking and pulsating pain, sensitivity to light and sound, to nausea and vomiting.
Although there is no single and unique explanation of why the migraine occurs, there are a number of triggers that have a significant role in the activation of the migraine attacks:
• fluorescent lights
• constipation
• dehydration
• coffee
• excessive smoking or alcohol
• high blood pressure
• low blood sugar levels
• deficiency of vitamin B or D
• imbalance in minerals
• reactions to food additives (colors, sugar, preservatives, MSG, etc.).
• oral contraceptives
• allergies and sensitivity to certain foods
It is believed that the migraines and headaches are just a symptom, a sign that the body is out of its optimum balance. Instead of waiting for the next attack and then reach for a bottle of pills, you should try to determine which are the triggers, or more importantly, what disturbs your natural balance.
Types of headaches and migraines
Probably everyone who suffers from headaches and migraines suffers in their own unique way. However, there are a few basic types.
A headache caused by tension will occur in stressful situations, while the migraine generally occurs 3-4 times a month. The tension can cause migraines and that usually occurs 2-3 days after major mental excitement, and not immediately as it happens with a headache.
The chronic migraine occurs 15 or more times a month.
The classic migraine is a migraine with an aura or a light circle.
The common migraine occurs suddenly, without any signs and without an aura.
The abdominal migraine is common in children and it happens without headaches. It can also occur in adults.
Natural treatments for a migraine
There are many ways to ease migraines and headaches by using natural products without the risk of side effects that the pharmaceutical cures carry. In addition to herbs, essential oils and supplements, the acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology and aromatherapy can help as well.
There are several things that can ease the pain when a migraine attack occurs.
Black cumin oil
Helps if you massage the temples, the inside of the nostrils and the top of the head with it. Also, you can take half a tablespoon of black cumin oil with a little unpasteurized honey, twice a day.
Despite the avoiding of the triggers, many will sooner or later get a migraine attack again. There are testimonies that the black cumin oil could be a way to eliminate the pain permanently, not just temporarily. And it can be done with minimal cost and simple method of use, without seeing a doctor.
Or alternate showering with hot and cold water, is a simple method and helps with many problems. Spend the first two minutes under hot water (as hot as you can stand it). This will increase the blood flow in the skin. Then, spend the next two minutes under cold water – this will send the blood deeper in the body. About twenty minutes of this alternate showering will increase the blood circulation, carrying the useful elements in the organs and taking away the waste matters and toxins.
Another way is to put your feet in ice water, and put a hot bandage on the back of your head.
The application of acupressure on certain parts of the body, such as massaging the soft tissue between the thumb and the forefinger, was proved to be very useful in eliminating the headaches and discomfort caused by the migraine.
Another way is to put your thumb on the inside of your cheek and press the cheek bone. Start on the side where you feel the pain of the migraine, and then repeat this on the other side. Then put both thumbs on the upper palate near the teeth and press towards the cheeks. You may need to repeat this several times. Relax and breathe deeply. Inhale slowly and exhale fully.
It is important to pay attention to the diet and probably make some changes. Remember that there is no substitute for water. When you are thirsty, you need water, not coffee, soda or juice. Eat more vegetables and freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables. This will help to bring the pH of the body into balance.
Consult your doctor for the appropriate supplements.
Usually, the lavender oil and mint oil are used, but the essential oils of rosemary, eucalyptus, sandalwood and basil are also very helpful.
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Enhancing Food Security in Africa Through Implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement
17 May 2017
Trade-related barriers constitute one of the major causes of food insecurity in Africa. How can the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement help facilitate agricultural trade and improve food security on the continent?
How can the TFA help improve food security in Africa?
In Africa, one of the main causes of food insecurity, in addition to regional/domestic production constraints and resource scarcity, is the lack of cost-effective and timely availability of food products from international markets. Imports are costly due to the high cost of trade. Higher trade and transaction costs stem from cumbersome regulatory procedures, both at the export and import level, as well as from the uncertainty at destination border points due to a number of non-tariff measures (NTMs) that may require a last-minute application of various standards and, at times, be nearly impossible to comply with by the exporters and importers.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development clearly asserts a collective responsibility to fully achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 2, which aims to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition by the year 2030. It also commits to the provision of universal access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. This will require sustainable food production systems, resilient agricultural practices, equal access to land, technology and markets, and international cooperation on investments in infrastructure and technology to boost agricultural productivity. In doing so, the global community needs to focus on Africa, where the prevalence of hunger is more acute, high in proportion, and the recovery potential is low due to a lack of resources and related endowments.
Most African countries do not have food self-sufficiency, thus imports are essential to feed their ever-growing populations. It should also be noted that intra-regional trade is very low in Africa, particularly in the agriculture sector, which is often attributed to the complexity of trading and logistics with neighbouring countries. Agricultural supply chains can be extremely complex and fragmented, particularly in African countries. This is due to multiple factors, most of which could be addressed through the implementation of the WTO’s TFA. Following is a brief overview of the TFA could help tackle these various challenges.
Addressing the challenges at borders and customs would greatly help in enhancing food security in Africa. In addition to the aforementioned specific results, there are certain systemic implications of implementing the TFA that would help enhance food security in Africa.
First and foremost, like in all other sectors, increasing the efficiency of logistics (which is a hallmark of the TFA) would result in gains for agriculture and food trade that, in turn, would contribute towards improving food security. Efficient transport and logistics systems, with improved ports and borders connectivity, increases the economic size of markets, which often result in competitive prices. As per estimates of the WTO Secretariat, full implementation of the TFA could result in a reduction of trade costs ranging from 9.6 to 23.1 percent. With an expected average drop of 16.5 percent, Africa is the region that would benefit the most from this reduction.[1]
Secondly, in the particular case of Africa, the access pillar of food security is jeopardised due to low income levels and prevailing poverty on the one hand, and food price volatility and stockpiling on the other. The rent-seeking behaviour of food traders in many countries would be mitigated through the increased availability and competitive prices of food items resulting from the implementation the TFA.
Thirdly, with the enhanced level of information sharing and transparency required by the TFA, there would be less opportunities for red-tape in regulatory and trade administrations. It would allow many new traders, particularly small-scale ones, to enter the international trade of agriculture products, thus contributing to regional food security.
Fourthly, due to the establishment of national trade facilitation committees under the TFA, the public-private interaction would result in better collaboration, particularly in the area of agriculture, leading to a more enabling trading environment.
The TFA’s contribution to the four pillars of food security
The link between trade and food security has been discussed in FAO’s The State of Agriculture Commodity Markets 2015-16. It was observed that while the effect of trade on enhancing food security is contextual, there is a body of evidence that establishes positive contributions of trade in enhancing food security. The very core function of the TFA is to make trade simpler and easier, thus strengthening the ability of businesses and countries to trade and leading to increased volumes of trade. As a result, the TFA would also contribute to improved food security. As Africa ranks particularly low on food production and relies heavily on imports, these positive effects of the TFA would be proportionally higher on the continent than in other food-insecure regions and countries. Following is a summary of how the TFA could help strengthen the four pillars of the food security in Africa.
By expediting the import and export of goods, especially goods in transit, countries would ensure reliable options to source food from external markets whenever and wherever needed. In the case of Africa, most states are net food importing countries, with huge untapped potential for intra-regional agricultural trade. By promoting expedited and simple import and export, the TFA would enable the region to fully harness the potential of intra-African trade and ensure timely food procurement from external markets whenever required. This would also result in facilitating the establishment of regional agricultural supply and value chains.
The implementation of the TFA would reduce transaction costs and, potentially, ensure consistent food supplies while avoiding supply gaps. This would result in relatively lower prices thus improving access and affordability.
Trade, in general, increases the variety of food products available in domestic markets by adding to the options offered by national production. By addressing bottlenecks at borders and harmonising the application of food-related standards, the implementation of the TFA would thus improve the nutrition mix available in African markets. Presently, a lot of food items may not be imported due to a lack of knowledge and the arbitrary application of sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards, which may result in the loss of perishable products at border check-points. The TFA provisions addresses such concerns through its provisions related to advance rulings, e-certifications, and the expedited clearance of perishable items.
The lack of stability in food supplies is a very serious concern in many African countries, particularly given the context of natural disasters, protracted crises, and situations of drought or famine in some of the continent’s sub-regions. The stability dimension of food security depends on the availability of food in the first place, but more importantly it requires the ability to fill food gaps in a timely manner. By ensuring efficiency in international trade and reducing the time taken to export and import, the TFA would help ensure that food can be supplied constantly, efficiently, and in a timely manner whenever and wherever needed.
One implementation: Two outcomes
By addressing trade inefficiencies at various stages and reducing bottlenecks at borders, it is possible to significantly increase the sustainability and reliability of agricultural supply chains in Africa, which would help ensure sustainable food security on the continent.
After its ratification by the required number of member states, the WTO’s TFA has come into force and the implementation efforts are in progress. Longer implementation timelines, coupled with the availability of technical assistance, will allow African countries to adopt and implement the required legislative, regulatory, and functional instruments in a way that is in-line with their specific needs. Implementing these commitments would, in turn, make agricultural trade easier and contribute to improving food security on the continent. For these positive results to materialise, it is essential for African countries to put measures that increase the efficiency and simplicity of at-the-border processes at the centre of their priorities, in order to expedite food and agriculture imports and exports. The importance of before and beyond-the-border regulatory infrastructure should not, however, be underestimated, as they also play a key role in providing an enabling environment for food trade.
It is perfectly legitimate to be cautious about agricultural trade, in particular as regards safety standards. Nonetheless, turning a blind eye and having a lacklustre attitude about the potential of trade to ensure reliable food supplies to vulnerable populations may fall short of jurisdictional and ethical legitimacy, despite the fact that maintaining a margin of policy space is also important. The implementation of the WTO’s TFA is a significant opportunity to put in place measures that would improve food security at national and regional levels in Africa, while keeping the required policy space and applying legitimate safety standards.
The views expressed in this article are of author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of the FAO or any of its Committees/Bodies.
Author: Ahmad Mukhtar, Economist, Trade and Food Security, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
[1] WTO. World Trade Report 2015. Geneva: WTO, 2015.
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17 May 2017
Trade in Services Negotiations: A Southern African Perspective – ICTSD – May 2017 This paper explores the regional and international services negotiating landscape that impacts on the countries of...
17 May 2017
How does the entry into force of the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in February 2017 affect African countries’ efforts to join and move up global value chains (GVCs)? The WTO’s Trade... |
The Assembly decided this week that the two oil producers and four other countries would lose their votes in the 2016-2017 session because they’re over two years behind on dues, which vary according to factors including national income.
1. As of January, the most recent figures available, Venezuela would have to make a minimum $24 million payment to get under the two-year threshold and get its voting rights restored. Libya’s minimum payment is $6.5 million.
2. The sums are far smaller, ranging from $265,000 to less than $12,000, for the other countries: Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Vanuatu and Cabo Verde, formerly called Cape Verde.
3. None of the nations’ U.N. missions immediately responded to inquiries.
4. The General Assembly voted last fall to give such exceptions to Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, and Somalia.
5. Venezuela temporarily lost its Assembly vote last year at an awkward time, shortly before its turn as president of the separate, more powerful Security Council. Venezuela’s two-year term on the council has since ended.
6. Facing a $3 million minimum payment at the time, the nation quickly settled up, with its ambassador saying the delay was an administrative issue and not a reflection of the country’s economic problems.
7. Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy has spiraled into crisis since world oil prices began a plunge in 2014. Venezuelans are grappling with triple-digit inflation and widespread food shortages.
8. Libya’s economy has suffered greatly since the country was hurled into turmoil by the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Violent militia activity has taken a major toll on oil production in the last few years, though output has been rising of late. |
• Dr. Lillian Nejad
Kindness is Good For You!
September 1st is Random Acts of Kindness Day in New Zealand. Australia should follow suit!
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK) was founded in 1995 in the US and is celebrated every year on February 17th. The only other country that has allocated a day to kindness is New Zealand since 2004, where RAK day is today, September 1st. Surely, Australia can get on this bandwagon and there are some solid, scientific reasons why.
The science of kindness comes from the Positive Psychology movement which began in 1998 by psychologist Martin Seligman. Positive psychology studies people who are functioning best in order to ascertain the skills and strategies that they are doing that we can implement to improve our own health and sense of well-being. Random acts of kindness has been shown to be one of these strategies along with being grateful, practicing mindfulness, and journaling.
The Science of Kindness
The research on the benefits of kindness is clear—being kind to others is as good for you as it is for the person on the receiving end. Contributing to others’ happiness actually leads to a boost in your own sense of well-being, physically, emotionally & in our relationships.
The benefits include:
• Physical: heart, blood pressure, increases energy
• Emotional: feel calmer, happier; less anxious/depressed
• Relationships: makes you feel connected to others
How does it work to improve your health and wellbeing?
The science behind kindness is detailed on
Here are the highlights:
• When you are kind to another person, the pleasure and reward centres of your brain are activated. Your body reacts by producing the feel-good hormones & neurotransmitters (oxytocin, serotonin & dopamine), which aid in lowering blood pressure which is good for your heart, increasing self-esteem and optimism, calming you down, and increasing your sense of connection to others.
• Engaging in acts of kindness also produces endorphins— endorphins are hormone-like substances produced in the brain that have pain-relieving properties. So being kind actually leads to pain relief.
• Consistently kind people have been shown to produce less cortisol (the stress hormone) and also age more slowly slower than the average population.
• Everyone who witnesses a kindness towards others benefits from the act. These benefits may lead to further kindnesses towards others. So kindness is essentially contagious! Imagine the positive effect this can have on our children!
• The pleasure centres of our brains respond much more strongly to kindness when you get something unexpected according to research conducted by Dr. Gregory Berns, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Emory University, “So if you get a present for your birthday, that’s nice. But you’ll like it a lot more if you get a present and it’s not your birthday.” This explains why kindness is very effective when it is random. Hence, Random Acts of Kindness Day rather than just Acts of Kindness Day.
• Studies have also shown that people who volunteer have less pain and live longer and those who are altruistic (via financial donations) report feeling happier.
The evidence is compelling and certainly worth celebrating!
How to Get Started
You don’t have to do a lot to reap the rewards of kindness. Small, unexpected acts of kindness is all that is needed to make someone’s day and at the same time achieve the physical, emotional and relationship benefits.
Start with these simple ideas:
· give a compliment
· write a nice text
· invite someone for a coffee or a walk
· donate a book
· comfort someone
· give up your place in line for someone
· offer to help someone with their schoolwork
· send someone flowers
· pay for the person behind you at a café or drive-thru
· help someone change a flat tire
· offer to help someone cook or clean
· take a gift to new neighbours and introduce yourself
· let people in front of you when driving
· pay for someone’s dinner
· give someone your extra shopping bags
· smile at the person serving you
It can help to think about what other people have done for you that has brightened up your day.
So Australia, let's designate a Random Acts of Kindness Day—who’s with me? |
Five facts about Cesar Chavez
31 Mar
1. Chavez was a migrant farmworker, and his experience led him to want to create change for farmworkers across the country. (Talk about being the change you want to see!)
2. Chavez cared deeply about environmental justice issues. He understood that environmental justice and economic justice were definitely connected.
3. He fasted for 36 days to help farmworkers across the country!
4. He turned down a job from JFK.
5. He became a vegetarian because he realized animals had emotions as well.
Read our Huffington Post piece on Cesar Chavez and what we can learn from him today!
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An unmanned aerial vehicle which is popularly known as “Drone” is an aircraft without having a human ride it. It is connected to a human standing on the ground and operating the drone through a network, so the human itself doesn’t have to be in it to control it.
1. Military and Security
Drones are popular in the world military and defense. Since the drones can also have cameras installed into them, the drones are sent to threat areas to check if there are any bombs. Moreover, the drones are also used to carry out military operations, where they work as explosions against the terrorists. There is no life threat, and the mission turns out to be a success. This type of drone is usually a smaller version of the shape of an airplane.
This is one of the greatest achievements of the evolution of drones to the world today. It is easy for the military to survey security threats and to monitor traffic. These gadgets can transmit the feed they record from the designated site and replay it to the owner for the purpose intended.
2. Delivery and Shipping
Day by day, human labor is decreasing, and the machines are taking over. Similarly, drones are also used to deliver small packages over a short distance. This means, that for delivering a small item a human is not needed anymore a drone will carry out this job. Companies like Amazon and UPS have applied this use of a drone. Moreover, not only appliances but food items such as pizza, burgers are also delivered using a drone.
3. Film making and photography
Drones have also taken their important step in the world of media. A quadcopter is used for taking aerial shots. Moreover, various movie stunts are also shot using a drone with a camera fitted into it. Some of the movies that used drone technology are, James Bond’s Skyfall, Leonard Di Caprio’s The Wolf of Wall Street, the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the very well-known and famous television series Game of Thrones. Moreover, the drones are also being used to capture events by journalists who themselves cannot reach the unsuitable places. In this case, the drones are sent out to get the live footage for broadcast.
4. Disaster Management and rescue
In the time when there is a natural disaster in the country, drones can come in handy. The drones can be sent out there to monitor the situation and as well as provide aid. Latest news can also be received in that area with the help of a drone. Instead of taking tanks or helicopters to the areas which are dangerous, drones are sent for quick results. Also, the drones are equipped with sensors which can detect lost lives, so it is easier to locate them especially in the low light or night time.
Drones have aided in the process of managing natural and artificial disasters. These gadgets have been used to carry people away from fire outbreaks where firefighters cannot get through. Flood victims have been saved from the risk of being carried away even as their homes are swept. The number of people drowning in rivers has also been reduced making these gadgets optimal for saving lives from imminent danger. In addition to this, drones are also used to deliver food to war-torn areas or areas with no access to food. Some refugee camps are only accessible through drones thus providing the only means of food delivery.
5. Geographic Mapping
Today’s maps are highly specialized, and they carry each and every detail of a street or even waters and mountains. It is difficult for a human to climb all parts of the mountains and get footage. Drones are used for this purpose as well. They collect the data which helps to update the maps. Google maps use this technology to update their existing maps in return which gives humans a map with each and every route and detail.
6. Agriculture
The agricultural sector uses drones in a variety of ways. The drones are used to measure the lengths and widths of the crops to estimate the harvesting time. Moreover, instead of manual labor spreading seeds and fertilizers, drones carry out the seeding process. Moreover, inspection of plants is also done by the drones. The heat sensors installed in a drone can detect the temperature of crops, livestock and the availability of water. The biological sensors help check if any pests or insects attacks are to be dealt with.
The sector is one of the biggest in the world. It is practiced by a large percentage of the global population. There are various ways that drone delivery has eased this. For starters, fertilizers and pesticides can be delivered to the farm from a local store at the orders of the farmer. Instead of heading out, he can buy the package and have the drone pick it up for him. Also, these drones deliver pesticides to the plants through massive aerial application of the pesticides. It is not only convenient but also safe for the farmer since there is a reduced chance of inhaling these chemicals on an application.
7. Real Estate
The real estate also uses drone technology in some ways. Aerial building shots are taken which would be difficult to take for a human. Moreover, the drones reach the parts of a building and take shots where humans cannot even reach, and this helps in giving a good picture and advertising on a whole new competitive level.
8. Pipelines inspection
We use to hear some issues regarding breakdowns due to damage in the pipelines, but this isn’t the case now. Drones are sent inside the oil and gas pipelines for inspection now and then. They are also sent to the electricity generators to check if everything is going well. This helps solve complex problems before accidents happen.
This is one of the key things to know about drone delivery. For a long time, construction has relied heavily on the use of manpower. Nevertheless, with the growth of technological advancement, this is slowly changing to make construction more safe and efficient. Drones are used to deliver construction materials from the ground to the current floor presently undergoing construction. Also, they are used to place some of these materials at strategic positions thus aiding in the actual construction work.
9. Wildlife monitoring
With the increasing theft of the wildlife animals, it was becoming a threat to their natural habitat. Later, the drone technology was used to keep in check the sea animals and as well as the land animals such as elephants, rhinos and lions. Moreover, drones help get footage of animals in their natural habitat without getting noticed so the natural behavior of the animals can be studied by the wildlife enthusiasts.
10. Drone racing
This is one of the popular use of a drone. A new sport called drone racing is now common, and people take part in it for fun. Special racing drones are designed for this purpose, check it out. The racer wears a gear on his head, and he is only able to see what the drone itself can see. There are simple and complex tasks to carry out to win the race. Who so ever complete the tasks first wins the drone race. He or she is awarded and praised by the racing community.
With the drone technology developing each day and drones stepping into every industry with the passage of time, there might be more uses of drones in the coming years. There is not a single design of a drone to carry out all the tasks. The nature of the tasks varies, so that’s why the shape, size, weight, and design of the drone vary accordingly. The basic design of a drone is beautiful bodies with 4 rotors which help it fly and move in the air. Most of the drones have different sensors and cameras installed into them. |
• Stalwarts
They possess and display courage. They are able to face and deal with danger or fera without Flinching. They have a frank and courageous heart that triumphs over pain. They set a courageous example by leading themseleves safely into and out of enemy-held territory.
Aim: Service Before Self
• Mentors
They are wise and trusted fellows. Mentors work in a one-to-one relationship, or with small groups. Their main responsibilities are to provide guidance and help and developing social skills.
Aim: Control your destiny or someone else will.
• Demagogues
They are the real leaders. They believe leadership is the capacity to transmit vision into reality.
Aim: Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is a progress. Working together is a success.
• Pioneers
They are the initiators of each task. They are the genius who go before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow. They are pioneers of reform.
Aim: Sky is the limit. |
Bearing rigidity is important, 4 ways to teach you to increase bearing rigidity
The rigidity of a bearing is the amount of force required to produce a unit deformation of the bearing. The elastic deformation of rolling bearings is very small and can be ignored in most machines. However, in some machines, such as bearings or pinion bearings of machine tools, bearing rigidity is an important factor. Generally, cylindrical and tapered rollers should be used. Bearing.
The elastic deformation of rolling bearings is very small and can be ignored in most machines. However, in some machines, such as machine tool spindles, the rigidity of bearings is an important factor. Cylindrical roller bearings and tapered roller bearings are generally used. Because these two types of bearings are subjected to load, the rolling elements and the raceways are in line contact, and the elastic deformation is small and the rigidity is good. Ball bearings are point contact and have poor rigidity.
In addition, various types of bearings can also be pre-tensioned to achieve the purpose of increasing the rigidity of the support. For example, angular contact ball bearings and tapered roller bearings, in order to prevent the vibration of the shaft and increase the rigidity of the support, a certain axial force is often applied at the time of installation to press them against each other. Here specifically pointed out: the amount of preload should not be too large. When it is too large, the friction of the bearing will increase and the temperature rise will increase, which will affect the service life of the bearing.
1) The configuration of the bearing, the configuration of the bearing has a great influence on the rigidity of the bearing. Generally speaking, for the ball thrust bearing and the roller bearing of the centripetal thrust type, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the large end faces of the outer ring are opposed when used in pairs, so that the ability of the bearing to resist the overturning moment is large. The amount of pre-tension that is adjusted as the temperature changes is also less variable.
2) Multi-bearing support is adopted. Under the condition that the axial position allows, two or more bearings are used as radial support for each fulcrum, which can improve the support rigidity. For example, recently, in the spindle part of a machine tool, a plurality of sets of radial thrust bearings mounted axially preloaded as the shaft support of the same fulcrum are widely used.
3) For the matching surface of the bearing, the lower the surface roughness of the bearing mounting part on the shaft and the seat hole, the better the shape and positional accuracy, the higher the support rigidity is, and the surface strengthening treatment is applied to the above surface. It is beneficial to increase rigidity. The use of a high-hardness plug with a very low roughness, with a certain degree of interference in a lubricated state, multiple times to gently press in and exit the seat hole, is also beneficial to improve the support rigidity, if necessary, the collar can be similarly treated with a snap ring .
4) The bearing pre-tightening method is used to improve the bearing rigidity. The axial pre-tightening method can be adopted for the ball bearing or the tapered roller bearing, and the radial pre-tightening method can be adopted for the short cylindrical roller bearing, etc., which can significantly improve the rigidity of the shaft bearing. At this time, the bearing clearance is eliminated or a small negative clearance is obtained. However, under the condition that the rotation speed is not too high and the temperature rise is not large, it is better to adjust to a small negative clearance state.
The way to choose bearings from the concept of support rigidity is:
(1) Roller bearings are stiffer than ball bearings;
(2) Bearings with large dimensions are stiffer than bearings with smaller dimensions, even for bearings of the same diameter and larger width, which are stiffer than the smaller ones;
(3) Bearings with multiple number of rolling elements and many bearings with a large number of columns have good rigidity;
(4) Adjustable clearance bearing, which is beneficial to improve bearing rigidity i
(5) If necessary, use bearings without inner ring, without outer ring or without inner and outer rings, then reduce deformation and add roll number.
Reprinted from the network |
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