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Time is Precious
Electric cars- the future of car manufacturing
Global warming has become an enormous problem for our planet. The pollution, which is the catalysator of this process, is mainly provoked by air pollution, coming from our car’s exhaust pipe. But there is a solution to this problem, which is electric cars.
Why electric cars are the future?
Since a lot of scientists, almost precisely calculated how much time does Earth have left until it reaches the point of no return from the global warming disaster. Regarding this, humankind will be forced to find alternative ways of doing daily routines, such as driving. That alternate way and our possible salvation from the catastrophe are electric cars, and this trend is in exponential growth.
Why is that so?
If we compare the worth of the Ford and Tesla companies in June 2010 vs June 2020 we can see that Ford is worth around $38 billion in 2010, and Tesla is worth $1.3 billion back at that time. Now, in 2020, Ford is worth $28 billion, and Tesla is worth $256 billion. We assume this happened for 3 main reasons:
• Traffic regularities,
In many countries, in the centers of big cities, only electric and hybrid vehicles are allowed, with other limitations toward “common” cars in the wider city area.
• Political campaigns,
One of the main goals of most political campaigns is a green energy source, if those parties are elected it is ensured that the state will invest in this branch in terms of subsidies.
• Price is getting more and more affordable,
Tesla announced that in a maximum of three years they will start producing electric cars in a price range of $20000-$25000
How to choose the right car?
Nowadays you don’t have to be crazy rich to afford yourself an electric car. The cheapest of this kind, currently on the market, is Mini Cooper SE with the price around $30000. Also, the car maintenance is something that you should take into account since you don’t have fuel cost, car registration is almost free of charge and in most of the countries, you can park anywhere for free. You can find more about choosing the right electric car here.
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Heat Stress
AKA Heat Stroke
What does it look like
The animal is usually open mouth breathing, their respiratory rate is high and the breathing is laboured. They are often drooling excessively and may have a lot of froth around the back of the mouth. Their gums are often bright red or may become bluish if there is not enough oxygen getting into the lungs. If they have severe hyperthermia – overheating, they may be unconscious
What causes the froth
The rapid air movement that occurs with excessive panting causes vibrations at the back of the throat and together they whip the saliva into froth. Once that starts to happen there is decreased oxygen exchange and decreased heat exchange as well which makes the animal pant more and the problem just gets worse
What do you do
Your pet needs to be cooled immediately. If going to the vet is going to take, say more than 20 minutes, then cool your pet at home before coming to the vet
Dogs can be wet and cooled in the shower, the bathtub, the sink or under the hose. Wet towels might be all that is needed. Cats and rabbits and our smaller pets are best cooled with wet towels as putting them in water stresses them further
At the vet hospital we can continue this treatment and monitor their temperature (we don’t need HYPOthermia after the HYPERthermia) and put them on intravenous fluids to cool them internally. Sometimes some suction or medicines are required to help move the fluid and froth that is clogging up their airways. We can also provide them with 100% oxygen to help their compromised respiration
Who is at risk
Any pet given the right conditions, but we more commonly see this problem on excessively hot days and/or very humid days
Those that are most commonly affected are the breeds with the pushed in faces – the brachycephalic breeds with their narrow little nostrils and long soft palates
However, we also see animals that are not brachycephalic, but have thick coats or are overweight or have laryngeal paralysis or have just been left in a place with too little shade and not enough water. Cars heat up incredibly quickly and I’ve even seen a dog that developed heat stress while it was in the car with its owner driving
Some underlying diseases can make our pets predisposed to developing heat stress
For example, animals with laryngeal paralysis can develop heat stress easily; some Border Collies are genetically prone to becoming overheated with too much exercise on any day – and some don’t need much exercise; an underlying respiratory tract infection; pets with mobility problems may find getting to the shade difficult or reaching the water bowl too hard and sometimes they knock over the water bowl; animals affected by ticks can find themselves stuck in the sun and overheating
On those real stinker days make sure your pet has a cool place to go to, (e.g. inside the house), and they can reach it and that they have multiple water bowls in case they knock one or two over. Don’t take your pet on a long run or do vigorous exercise on those days and only go for a walk when it is cool – late evening or early morning before the day heats up. Keep an eye on them and if you really can’t stay at home with them, make sure they are safe while you’re out
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Laser Cutters
The Perth Artifactory has 3 laser cutters available for use. For details on each machine see these pages:
The laser cutters use high intensity collimated infrared light to cut and engrave various materials. The most common materials cut on our laser cutters are woods and acrylic.
All operators must be trained before using the machines. An operator must be watching the laser cutter at all times while its cutting.
The laser cutters are dangerous tools. The main hazards:
Risk of FireMaterial can ignite and cause a major fire. Ensure extraction and compressed air are working and always supervise jobs. In event of a fire - if safe to do so - press e-stop on machine and use spray water bottle to douse the fire. Call 000 and evacuate if fire is out of control.
Pinch pointsThe laser cutter head moves in 2 dimensions (back/forward, left/right) and the bed moved up/down. Be careful to keep your hands clear of moving parts. Any time you command the laser cutter to move, keep your hands clear of the machine. Always have your hand near e-stop when adjusting bed height.
Class 4 Invisible Laser RadiationThe main laser beam is invisible (10.6 microns) and strong enough to blind you immediately. When correctly operating the laser cutter there is no safety risk because the windows filter out the laser light and the lid has a switch that detects when it opens and stops the laser beam. So never defeat interlocks or operate the machine with maintenance panels open.
Bright visible lightWhen laser cutting, the vapourised material may be visible as a bright white light where the laser hits the material. This may be too bright to comfortably look at so don't stare at it.
Class 2 Laser EquipmentThe red aiming laser beams are less powerful than the main laser beam. However you should not stare directly into the beam.
High VoltageThe laser cutter is a mains powered device so the usual 240V hazards exist if working inside the machine. In addition there is a very high voltage hazard when laser cutting. The tube is driven by a special high voltage power supply that reaches 30kV. The high voltage path is isolated but maintainers must ensure the laser power supply cannot turn on while panels around the tube are open (e.g. unplug the laser cutter at the wall).
To cover the cost of maintenance and consumables the laser cutters have fees per minute of operation. When a laser cutter job finishes, the display shows the time it took. This is the time to be charged. The laser cutter software on the PC can give an estimate of cut time before you start a job. It tends to under estimate though especially for engraving.
The definitive reference to fees is given under “Tool Usage Fees” on Committee Rulings. If these two pages differ, Committee Rulings takes precedence.
Laser cutter Member Rate Casual Rate
Big Red $0.20 per minute rounded up to nearest $1 $5 per 10 min ($0.50 per min) rounded up to nearest $5
Middle Red $0.10 per minute rounded up to nearest $1 $5 per 10 min ($0.50 per min) rounded up to nearest $5
Casual members must also pay the day rate.
Please pay for laser time via bank deposit.
• BSB: 086 366
• Account: 16 546 9448
• Description: LASER + Your name
All users must be trained on the laser cutters before using them. Training consists of two parts - first a session to explain how to use the laser cutter including supervised jobs done by the trainee. The second part is a test to ensure the operator is safe to use the laser cutter. A user must be trained and tested on each laser cutter since they are all different in certain aspects.
Training Procedure - This page details the laser cutter training procedure.
Below is a list of trainers (Artifactory volunteers who are able to train new operators). Training can be organised by posting a message to the #lazors channel on slack.
Trainer Name LG500 “Little” KH7050 “Middle” LC1290 “Big” LSO Availability
Nick Bannon Yes Yes Yes Yes Third Tuesday of the month from 6pm
Steve Hodges Yes TBC Yes Yes Ask on Slack
Glenn Martin Yes TBC Yes No
Lemming Yes TBC Yes Yes
Fletcher Boyd Yes Yes Yes No Workshop Wednesdays, other times by arrangement
Iain Graham Yes Yes Yes No Upon request
Beau Daley Yes Yes Yes No Workshop Wednesdays, General Hacking Saturdays, other times by arrangement
Blake Samuels Yes Yes Yes No
Laser Safety Officer (LSO) is a training and certification under the Radiation Safety Act (1975).
Operators List - this is a list of the people who are trained to use each laser cutter.
The software which drives both the LG500 and LC1290 is called “LaserCut” and can be found on the desktop of the computers linked up to their respective cutting machine.
LaserCut 5.3 Manual PDF - It's not a fantastic piece of documentation, but may be useful. Also see MPC6515 controller page.
Please don't alter any of the machine settings without checking with a trainer first!
The LaserCut software accepts only DXF (Drawing eXchange Format) Files.
Which can be created using most CAD programs out there, The most commonly used ones at the Artifactory are Inkscape and V-Carve which are installed on the CAD machines in the Design Lab which can then saved in the internal network the PC connected to the laser cutters can access.
The machines can operate in either absolute positioning mode (The machine will cut the vectors in the position they are located on the outline of the bed in the software) or in relative positioning mode (The machine will cut the vectors starting at the current location of the cutting head).
For most jobs it is easier to operate in relative positioning mode as it allows you to manually reposition the cut much faster by simply jogging the head. Absolute positioning mode is however preferable if you are using a jig to cut or engrave multiple parts. To switch between cutting modes you simply need to toggle the Immediate checkbox, if the checkbox is checked then the machine is operating in relative positioning mode, if it is not then the machine is operating in absolute positioning mode.
Note: You will need to re-download your job after changing the positioning setting in order for it to take effect.
Basic Laser cutter Rules and Tips:
1. You cannot look at both laser cutters at the same time, This means you cannot operate both Little and Big Red at the same time.
2. Clean up the bed after you are done cutting.
3. Closed footwear must be worn at all times in the laser area, Due to the large and heavy objects in the area there is a crushing risk.
4. Do not attempt to open covers or fix issues yourself if you are not qualified to do so. Let the list know if there is an issue so it can be safely resolved.
5. Ensure Chiller temp is correct before operating, I have seen over the last week or two countless times where the chiller is at 30+ Degrees and people are cutting.
6. Do not slam or force the main door, if its not closing there is probably something in the way, Move it and try again.
7. Do not leave the laser cutter while its being used, This may result in the Pause button being pressed by someone, Or in some cases the E-STOP button pressed, If you are withing ear/eyeshot of the laser cutter this is generally considered OK (Going to the fridge etc)
8. Non approved materials are not to be cut in the machines, I have found two cases where people are cutting(trying to cut) ABS in the last 2 weeks.
9. If you aren't confident, Then dont do it.
10. If you dont know… Ask.
General Courtesy:
1. If you have a job that will take an Hour, But someone else has a 5 minute cut, Let them ahead of you.
2. If you NEED to do big 1Hr+ jobs, Try come in at times when the space is less busy (At night)
3. If you change the laser origin, Change it back when you are done, There is nothing more frustrating than downloading your design just to find the origin is changed from the last person who used it. (Yes you)
4. Clean up after yourself, Anything, Even if it has meat left on it, Left out will be disposed off, No questions asked. (Or chopped up), Dont complain when your big bit of 3mm MDF goes missing after leaving it out.
5. If it doesn't have a name of it, Its declared free-game, unless its obvious.
• Big red does not like engraving over 200 Speed, It Rattles the gantry and causes all sorts of harmonics, It is very important to not go over ~200.
• Little Red has a laser accuracy of 0.1mm, This means that your engrave at 0.01mm will take 10x longer than a engrave at 0.1mm (And will look the same), ITs a waste of your time and money.
• Big Red Is not designed for high detail engraving and you wont get the result like you do on Little Red.
Pointers and helpful Tips for using the Artifactory Laser Cutters:
• Corner power on cuts - For most tasks “corner power” should be set to the same power as that you wish to use for the cut. However, please check this when you're setting up the power settings as a lower power setting here can be the difference between a good cut and a failure. The moving laser head moves fastest in a straight line and can “blow holes” through the corners as it slows down.
• Don't use red in your drawings - when you go to load the drawing to cut with lasers, the lines are highlighted red. If you use red you won't be able to tell between your red lines and highlighted lines.
• Cut from the inside out - when cutting intricate shapes with holes in the middle, make the inner cuts first. Define a specific layer and move the layer to the top of the operations queue. The material can move, drop or blow around after being cut free.
• Engrave before cutting - similar to the above. Engrave items before they have a chance to move
• You can etch rather than engrave by using the cut setting with a power level which marks rather than cutting through the material. eg with MDF (any thickness) on the small cutter: try 100% power, 70mm/s speed and 25% corners.
• The large LC1290 laser cuts faster and has a longer focus with a deeper cutting area, but may not be able to be fine enough for some engraving jobs.
• The small LG500 laser has a shorter focus which works well for fine engraving and thin&intricate cuts. It may not be able to cut all materials that the larger cutter can eat.
• The main software used to create laser cuts are VCarve and LibreCAD. They are installed on each CAD computer.
• VCarve is easier to use and works better with the software on the CNC machines.
• LibreCAD has more features but as such is a little harder to use and often creates files that cannot be fully read by the laser cutters. It helps to open these files in VCarve and export again as DXF.
• VCarve runs happily within Wine (Windows emulator) on Debian.
• In VCarve it is also helpful to select all lines on each layer one at a time and join the lines. This allows the laser to cut lines in a continuous motion and reduces travel time for the laser. This reduces the cut time and saves you money.
Some materials are dangerous to put in the laser cutter. If you are not sure what a material is then do not cut it. Some plastics look like acrylic but release chlorine gas when cut. Experience laser operators and maintainers can test samples of materials with extreme caution.
Forbidden Materials:
• Polycarbonates - Releases cyanide - very dangerous to people
• PVC or Vinyl - Releases chlorine gas - very dangerous to people and very bad for machine
• Glass - you can etch it but if you try to cut it will shatter.
• tools/lasercutters/start.txt
• Last modified: 2021/07/22 21:55
• by blakesamuels
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What kind of law is Biblical law?
From Theonomy Wiki
This page contains changes which are not marked for translation.
Answered Questions
Two types of Biblical law
There are basically two types of "law" in the Bible:
1. Apodictic: law stated in the form of an unconditional command. Example. "You shall not murder," (Exod. 20:16).[1]
1. Casuistic: law stated in the form of a hypothetical set of circumstances which result in a type of "conditional apodictic" command. Example: "If a man strikes his manservant or his maidservant with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished." (Exod. 21:20)
Often, you will hear the "casuistic" laws labeled by theologians (and other Christian teachers) as "case laws." There is nothing inherently misleading in this label -- in the context of theology. However, "case law" also happens to be a technical term, with a long-standing definition in the field of legal studies.
case law: n. reported decisions of appeals courts and other courts which make new interpretations of the law and, therefore, can be cited as precedents.[2]
This overlap of terms can be confusing: most of the casuistic laws in scripture are not the "reported decisions of courts." So when theologians use the term "case laws" it can confuse the issue for people who are familiar with the modern legal term. There are actually only four literal "case laws" (by the definition above) in the Pentateuch. Here is one example:[3]
32 While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. 35 YHWH said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp.” 36 All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, as YHWH commanded Moses. Numbers 15:32-36WEB
Each of the four Pentateuchal case laws presents us with new information about the application of YHWH's law. But notice how, in each case, the "judge" revealing this new information is YHWH himself, not the human Moses. Moses did not take it upon himself as a judge to add to God's law. And with good reason. Because one of the commandments forbid it:
2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHWH your God which I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2WEB
Biblical law versus Common Law
This is an important detail to understand, because the term "case law", in certain Western legal traditions, is also roughly synonymous with something called "common law". "Common law" refers to a "customary" Western legal tradition in which judges are designated as the authoritative "discoverers" of new law:
Integral to the modern "common law" idea is a commitment to legally-binding "precedent": a previous court's decisions must be considered authoritative for a relevantly similar set of facts:
The primary facet of the common law legal tradition is the employment of custom or, as it is called in modern times, precedent to adjudicate violations of the criminal law. In a common law legal tradition court, such as those found in the United States, where criminal codes have been adopted, although a criminal statute is the basis for the criminal charges against a suspect, the law is applied by reference to legal precedents. Legal precedents are previous court decisions that have interpreted and applied that statute. The reason for the use of legal precedents is that any criminal statute cannot possibly foresee and address all possible ways the crime in question could be committed. Accordingly, courts are allowed to use precedents to aid in the adjudication of violations of the criminal law.[5]
When I say "modern", I mean that this idea of "binding precedent" was never widespread until the seventeenth century.[6]
Unfortunately, some Bible interpreters will (anachronistically) interpret Biblical law in light of this modern "common law" understanding. For example, Joshua Berman writes:
Deuteronomy presents a record of Moses’ common-law application of earlier teachings. God had spoken at Sinai to a people just released from bondage. Now, with the people poised to enter the land of Israel, Moses interprets and reapplies the laws to accord with an array of challenges they will meet there.[7]
Of course, the above statement is anachronistic and misleading. Moses did record a few actual legal cases: there are examples in Leviticus and Numbers. But Deuteronomy contains laws, like Exodus, which are directly given by YHWH, not "discovered" through Moses' activity as a judge. They have nothing to do with "common law."
Biblical law versus Statutory law
Although we still find remnants of the "common law" tradition in a few places today, it has mostly been replaced by "statutory law", which are laws enacted by a legislature. When men want to increase the power of civil government over their fellows, they don't usually want to wait for a judge to "discover" a new authority in the law (although that sometimes still happens). Now, the legislators simply create a new law by fiat. If they find that there is some detail which they missed, they can add it in the next legislative session.
These statutory laws often arise from a motive to extend control of the civil government into areas which were previously realms of individual freedom. But another main idea driving statutory law is that legal statutes must explicitly address every possible area which the legislators want to forbid or regulate. This has a fancy Latin name: Nullum crimen sine lege ("No crime without a law"):
Nullum crimen sine lege is the principle in criminal law and international criminal law that a person cannot or should not face criminal punishment except for an act that was criminalized by law before he/she performed the act. This idea is also manifested in laws that require criminal acts to be publicized in unambiguous statutory text.[8]
The statutory text must be "unambiguous". Otherwise, clever people might find "loopholes" in the law[9], and a future legislature will find that they must add even more detail to ensure that the law covers every possibility.
We can now see how the statutory law tradition differs philosophically from the common law tradition: the "common law" tradition put a lot of power into the minds of individual judges, with the minimal constraint that they should not overturn legal precedent. Statutory law attempts to remove this power from the judges, constraining them to interpret and apply the law as written in the statute. Judges who create expansive rulings, going beyond the statutory language, are accused of "legislating from the bench."
Given that statutory law is modern idea, it shouldn't surprise us that Biblical law is not like statutory law. Biblical law is a unique legal code, which is intended to be both didactic (teaching legal principles) and abstractly casuistic. It does not attempt to cover every hypothetical detail, even pertaining to the time in which it was written. It depends upon the minds of humans to understand how the general casuistic principles (which some people label as "general equity") in the law apply to relevantly similar cases.
YHWH intended for these general principles to be understood by everyone, not just judges and lawyers. In fact, YHWH commanded that his people teach the law continuously to their children (Deut. 6:6-9, 20-25; Deut. 11:18-21), and every seven years by the Levites to all the people (Deut. 31:9-13). Judges could be selected from any tribe, and any person could serve, not only from the Levites.
And if Biblical law does not identify an act as a crime -- at least in principle -- then it is not (and can never be) a crime (Deut. 4:2), despite what certain humans may want. This is possibly the biggest difference between modern law traditions and Biblical law.
Modern errors
Thus, there are two modern ideas about law which often mislead interpreters when they examine Biblical law:
1. A presupposition that functional legal systems (civil government) ought to regulate every area of human life. This is statism, or the nanny-state mentality, or a belief in the "magistrate" as "nursing father."
2. A presupposition that a functional law code must strive to be comprehensive in its coverage and detail.
Neither of these beliefs correspond to YHWH's "perfect" (Ps. 19:7) law. God's law does not try to criminalize all sins.[10] It does not try to comprehensively anticipate every future contingency, when it teaches us principles of justice. It requires men to elect judges who are both committed to justice (Deut. 16:18, John 7:24) and wise enough to apply legal principles (Prov. 2:1-10) without usurping YHWH's authority by creating new laws (Deut. 4:2).
You will often find people misunderstand Biblical law because of the above two false presuppositions. For example, here is Joshua Berman explaining why Biblical law shouldn't be called a "law code":
Similarly, as in [the Code of Hammurabi], critical aspects of daily life receive no legal attention. The Torah clearly endorses and sanctifies the institution of marriage, for example; yet, if you want to get married, it nowhere says just what you have to do, ritually or contractually. In a work of statutory law, that would be unthinkable.[11]
It is "unthinkable" for a modern scholar like Berman for civil government not to be involved in marriage formation and other "critical aspects of daily life". He doesn't seem to realize how his anachronistic expectation causes his interpretive failure. The non-involvement of Biblical civil government in marriage formation and dissolution is not a bug, it is a feature.[12]
Another example:
For example, despite their importance, there are no laws in the Bible covering adoption or property rental, although these concerns are addressed by other ancient Near Eastern legal collections.[13]
There are many differences between Biblical law and other ancient Near Eastern legal collections[14], but the above difference is not a deficiency of Biblical law, only a failure of the interpreter to recognize that YHWH left many important tasks within the freedom of family decision-making.
An example from James Jordan (who also used the following claim in an argument against theonomy):
if the case laws are designed as a judicial code, then they are incomplete as to form. As Cassuto again remarks, “Another important distinction between state legislation and the Torah laws is to be seen in the fact that the form of the latter is not always that of a complete statute. They do not always state the penalty to be imposed on the transgressor; sometimes only an absolute command or prohibition is enjoined as an expression of the absolute will of the Lord."19 Under the principle of case law, some judicial penalties are spelled out in the Bible, but not necessarily all. In some cases, only the moral prohibition is given, and we are left to discern for ourselves what an appropriate civil penalty would be, if any.[15]
Here, James Jordan is relying upon the opinion of the Jewish rabbi/commentator Umberto Cassuto, who asserts that "complete statutes" must always state a penalty to be imposed upon the "transgressor". Cassuto's is a common rabbinic understanding: the written Torah is incomplete apart from Jewish oral tradition, which supplies necessary information which is missing from the written scripture. It is apparently inconceivable that YHWH would make a law forbidding an act, and not grant human civil government any authority to enforce that law with a penalty ("You shall not add to the word which I command you..." [Deut. 4:2]).
One more example:
The contrast between the biblical and the Mesopotamian legal corpora is underscored even further by the almost total absence in the former of normative rules, that is, formulations of the proper procedures governing commerce and economic life in general. The legal sections of the Pentateuch betray what amounts to complete indifference to the formalities without which the most elementary social institutions could hardly be said to function.[16]
This quote is from a highly-cited essay in Biblical legal scholarship comparing Biblical law to other ancient Near East laws. Finkelstein believes that "elementary social institutions" cannot "function" without legal statutes specifying "procedures governing commerce and economic life in general." It apparently isn't enough that Biblical law regulates the procedures and penalties for crimes like theft, bailment loss, and property damage. The Biblical "indifference" to detailed economic regulations seems like a problem to him.
Let's examine a few of those Mesopotamian economic regulations, just to see what Biblical law was missing:
If a man has bought silver, gold, a slave, a slave-girl, an ox, a sheep, a donkey or anything else from a man's son or a man's slave without properly witnessed receipts, even if he has accepted them just to look after them, that man is a thief, and shall be killed.[17]
If a veterinary surgeon perform a serious operation on an ass or an ox, and cure it, the owner shall pay the surgeon one-sixth of a shekel as a fee.[20]
One major difference that you will find between the "Mesopotamian legal corpora" and Biblical law is a near complete absence of fixed prices in Biblical law. As hinted in the examples above, price fixing is found extensively in the Code of Hammurabi.[22] Anyone with a basic understanding of economics will see how counterproductive and unwise this is. It is a mark of the wisdom inherent in Biblical law that it does not have laws which interfere with market transactions, other than dealing with fraud or theft. That certain scholars see this lack of regulation as a deficiency is a sign that they have been indoctrinated into a modern statist mentality.
Rule of Law versus Rule of Relationships
Before the recent dominance of the modern "rule of law" idea (which actually has its origin in God's law), most people in history have lived under a "rule of relationships." People were governed primarily by:
1. kinship ties
2. tribal affiliation
3. ruler/vassal treaties
4. patronage/client relationships and feudalism
5. commercial customs in which one's participation depended upon maintaining good relations with trading partners
In such an environment of "relationships", the Biblical idea of "rule of law, not men" was revolutionary, and it eventually transformed the West. It turned the injustice of relationship power upside-down. It guaranteed the rights of the weak and powerless in the face of those who used their class status and relationships to oppress others. It ensured that every man (including foreign sojourners) was treated equally before the bar of justice (Exod. 23:3, Lev. 19:15), rather than favoured or disfavoured because of their wealth, tribal affiliation, family, because of "whom they know", or "whom they are friends with".
In its purest expression -- Biblical law -- "rule of law" subordinated the authority of every man to transcendent standards of justice, which applied to everyone in the jurisdiction (Exod. 12:49, Num. 15:30, Num. 35:15). No one -- even the king -- was "above the law" (Deut. 17:15-20). No criminal offender's relative could be killed on their behalf (Exod. 21:31, Deut. 24:16), as was common in ancient Near Eastern law. No father had the right to kill his children at will like ancient Roman fathers did (Deut. 21:18-21). No master had the legal right to kill his slaves on a whim, the way most slaveowners in history have been allowed to do (Exod.21:20). Under Biblical law, no thief was subject to a summary death penalty the way they were under the medieval, feudal infangtheif custom. Under Biblical law, the common practices of "duel" and "trial by battle" are treated as cases of murder.
Unfortunately, modern legality has also been corrupted by power seekers. The idea of substantive (i.e. transcendent) rule of law has given way (particularly since Hobbes and Bentham) to an instrumental, merely "formal" rule of law.[23] The limitations upon civil government encoded in Biblical law have been abandoned, as men sought power over their fellows. Christians in history, following the error of the Israelites, have rejected YHWH as king (1 Sam. 8:7) and have continued seeking "kings like the heathen," to whom they could look as substitute messiahs. Christians have been at the forefront of increasing the power of the state, usurping the authority of YHWH. They have ignored the plain Biblical command, which guarantees that the power of civil government will always be limited, but only if we actually obey it:
1. It is interesting to note that the apodictic style of law "is not attested in any of the ancient Near Eastern legal codes" (Botterweck, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, vol. 2, 273). It is one of the many distinctive features of Biblical law. See How does Biblical law differ from other ancient law systems?
2. Definition from https://dictionary.law.com/
3. The other instances are: Lev. 24:10-16 (punishment of the blaspheming sojourner), Num. 27 (inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad), Num. 36:1-13 (marriage of the daughters of Zelophehad).
4. Definition from https://britannica.com/
5. Plouffe, "Common Law Origins of Criminal Law", The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America, 299
6. Ian Williams, "Early-modern judges and the practice of precedent", Judges and Judging in the History of the Common Law and Civil Law, 56-60
7. Joshua Berman, "What is this thing called Law?", https://hebraicthought.org/jewish-law-legal-tradition/
8. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/nullum_crimen_sine_lege
9. Often these loopholes are intentionally included by clever legislators who are influenced by wealthy persons.
10. For more on this, see How does Biblical law create the strongest possible "Rule of Law"?
12. See Does Biblical law require you to get civil government permission, or a license, before getting married?
13. William Morrow, An Introduction to Biblical Law
14. See How does Biblical law differ from other ancient law systems?
15. James Jordan, Law of the Covenant, 73
16. Finkelstein, "The Ox That Gored", 42
17. Code of Hammurabi, #7, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamcode.asp
18. Code of Hammurabi, #108, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamcode.asp
19. Code of Hammurabi, #110, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamcode.asp
20. Code of Hammurabi, #224, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamcode.asp
21. Code of Hammurabi, #234, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamcode.asp
22. Shuettinger and Butler, Forty Centuries of Wage and Price Controls, 11-12
23. See Brian Tamanaha, Law as a Means to an End
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Question 1 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
Within the staffing function there are how many main steps?
Question 2 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
Human Resources Management (HRM) is the process of employing people, training them, compensating them, developing policies relating to them, and "_______ ________" to retain them.
A."providing incentives"
B."developing strategies"
C."giving bonuses"
Question 3 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
Baby Boomers can be defined as those born between the years?
A.1950 - 1976
B.1945 -1965
C.1946 - 1964
Question 4 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
The term "Head Hunter" refers to?
A.The values that humans bring to the current economy
B.The HRM manager that terminates poor performing employees
C.A person who matches jobs with people
Question 5 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
Diversity is defined as?
A.The differences between people
B.The similarities between people
C.similarities in culture between people
Question 6 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
If employment tests are required a test must be?
A.Easy enough for everyone to understand
B.In direct relation to the job.
C.In the same language for everyone.
Question 7 of 10 0.0/ 10.0 Points
The new EEOC laws took effect when?
A.November 2009
B.December 1964
C.November 1999
Question 8 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
Disparate treatment refers to?
A.When a group of people are treated fairly and equally
B.When all peple are treated poorly in the workplace
C.When one person is intentionally treated differently than another
Question 9 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
Which recruitment programs tend to generate one of the highest returns on investment per hire?
A.Temp firms
B.Employee Referral Programs (ERPs)
C.Direct backfill recruiting programs (DBRs)
Question 10 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points
Nepotism is a disadvantage of what type of recruiting method?
B.Labor Unions
C.Social Media
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Christian Eriksen: What can cause a cardiac arrest?
By Philippa Roxby
Health reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
When the heart stops suddenly, it's critical to start chest compressions quickly and then shock the heart with a defibrillator
Danish footballer Christian Eriksen has spent his third night in hospital having tests, following a cardiac arrest during a European Championship match on Saturday.
But doctors are still no clearer as to why his heart stopped suddenly - and looking for the cause is now a priority.
"It was a 29-year-old fighting for his life," Prof Sanjay Sharma, cardiologist and chairman of the Football Association's expert cardiac committee, told the BBC.
"We now need to try to find out what actually happened."
One of the most common causes of a cardiac arrest is a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Other causes include cardiomyopathy - a disease of the heart muscle affecting its size, shape or thickness, which can be inherited - and acute myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle.
Complex scans of Mr Eriksen's heart will now be being carried out to detect very subtle scars or abnormalities - something which regular screening of league footballers' hearts may not have picked up, Prof Sharma said.
These tests are mandatory in the UK, happening every two years from the age of 16 to 25.
They look for anything suspicious in the way the heart functions and its structure - but despite the best efforts of doctors, these tests are not a 100% guarantee that underlying problems will be found.
Media caption,
How to use a defibrillator and save a life
"These conditions don't always show up in adolescence or in 16 to 25-year-olds," Prof Sharma says.
"They may not start to show until their mid-20s or 30s."
Sometimes abnormalities only occur when footballers are mid-match, or they could be linked to another recent illness which may have stressed the heart.
If and when problems are identified, some can be fixed or treated - but others remain irreversible or incurable.
A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body, starving the brain of oxygen and leading someone to fall unconscious and stop breathing.
It is different to a heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is cut off, often because of a clot in one of the coronary arteries.
'Rare incidents'
"Extreme exercise puts athletes at increased risk because they stress their hearts harder - and that's more likely to trigger an issue," says Dr Zafar Iqbal, head of sports medicine at Crystal Palace Football Club.
"But these are very rare incidents," he adds.
Cardiac arrests can happen to anyone at any time - not just fit footballers.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body, leading someone to stop breathing
Every week in the UK, 12 people aged under 35 die from sudden cardiac arrest.
And in the UK each year, 30,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of hospitals - all requiring emergency resuscitation, with just one in 10 people surviving.
Footballers' hearts tend to be larger and work more efficiently than other people's, which puts them at very low risk of other heart problems such as cardiovascular disease or blocked arteries, often seen in smokers or unhealthy eaters.
But if additional stress is put on the heart from dehydration, heat or a recent illness, that could have an impact.
'Every second counts'
Dr Iqbal says it was crucial that CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was started straight away on Mr Eriksen, followed by use of an AED (automated external defibrillator), and it is a technique everyone should know how to do.
He would like to see defibrillators, which use an electric shock to the heart, installed in every secondary school.
"Every minute of delay reduces the chances of survival by 10%," he says.
Performing CPR can more than double a person's chances of survival in some cases.
"Every second counts when someone suffers a cardiac arrest - the more of us that know how to perform CPR, the more lives that can be saved," says Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, consultant cardiologist and associate medical director at the BHF.
Defibrillators are often located in workplaces and places like airports, shopping centres, and community centres.
Anyone can use them, and experts stress that there is no way of using them wrongly.
The defibrillator will only deliver a shock if it's needed, after automatically assessing someone's heart rhythm.
More on this story
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Pulses is a general name given to plants that provide dried edible seeds. Split pulses in India are known as Dal. Dried peas and beans have about the same composition as Pulses. In tropics, pulses are second only to cereals as important sources of calories and proteins. Bengal gram ( chana dal ), red gram ( tuver dal ), green gram ( mung dal ), black gram ( urad dal ) and lentils ( masur dal ) are the most widely consumed pulses in India.
[edit] Why should I be aware of this?
• Pulses supply the same amount of calories as cereals ie 350 kcal per 100 gm dry weight.
• The protein content of pulses is about 20% to 25% about twice as much as that of cereal's, making them the most economical source of proteins.
• When 100 grams of whole green pulse is sprouted, the sprouts provide 0.06 mg thiamine, 0.66 mg riboflavin, 1.5 mg niacin and 82 mg ascorbic acid.
• Other key nutrients provided by the pulse are iron, vitamins of B group and dietary fiber which mainly comes from whole pulses.
• Pulses are also called wonder food as they are low in fat and absorb the flavor of spices and herbs making them tasty to eat.
• Pulses give an alternative source of proteins without fat for the non-vegetarians where as for the vegetarians it is the only source of proteins.
[edit] All about pulses
[edit] Various forms in which pulses can be eaten
1. By roasting: Roasting any gram in iron utensils can increase its iron content. It also improves its protein digestibility and protein quality. A handful of roasted chick-pea is a good option for in between meals.
2. Fermentation: Fermentation of grinded pulses with rice to prepare idly dosa dhokla increase its content of Vitamin B. It is also light in digestion. Even the people suffering from fever are given this.
3. Germination and sprouting: The vitamin C content of the pulses can be greatly increased by soaking them in water and allowing them to germinate. The vitamin A content increases on the third day after germination when the shoots change from yellow to green with an increase of chlorophyll. Germinated pulses have an easily digestible form of carbohydrates- maltose. Half a cup of any sprouted seed provides vitamin C equivalent to six glasses of orange juice. So a plateful of sprouted green gram salad is a tasty and healthy way of getting your daily dose of vitamins.
4. Vegetables and pulses combination: A combination of pulses with vegetables provide adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. For example sambhar can be prepared by cooking arhar dal with vegetables like pumpkin, bottle-gourd, brinjal, onion etc. Spinach can be cooked with green gram or chick –pea or soyabean to make it tasty.
5. Cereal pulses combination: A combination of cereals with pulses provide adequate amount of proteins of high biological value. The common practice of cooking rice with pulses (khichri) is highly nutritious. You can add vegetables also with this to make it tastier. Chappatis can be made by mixing wheat flour with Bengal gram flour. The flour of the pulses can be added to soups, vegetables curries to make it thicker and tastier. Sweets prepared from green gram and Bengal gram flour can be a good high protein supplement for kids.
[edit] Pulses and health
[edit] References
• Pulses
• How good are Pulses for Health?
• Pulses
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Using laser beams and a high-speed, high-sensitivity camera to “see” the tiny droplets which are produced when we cough, it can be seen that when a mask is properly worn, little or no droplets are released into the atmosphere.
The experiment was conducted by scientists from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and in consultation with doctors from the Singapore General Hospital’s Department of Infectious Diseases and Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, to test the effectiveness of masks in reducing the spread of respiratory droplets.
Executive Director Professor Alfred Huan, and Principal Scientist and Director of Strategic Research Office Assoc Prof Loh Xian Jun, from A*STAR’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), led the experiment, which was carried out in a dark room, and in which the area outside of the subject was lighted up with parabolic mirrors.
What can our scientists deduce based on their findings?
• When people are sick and cough or sneeze without wearing a mask, the droplets they produce which contain viruses can travel 2-3m away. If these droplets land on someone else’s face, or a surface which is touched by someone else, it may make the person sick.
• Heavier, larger droplets drop to the ground while the smaller droplets appear to drift in the air
• Other environmental factors like humidity, temperature and even wind speed would also affect how the droplets travel.
But when any type of mask is properly worn over the nose and mouth, most if not all droplets are blocked from getting out into the air or landing on someone else.
That is why it is critical for people to wear masks to stop the spread of COVID-19, especially given the possibility that there are people who have the coronavirus in their bodies and can spread it, but are not showing any symptoms.
experiments prove that wearing a mask is effective at reducing the spread of
droplets, and complements safe distancing measures. Leave your home only when
absolutely necessary, and put on a mask securely, when you do. If you are ill
but asymptomatic, the mask protects others from you, when you are out and
Professor Alfred Huan and Assoc Prof Loh Xian Jun from A*STAR’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)
One of the doctors involved in the experiment, Professor Tan Ban Hock, Senior Consultant at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital, said, “Wearing a mask is therefore important, as it serves as a mechanical barrier to the dispersion of droplets.”
Masks lose effectiveness if not worn properly
The experiment also showed that the mask must be worn properly. Minute droplets escape if the mask does not cover the nose.
Prof Huan stated, “When the mask only covers the mouth and not the nose, some droplets are ejected into the air due to the loose fit. The efficacy of the mask in curbing the spread of droplets is dependent on how the mask is worn.”
While the team did not investigate the effectiveness of different types of masks, Assoc Prof Loh stated, “A simple cloth mask is effective in curbing the spread of droplets from inside-out. That is, it protects those around the person coughing.”
There is no COVID-19 tracking app on your phones
Think long-term
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Will the banker of the future be a robot? This is the question more and more observers are asking in the wake of the dazzling progress made by artificial intelligence in the field of finance. But what exactly is meant by “artificial intelligence” and will it really revolutionise the sector that much? A brief overview of myth and reality.
Researched and put into practice in major research laboratories for over half a century, artificial intelligence (AI for short) can be defined as the ability of software, a program or a machine to interact with humans or with other software, programs or machines while learning with each interchange or interaction. Although at this point there are not yet any tools specifically designed for the banking sector, artificial intelligence is increasingly appearing in finance and many banks are using services from start-ups, the key issue involved being improving customer relations.
Transforming the customer experience
More and more banks are accordingly installing platforms using artificial intelligence and neuro-linguistic programming on their websites, to help users find information more easily and quickly online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Website users can ask their questions in complete sentences and receive an “intelligent” answer to their question, as the software uses previous user experiences to constantly improve itself. Customer satisfaction increases, the bank becomes more responsive as it can track in real time what customers are looking for, and whether answers to their questions already exist, and performance of their call centres improves because they take fewer calls, from customers who have not found answers to their questions on the website.
Others are already taking matters further by using artificial intelligence to replace customer service staff for basic requests. Genuine virtual assistants, the software sorts, analyses, replies to e-mails and informs customers about the bank's offers.
And this is just the beginning: with their automatic learning capability, AI technologies will in future attain a level of maturity that will enable them to provide customers with a more personalised, worthwhile and fuller banking experience, not only in writing but also through speech recognition.
Increased capacity for analysis
Artificial intelligence also gives banks the possibility of building a 360° picture of their customers. Banks can monitor the web and social networks to evaluate their online reputations and analyse emails sent by branches to measure customer relations and satisfaction rates. More and more banks are currently implementing software able to collect and process users' online feedback forms. Artificial intelligence can also provide valuable help in economic intelligence and marketing. By studying the products and services, types of communication and CRM methods adopted by competitor banks, a bank can adapt its strategy accordingly.
Artificial intelligence is also a prime tool in reducing account opening processing time, speeding up the risk analysis process (in a few minutes instead of several weeks!) and reducing the likelihood of money laundering via investments or loans. By analysing agreements signed according to defined rules and data from various private and public sources, AI is able to provide an almost instant response.
Artificial intelligence is also entering the trading room. In December 2017, ING became one of the first banks to use AI technology to help traders get the best and fastest prices in the bond market.
Automating the business process
In the near future, many requests will be processed automatically. AI is now able to extract the important information contained in a claim report file, analyse the head of loss in question and understand whether or not it is covered by the policy. It can also reduce the processing time when bank cards are lost or stolen. Not forgetting simplification of in-house processes such as recruitment, by automatically analysing and cross-referencing published job offers and offers received.
So, will robots really replace human staff? No, quite the opposite. By relieving them of many repetitive tasks, AI technology will help bank staff in their decision-making and allow them to concentrate solely on value-added tasks. As paradoxical as it might seem, artificial intelligence will make banks even more human.
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#92 Electric Avenue Athabasca Basin Saskatchewan Canada
December 6, 2021 ( Newswire) For over half a century, uranium has been one of the world's most important energy minerals.
It is used almost entirely in nuclear reactors for generating electricity; a small portion of the mineral is also used in radioisotopes for medical diagnosis and research.
Nuclear power is widely considered an efficient form of energy creation. One uranium pellet weighing just 6 grams produces the same amount of energy as a tonne of coal.
Today, nuclear power is the second-largest source of low-carbon energy used to produce electricity, following hydropower. During operation, nuclear power plants produce almost no greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the IEA, the use of nuclear power has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 60 gigatonnes over the past 50 years, which equals almost two years' worth of global energy-related emissions.
There are more than 440 nuclear power reactors currently in operation across 30 countries, with another 50 or so under construction. Together, these nuclear reactors account for around 10% of the world's electricity and one-third of global low-carbon electricity.
As a zero-emission clean energy source, nuclear power has become a vital part of the global energy transition, which would see nations shift away from the use of fossil fuels as the main source of electricity generation.
Last year, as many as thirteen countries produced at least a quarter of their electricity from nuclear plants. Prior to 2020, electricity generation from nuclear energy had increased for seven consecutive years.
In a recently updated outlook report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it expects world nuclear generating capacity to double to 792 gigawatts (net electrical) by 2050 from 393 GW(e) last year.
This was about 10% higher than the 715 GW(e) projection previously given by the IAEA, citing that many countries are considering the introduction of nuclear power to boost reliable and clean energy production.
"The new IAEA projections show that nuclear power will continue to play an indispensable role in low carbon energy production," IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated.
The prospects for nuclear power will likely grow higher in the next two decades and beyond with many countries now targeting net-zero carbon emission. Growth is projected at around 2.6% annually through 2040, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA).
Uranium Market
Positive developments for nuclear energy have also served as a strong tailwind for the long-dormant global uranium market.
As all commodity markets tend to be cyclical, uranium has languished near historical lows for the better part of the last decade, but the tide is beginning to turn.
Since the third quarter of 2021, uranium prices have enjoyed a sudden revival, rising by about 40% just in September, outpacing all other major commodities.
The price surge coincided with a burst of demand in uranium investments, led by Sprott Physical Uranium Trust, which has amassed a uranium stockpile that is equal to about 16% of the annual consumption from the world's nuclear reactors, reflecting a massive bet on nuclear's rising prominence in a carbon-free future.
Since mid-August, the Sprott fund has been snapping up uranium from the spot market almost on a daily basis, sometimes buying more than 500,000 pounds in a single day, according to its website and social media account. That helped to drive uranium futures to its highest since 2012.
Two exchange-traded funds focused on uranium — NorthShore Global Uranium Mining ETF (URNM) and the Global X Uranium ETF (URA) — have also seen a resurgence, with investors having poured more than $1 billion into them so far this year.
However, even before the recent price rally started, demand for uranium from the investment sector was growing, claims John Ciampaglia, CEO of Sprott Asset Management, which oversees the physical trust.
ETFs that track uranium are some of the best performers of the last two years, reversing a downturn that came when investors shunned the commodity following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
About 20 million pounds of uranium had already been locked up by buying from London investment firm Yellow Cake Plc, Toronto-based Uranium Participation Corp. and a few junior uranium development companies, according to Jonathan Hinze, president of UxC LLC, a leading nuclear fuel market research firm.
The Sprott uranium fund was formed out of an April takeover of UPC, which at the time held 18 million pounds of uranium. In March, Yellow Cake bought $100 million worth of uranium from Kazatomprom, the world's top uranium miner. The Kazakh producer is also said to be in talks to supply uranium directly to Sprott, according to Bloomberg reports.
Although uranium demand from utilities has not increased much, Kazatomprom has warned of supply shortages in the long term as investors scoop up physical inventory and new mines aren't starting quickly enough.
Years of persistently low prices have led to planned supply curtailments of existing production capacity, lack of investment in new capacity, and the end of reserve life for some mines. These factors are all likely to jeopardize the long-term security of uranium supply faced with a rising demand for carbon-free electricity.
To complicate matters, utilities normally do not come to the market when they need uranium; instead, the mineral must be purchased years in advance to allow time for a number of processing steps before it arrives at the power plant.
So as the spot market continues to thin, driven by investor purchases, there may not be enough uranium to adequately satisfy the growing backlog of long-term demand.
Not Enough Supply
According to the World Nuclear Association, for about 445 reactors with a combined capacity of over 390 GWe, this would require some 76,000 tonnes of uranium oxide concentrate containing 64,500 tonnes of uranium from mines each year. For context, total production from mines was about 47,700 tonnes last year.
More significantly, mine production as a percentage of world demand has been on the decline for the past five years, from 98% in 2015 to just 74% in 2020, WNA data shows.
World uranium production and reactor requirements. Source: OECD-NEA, IAEA, World Nuclear Association
While the balance is usually made up from secondary sources including stockpiled uranium held by utilities, recycled or re-enriched uranium, and ex-military weapons, their share of the total supply will decline over time and should not be counted on for electricity generation in the long term.
According to a report by WNA, primary uranium production from existing mines will decrease by 30% in 2035 due to resource depletion and mine closures, while new planned mines will only compensate for exhausted mine capacities.
With mine output seeing further declines due to the Covid-19 pandemic and now investors hoarding more physical uranium, the industry is in dire need of strategic investments on mine projects to assuage future supply concerns.
Uranium Mining Overview
Uranium is a naturally occurring element with an average concentration of 2.8 parts per million (ppm) in the Earth’s crust. Traces of it occur almost everywhere.
In fact, it is more abundant than gold, silver or mercury, about the same as tin, and slightly less abundant than cobalt, lead or molybdenum. Large amounts of uranium also occur in the world’s oceans, but in very low concentrations.
To make nuclear fuel from uranium ore, the uranium is first extracted from the rock, then enriched with the uranium-235 isotope, before being made into pellets that are loaded into assemblies of nuclear fuel rods. In a nuclear reactor, there are several hundred fuel assemblies containing thousands of small pellets of uranium oxide in the reactor core.
The nuclear chain reaction that creates energy starts when U-235 splits or "fissions", which produces a lot of heat in a controlled environment.
Most of the ore deposits supporting today's biggest uranium mines have average grades in excess of 0.10% of uranium (or 1,000 ppm), and even the low-grade ores must be 0.02% to support a mine. Therefore, uranium operations are constrained to just a few places with suitable orebodies that can be mined economically.
While uranium production occurs in 20 countries, more than half of the world's total output comes from just 10 mines in five countries, with Kazakhstan leading the way as usual (over 19,400 tonnes). Other notable producers include Australia, Namibia and Canada.
The largest producing uranium mines in 2020. Source: World Nuclear Association
Some uranium is also recovered as a byproduct with copper, as at the Olympic Dam mine in Australia (BHP), or as byproduct from the treatment of other ores, such as the gold-bearing ores of South Africa, or from phosphate deposits in places like Morocco and Florida. In these cases, the concentration of uranium may be as low as a tenth of that in orebodies mined primarily for their uranium content.
Various types of uranium mines can be found throughout the world. Open-pit mining occurs where orebodies lie close to the surface, while underground mining methods are employed where orebodies are deeper.
Meanwhile, some orebodies may lie in groundwater in porous unconsolidated material (such as gravel or sand), and may be accessed simply by dissolving the uranium and pumping it out; this method is known as in situ leaching (or in situ recovery in North America). For some ore, usually those with very low-grade (below 0.1%U), it is treated by heap leaching, which is similar to in situ mining.
Canada's Athabasca Basin
As one of the leading uranium producers, Canada is rich in uranium resources and has a long history of exploration, mining and generation of nuclear power. Up until 2019, it had mined more uranium than any other country (539,773 tU) in history, about one-fifth of the world total.
By 2021, Canada has known uranium resources totalling 606,600 tonnes U3O8 (514,400 tU), with exploration still continuing. A majority of these resources are in high-grade deposits, some one hundred times the world average.
Canada's uranium mining industry is represented by the major discoveries in the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan, which have accounted for most of the country's production since the 1970s. The region is known to host some of the largest high-grade uranium deposits in the world.
The McArthur River and Cigar Lake mines, jointly owned by Cameco and Orano, have been the two main producers.
Cigar Lake is currently the world’s highest-grade uranium mine with 97,550 tonnes U3O8 (82,720 tU) of proven and probable reserves. The McArthur River mine, an even bigger operation than Cigar Lake, was placed on care and maintenance in 2018 due to market weakness.
Uranium mines in Canada. Source: World Nuclear Association
Past production can also be found at the nearby McClean Lake operation, which in the last 10 years has mostly been used to process ore from Cigar Lake; and the Rabbit Lake deposit, most of which had already been mined out after more than 40 years of mining.
Regional Geology
The deposit model for exploration is, more often than not, a basement-type unconformity-related uranium deposit, such as those found at Eagle Point (part of Rabbit Lake), Millennium, and Gaertner and Deilmann (Key Lake).
This deposit type belongs to the class of uranium deposits where mineralization is spatially associated with unconformities that separate Proterozoic conglomeratic sandstone basins and metamorphosed basement rocks. Although rocks of the Athabasca Group and the basal unconformity do not outcrop on the property, they likely once overlaid the basement gneisses and metapelites which now do, as the current erosional edge of the Athabasca Basin, and potential outliers, is about 50 km north of the property.
In Saskatchewan, uranium deposits have been discovered at, above and up to 300 m below the Athabasca Group unconformity within basement rocks. Mineralization can occur hundreds of meters into the basement or can be up to 100 m above in Athabasca Group sandstone.
Typically, uranium is present as uraninite/pitchblende that occurs as veins and semi-massive to massive replacement bodies. Mineralization is also spatially associated with steeply dipping graphitic basement structures and may have been remobilized during successive structural reactivation events.
Such structures can be important fluid pathways as well as structural or chemical traps for mineralization as reactivation events have likely introduced further uranium into mineralized zones and provided a means for remobilization (see below).
Representative sections of three well-known unconformity-related uranium deposits of the eastern Athabasca Basin: Cigar Lake, Key Lake (Deilmann pit) and Eagle Point
Critical criteria for these types of uranium deposits include the presence of graphitic EM conductors within metasedimentary packages, major reactivated northeast-trending fault systems that have been disrupted by obliquely cross-cutting subsidiary structures and the presence of uranium-enriched source rocks (see figure below).
To this day, the northern part of Saskatchewan remains a world leader in uranium production, with several proposed mines waiting in the pipeline (i.e. Denison’s Wheeler River) and various projects in the advanced-exploration phase.
As the rush to renewable energy gains velocity it would be a wise investor indeed that remembers batteries are just energy storage devices. How we produce enough of that energy is a question we should be asking ourselves. Wind, solar, nuclear and hydro are renewables, nuclear energy as base power, will be, has to be, the most important part of the mix.
Richard (Rick) Mills
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Is Erythritol Bad for Dogs and Puppies to Have?
Erythritol is a natural sweetener that tastes like sugar but is healthier than sugar. Erythritol usage has gained popularity in the past few years because of its health benefits. There are many good reasons why erythritol is replacing the use of sugar and other artificial sweeteners.
Unlike other sweet things, it lacks calories and has a low glycemic index. This means, blood sugar and function of insulin remains the same, even after taking it. it’s also healthy for the teeth and doesn’t cause tooth decay like other sweets. This makes it healthy.
Before going into if erythritol is safe for dogs or not, we must know what Erythritol is.
Erythritol: What it is
Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that can be gotten from various natural sources like fruits, fermented foods and vegetables. This sugar can also be produced in labs and factories, in large quantities from fermented corn.
Erythritol is almost as sweet as normal sugar, and this makes it useful for healthy eating because you can get something almost as sweet as sugar, with Zero calories. Perfect right?
Erythritol has several other uses like; adding brown color in foods, giving food a good texture and helping to improve the ability to keep moisture in foods. Why is it called a sugar alcohol? This is because of its structure chemically. It’s very much different from beers, wines and spirits because those ones are under the family of Ethyl Alcohol. The reason it has zero calorie count is because it does not get broken down when absorbed because of its structure molecularly.
Can Dogs Have Erythritol?
To give the long-awaited reply, “is erythritol safe for dogs?”, The answer is simply yes, it’s safe. Erythritol as a sugar alcohol does not need to be broken down by insulin. However, it is already in its simplest form so it’s readily absorbed by the dog’s body. it’s not 100 percent as sweet as sugar, instead it just has 70-80% of sugar’s sweetness, this means the bacteria in the dog’s gut would not be needed to aid its digestion.
it’s still excreted in its unprocessed form, even after it has passed through the digestive system, even after it has passed through the bloodstream. This means it can cause no harm because it’s not absorbed.
Merits of Dogs eating Erythritol
Erythritol is not just safe, it has lots of health benefits to offer your dog. Some of these benefits are;
• Dog Dental Health Improvement
• Providing Stability in blood sugar
• Acting as a strong antioxidant
• Dog Gut friendly
When compared to other sweeteners, Erythritol has a good effect on a dog’s dental health, unlike the other ones that can cause plaque and cavities in the teeth. Instead of inflicting dental harms, it helps improve the dog’s oral health and eliminates oral bacteria.
As said earlier, it’s excreted without its form being changed, this makes it able to stabilize blood sugar. This means it can be consumed by diabetics and non-diabetics. Also, its Zero calorie value, makes it impossible to cause obesity. Instead it could be of help to regulate calorie intake in obese dogs.
Erythritol looks for free hydroxyl radicals, this can in turn, have anti oxidizing effects which can be beneficial to the heart, kidney, liver and intestines. This also reduces risk of inflammation in internal organs. It also prevents your dog from having constipation and neutralizes acidity.
The four carbon molecules in Erythritol’s chemical structure makes it very easy to be digested. When compared to other sweeteners with a high glycemic index, it gets digested completely. This makes it beneficial and safe to use in dog meals.
Excessive Usage can be Dangerous
Erythritol can be beneficial, depending on the amount of it, given in every dosage, if used excessively in a meal it can be harmful to the dog’s health. As in the case of other sweeteners, erythritol is no different when showing health problems when not used in moderation. Some things caused by excess use of erythritol are;
• Problems associated with gluten intolerance, in gluten intolerant dogs.
• Problems in the gastrointestinal tract
When erythritol is taken without moderation at heart, it can cause gas, bloating of abdomen and diarrhea. The diarrhea that comes after the excessive intake is due to the excess reabsorption of water, which in turn causes the stool of the dog to be loose. It can also spike problems in dogs that are gluten intolerant. There are sometimes little or negligible amounts of gluten in erythritol made from grains. Hence, if your dog is intolerant to gluten, it’s good for you to check the product you are buying to be sure it does not contain gluten. Manufacturers like Now foods produce erythritol that are gluten free, you could choose to buy that or any other gluten free erythritol or better still stay away from buying erythritol.
How to use
Erythritol is sometimes added with artificial sweeteners, to improve its slightly sweet taste. However, the use of artificial sweeteners is unhealthy and its use has been discouraged. An increase in weight, cancer risk, heart problems and even seizures; these are only but few that studies have shown artificial sweeteners to cause.
Hence, it’s important to avoid it. When using it, it’s important to introduce it into the dog’s diet, little by little. Introducing it wholly in large quantities can cause diarrhea and allergy. When used in little quantities you’d be able to know if it’s suitable for your dog. If your dog is allergic to it or it’s not suitable another option to try is stevia. it’s also natural with no calories and zero glycemic index, therefore it’s also a healthy choice. Do not hesitate to visit a vet whenever you notice any adverse reaction in your dog to a sweetener, it can help curb lots of health problems.
Erythritol is a good option if your dog has issues with metabolism and high sugar levels. it’s important to use in moderation. It’s also important to discontinue the use of any sweetener that is not suitable for your dog.
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We all want to be successful and help others succeed, but there are many sources of bias that make it harder for women to get ahead.
Mothers in particular face discrimination, including assumptions that they’re less competent—even though studies show that having children can make women more effective at work.
Our friends at Lean In have some amazing tips for managers who want to help make a difference for all the working mamas of the world.
Change the 'likability penalty.'
Strong, confident women are often perceived negatively by their peers, while studies show that strong men... well, they’re just seen as confident. Here’s what Lean In suggests.
The problem
When a woman asserts herself—for example, by speaking in a direct style or promoting her ideas—she is often called “aggressive,” “ambitious,” or “out for herself.” When a man does the same, he is seen as “confident” and “strong.”
The solution
When you hear biased language—such as “bossy,” “pushy” and “shrill”—request a specific example of what the woman did and then ask, “Would you have the same reaction if a man did the same thing?”
Give women credit.
Studies show that removing gender from decisions improves women’s chances of success. So women are punished simply for being women. That’s got to change. Lean in explains:
The problem
Male performance is often overestimated compared to female performance, starting with mothers overestimating boys’ crawling ability and underestimating girls’... Over time, even small deviations in performance evaluation have a significant impact on women’s careers.
The solution
Look for opportunities for gender-blind evaluations in hiring. When evaluating performance, make sure managers are aware of gender bias.
Make work work for mothers.
If you’re a manager, it’s important to know that studies show that modern workplaces make all sorts of negative assumptions about working mothers—consciously and unconsciously. Here’s what Lean in suggests.
The problem
Many studies show that the pushback (or “maternal wall”) women experience when they have kids is the strongest gender bias. Motherhood triggers assumptions that a woman is less competent and less committed to her career. As a result, she is held to higher standards and presented with fewer opportunities.
The solution
Don’t make assumptions about mothers’ willingness to take on challenging assignments or travel. Avoid messages like “I don’t know how you do it,” which signal that good mothers should be at home... If you’re a parent, be vocal about the time you spend away from work with your children; this gives other parents in your organization permission to do the same.
Read more
Lean In has lots of tips about what you as a manager can do to make the workplace a more fair environment for women.
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3 myths in development economics
Nieuws | de redactie
18 mei 2012 | Agriculture expert Leo Stroosnijder uncovers 3 myths related to land degradation and development. In his farewell speech at Wageningen University, Stroosnijder calls on researchers to question assumptions like irrationality of African farmers.
After 45 years of research at Wageningen University,Prof. Leo Stroosnijder is taking stock of thefacts and fables surrounding his field. His specialist areaexplores the erosion of agricultural land, soil and watermanagement and the role played by millions of smallholders (oftenwomen) in developing countries.
The first myth to be upturned relates to the lack of rationaldecisions made by African farmers. According to the departingprofessor, the neoclassical economics of the free market, rationaldecision-making and maximum profit are impractical in developingcountries. Instead, so-called cultural economics state thattravelling to family in times of drought, for example, is moreprofitable than taking conservation measures, partly becausedrought is often very localised (within 20 km). Forging andstrengthening relations provides greater food security thaninvesting in anti-drought measures. The accusations of a lack ofmarket focus often aimed at African farmers are also based onmyths, says Prof. Stroosnijder. Restricted access to the market iswhat curbs farmers in production. In order to increase production,loans are needed for investment. But in countries like Benin, forexample, the interest rate is 100 % and so the benefits of extraproduction are immediately swallowed up by interest payments,resulting in a debt crisis.
Land degradation no imminent threat to foodsecurity
There is another widely-held belief that sustainable developmentcan only be achieved if all farmers participate fully. Theso-called participative approach in development aid cooperation isvery popular, but interviewers seldom hear an ‘honest’ answer totheir questions. More frequently, the farmer being interviewedgives the answer he thinks the interviewer wants to hear. The gapbetween illiterate smallholders and better-educated third partiesis often far too wide.
A number of myths also exist in the area of soil-protectionmeasures, continues Prof. Stroosnijder. Land degradation, forexample, is thought to be a threat to food security. Prof.Stroosnijder does not believe in this doom scenario. The myth datesback to 1995, when it was reported that agricultural productionwould drop by 8% per year, leading to a current production level ofjust 20%. This assertion could not have been further from thetruth, even though the FAO still claims that ‘urgent steps need tobe taken’.
The following phrase crops up frequently in all kinds of researchgrant applications: ‘proven changes in rainfall patterns due toclimate change’. However, analysis of long series of rainfallmeasurements in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso andBenin show no significant changes in rainfall, says Stroosnijder.”So it’s a myth. The world is not being jeopardised by landdegradation or changes in rainfall. A change in land usage and landquality is often referred to as land degradation, but landdevelopment would probably be a better word.”
Human factor omitted in models
Stroosnijder also quashes the fable of the beneficial effects of alarge-scale approach to land degradation if a small-scale approachfails to achieve the desired results. This is a direct reference toplans to construct an 8,000 km-long and 40 km-wide green belt inthe Sahel in an attempt to stop the desertification of the area.”Doomed before it even starts”, is his opinion. This zone naturallymoves hundreds of kilometres in a north/south direction in linewith consecutive years of heavy rainfall or drought.
The professor goes a step further in busting the final category ofmyths: research models. Although there are certainly a number ofbasic questions for soil physics, there is “no need to know morephysical details, as it is by no means certain that this willadvance our applied field of study”, says Prof. Stroosnijder. “Sothe idea that we can generate a perfect picture of land degradationis simply another myth. Models can never be more than part ofreality, and can never be of better quality than the data enteredto compile them. It is the human factor that is missing inmodels.”
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What are the most important skills for the future?
What are the most important skills for the future?
How well are schools really preparing their students for the future world and workforce?
In Australia, 90% of future jobs will involve digital literacy, yet 35% of 15-year-olds are not digitally literate or proficient in technology.
These findings, from the Foundation for Young Australians report: ‘How Young People Are Faring, suggest that schools need to engage more students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education.
This is further highlighted by The New Work Smarts report, which reveals that in 2030, workers will spend 77% more time using science and math skills, and 41% more time using critical thinking and judgment.
Worryingly for schools, many students lack the career management skills required to set themselves up the jobs that will be most in demand by the time they leave school. So how can schools respond?
The most recent Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth (LSAY) by FYA revealed the top four factors that can accelerate the transition from full-time education to full-time work.
They are: enterprise skills; being able to undertake relevant paid work experience; finding paid employment in a sector which is growing; and an optimistic mindset.
On average the transition from full-time education to full-time work took the young people in LSAY 2.6 years, but according to the FYA’s research, the following skills and work experience can speed up this process significantly.
• Building enterprise skills in education (17 months faster)
• 5,000 hours relevant paid employment (12 months faster)
• Paid employment in a future-focused cluster (5 months faster)
• An optimistic mindset (2 months faster)
The jobs in demand
There are more than 1,000 different occupations in Australia, but many of these jobs are related in the sense that they involve similar skills, day-to day tasks and work environments (some of which are surprising).
FYA identified seven ‘job clusters’, which are comprised of the following:
1. The informers: jobs that involve professionals providing information, education or business services
2. The technologists: jobs that involve a skilled understanding and manipulation of digital technology
3. The carers: jobs that seek to improve the mental or physical health of others
4. The designers: jobs that involve deploying skills and knowledge of science, mathematics and design
5. The generators: jobs that require a high level of interpersonal interaction in retail, sales, hospitality and entertainment
6. The artisans: jobs that require skill in manual tasks related to construction, maintenance or technical customer service
7. The coordinators: jobs that involve repetitive administrative and behind-the-scenes process or service tasks
‘Automation-resistant jobs’
Within FYA's 7 ‘job clusters’, the individual occupations were ranked on likely future growth and resistance to automation. The report’s data, which was collected between 2010 and 2015, outlines the top three.
While technologists’ job growth was 19% over the aforementioned time span, 50% of the jobs are expected to be impacted by automation. However, the prospects for this industry in the future workforce are considered strong.
Carers’ job growth was marginally less at 18% but half as likely to be impacted by automation (26%). Like technologists, the future prospects for this industry are also strong.
For the informers, job growth was just 7.6% over 2010-2015, but also less likely to be affected by automation at 36%. This industry is also projected to have strong prospects as a thriving industry into the future.
The Educator's upcoming Education Leaders Summit will include a panel on how schools can prepare students with 21st-century skills. The panel will explore topics such as what skills students will need in 2030, how to promote critical thinking in the information economy and helping students become independent, self-directed learners.
Related stories:
New partnership prepares students for future workforce
‘This is not the time to have a crisis of imagination’
Students lacking crucial interview skills
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Adobe Flash: A Look At Browsers, Codecs, And System Performance
Adobe Flash Player: A Brief History
For better or for worse, Adobe's Flash format is ubiquitous in today's Web surfing experience. In fact, it is estimated that roughly 75% of all online video is Flash-based (according to ComScore). Whether you are a prolific consumer of the missed TV show or just a business user surfing for news, there isn't a day that goes by that doesn't force you to bump into Flash content online. Now, there are competing solutions for content delivery, including Microsoft's Silverlight technology and HTML5 video. We will explore both of those at a later time. Today's agenda is purely Adobe Flash-related.
It is important to make the distinction between a codec and a file container. Adobe's Flash format is merely a video container, basically a storage wrapper. But three possible codecs can be used: Sorensen Spark, H.264, and On2 VP6. So, what is the exact difference between a codec and a container? Think about your most recent vacation. Your luggage is the file container, and the type of luggage you chose dictates where you put your clothes, bath products, computer, and so on. The codec (compression decompression) is the manner in which you squash everything (the data) down to fit into your luggage. This basically applies to any multimedia content. For example, Microsoft's AVI (Audio Video Interleave) format is a file container, but it it could have video encoded with H.264, Xvid, DivX, and so on.
Codecs: Where Are We Now?
In the earliest days of Flash (pre-version 8), the Sorensen Spark encoder was the only game in town. This was an incomplete derivative of the H.263 implementation that is still widely used. However, Adobe introduced another codec--On2's VP6 for Flash 8. At the same data rate, VP6 provides higher quality video compared to Sorensen Spark, but you lose some backward compatibility in the process. Once you move to H.264, the processing power requirement noticeably goes up, but so does the potential quality.
For example, when Hulu first launched, the first round of videos were all VP6 (360p: 640x360 @ 700 Kb/s). However, they provided an option for H.264 (480p: 720x480 @ 1 Mb/s). According to Hulu's CTO Eric Feng, they chose VP6 because of backward compatibility. Now that almost everyone is at least running Flash 9, the company has discarded VP6 and made a full switch to H.264. So, if you get the feeling your laptop is running warmer watching Hulu today than it was a year ago (Ed.: would that be a feeling you get in your pants?), there is a good reason for that.
As consumers of multimedia content, we generally don't concern ourselves with matters of bit rates and codecs. However, when people talk about HD today, we spend so much time bickering about resolution that it seems foolish. For those of us that actually create 2D/3D content, it's the bit rate and codec efficiency that matter, not how many pixels run across the screen.
To that end, it is a pity that AMD seems to be falling into a quagmire of marketing terminology. Platforms based on the C-50 and C-30 APUs (Ontario) will be branded as "HD Internet" as part of its Vision campaign. The insinuation seems to be that these machines are more capable of playing back 1080p content than a Core 2, Atom/Broadcom Crystal HD, or Atom/Ion 2 combination, and that's not necessarily the case. Those C-series APUs won't even be going into configurations capable of 1920x1080. But as we mention, it's not an HD resolution that determines the quality of your content, but the bit rate and codec.
Never mind the fact that tiering a brand makes it all the more difficult to understand. Just imagine if Intel had tiered Centrino with Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond levels. Instead, we're dealing with Vision Black, Vision Ultimate, Vision Premium, Vision, and HD Internet. Convoluted enough for you?
But we digress...
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How the First Past the Post Electoral System is Polarizing the US
Image Courtesy of Pxfuel
James LeGallais, Queens University.
The United State’s current political climate is characterized by a polarization of the electorate and the political elites. This political divide, spanning across a wide range of issues from race and gender equality to immigration, has only grown from the 2016 Presidential race between Trump and Clinton to the current one between that of Trump and Biden (“Voters’ Attitudes About Race and Gender Are Even More Divided Than in 2016” n.d.). Although this divide and polarization is not new—the start of which can be traced back to the 1960s with the implementation of racial equality policies—it is of significance as it has been reinforced by the current First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system. By analyzing the ways the FPP system has contributed to the amplification of this divide, I will highlight the need to either change the electoral system the US uses or adapt it to address this issue before it becomes impossible to do so. First, this article will briefly outline the historical beginnings of the current polarization of the political system, highlighting how the First Past the Post System has perpetuated and amplified this effect in the political elites. Second, it will demonstrate how this has been reflected through the electorate. Lastly, this paper will outline the reason this system should be replaced or changed as a result, looking at Germany as a model for this.
History of Political Elite Polarization and Electorate
The history of polarization between political elites in the United States is most easily seen in the creation of racial equality policies in the 1960s. The creation of these racial policies began to divide the Republican and Democratic parties, as before the Voting Rights Act was passed, the Republican and Democrat parties were made up of a more diverse range of ideologies than they are now. For instance, “many northern Republicans [at the time had]… moderate-to-conservative views on economic policy [and] relatively progressive views on race”(Yglesias 2011) while the Democratic party at the time consisted of members with both left and right-wing economic views, although they typically held right-wing views on racial policies. Simply put this resulted in an ideological coalescence of the Republican and Democratic parties following the passing of the Voting Rights Act as Republicans with more racially progressive views defected to the Democratic party, while Democrats with racially and economically conservative views shifted to the Republican party (Jeremy 2018).
This polarization led to a shift in the way US political elites used the political system to their advantage so that they could pass more ideologically aligned legislation by remaining in control over the Senate and the House of Congress. A well-documented use of this is the redrawing of congressional and state voting districts meant to advantage the party in power by minimizing the seats which could be won by opponents, otherwise known as gerrymandering (to see a well-explained example of this see (Ingraham 2015). This issue has persisted despite efforts to stop this from occurring, such as through the use of an advisory commission or independent commission. One example of this issue being perpetuated is the creation of stricter voter regulation policies by Republicans which acted to disproportionately affect African Americans who are mainly Democratic (Panetta 2020).
The way in which the First Past the Post system has contributed to this polarization is through the creation of a two-party system that only elects the representative who received the most votes. The federal FPP system in the US leads to the amplification of this polarization as it assisted in the ideological coalescence of the two political parties. Only having two parties made it much easier for the political elites to converge on economic and political ideologies, as “Democrats and Republicans almost by definition stand in opposition to each other”(Iyengar and Westwood 2015, 704). Additionally, this system disincentives cooperation between the two parties. For instance, it allowed for Newt Gringrich to pursue a strategy of obstruction to stop Clinton from passing legislation, as it was found to be a more effective method for earning party seats than working to find common ground (Gross 2018). This when used by political elites to their advantage contributed to the polarization of the electorate as it led to public distrust of these institutions (Rainie and Perrin 2019).
This polarization is evidently reflected in the electorate as out-group hostile sentiments, and discrimination based on political affiliation has been shown to affect judgments of US citizens even in non-political situations (Iyengar and Westwood 2015). Notably, Iyengar and Westwood found that the discriminatory sentiment was as strong as that of race. Additionally, th polarization of the electorate can be seen in the ways in which US citizens refuse to engage in political debates. Although there has been a rise in ‘fake news’ across the internet, it has increasingly attracted use as a term to deny the credibility of the evidence for counter-arguments. Most notably this was used by Donald Trump as it “signalled to the many people out there who were supporting Trump… that [Trump] was saying ‘OK, we’re going to take this term and make it ours”(Wendling 2018). Clare Wardle, who works for a non-profit at Harvard’s Shorenstein Centre, speaks to the effect this had to shut down all conversations, citing her own dislike of the “the phrase now [because]… it’s used as a term to describe everything… people just use it against any information they don’t like.”(Wendling 2018). As a result of conversations being shutting down between US citizens, the electorate is only likely to become more polarized as they choose to engage with only those who share their opinion. This serves to reinforce elites’ use of polarizing language and rhetoric as citizens desire more polarized representatives for their state, one possibility is that these representatives are seen as being better able to protect their constituents’ interests (Harbridge and Malhotra 2011, 183).
Moving Past the FPP System
The FPP system should be replaced. It not only creates a system in which political elites are incentivized to engage in partisan behaviour, but which has perpetuated this divide by reflecting this sentiment in the electorate. This creates a looping effect as representatives are then seen as better able to protect their partisan electorate’s positions by being more partisan themselves. This presents a dangerous situation, given the current socio-political divide in the US, and will only get worse with time. Thus, the US should begin to analyze and consider different electoral systems they can adopt to prevent this divide from worsening before they are unable to change the system.
One such example is that of Germany’s First Past the Post system which incorporates a proportional representation party list. This has created a political system that mitigates the polarization of the elites and as a result the electorate. The German electoral system creates a willingness to compromise between elites as parties enter in negotiations with each other following each election cycle to see if coalitions are attainable so they can control the vote for the chancellery and maintain control over writing policies (Wettengel 2017). The current ruling coalition in Germany is made up of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU). Additionally, although Germany has a federal system, the German electoral districts are controlled by a separate 3rd party who determines the seat increases for each district and is in control of changing electoral boundaries (“Constituency Commission – The Federal Returning Officer” n.d.).
Gross, Terry. 2018. “‘Combative, Tribal, Angry’: Newt Gingrich Set The Stage For Trump, Journalist Says : NPR.” NPR. 2018.
Harbridge, Laurel, and Neil Malhotra. 2011. “Electoral Incentives and Partisan Conflict in Congress: Evidence from Survey Experiments.” American Journal of Political Science.
Ingraham, Christopher. 2015. “This Is the Best Explanation of Gerrymandering You Will Ever See – The Washington Post.” Washington Post, March 1, 2015.
Iyengar, Shanto, and Sean J. Westwood. 2015. “Fear and Loathing across Party Lines: New Evidence on Group Polarization.” American Journal of Political Science.
Jeremy, Smith. 2018. “The Roots of Polarization: From the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to September 11, 2001 to Today.” Medium, September 11, 2018.
Panetta, Grace. 2020. “Why Black Americans Still Face Obstacles to Voting at Every Step – Business Insider.” Business Insider, September 18, 2020.
Rainie, Lee, and Andrew Perrin. 2019. “Americans’ Declining Trust in Government, Each Other: 8 Key Findings | Pew Research Center.” Pew Research Center, 2019.
“Voters’ Attitudes About Race and Gender Are Even More Divided Than in 2016.” n.d. Accessed October 9, 2020.
Wendling, Mike. 2018. “The (Almost) Complete History of ‘Fake News.’” BBC News, 2018.
Yglesias, Matthew. 2011. “Segregation and Polarization.” Think Progress, 2011.
Image Retrieved from Pxfuel.
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Ludwig Feuerbach
The essence of christianity - Ludwig Feuerbach
Ludwig Feuerbach
Ludwig Feuerbach's classic criticism of religion as an outward projection of humankind's own inner qualities.
Introduction to Marx's early writings - Lucio Colletti
The late Lucio Colletti discusses the content of Marx's early writings and how their late emergence influenced Marxism and the reinterpretation of Marx.
Written as an introduction to the Early Writings volume of the Penguin Marx Library; London, 1975.
Stirner, Feurbach, Marx and the Young Hegelians - David McLellan
A summary of Stirner's ideas and their strong impact on his fellow Young Hegelians. McLellan asserts that Stirner's influence on Marx has been under-estimated and that he "played a very important role in the development of Marx's thought by detaching him from the influence of Feuerbach", his static materialism and his abstract humanism. Stirner's critique of communism (which Marx considered a caricature) also obliged Marx to refine his own definition. Stirner's concept of the "creative ego" is also said to have influenced Marx's concept of "praxis".
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Keeping our phasmid cultures pure
Why do we keep our phasmid cultures pure ?
• Until just some years ago, phasmid breeders considered it a great idea to mix "new blood" of a fresh "out-of-nature" population with an "old" captive-bred culture. Without considering whether both populations are actually conspecific (= the same species) and actually fully "biologically compatible".
• But mixing a fresh "out-of-nature" population with an "old" captive-bred culture is like putting a new engine in an old, dented, shabby car. No really a good idea....
• Furthermore things are a bit more complex than this simplistic approach suggests.
• There is the age-old controversy amongst biologists - "what is a species after all?".
• One might think that taxonomists have a clear idea about what a species is, but as John Wilson puts it "there are n+1 species concepts in a room with n biologists".
• So there is just no such species concept which does impose itself inevitably and "universally" and thus would be accepted far and wide.
• For example the biological species concept, which is widely known even amongst non-biologists. This concept defines a species as "groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups" (Mayr, 1942). Yet no phasmid taxonomist has ever tested this concept when describing a new species - due to practical reasons. Thus this concept has no significance in taxonomy in general and in phasmid taxonomy in particular. The consequence is, that we don't know whether different valid species could actually hybridize - or not. And to avoid any possibilities, closely related species (e.g. species of the same genus) must strictly be kept separate.
• Then there is the morphological species concept, which groups individuals into different taxa based on their outer appearance (morphology). This concept is widely applied by (phasmid) taxonomists due to practical reasons again - usually they have nothing but dead, preserved specimens for their work. Just as this concept leaves some room for personal interpretation and choice of emphasis, this inevitably leads to divergent opinions amongst taxonomists (sometimes even fueled by personal animosities).
• More recently, our increasing knowledge about cryptic species, siblings species, species groups and convergent evolution suggests that defining a species based solely on it's morphology can be tricky - to say the least. A "very similar" or "identical" morphology could be a strong indication but no proof that that two populations are closely related or conspecific.
• There is cause for circumspection when comparing geographically well separated populations. For example morphologically rather similar populations which originate from different islands or which are separated by a long distance or geographical barriers (mountain ranges, rivers, arid areas). There are indications that conspecific yet geographically well separated populations might not be fully "biologically compatible" anymore. Examples are Ensatina eschscholtzii or Phylloscopus trochiloides.
• Superficially the phylogenetic species concept seems to offer a preciser way to distinguish species. But actually the species problem is far from being solved. The age-old question just reappears with a new livery ... Which degree of genetic divergence is "proof" enough that two populations are different species? Humans and chimpanzees are phenotypically very different, and who wouldn't agree that these are two different species. Yet their DNA is about 98.8% the same. So where to draw the line between species when it comes to genetic divergence? Different taxonomists will have different ideas about this, and the quarrel will go on.
• To add to the confusion, there are even more species concepts. More than 20 concepts are being discussed.
• What about sub-species? Is it a valid and elegant solution to honor minor differences between well separated, yet conspecific populations? Or is this just the last resort for unassertive taxonomists?.
• So no wonder that defining / describing a new species is a controversial subject, as no species concept or taxonomical approach can claim to be universally and absolutely true. Nor is there any concept which is absolutely wrong.
• Taxonomy is (as other scientific disciplines too) our human attempt to understand the complexity of nature - by overlaying the world with a grid in order to measure, categorize, understand and apprehend what is going on around us. It is like sieving through some stuff, to get order and control. A group of biologists (lumpers) prefers a rather coarse sieve. While another group of biologists (splitters) apply a finer sieve. Thus lumpers will inevitably end with a lower number of distinctly separated groups (or species) than splitters. But who is right, who is wrong? Neither approach is totally wrong, nor totally right. Splitter tend to ignore the unity in diversity, while lumpers tend to ignore the diversity in unity.
• Here are some videos, which give some basic info on this subject and it's controversy:
• Two well separated populations might be considered to be conspecific (according to the biological, morphological and / or phylogenetic species concepts), still they will show consistent minor differences. The worldwide human society is good proof for that. And why would it be different in the world of phasmids?.
• All this shows that there is good cause for serious phasmid breeders to keep cultures of potentially conspecific from well separated locations pure and strictly separate - at all stages of their development. Keeping cultures pure is a way to preserve nature's astounding diversity and it's scientific value. Who knows what future taxonomical in-depth studies will come up with - sooner or later.
• Finally, let's have a look at the E. tiaratum cultures in Europe. They thrived for 50 - 60 years in Europe and this species was considered to be very easy to breed - a "beginners species". Yet some years ago, breeders across Europe "suddenly" reported problems with Extatosoma tiaratum. Interestingly these problems arose just during the time when "new" E. tiaratum cultures from Australia became available in Europe. And many breeders frantically mixed their old cultures with these newly imported cultures. Is it just a coincidence, or could it be that these newly imported cultures were not fully "biologically compatible" with the old culture, which lead to weak hybrid cultures? Just a thought ...
How to keep our cultures pure ?
• Use a culture's full scientific name, and make sure that you have the scientific name correctly.
• Never ever use common names (like "prickly stick insect" ect.).
• If you know the exact geographical origin / provenance of your culture, then use the full scientific name always with the provenance as affix. For example Phyllium rubrum "Tapah",
• Phyllium rubrum = species name.
• "Tapah" = provenance affix (indicates that this pure culture originates from the hills around Tapah on Peninsular Malaysia).
• If you import or collect a new culture yourself, make it a point to add the provenance affix to the species name when you distribute your new culture to other breeders. Be as specific as possible when choosing the provenance. Just the country name is not good enough!.
• If there are several closely related yet significantly different cultures from the same provenance, then one can add an additional morphological feature to the affix. For example Phyllium rubrum "Tapah" which first had been in culture as Phyllium sp. "Tapah, red coxae" - cause their red coxae are a distinctive feature.
• If you do not know the exact geographical origin / provenance of your culture, then please be honest about it. Crooks only would label a culture of unknown origin with a specific location.
• Do not keep two species of the same genus in the same cage (see information above). We just don't know how easily different species hybridize (see example below).
• Keep cultures from well separated geographical origins strictly separate at all stages (during incubation, nymphs and adults).
• It is the best anyway to keep just one phasmid species per cage. The population density even in the biggest cage is still much higher than it is out in nature (for most species).
• Make sure that your cages and incubation boxes are escape-proof.
• Use physically separated incubation boxes, so that there is no possibility of mixing up hatching nymphs of related species.
• Nymphs which escape and roam in the phasmid room outside the cage can not be put back into a cage with a pure culture. Especially if we are breeding similar species (belonging to same genus). Even from eggs which lay in a dark and dusty corner of our phasmid room nymphs can hatch, even after one or two years.
An example - Anisomorpha buprestoides x Anisomorpha paromalus
Some time ago our team leader Oskar made an interesting experiment. He intentionally kept together an Anisomorpha buprestoides "Ocala" (Florida, USA) female with an Anismorpha paromalus (Belize) male.
Anisomorpha buprestoides (left) from Ocala National Park, Florida, USA. and Anisomorpha paromalus (right) from Belize.
They mated readily, and the resulting eggs have been incubated to see whether there would be male offspring and what the offspring's color might be. And Oskar found that:
• F1 hybrid generation hatching ratio was "normal".
• F1 hybrid generation showed a normal vitality and grew up well.
• F1 hybrid generation with male and female specimens.
• F1 hybrid generation was variably colored, basically a variable blend of both species' coloration (see pics below).
• F2 hybrid generation eggs hatched too (though this generation has not been checked for the presence of males).
This experiment shows how easily two widely accepted distinct and valid species can hybridize. And as we do not know the hybridization potential in other taxa, therefore we are well advised to keep species of the same genus strictly separate. At all stages of their development.
Hybrid of A. buprestoides and A. paromalus.
Hybrid of A. buprestoides and A. paromalus.
Hybrid of A. buprestoides and A. paromalus.
Hybrid of A. buprestoides and A. paromalus.
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Rebel Daughter
By – September 29, 2021
Esther Bat Hanan, the heroine of Lori Banov Kaufmann’s new historical novel for young adults, Rebel Daughter, is the daughter of a Temple priest in Jerusalem during the tragic Jewish War against Roman occupation. Between 66 and 70 C.E., the colony of Judea was torn by internal factions but ultimately chose to fight against the overwhelming power of the Roman Empire. This formative episode in Jewish history unfolds from the perspective of one exceptional young woman, whose character is based on an intriguing grave inscription found in Italy, marking the resting place of a Jewish captive brought to Rome. Esther is intelligent, curious, and insightful. She questions her own motives as well as those of everyone around her, including the members of her conflicted family. In spite of the fact that readers may know the outcome of the larger picture, which culminated in the destruction of the Temple and the cruel repression of Judea’s inhabitants, Esther’s personal fate is undetermined. Kaufmann’s carefully researched and well-crafted narrative draws readers into Esther’s role in turbulent events, as well as her full range of emotions and difficult personal decisions.
Constantly questioning the cultural norms that prohibit women from learning, Esther convinces her father to teach her to read and study, not only Hebrew but also Greek. She observes him enacting the complex ceremonies of Temple sacrifice and feels viscerally connected to the Jewish people, even more so as their lives become progressively more threatened. Esther’s relationship with her mother, Sarah, is much more compromised by Sarah’s accommodation to men’s control of women, as well as by her unresolved grief at the loss of a young son before Esther was born. Esther’s sadness of her mother’s rejection remains a looming presence and an undeniable influence on all of the young woman’s relationships. Kaufmann avoids anachronisms; Esther’s rebelliousness does not extend to all prescriptive gender roles of her time. Rather, she struggles to reconcile her personal needs with the demands of being a dutiful daughter and member of Jewish society.
Some of the major characters are based on historical figures including Joseph Ben Matityahu, better known as Josephus, author of The Jewish War. This first century C.E. account by a Jewish leader, who first fought the Romans and later changed his allegiance to the winning side, is both deeply informative and controversial. In Kaufmann’s novel, the man sometimes viewed by Jews as a collaborator is presented from a different angle, as the object of Esther’s physical and emotional attraction. The ambiguities of his role in history become part of his possibilities as a mate. Esther is torn between her desire to trust this handsome and dynamic man and her awareness that his morals might be more flexible than they should be. The idea of Josephus as the object of a strong young woman’s sexual ardor and of her simultaneous skepticism certainly offers a new perspective on this chronicler of Jewish nationalism.
Roman and Jewish ideals and culture are strongly contrasted in this book. Indifference to morality, gratuitous torture of their subjects, and debased personal relationships are all opposed to the Jewish values of scholarship, fidelity to the law, and the centrality of family. There are even descriptions of Roman atrocities that foreshadow the Holocaust, such as detailed scenes of utter inhumanity and the use of the term selections” in determining which captives will be allowed to live. Yet there are some dishonest and disloyal Jews in the story, as well as Jewish political extremists who fail to assess their political situation realistically. At the same time, a Roman citizen, the formerly enslaved Tiberius, is one of the most nuanced characters; he causes Esther to reevaluate all of her assumptions. She gradually learns to reconcile her aspirations for freedom and the terribly limiting circumstances of her time. At one desperate moment, Esther compares her lack of free will to the status of an insect trapped in pine resin.” By the novel’s conclusion, she has negated this metaphor and broken free.
This highly recommended story includes an author’s note, and a thorough historical note by Professor Jonathan J. Price of Tel Aviv University.
Discussion Questions
1. At the beginning of the book, Esther struggles with her identity. Around women, she was a girl. Around men, she was a woman. With Jews from the Galilee or Jericho, she was a Jerusalemite. In the Lower Market, surrounded by peasants, she was the daughter of a priest, an aristocrat from the Upper City. With Romans, she was a Jew. But sometimes she wondered, who was she really?”
How does Esther’s identity develop over time?
What defines one’s identity? Religion, family, nationality or something else?
2. Women in first-century Jerusalem had clearly-defined gender roles as daughters, wives and mothers. They were expected to be modest, pious, and diligent in the domestic sphere.
Do Esther’s choices reflect her own values and desires or are they based on societal expectations?
Does the title Rebel Daughter accurately apply to her? Why or why not?
3. Esther believes that Joseph is the one she loves and Tiberius is the enemy, but ultimately she discovers the opposite to be true. Throughout the book, Esther is repeatedly reminded of Miriam’s words What you think you know isn’t always so.”
Explore the significance of preconceptions in the story. Have there been times in your life when it was hard to let go of certain assumptions?
4. Family relationships are an important theme in the book. Esther basks in her father’s attention and bristles at her mother’s criticism. How do her relationships with her parents and her brothers influence her actions?
5. The historian Flavius Josephus was born a Jew named Joseph. But after the rebellion, he moved to Rome and lived in the house of the Roman emperor. His fellow Jews felt betrayed and never forgave him for advising the Romans during the siege of Jerusalem. Yet some historians claim that Josephus actually tried to save Jewish lives. They point out that he spent the rest of his life defending the Jewish people in his writings as proof of his loyalty. Was Josephus a traitor or a hero? Why?
6. The ancient Jews lived according to the laws of the Hebrew Bible, which emphasize purity and holiness. These laws affected all aspects of daily life, including food, personal hygiene, and sexual relations. Is there a connection between spiritual and physical purity?
7. Archaeologists have determined that during the first century, Jews in Jerusalem collected the bones of the dead in small rectangular boxes, called ossuaries, so that the deceased could be physically resurrected in the future.
How does belief in an afterlife influence the characters in the story?
8. Both Miriam and Zahara play important roles in Esther’s life. How are female friendships portrayed in the book? Does Miriam remind you of anyone in your life?
9. At various points in the story Esther is forced to choose between her own interests and those of her family.
Does Esther makes the right decision when she agrees to marry Lazar even though she doesn’t love him?
During the siege of Jerusalem, Tiberius offers to help her escape, but Esther refuses to abandon her family. Does she make the right choice?
10. Esther struggles to understand how the Almighty could have allowed the destruction of his Temple and the death of so many innocent people, but she never ceases to believe in God. Discuss the role of faith in the book.
11. Esther feels conflicted about her love for Tiberius. Why? What causes her to overcome her reservations and agree to marriage?
12. At the same time that the Jews were defending themselves against the Romans, they were fighting each other. In fact, ancient Jewish sources claim that the real cause of the destruction of the Temple was senseless hatred” among the Jews themselves. Do you see any parallels in other periods of history, including your own?
13. Quotes from contemporary sources appear before each section of the book. Did you find these quotes interesting, or did they take you out of the story world? Did you find yourself wanting to know more about any of the real-life events or people in the book? If so, which ones, and why?
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Some movies to help conceptualize surface viscosity
Vikram Prasad and Eric Weeks (Please e-mail either of us if the movies below don't play for some reason - include your web browser and operating system)
Air-water interface
In the movie shown below, I have suspended a paper clip on the surface of a petri dish filled with water. The paper clip doesn't fall because surface tension holds it in place. By waving a bar magnet in front of the paper clip, I am applying a magnetic force on it, which causes the paper clip to move. There is no significant drag on the paper clip, except that from the bulk water phase below (the air phase is assumed to have nearly zero viscosity). The velocity of the clip is quite high, as expected.
In the next movie, I have added a little bit of albumin (a protein) to the bulk water phase. The quantities of albumin are small enough that they do not affect the bulk viscosity of the water phase. However, albumin likes the air-water interface a lot, and therefore its surface concentration is quite high. What this means is that it adorns the interface and prevents the motion of objects there. In the movie below you will see that the movement of the paper clip is significantly slowed down, and since the bulk viscosity of albumin/water is not that much different from the water solution shown above, all the drag the clip is experiencing comes from surface effects, namely, surface viscosity. Note that both movies are playing at the same speed (video frame rates), so the two cases can be compared directly.
In fact, this paper-clip/bar magnet concept is actually used to measure surface viscosities by a device known as a magnetic needle viscometer. Instead of a paper clip, researchers use a small magnet placed in a hollow teflon cylinder, and large Helmholtz coils that apply a caliberated magnetic field. The dimensions of the small magnet are of order the size of the paper clip, especially the thickness, which is about 1 mm. Of course, the limitation of such a device is that the surface viscosity has to be reasonably large so that bulk effects do not dominate.
Soap films
A soap film is a special interfacial system consisting of a thin fluid (water/glycerol mixtures typically) that are separated from air phases above and below it by two interfaces that are stabilized by surfactant. The soap film in the movie below is one such example (50:50 w/w water glycerol mixture and 0.3 wt % DAWN dishwashing detergent). For some reason that is not entirely apparent (though I have some ideas) the soap film is quite rigid. The paper clip in this case feels a large drag too, and the hypothesis is that most of it is coming from surface viscosity effects. The bulk viscosity of the water/glycerol mixture is only about 6 times that of pure water, and cannot explain the low velocity of the clip (unless water has preferentially drained from the film, which seems unlikely).
For more information, please contact Eric Weeks: <weeks(at)> or Vikram Prasad: <vprasad(at)>
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Document Type
Capstone Project (Open Access)
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Health and Human Services
Collaborative Health of Human Services
Mental illness within the homeless community is a pressing issue, which requires an increase in awareness throughout the community in order for it to be properly addressed. A lack of funding for low-cost or free mental health care, difficulty accessing existing programs by the homeless, and few options for care have contributed to the issue of mental illness and poor mental health among the homeless youth community. This can lead to various severe consequences, such as declining mental state for those within the community, prolonged homelessness, and an increased risk of developing a substance abuse disorder.
The Youth Homeless Response Team of Santa Cruz county works directly with unaccompanied youth between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four that are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Because of the agency’s direct interaction with homeless youth, they have an opportunity to begin addressing this issue, by raising awareness within the homeless youth community, and providing assistance in connecting youth to resources. By providing clients with mental health care kits, attention can be drawn to youth about the importance of their mental health and wellness, as well as mental health services that they may not have been previously aware of.
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Screening For Coronary Heart Disease. Uptodate.
What Sort Of Stroke Screening Tests Prevail?
Stroke testing is very essential in the treatment of stroke, particularly when the stroke is triggered by an embolism in the blood vessel. Embolism that developed in a blood vessel are referred to as “thrombosis.” A blood clot can be caused by anything: a car accident, a common cold, or even a stroke. Stroke is no joke, and also if it is captured early sufficient, stroke testing can conserve your life. Screening for embolisms is done mainly with blood examinations and also electrocardiograms (ECG).
ECG is the “excellent” sort of examination to use for stroke screening, because it determines the electrical impulses in the heart. When there is a problem in the arteries, the heart beat will reduce or quit entirely. This is the main indicator of whether or not there is an issue in the capillary. This is why it is called the “cardiac arrest screens.”
There are several things that enter into a screening for a cardiovascular disease. These screenings consist of taking your resting heart rate, as well as looking for increases or lowers in both the rhythm as well as force of your heart. Your relaxing heart price is really crucial, because it provides medical professionals a great idea if you go to danger for a cardiac arrest. There are other points that enter into stroke screenings also, such as points that influence brain function, such as memory as well as interest.
When it pertains to carotid artery condition testing, the doctors will certainly check out your head to see if you have any signs of what is called “tachycardia.” Tachycardia is the irregular rhythm of your heart. One of the most common signs and symptom of this problem is a battering heart. Likewise, if you have a bigger or swollen heart, it can indicate that you have an extra serious problem.
Another point that they consider is the vision. Many people assume that if you are doing a normal routine eye examination, after that it suffices. It is crucial to understand that numerous of these screenings will likewise entail the use of spectacles or get in touch with lenses. If you require to use these to be able to see effectively, after that it is vitally important that you undergo a stroke screening for ischemic strokes.
An ultrasound is likewise another sort of stroke screening that is done. An ultrasound functions by utilizing sound waves to separate any type of obstructed capillary. It generally trips the clogs up to ensure that the doctor can better see what is going on. Embolism can be extremely harmful, and once they are separated, they are less most likely to be unsafe to your brain. An ultrasound is made use of to not only break up blood embolisms, but additionally to break up large plaque buildups in the arteries.
Why Cardio Screening Is a Must!
Cardio Testing, additionally known as heart screening, is an analysis method made use of by the healthcare sector to measure the effectiveness of the heart in pumping blood. This simple, fast, non-intrusive examination will certainly reveal vital information of the heart such as: Pulse acknowledgment to precisely recognize any type of irregularities in your ventricle’s heart beat; ECG type reading; as well as your cardiac outcome analysis. Testing examinations are carried out in the past, throughout, as well as after exercise training programs in addition to throughout and after pregnancy. This is necessary for people that routinely take part in high-intensity workouts. This is also essential for those that have other illness such as cardiac issues, diabetic issues and hypertension.
Heart disease is among the leading causes of death in America today. While being tested for different conditions, cardio screening commonly shows lots of non-threatening problems that can be treated and also prevented. Improper treatment typically leads to more problems. Early screening for hypertension can protect against a heart attack; as well as early testing for high cholesterol can protect against a stroke. Early screening can additionally result in weight reduction, lower high blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol.
Cardio Testing can assist determine whether you have a heart condition. There are a number of type of cardio screening that can evaluate for different kinds of illness. The initial type is an Exercise Heart Price Screen. This small gadget records the heart rate throughout exhausting exercise without revealing the specific any kind of information that would enable the monitoring of the heart’s rhythms. An upper body x ray can be used to determine whether or not a cardiovascular disease is present. These tests are not 100% precise as well as do not result in a complete cardiac history of the individual.
One more kind of cardio screening is the reading of oxygen saturation of the blood stream. Oxygen saturation of the blood reveals the quantity of oxygen is present in the blood as a percentage of the complete volume of blood that is included within the body. High degrees of oxygen may suggest a major medical problem such as a heart trouble or a kidney problem. High degrees of carbon monoxide gas can likewise indicate a serious condition. Carbon monoxide is produced from the burning of fuel in automobiles, yet can be absorbed by the body through breathing.
Digital Doppler innovation is an additional type of cardio testing. A private undertakes a collection of common exams that reveal much anxiety on the arteries and heart. Throughout the test, the Doppler generates a sound wave that is listened to by the individual as she or he strolls, skips, jumps, or bumbles. The regularity and stamina of the acoustic waves are highly correlated with just how much stress is being put on the arteries. In addition, the Doppler can also determine the heart price and also high blood pressure of the subject.
A much more sophisticated type of cardio testing is the heart catheterization. An unique stent is put in the client’s groin area to place a catheter tube right into the blood circulation system and to keep track of the oxygenated blood against the pressure of the blood being pumped by the heart. The rate of the heart is monitored using the stent for adjustments in the electrical existing and to determine if the heart is pumping sufficient oxygenated blood to supply the body. Some types of cardio testing do call for using a specialized pump; most need making use of a finger pulse screen.
There are lots of various other methods to obtain evaluated for cardio issues, consisting of using ultrasound and also magnetic resonance imaging. These types of exams supply detailed details concerning the heart, lungs, and also kidneys without needing the person to go through intrusive treatments. It is necessary to obtain these kinds of cardio testings regularly in order to continue to be healthy.
Lots of healthcare experts suggest routine cardio testing at the very least annually. This can assist to identify possible heart problem dangers along with to spot the beginning indications of possible strokes or various other medical issues. The advantages of cardio screening commonly surpass the advantages of the invasive treatments made use of to evaluate for cardio problems. Because of this, several clients locate that carrying out non-invasive tests as opposed to getting intrusive procedures, such as electrocardiograms or sclerotherapy, is the most effective method to stay healthy.
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density calculation for directed graphs
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Uwe Serdült
Dec 11, 2020, 12:50:35 AM12/11/20
to visone-users
Dear Visone team,
I am using visone 2.18 for an undergrad class in which students have to calculate density by hand but could also use visone to do the job. However, when importing the directed graph attached and calculating density you get a value of .5833 in visone but also showing 30 present edges (as there should be). The size of the graph is n=9.
You can get 0.5833 for density in a directed graph of size 9 with 42 edges present but there are clearly only 30.
Can you reproduce and check, please?
Best wishes,
Müller Julian
Jan 4, 2021, 10:11:58 AM1/4/21
Dear Uwe,
Thank you for the bug report. I committed a fix into the internal visone repository just now. It will be included in the next release.
Some background: For purposes of density calculation, visone treated all networks as undirected. So the calculated value was the density of the underlying undirected graph, but not of the directed graph itself.
After the fix, visone will now calculate the percentage of occupied dyads without loops. That means:
* The denominator is n(n-1).
* Directed edges are counted once.
* Undirected edges are counted twice (i.e., like two directed edges).
* Parallel edges are treated like a single edge.
* Loops are not considered, neither in the numerator nor in the denominator.
Best wishes,
Reply all
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What Is Mantra?
Mantra is the repetition of a word or phrase that is spoken in the mind, out loud, or through singing. This can be in any language. Mantras originate from many traditions, and we can even create our own mantras in our native languages by repeating words as affirmations, thereby calling those energies forth.
Mantra is a Sanskrit word that means “tool of the mind” or “divine speech” or “language of the human spiritual physiology.” Mantra helps create space around us so that we feel lighter, feel less stress, and feel more centered, peaceful and energized.
Sound is vibration and vibration is powerful.
Yogi Bhajan from the Sikh tradition says this: "Every element of the Universe is in a constant state of vibration manifested to us as light, sound and energy. The human senses perceive only a fraction of the infinite range of vibration, so it is difficult to comprehend that the Word mentioned in the Bible is actually the totality of vibration that underlies and sustains all creation.
“A person can tune his or her own consciousness into the awareness of that totality with the use of a mantra. By vibrating in rhythm with the breath to a particular sound that is proportional to the creative sound, or sound current, one can expand one's sensitivity to the entire spectrum of vibration. It is similar to striking a note on a stringed instrument. In other words, as you vibrate, the Universe vibrates with you."
One way to experience mantra is to sing Kirtan. Kirtan is from a tradition in India in which Mantra is sung as call-and-response. Kirtan can be sung at home without others. However, singing together is a beautiful way to experience Mantra.
See opportunities to sing with others on the Portland Community Kirtan Facebook page.
Visit the Lyrics, Mantra & Poetry page to read examples of mantras and their translations.
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Supplementary MaterialsAppendices. out at the close of their embryonic development. (Fig.
Supplementary MaterialsAppendices. out at the close of their embryonic development. (Fig. 1a) is a genus of multicellular spherical green algae recognised as model organisms for the evolution of multicellularity [3C6] and biological fluid dynamics [7]. An adult spheroid consists of several thousand biflagellated somatic cells and a much smaller number of germ cells or gonidia (Fig. 1a) embedded in an extracellular matrix [3]. The germ cells repeatedly divide to form a spherical cell sheet, with cells connected to their neighbors by the remnants of incomplete cell division, thin membrane tubes called [8, 9]. Those cell poles whence will emanate the flagella point into the sphere though, and so the ability to swim is only acquired once the organism turns itself inside out through a hole, the and its inversion. (a) spheroid with somatic cells and one embryo labeled. Light microscopy image by Stephanie H?hn reproduced from Ref. [15]. Scale bar: 50 m. (b) Midsagittal cross-section from the cell sheet, illustrating PD184352 cost the series of cell form changes traveling inversion in become spindle-shaped at the start of inversion (Fig. 1b). Several cells close to the phialopore become flask-shaped after that, with slim stalks. This flex region expands for the posterior pole, abandoning column-shaped cells (Fig. 1b). The planned system of cell form adjustments in type-B inversion, by contrast, is more complicated rather, involving various kinds of cell form changes in various elements PD184352 cost of the cell sheet [14]; specifically, cells and cytoplasmic bridges close to the phialopore elongate in the circumferential path to widen the phialopore. We’ve examined the technicians of type-B inversion at length [15C17] previously, as the feature can be distributed because of it of invagination with developmental occasions in higher microorganisms [1], but the technicians of type-A inversion and its own lip area have continued to be unexplored. Additionally, earlier studies have exposed that type-A inversion in can be caught (a) if actomyosin-mediated contraction is inhibited chemically [18] and (b) in a mutant in which the cytoplasmic bridges cannot move relative to the cells [19]. The precise mechanical basis for these observations has remained unclear, however. Here, we analyze the mechanics of the opening of the phialopore in type-A inversion by the flip-over of the lips. We derive an averaged elastic model for the lips and we relate the mechanical observations to the experimental results for referenced above. II.?Elastic Model The elastic model builds on the model that we have derived previously to describe type-B inversion in detail [17], although the present calculation is more intricate because axisymmetry is broken owing to the presence of the lips. We consider a spherical shell of radius LPL antibody and uniform thickness ? (Fig. 2a), characterised by its arclength and distance from the axis PD184352 cost of revolution lips of angular extent 2= 2/and thickness ? is characterized by its arclength and distance from the axis of revolution lips extending over ? = 0 of the lip is characterized by its arclength is the azimuthal angle of the undeformed sphere. Compared to an azimuthally complete shell, the cuts allow an additional deformation mode of the shell, one of azimuthal compression or expansion. Here, we restrict to the simple deformation of stretching or compression, so that the azimuthal angle in the deformed configuration of the shell is and = 0 of the lip. The meridional and circumferential stretches of the midline of the lip are therefore we may create and from the midplane = 0 from the lip area. B. Calculation from the Elastic Strains To calculate the deformation gradient, the Kirchhoff is manufactured by us hypothesis [20], how the normals towards the undeformed midsurface stay normal towards the midsurface in the deformed construction from the shell. Going for a coordinate over the thickness from the shell, the positioning vector of an over-all stage in the shell can be and curvatures towards the cell sheet that will vary from its undeformed exercises and PD184352 cost curvatures, however the cell form changes usually do not result in any intrinsic azimuthal compression. Therefore we define the intrinsic deformation gradient tensor can be described by = While we usually do not make any assumptions about the or strains connected with or strains stay small. We approximate the strains along the midline by = log and for that reason.
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Hidden Difficulties
People with health conditions often face difficulties that others do not notice.
Elizabeth Jones
A TV screen shows a screen with text that says “NO SIGNAL.”
Liz Jones, Staff Writer
Joshua Janni ’25 is deaf and often experiences problems that other people do not even think about. Unfortunately, this oversight can exclude many individuals or even harm them. Being aware of these difficulties is critical for everyone and especially for movie theaters and other companies that serve the public.
For his Family Consumer Science class, Janni was assigned to watch an informational video. “The teacher had put it together, like it was not online… he was watching it and was supposed to take notes on it,” his sister, Anna Janni ’20, said. “He was getting frustrated because there were no captions. It was a cooking video so it would switch between showing the teacher and showing the food that she was making. That was also hard, because he couldn’t even see her lips, so lip-reading wasn’t an option.”
These types of oversights are not exclusive to the deaf community. Movies and TV screens also have the potential to trigger a seizure for epileptic viewers.
Most people can go to the movies without any issues, this is not true for everyone. People with certain types of epilepsy have to carefully research movies in order to lessen the risk of a seizure. “Epilepsy is a condition where individuals are more likely to have seizures than the rest of the population,” epilepsy expert Gena R. Ghearing said in an email interview. “…photosensitive epilepsy [is] when seizures are brought on by a light stimulus. The most common trigger is flickering lights, which can occur with strobe lights, video games, television shows, or fluorescent lights. There are also natural sources such as the sun flashing through leaves as you drive by trees.”
Alexis Gorsh ’21 has a specific type of epilepsy that falls under the umbrella of photosensitive epilepsy, called Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. “…the movie “Incredibles 2″ had some seizure warnings and I really wanted to see it,” Gorsh said. “But I couldn’t because I don’t want anything to happen.” A short scene in the movie made it so Gorsh could not see the whole movie. “[I’m] honestly pretty upset!” Gorsh said. “The first “Incredibles” movie is like one of my favorites! It’s a classic! So the fact that I went to the movie theater to go see it because I didn’t know. [The epilepsy warning] wasn’t advertised anywhere else and when I was in the movie and there was something on the screen saying ‘digression for epilepsy.’ Then I had to leave because I didn’t want to put myself in that situation.” Gorsh was able to get a refund for her ticket, but she shouldn’t have needed to get one in the first place.
TV shows can be culprits of triggering epilepsy as well. December 16, 1997, has the best documented case of a television show causing seizures. Over 600 children in Japan were hospitalized after watching a rocket launch sequence in a Pokémon episode. Since then movie creators have become more aware of the dangers. They do try and prevent seizures caused by television screens. However they are not as diligent in providing warnings for the epileptic community.
Movie theaters fail to accommodate the deaf community as well. Captions are necessary for many in the deaf community to understand a movie. However, movie theaters often do not show captions on the big screen. Instead they provide caption reading devices for those in need of captions, but these devices frequently have issues. “… every time we get a caption device, it either does not work at the beginning of the movie, or it’s out of battery, or something,” Anna Janni said. “So there are multiple trips back to staff, saying, ‘Hey, can you get us the captioning?’ And when it does work, I think it can be used to help a deaf person understand, but I do think it’s a nuisance because it’s not displayed in the same place. So they’re switching back and forth between what’s said and what’s seen.”
Movie producers and theaters have an obligation to the deaf and epileptic communities to fix these problems. People with epilepsy and those who are deaf cannot do anything about their conditions, but movie creators can do something about it and they need to. There are 100,000 Americans with photosensitive epilepsy and 37.5 million Americans with hearing problems. This is just in the United States. Think about how many people cannot see the movies they are passionate about because the people in charge will not make simple accommodations for them.
It is not that people with epilepsy just feel sick when they have a seizure, the effects can be scary. “Seizures are abnormal electrical activity from the cortex of the brain, which can cause muscles to jerk (myoclonic seizures), someone to stop what they are doing and stare (absence seizures), or have stiffening of the body with jerking of the arms and legs (generalized tonic-clonic seizures),” Ghearing said. “Seizures commonly cause injuries, such as concussions from falls, but also can lead to death.”
Given that scenes that affect people with epilepsy often are not critical for movie development, it seems cruel to include them considering the substantial health risks. At the very least, flashing lights can easily be taken out of movies as to not trigger a seizure. There are so many other cinematic effects that can create an aesthetic scene, that are less of a risk for epileptic viewers. Education is big part of helping the epileptic community. People need to learn how they can help and then help them. Movie creators need to be aware of risky techniques and learn what they can include instead.
Movie companies already create captions for the DVD versions of their movies. What would be the big deal of showing the movie two or three times in theaters with captions? It would not cause any extra work for the producers or the theater even. Some people would argue that tickets would not sell for captioned movies, but look at the sheer numbers of Americans with hearing issues. Not to mention all the people who prefer to have captions for their movies. “It’s not unusual to see someone asking for a closed captioning device,” a theater employee, Megan Jones ’21 said. Or if the people that need captions are not a large enough audience, theaters could offer tickets to captioned movies for a slightly cheaper price. It would dramatically raise attendance and raise ticket sales for those movies. More importantly, it would give ease of access to the entire community of people that have hearing problems.
In the end society needs to take more steps to make movies available to everyone. “I think that efforts are made, but it’s puzzling because I don’t think it would be that difficult to go that next step to make things more accessible for the deaf, hard of hearing, epileptic, whatever it may be,” Anna Janni said. “I really think it’s crazy. That’s the thing we fight for and we encourage Joshua to advocate for himself in instances like that.”
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The role of influence and freedom in A Room of One’s Own and Three Guineas
February 11, 2021 by Essay Writer
Both Virginia Woolf’s critical essay A Room of One’s Own (1929) and her polemic Three Guineas (1938) explore feminist issues of freedom and influence. Despite being written almost a decade later, Three Guineas further explores the ideas and values of A Room of One’s Own, thus highlighting how, despite their different contexts, there has been little change. Whilst A Room of One’s Own focuses on the financial and intellectual freedom of women, Three Guineas explores notions of educational freedom for women. Comparing the contexts of the two texts also provides us with insights into the influence of societal views and the power that educational opportunities can provide women.
Both A Room of One’s Own (A Room) and Three Guineas explore the theme of freedom through a call for progress of women’s intellectual and financial rights. In A Room, the financial restrictions on a woman’s literary potential are expressed in Woolf’s overarching argument that, “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction”. The room acts as a symbol of financial and intellectual independence, whilst the frequent repetition of the words “a room” throughout the essay emphasizes how women lack the necessary freedom to write. A woman’s intellectual restrictions are illustrated when Woolf’s narrative persona is refused entry into the Oxbridge library by a man who looked, “like a guardian angel barring the way with a flutter of black gown instead of white wings”. The man acts as a metaphor for the blocked opportunities and societal barriers that have been imposed on women by men, the imagery emphasizing the role of men in restricting woman’s intellectual freedom. Woolf conjures the imaginary character of “Judith Shakespeare”, to further demonstrate the inequality of women. This literary allusion and the allegory of Judith demonstrate how the talents of women are being lost because they are not allowed to be creative. Despite Judith sharing the same genetic makeup, and thus the same potential, she achieved nothing due to lack of education and freedom. The three centuries between Shakespeare’s and Woolf’s contexts highlights the almost nonexistent change in woman’s intellectual freedom. Thus A Room explores restrictions the gender plays on a woman’s intellectual, creative and financial freedom. In the context of a troubled 1938 Europe, the later essay Three Guineas similarly explores the theme of freedom, focusing on educational freedom and the role that educated women can play in preventing war.
Similarly to A Room; Three Guineas also explores the role of men in preventing the educational freedom of women. The freedom from male financial reliance that education can provide woman’s with is highlighted through the metaphor of woman’s being slaves to their fathers: “to depend upon a profession is a less odious form of slavery than to depend upon a father.” Having a career and earning income, she argues, is more rewarding than being financial and intellectually reliant on the men in one’s life. This idea is further emphasized metaphorically by the truncated sentence, “You [men] are fighting with us, not against us”. The ‘war’ represents the ‘war’ between women and men in literature and the professions. Three Guineas thus highlights the limitations of a woman’s educational rights. Both essays also discuss more broadly the effects of society’s attitude towards women. A Room explores the influence of strict early 20th century societal views on women and their role in society. The long history of disrespect towards women in the literary profession is illustrated by alluding to Dr Johnson, the renowned 18th century English writer: “a woman’s composing is like a dog’s walking on his hind legs. It is not done well”. The simile reflects the general male disrespect towards women, whilst further emphasizing the negative influence societal disregard of women writers. Woolf’s argument that societal influences have restricted women from literature composition is further portrayed when Woolf comments that “even a woman…has brought herself to believe that to write a book was to be ridiculous”. The narrator’s disappointed tone emphasizes the impact of societal constraints, further illustrating how a lack of a literary legacy allows women no goals to aim for. Woolf also explores the disheartening impact that a negative and often cruel reception of women writers has on women: “She was afraid of something; afraid of being called ‘sentimental’ perhaps”, the repetition of the adjective ‘afraid’ reflecting potential women writers’ entrenched fears and discouragement. The play on the adjective ‘sentimental’ reflects the pre-Depression view, that women, due to their perceived softer nature are incapable of producing good literature. A Room consequently provides us with a unique insight into the overarching influence of early 20th century, pre-Depression English society on women writers.
In contrast, Three Guineas, reflecting its pre-WW2 context, explores the theme of empowerment of women through education and the professions. A woman’s limited role in society due to lack of educational opportunities is reflected in the rhetorical question, “What does ‘our country’ mean to me an outsider?” emphasizing that because women lack influence and don’t have a voice, they consider themselves outsiders. Woolf quotes Sir Ernest Wild, a British Royal Naval seaman, to validate her argument that, without education, women have to rely on manipulation to influence a man: “A man liked to think he was doing his job…[a] wise woman always let him think he was running the show when he was not.” The alliterative “wise woman” suggests the general view in male dominated society that the usefulness of women is based on their natural feminine talent rather than real skills acquired through education. It is also argues that in a changing society, an “educated man’s daughter has now at her disposal an influence which is different from any influence that she has possessed before”. The repetition of ‘influence’ stresses that, through education, women have a newfound strength. They no longer have to resort to using “whatever charm or beauty…[they] possess to flatter and cajole the busy men”. Three Guineas thus demonstrates the role that education and participation in the professions can play in a woman’s influence over both the men in her personal life and the events of society in the broadest sense.
A Room of One’s Own and Three Guineas have explored different aspects relating to women’s financial, creative and intellectual freedom and resultant influence. Woolf’s call for intellectual and financial freedom in A Room of One’s Own is complemented by a stronger and more urgent call given the context and the passage of time in her later discussion of the importance of educational freedom in Three Guineas.
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Can you see gallbladder cancer on ultrasound?
Is gallbladder cancer hard to detect?
Gallbladder cancer can be difficult to detect in its early stages, mainly because this type of malignancy does not produce any specific symptoms. Additionally, because the gallbladder is a relatively small organ located deep within the body, any signs of cancer such as lumps or fluid build-up can easily go unnoticed.
How do you detect gallbladder cancer?
In addition to a physical examination, the following tests may be used to diagnose gallbladder cancer:
1. Biopsy. …
2. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). …
3. Percutaneous cholangiography. …
4. Laparoscopy. …
5. Blood tests. …
6. Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan. …
7. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). …
8. Ultrasound.
How do you screen for gallbladder cancer?
Computed tomography (CT) scan
Help diagnose gallbladder cancer by showing tumors in the area. organs near the gallbladder (especially the liver), as well as lymph nodes and distant organs the cancer might have spread to. A type of CT known as CT angiography can be used to look at the blood vessels near the gallbladder.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: You asked: What is the success rate of HIFU for prostate cancer?
What does cancer of the gallbladder look like on ultrasound?
Ultrasound can depict a focal intraluminal, wall involvement, or large mass-like lesion replacing the gallbladder. The tumor usually has irregular and sometimes ill-defined margins, with heterogeneous echotexture and predominantly low echogenicity.
Where does gallbladder cancer metastasize first?
Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a fatal disease with a poor prognosis, owing to the tendency of the tumor to metastasize early to the regional lymph nodes and spread into the liver bed [1].
How long do I have to live with gallbladder cancer?
Does a blood test show gallbladder cancer?
Tumor markers are substances made by cancer cells that can sometimes be found in the blood. People with gallbladder cancer may have high blood levels of the markers called CEA and CA 19-9. Usually the blood levels of these markers are high only when the cancer is in an advanced stage .
Who is most likely to get gallbladder cancer?
Gallbladder cancer is seen mainly in older people, but younger people can develop it as well. The average age of people when they are diagnosed is 72. Most people with gallbladder cancer are 65 or older when it’s found.
How can you get gallbladder cancer early?
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Best answer: Can a person survive skin cancer?
What are the final stages of gallbladder cancer?
Symptoms of late-stage gallbladder cancer
Abdominal pain, most often in the upper right part of the abdomen. Nausea and/or vomiting. Lumps on the right side of the abdomen. Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes.
Does gallbladder cancer make you tired?
Fatigue is a common symptom of many types of cancer, including gallbladder cancer.
Is Stage 4 gallbladder cancer curable?
Stage IV gallbladder cancer has a poor prognosis and the cancer cannot be cured at this stage and the treatment aims at relieving the patient’s symptoms and making them as comfortable as possible.
Can gallbladder cancer be mistaken for gallstones?
Can gallbladder cancer be mistaken for gallstones? Both gallstones and gallbladder cancer can cause pain in your upper right abdomen, where your gallbladder is located. Sometimes gallbladder cancer is discovered when a healthcare provider is diagnosing gallstones.
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Clean Water
Tom Reichner /
October 17, 2012; Source: Los Angeles Times
Forty years ago this month, the Clean Water Act became United States law. The formation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 and the passage of the Clean Water Act two years later are testament to the power of civic (and not always civil) engagement and to the potential for true bipartisanship to address major issues, even in challenging times. Forty years later, the Clean Water Act’s current status is a reflection of how much has changed.
Today, it may be hard to imagine an American river spontaneously catching fire or the sudden die-off of millions of fish in a once-teeming lake, but these were real events leading up to the Act. In fact, two-thirds of the country’s waterways were judged as unhealthy for humans to fish or swim. This isn’t to say that environmental protection was the era’s dominant public policy issue. Policy decisions associated with the Vietnam War, civil rights, and economic recession were urgent and politically divisive. Yet the Clean Water Act and its systemic approach to restoring healthy waters received significant bipartisan support.
Dramatic, visceral images of water pollution’s impact around the country elevated the issue’s salience as a crisis. Large-scale community organizing, issue education and advocacy (such as that demonstrated by the nonprofit Earth Day Network) undoubtedly encouraged bipartisanship. But another essential difference between then and now is that bipartisanship was a hallmark of high statesmanship, rather than just ammunition for political attack.
A recent New York Times editorial notes, “[O]ver the last four decades, few environmental laws have enjoyed as much bipartisan support as this one.” As the Clean Water Act’s 40th anniversary flows by, environmental advocates argue for updating its scope to incorporate new water quality knowledge and technology. They’re also concerned that the Act’s core mandate is being eroded by unbridled partisanship.
For example, the Times editorial cites the current “oddly-named ‘Stop the War on Coal Act’, a House-passed bill that would effectively strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its authority to step in when state water quality standards are not strong enough to protect public health.” A recent opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times argues, “Some necessary fixes (in the Clean Water Act) . . . can be accomplished through strengthening rules already mandated by the act. But other(s) . . . would require congressional action. In the current, highly partisan Washington atmosphere, that would be incredibly difficult to accomplish.”
Has partisanship essentially changed the political feasibility of game-changing policy like the Clean Water Act? Or has it merely changed the agenda and tactics for such change? –Kathi Jaworski
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Luffa sp.
Common names: smooth luffa, loofah sponge, loofa, loufa, luffa, sponge gourd, Chinese okra, elephant okra, dishrag gourd
Luffa plant:
(Luffa aegyptiaca)
Luffa is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, other members of which include melons, gourds and squash. Its is an annual, fast growing tropical-semitropical vine that produces edible fruits while immature, and awesome scrubbies when matured. Their native range spreads from Africa to Asia, though the plant likely originated in India. Luffa seeds of the luffa plant have been found in both Roman and Egyptian archaeology sites, and it has been used industrially as recently as WWII for use in surgical operations, as a filter in the Navy’s steam and diesel engines, as cushioning in vehicle and tank seats and because of its insulating properties, in Army helmet linings.
The vine can get more than 30 ft (9 m) long and scrambles over anything in its path. The large leaves are lobed and have silvery patches on the topsides. The flowers are about 2-3 in (5-7.6 cm) across with five petals. Male flowers are bright yellow and occur in clusters while female flowers are with the ovary attached. The fruits are green, and depending on the variety grown can vary from zucchini-like, to the size of a large lime.
Growing requirements:
Growing guide (with pics):
While the vine is quick growing, the fruits requires a long growing season to reach maturity. It takes about three or four months until the fruits can be harvested for eating, and about four or five for harvesting of the mature plant. If you don’t have that much warm weather, the seeds can be propagated indoors in peat pots and then transplanted (the peat pot is important, as plants in the squash family dislike transplanting). The plant requires full sun, and should be planted outdoors well after danger of frost. Additionally, to speed up germination, try soaking the seeds in water overnight before sowing.
My family would always sprout our seeds by wrapping them in moist paper towels for about 3-4 days and placing them in a warm area with diffused sunlight. It was the one event that meant spring was coming. Long after my grandfather was not able to have his huge garden anymore he would still sprout the luffa seed and give them to our neighbors or to more distant members of our family. He always said it was habit to do it every year but I think secretly he continued to do it so that he could watch the faces of the youngest members of our family as we slowly pulled back the paper towels to discover the newly sprouted plants.
After the seeds had sprouted, we would then transfer them to a biodegradable seed pot (such as Jiffy Peat Pots or the do it yourself newspaper kind) so as to not disturb the root structure when transplanting. By using this method of seed starting we were able to maximize our seeds by not having to thin out any. After placing one sprouted seed per peat pot, we then sprinkled with a potting mixture just enough to cover the seed and to let the sprout show through. After 2-3 true leaves developed it was time to put them into the ground.
When figuring out where to plant the Luffa, take into consideration that it is a fast growing vine that can reach around 30 feet in length (so you might want to pinch the ends to encourage a more bushy plant) , and that the plants can get fairly heavy. A trellis or other support structure is highly recommended.
It is recommended that the Luffa recieves similar maintenace in terms of insects, watering fertalizers, etc as squash and gourd plants. The luffa is insect pollinated (for all you bee keepers, I have read that bees love luffa and that luffa honey is yummy). It is also possible to hand-pollinate, particularly if you are growing indoors, by transferring pollen from the male flower to the female flower. Seeds should be saved from the earliest fruits reaching maturity with the best fiber, if you are planning to grow them for scrubbies. I’ve also read that the smaller varieties can be grown indoors for the full season with some difficulty (but the site with indoor growing tips is no longer available).
Harvesting Loofah for Scrubbies:
The fruit should be harvested at maturity, when the fruit looses its green color (most will turn brown) and the seeds will rattle when it is shaken. The fruit can be cut from the vine and the skin peeled, and seeds removed.
Skin removal techniques:
• Make a shallow cut down the length of the shell immediately after harvest, and peel.
• Dry gourds before attempting to remove shell.
• Cut 1/2 inch off the bottom of the gourd and allow the inside to dry completely.
• Drop the dried gourds on a hard surface to shatter the outer shell.
• Soak luffa in warm water for a few hours, boil in a pot of water for 15 minutes, or heat in a microwave for a few minutes, to soften shell for easy peeling.
• Freeze gourds for a few hours, thaw, then peel.
Once the spongy part of the loofah is removed, it can be washed. It can also be lightened with a bleach or hydrogen peroxide and water solution, if you prefer.
Loofahs should dry out completely between uses to prevent bacterial growth. They can last for months with regular use, for both bath and household use. For more info, with pictures, click here!
Culinary Use:
The luffa’s immature fruits from 3-6 in (7.6-15 cm) in length, can be stir-fried whole or sliced, or they can be grated or diced and used in soups and omelets. Larger fruits that are 4-6 in (10-15 cm) in length might need to be peeled because the skin becomes bitter as the fruit matures.
Some luffa varieties may produce fruits that are too bitter to eat. Peeling the skin off removes some of the bitterness. If it tastes bad, don’t eat it. The half dozen varieties we’ve grown have all tasted good to us. Edible luffa can be found sometimes in markets with Asian style vegetables. We like them sliced in a stir fry or just sauteed in a little olive oil. Seasoning with a dash of soy sauce and cayenne pepper makes a tasty appetizer. The flowers have a green flavor similar to celery or cucumber. They make a colorful salad. The edible size fruits taste something like a cross between a zucchini and a cucumber.
Stuffed Luffa Recipe:
To make the dinnertime treat, cut 2 sixinch gourds lengthwise, scoop out their middles, and parboil or steam the shells for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, chop and lightly sauté 1 clove of garlic, 1 onion, and 1/4 pound of mushrooms. Add 2 cups of cooked rice, 1/4 cup of pecans, and some crumbled cooked bacon (optional) to the mixture. Then, season the filling with thyme and tarragon, stuff it into the luffa cavities, sprinkle Parmesan cheese and wheat germ over the top, and bake the “boats” for 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F. Mmmmm!
Recipe from Mother Earth News
Loofah Soaps:
Sliced loofah or loofah powder can be used in soap making!
2 thoughts on “Luffa”
1. lazyhippiemama said:
Very cool info, once again! Thanks! 🙂
2. Thank you for share.I like to eat Luffa.
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How Can An Ultrasound Scan Help You?
In modern society, health technology is developing every day. Usually, health care providers can monitor fetal growth by measuring the woman's uterus. However, there are times when a supplier may order an ultrasound scan.
Ultrasound is very useful for providers and can give parents an early picture of their child's growth. Ultrasounds are performed by a sonographer, usually in a healthcare facility or clinical facility. You can also get information about the 14 week 4d ultrasound via the web.
Pregnancy Week 31
Image Source: Google
Although there are many types of ultrasound, the most common are abdominal ultrasound. There is a lot that an ultrasound scan can tell a healthcare professional about a developing fetus. Ultrasound can measure blood flow to the brain, heart, and other fetal limbs, approximate fetal weight, fetal limb length, placental position, and estimated gestational age.
Recently, more and more pregnant women are seeking 3D and 4D ultrasounds to get more detailed images of the developing baby. This ultrasound examination is usually carried out by a private institution that offers this service for an additional fee.
Women who receive a 3D/4D ultrasound usually have the option of purchasing a CD with a video of the procedure and may receive additional photos that show the basic structure of the fetal face more clearly than the original 2D version.
While doing this ultrasound scan is good, some doctors advise against using it because it can cause unnecessary concerns about the development of the fetus.
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DGLR-Publikationsdatenbank - Detailansicht
D. Scholz
In attempting to increase the environmental awareness in the aviation sector and to eliminate the green washing phenomenon, an investigation was done into the development and definition of an ecolabel for aircraft. Based on life cycle assessment it was found that aviation affects the environment most with the impact categories resource depletion and global warming (both due to fuel consumption), local air pollution (due to the nitrogen oxide emissions in the vicinity of airports) and noise pollution. For each impact category a calculation method was developed based solely on official, certified and publicly available data to meet the stated requirements of the ISO standards about environmental labeling. To ensure that every parameter is evaluated independent on aircraft size, which allows comparison between different aircraft, normalizing factors such as number of seats, rated thrust and noise level limits are used. Additionally, a travel class weighting factor is derived in order to account for the space occupied per seat in first class, business class and economy class. To finalize the ecolabel, the overall environmental impact is determined by weighting the contribution of each impact category. For each category a rating scale from A to G is developed to compare the performance of the aircraft with that of others. The harmonization of the scientific and environmental information, presented in an easy understandable label, enables the traveling customers to make a well informed and educated choice when booking a flight, selecting among airline offers with different types of aircraft and seating arrangements.
Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2017, München
Conference Presentation
Stichworte zum Inhalt:
Luftfahrt, Luftfahrzeug, Klima, Kraftstoffverbrauch, Emissionen, Ökobilanz, Ökolabel, Umweltzeichen
Verlag, Ort, Veröffentlicht:
, 2017
Aufnahme in die Datenbank:
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The Problem With Plastic
Have you ever wondered how plastic ends up in our oceans?
Step 1
As a society we have come to depend on plastic in many aspects of our lives
It’s cheap and it’s flexible. It keeps our food fresh, our clothes elastic, and our cosmetics in place.
Step 2
But current methods of recycling and waste management can’t keep up with the amount of plastic generated
Once it has done its job, plastic either gets burned, dumped or piled onto landfills, from where it eventually makes its way to the oceans.
Step 3
There is growing demand for collecting recyclable plastic, like plastic bottles, because they can be turned into new products, and so have a value
Non-recyclables accumulate because there is no economy or incentivization to motivate collection.
Step 4
80% of the waste that ends up in the ocean is non-recyclable
When it finally ends up in the ocean, more than 90% sinks to depths where it can never be recovered.
Step 5
Non-recyclable plastics have no value and therefore are not collected
Creating incentives and an economy for collecting non-recyclable plastic — while working toward reducing non-recyclable production at the source - is the fastest, most effective, and sustainable solution for protecting our oceans
Step 6
We’re building a technology platform and community committed to the recovery of ocean-bound non-recyclable plastic
We find the best methods for treating plastic in the region where it’s collected. Non-recyclables are turned into alternative fuel.
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WeBWorK Problems
generate file with data for students to analyze?
generate file with data for students to analyze?
by George Jennings -
Number of replies: 3
Is there a way to write a statistics problem that would dynamically generate small data files that students could save to their desktops and then open with a generic spreadsheet or other application for analysis?
I have tried displaying the data as an html table but this doesn't work because most of my students use Internet Explorer, which can't seem to copy html tables into a spreadsheet without changing their structure.
Saving data in a comma-separated textfile should work if there's a way to
generate the file and display a link to it. It would be even better if there were a reliable way for students to copy data and paste them directly into a spreadsheet.
In reply to George Jennings
Re: generate file with data for students to analyze?
by L. Felipe Martins -
Would this be suitable?
This is a Flash applet, I just put it together quickly for demo purposes. The students would not need to select anything, just clicking the button will put the data in the clipboard. I don't know the specification of csv files, but I can paste the data into OpenOffice Calc, so I assume I am doing it correctly. I didn't do much testing, but tried the most common browsers (including IE), except Opera. It does not look great in my Mac, but it is OK in Windows (what about that?).
You will have to decide how to generate the data for the problem and pass it to the applet, but we can talk about that. I guess the easiest thing would be to generate the data in the PG file and pass it to the applet for display only. It is also possible to generate the data in the applet, but then a new applet has to be compiled each time a new data set is used. Also, the grading would be done completely in the PG file, that is the simplest approach, from my experience.
I'd be glad to help to create a template that could be used for generating problems like this.
It is certainly possible to do something similar in JavaScript. The easiest way to do that, I guess, would be to use a framework, such as jQuery, but I'm not an expert on that. There also is a <datagrid> tag in HTML5, but apparently it was removed from the specification, but seems to still be supported by some browsers, at least. See here:
In reply to L. Felipe Martins
Re: generate file with data for students to analyze?
by Arnold Pizer -
I just tested this out. Very nice. Actually Excel uses tabs as the default delimiter so if you replace comas by tabs, you can paste this directly into an Excel spreadsheet. Importing a csv file (which might be more standard) is a little more work in Excel.
If students use Excel, you probably want at least a tab delimited option.
In reply to L. Felipe Martins
Re: generate file with data for students to analyze?
by George Jennings -
Thanks Felipe and Arnie,
Felipe's flash looks great but daunting to learn so I chickened out and cooked up something in javascript that seems to work pretty well. It displays a window with a tab-separated table, then students can copy and paste it into a spreadsheet. Separating with tabs seems to be the key to get it to work with
Internet Explorer. Thank, Arnie, for that suggestion.
Here is a demo that shows how it works in a very simple problem.
## Set-up
# intercept, slope
$b = random(2,5,.1);
$m = random(3,7);
# create fake noisy linear data (x[i],y[i]), i=0,1,...
$count = 10;
$sumx = 0; $sumy = 0;
$x[$i] = $i+random(-.4,.5,.1);
$y[$i] = $b + $m*( $x[$i]+random(-.4,.5,.1) );
# remove extra digits possibly caused by binary arithmetic
$x[$i] = sprintf("%.1f",$x[$i]);
$y[$i] = sprintf("%.1f",$y[$i]);
# one line in the tab-separated data table
$jsDat[$i] = '"'.join('\t',$x[$i],$y[$i]).'"';
$sumx += $x[$i];
$sumy += $y[$i];
# stringify table for passing to javascript
$jsDatStr = join(",",@jsDat); # data for javascript
# javascript for opening data window
<script Xlanguage="javascript" type="text/javascript">
function openDataWindow(){
var xyRow=new Array($jsDatStr);
var i=0;
# answers
$meanx = Compute("$sumx/$count");
$meany = Compute("$sumy/$count");
## Main text
Here are some fake data.
\{ begintable(12) \}
\{ row( "x", @x)\}
\{ row( "y", @y)\}
\{ endtable() \}
Open the \{htmlLink("javascript:openDataWindow();","easy copy")\} window,
copy-and-paste the data from the window into a spreadsheet or other application, then use the application to find the mean of \(x\) and the mean of \(y\).
\(\bar{x}\) = \{ans_rule(10)\} $SPACE \(\bar{y}\) = \{ans_rule(10)\}
## Answer evaluation
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How to Control Breathing While Running
Don't stop running -- just start practicing breath control.
i Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Running without enough air is like driving with no gas in your car -- with each step, you careen toward total burnout, and it seems the only solution is to stop all together and fill up. Plenty of people have trouble getting adequate oxygen when they're running -- but like running out of gas, it's typically user error and fairly easy to fix. In order to control your breathing during your run, take some steps beforehand to ensure that you stay on the right track.
Step 1
Warmup your muscles and get your respiratory system revved up slowly, advises running coach Jenny Hadfield. For about five to 10 minutes, jog slowly or walk, allowing your heart to slowly start beating faster and your breathing to increase steadily. This can help you cut down on the oxygen debt you might feel when you simply start running full-speed right out of the gate.
Step 2
Test your breath to determine whether you're a chest breather or a belly breather. Following your warmup, stop and place a hand on your chest and another on your belly. Continue breathing as you were. Look down and take notice of whether the hand on your chest or the hand on your belly rises higher; if the chest hand does, you're breathing in the upper portion of your chest. The ideal breath comes from the diaphragm, located in your belly region. Start practicing breathing from your belly, focusing on pushing your abdomen in with each exhale, and out with each inhale. Every time you think of it, return to belly breathing throughout your run.
Step 3
Develop a rhythm for your steps. Different trainers suggest different patterns for your breath, but the idea here is to breathe in for a certain number of steps, and then to breathe out for a certain number. Military Fitness trainer Stew Smith recommends a 3:2 method -- inhaling for three steps, and then exhaling for two steps as you run. Running coach Jenny Hadfield, meanwhile, recommends breathing in for anywhere from one to four steps, and then breathing out for the same number of steps. It's also OK to adjust your rhythm as you get farther into your run.
Step 4
Breathe through both your mouth and nose to get the most out of each inhale and exhale. Your mouth can take in more oxygen than your nose, so it's a good way to ensure you're getting the air you need and not resorting to huffing and puffing, advises "Runner's World."
the nest
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Traces of Humans in Clay and Stone
Footprints lead artists, archeologists into the past
An archaeological crew at the southern end of the Alamogordo landfill was baking under the dry heat in the few weeks before the moisture-laden monsoon in the Tularosa Basin arrived.
“It was going to hit 106 degrees and we hit a solidified layer some 1.2 meters below the surface deep under the shifting sand dunes into an ancient lakebed,” said Lay Powell, an artist and novice crew member. “I kept pulling sand away looking for artifacts or even ruins. It was weird – I thought I better use a brush.
“I was thinking there might be animal tracks or maybe like a deer and then there was a digit, like a finger. I brushed a second digit next to it, then a third digit. My heart started to beat so fast … What really came to mind when I looked across to the east, I could almost see MacNeish’s cave. That is how rapidly I connected to Pendejo Cave, I automatically thought of Paleoindian peoples 10,000 years ago. “
“Scotty” MacNeish, one of the most famous and controversial archaeologists ever in the Tularosa Basin, searched for the earliest evidence of human occupation. Thirty years ago, MacNeish “held up a hardened clay fragment from the side of a cooking pit in a cave (30,000 years old) with a fingerprint” to reporter Phil McCombs for the Washington Post, an invaluable treasure in his life of encountering the primal experiences so rare in today’s urbanized world.
Knots for nets for carrying large containers or capturing lake fish, turtles and birds were found by the hundreds by MacNeish. His cave was a production site overlooking the lakes.
“Her palm print… baked into the clay of the paleolithic fire pit,” writes McCombs at a cave site overlooking the southern Tularosa Basin.
Now, footprints emerged. Ultimately, two more prints of the same person going south and one print going north were uncovered by Four Corners Research based in Las Cruces that are dated from 7,000 to 9,000 years old, either late Paleoindian or middle Archaic eras, said David Greenwald, director of Four Corners. It was clear that the prints came after the clay surface of the lakebed began to dry out. When the feet sank near the cracks, there was a mushing up of still wet clay to ooze around the traveler, Greenwald notes.
These people traveled during cycles of expanding and contacting edges of the shallow lakes in tandem with the Pacific Ocean cycles of what we call the El Nino-La Nina. Ten thousand years later, humans recorded their precious feet and hands along with those of their animal associates on petroglyphs at Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, only few miles northeast of the sand dunes. Human prints interact with birds, bear and felines to an astonishing amount, realistic or out-of-the ordinary looking to us. Tracks were dominant symbols of the perceptions of reality of prehistoric life in the Basin.
The everchanging dunes at White Sands National Park cover and uncover an even greater story of Paleoindian lifetimes. Biologist David Bustos, with over 15 years of experience at WSNP, has attracted numerous scientists to measure not only the ephemeral dunes transforming under wind and water dynamics but ancient footprints solidified in the once muddy mix of the shallow playa lakes.
Human footprints small enough to fit neatly inside the deep prints of a now extinct giant ground sloth tell Bustos and others that humans used sloth prints as steppingstones in their interaction with the sloth. Sometimes the humans were on top, sometimes the sloths were on top. They were circling each other -- this opens up a whole new class of behavior data for the Paleoindian sites that can be studied at the national park of ancient glistening sands. Now, the national park is designing an Ice Age Trail with informational plaques to share their extensive finds with the public.
The sodden earth of 7,000 to 9,000 years ago that eventually dried out in the Tularosa Basin recorded prints of the hardened feet of human passage on trails carrying people with skilled abilities to make and thrust ancient lithic tools for killing animals, tools to harvest reeds for weaving water-tight baskets, crafting stones for grinding numerous types of seeds, tools to cut thick hides or wood of appropriate diameter for shelters.
Each new tool was a technological invention with all the lifestyles adjustments that evolved from it, says Lisa Sparks, a lithics expert, archaeologist and teacher. The women are now thought to have the same skills as the men in communities that spanned the basin from summer to winter. In the small family groups, a tool like an obsidian blade sharp enough to perform surgery was a family heirloom, a possession that was highly valued and cared for, though perhaps traded as well.
The communities of so long ago did not have much to throw away. Everything was hand made of organic materials that return into landscapes of memory. Rare beautifully crafted basketry, painted pottery worth thousands of dollars today, stone tools such as obsidian that are so sharp they can be and were used for internal surgeries can be found and have often disappeared into private collections.
Joe Lowendowski wears two hats that are strangely intertwined. He used to manage solid waste fill sites for municipalities. He also designs and mounts exhibits for the local Tularosa Basin Historical Museum. Now a consultant for the Alamogordo landfill, Lowendowski knows that today’s throwaway plastics will be the focus of tomorrow’s archaeology-plastic will last for hundreds of years.
The city of Alamogordo purchased 628 acres from the State Land Office with 18 possible locations at that time. The process of opening new land to be used for more landfill needs takes years. Lowendowski has shepherded the permitting process through the halls of the environmental protection division and state cultural resources agencies.
“The odds of discovering an ancient human footprint in a one meter grid unit among thousands of acres in the Tularosa Basin, still I think I might be dreaming. It was surreal,” Powell mused.
Under the shifting sands ever responding to the forces of wind and water dynamics is evidence of the earliest human perceptions. We can only try to follow in their tracks to share their great picture of a world of permanence and impermanence.
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wild bees and native bees
Why do I see mining bees in September?
DJ wrote:
All I read about these bees indicates they are usually around in early spring, but mine are here now and intermittently throughout the summer. Is that normal? I have a lot of flowering plants like catmint which all of my bee friends seem to love and I’m wondering if they are just visiting me longer because of all the pollen and goodies. I feel bad they have landed where they did because it is near where we walk for our hose and I am always walking on their little mounds of sand and soil.
Shortly afterward, Keith wrote:
I was never aware of mining bees until this past week when literally thousands of them were hovering over a bare area on the property. My question is most comments seem to refer to spring, and a relatively short span of activity. But this is early September! Does timing of activity vary that much with species, or is something else going on? I hadn’t seen the myriad of individual, small holes in the ground until I got down on my knees to look at/try to identify the fliers. From a standing position, it was impossible to see what they were because of their small size and rapid movement.
I love that these two people have enough confidence in their observations to question what they’ve heard about mining bees. And of course, they are both right. The species of bees that are active changes throughout the year, but some bees will be around as long as flowers are blooming.
Are they native, wild, or feral?
Any discussion about bees has to begin with the words we use to describe them. There doesn’t seem to be a standard, but you can categorize bees by how they got here.
For example, most of the bees here in North America are native to the continent and were here when the colonists arrived. But others have been introduced on purpose and subsequently escaped into the environment. These escapees became established, much like introduced weeds. Examples are wild populations of the European honey bee and the alfalfa leafcutting bee. Still other bees were introduced accidentally and were never managed, such as the European wool carder bee. All three of these categories can be referred to as “wild.” The opposite of wild are those that are currently managed, such as most European honey bees.
Common names are confusing
When it comes to identifying bees, I again think it’s the names that confuse people. For example, many people use the term “mason” bee to refer to bees in the genus Osmia, but in a larger sense, mason bees are any bees that collect building materials from their environment. So that makes leafcutting bees and wool carder bees masons as well.
Likewise, the terms “mining bee,” “digger bee,” and “sweat bee” each comprise hundreds and sometimes thousands of different species. So when one person describes what he considers a mining bee, it probably isn’t the same species that someone else is calling a mining bee. These names are based on broad descriptions of behavior more than anything, so they are not names of specific species.
Sometimes there is a bit of correlation that develops over time. For example, the term “mining bee” is often used to describe bees in the genus Andrena, while “digger bee” is used for the genus Anthophora, but both are large groups of bees that dig small holes in the ground. The genus Andrena alone comprises 1300 species.
What people need to realize is that Earth is home to roughly 20,000 named species of bee and probably another 10,000 to 20,000 unnamed ones. So when you use a label like “digger bee” you have to understand that the word encompasses a wide range of bees and bee behavior.
Mining bee are not limited to spring
Going back to the original questions, both DJ and Keith mention hearing that mining bees are around in the spring, but their bees are out in September and intermittently in the summer. All I can say is they are very observant.
In truth, different species of bees become active at different times of the year. A species can become active in late winter, early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer, early fall and so on. Each species is different and each one has a very specific time when it becomes active.
Unlike honey bees which do not hibernate, most bees spend the majority of their lives in the nest either as a larva or a pupa. The time spent in the nest varies with species, but as a rule of thumb, you can imagine bees spending about 10 months in the nest and two months as active adults. When we say bees “become active” we mean the adults emerge, mate, lay eggs, and gather provisions for their young. Once this work is done, the adults die and the next generation is on hold for 10 months until next year.
Species come and go
So when DJ says her bees are active intermittently, what she is seeing is different species coming into their active period at different times of year. Of course, nature is complex and nothing is easy to pigeonhole. For example, there are species of bees that have two life cycles in one year. Other bees—like some of the bumbles—appear to have longer active periods because they live in colonies which persist for months. And the real outliers, colonies of honey bees, do not have a dormant or hibernating stage at all. But for most species, the life cycle is less than 2 months of activity followed by 10 months holed up in the nest in an immature form.
Bees become active when the flowers they evolved with come into bloom. So the mix of bees changes with the mix of flowers. That means if you were to inventory all the bees in your backyard on May 1 you would have a very different list than you would on a different date, let’s say August 1. Honey bees would be on both lists, and maybe some of the bumble bees, but the others would be different. Even if you were to compare inventories one month apart, say May 1 and June 1, you would see a big difference. Just as the flowers change, so do the bees.
Spring brings lots of variety
I agree that people say mining bees are active in the spring and then disappear, and I’m sure I’ve said that too. The reason, I think, is that many more species are active in the spring than in the fall, just as many more flowers bloom in the spring. But that doesn’t mean there are no mining bees the rest of the year. Bees are all over the place, and many of them find flowers the rest of us barely notice.
The same applies to mason bees. When people say masons are only active in the spring, they are talking about specific species, maybe Osmia lignaria or Osmia aglaia. But there are also very early masons, late spring masons, summer masons, and so on.
DJ mentions the number of flowering plants she has and wonders if that is a cause for all the bees. Absolutely! Remember bees and flowers are dependent on each other, and where you find a lot of one, you will find a lot of the other. The more flowering plants you have, the more bees you will have, and not just in numbers but also in variety. That is why planting flowers is so important to bee conservation: more varieties of flower can support more species of bees.
Walking on mounds
DJ’s last question is about walking on the mounds, technically known as tumuli. If you go out of your way to destroy all the tumuli all of the time, you will do damage to your bee population. On the other hand, If you accidentally step on a few now and then, the bees will quickly repair the damage. Like many things in nature, it’s all a matter of degree. I recommend you use your yard normally and not worry about the mounds. I’ve seen soil-nesting bees in playgrounds, ball parks, picnic areas, backyards, and parking lots. They survive just fine as long as we don’t go out of our way to destroy them.
Keith mentions the holes in his yard are very tiny, while others claim they are quite large. But once again, the size of the hole is species-dependent. Of the 20,000+ species of bee in the world, fully 70% live in holes in the ground. That means there is an enormous variation in size, density, depth, seasonality, and soil types involved. The world of bees is anything but simple.
I don’t know if I clarified anything or not, but I love hearing from people who care. Most people ask how to kill them, so it’s a pleasure to hear from the others.
Honey Bee Suite
A lasioglossum bee in September
Many ground-dwelling bees are active in fall. This tiny Lasioglossum female, commonly known as a sweat bee, is foraging on an Alyssum flower. © Rusty Burlew.
• Thank you for this very clear and detailed answer to our questions. It has explained quite a bit. I have been careful not to trample the mounds as much as I can. They are everywhere, so it is sort of like playing “the floor is lava” but I find it amusing. I have been watching these little workers more closely since they arrived and the yellow pollen filled visitors are quite mesmerizing. Happy to have them around as long as they are here and hope to see them every year!
Thank you again. Great article.
• We seem to have a bumper crop of yellowjackets attacking our honey bee hives this year. I learned from another beekeeper a non-chemical way to address this problem. Get some tuna-flavored cat food and put a couple of spoons full in a flat dish with a few drops of dish detergent and about an inch of water. Set it near the hives. The yellowjackets will be attracted to it and drown but the honey bees will not go to it.
• By the way, do any of these ground dwelling bees (other than bumbles) have a stinger?
I have assured worried mothers that their children are safe but I have nagging doubts too.
• Mike,
With very few exceptions, all female bees can sting. Most use their stinger for self-defense from predators. That said, most native species are not aggressive and most are so small their stingers can’t penetrate human skin. However, there are those that can pack a wallop if you were to endanger them. The males, of course, cannot sting.
• Thank you Rusty –
As I become somewhat better at recognizing all these different bees, my awe for their diversity only increases. The more I seem to recognize them the less I feel I know about them.
Thanks, GB
• Wow! You did a great job, covering so much ground and explaining the intricacies of common names and varieties of bees.
Here is a list of non-native bees for those who are interested:
I envy those who have abundant bee nests in their properties.
Mike, I read about a school that discovered such aggregation of bee nests in their school yard and adopted the bees with great enthusiasm. I haven’t heard about any unhappy events. I wish I could find the link.
I discovered one aggregation next to a parking lot of a busy park. This was seven years ago and last I heard, they are going strong, more than forty nests, this year. https://www.facebook.com/beatriz.moisset/videos/4417380311997/
• Every September the bees take over my front garden and I leave them to it. I cancel the window cleaner so they will not be disturbed; it’s lovely to see them.
• I started 2 hives 1 month ago. One hive is doing well with a lot of activity and reproduction while the other is basically at a stand still. They are side by side yet the difference is notable.The queen in the lackluster hive seems to be ok and active yet no growth and very docile while the other hive is very aggressive and has started producing cells in a new frame. Any idea why and is there anything that can be done?
Thank you for any help you can provide. Thank you, Alex
• The miner bees are in the ‘flower’ garden. Many many, many of them, and I feel guilty when I weed. All those homes I am destroying!! However, my garden is failing rather badly, embarrassingly so this year, (as in dead!) and I am wondering if the bees are playing any part in that. Root destruction? I certainly do not wish to do them harm, but I would like to dig out the bed and refurbish it with richer soil (that won’t be hard!!), and new plants. As I seem to have miner bees all year round it is not as if I can wait 12 weeks and they will be gone … Any suggestions gratefully received.
Kay (Baxter)
• Kay,
Tunneling bees do not hurt your plants, in fact the tunnels aerate the soil, which is a good thing. Bees are totally uninterested in roots, but they are part of a healthy ecosystem. Something else is bothering your garden. If you dig out the garden, you will kill the bees you dig out. There’s not anything you can do for them because moving them generally doesn’t work.
• We have a small area, with several flagstones. Some years ago, we began getting cicada killing wasps nesting in that area. For the past few years, we’ve had what appears to be digger bees in the same area in late summer. Is there any way to deter them from this area without killing them? I’m allergic to stinging insects, but recognize them aa non-aggressive, but would be more comfortable if they weren’t in this area where I need to go through to get to my water faucet. Thank you
• Our mining bees have now gone into hibernation but I’ve noticed that something appears to be attempting to dig up the holes. Do mining bees have any predators? I’m guessing perhaps hedgehogs are interested in the larvae underground.
• Lorraine,
Lots of animals eat grubs and larvae, so I’m sure there are some that love immature bees. I don’t know which ones they are, however.
• We recently (last week) unintentionally disturbed a nest of ground bees that had clearly been very happy. They came to defend the nest, so we dropped a rock over the opening that we made. That seems to have calmed things down a bit, but now they are easily agitated by the lawnmower. How can we either get them to move or settle them down for the winter without destroying them? Should I put more dirt next to the entrance? I have been watching the hole and they are not aggressive unless one removes the rock (yes, I got stung—it was a very sharp sting, but seemed more like a mosquito bite after) or lawnmower. They appear to be small, not furry bees. We are in western Massachusetts. I have been reading as many websites as I can find, and there is a lot about killing them. Thanks for all this great information to support bees.
• Kristin,
It’s hard to say without a photo, but this sounds like a nest of ground-dwelling social wasps. Most ground-dwelling bees, except bumbles, are solitary for the most part.
• I have mining bees in my lawn that appear in the last 2 hot weeks in September. I now have myriad of holes in my lawn!
Thank you for the information.
• We have a huge area of miner bees in our garden. They are very active in September. I am worried as they are in part of the garden that we have to landscape starting in May. These holes are currently in the exposed subsoil and we have to put a layer of topsoil over this and then prepare the area to turf. Is this going to harm my bees? We have been renovating for the past three years so they have been undisturbed so have grown in size. What advice can you give, we are in the UK.
• Sam,
I suppose some may survive, but changing the depth of the soil and adding turf (which they hate) will probably drive any survivors away. The depth they choose for nesting varies with the species, so it’s hard to say how many will be able to dig themselves out. Roots from the turf can grow into and obstruct the tunnels, as well. All in all, it’s probably a loss for the bees.
• I don’t know Sam’s circumstances, but hypothetically could he maybe dig up blocks of the subsoil and move a few to a more out-of-the-way location. Maybe just enough to give a few starter bees a survival chance, with some alternate bare earth spot?
• Roberta,
I’ve heard of people trying this will little success, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a try. Different species will behave differently, so it’s hard to judge. Some kinds burrow down many feet, others nest near the top.
• Hello bee people!
This is a wonderful blog! I am not a beekeeper at all, just a novice home gardener with a bee sting allergy and a small garden.
I have been watching the bees in the garden with great admiration all summer long. I know how hard they work and I planted a wildflower/butterfly garden and a long row of a variety of sunflowers in the back of the garden for these industrious pollinators (and myself too) to enjoy.
I also have about ten well-attended bird feeders in the yard.
Recently over the last month or two, I have run out of room in my home, and put a lot more potted plants outside on the table near the house. I have two small tomato plants, two aloe vera plants, some lavender, basil, and a palm tree out there. Over the last several weeks, I have noticed more and more honeybees or fuzzy bees that look like honeybees anyway, hanging around those potted plants. First, there were only two or three and they were only on the basil and lavender, and only at the bottoms, but now there are about ten or twelve and they seem to be digging in the dirt of the basil plant. They have grown in numbers to the point that they are flying around everywhere I go in the garden now, and are somewhat “aggressively” flying at me and around me. I say aggressively, but maybe I should just say, “With serious intent.” They have not yet stung me, and my dog ate one today because she heard me squeak with a little fear at the last one to come at me. I try not to freak out, but I am not sure how I can spend any time harvesting, pruning, or even filling the bird feeders because these bees keep coming at me.
Any advice is welcome, even if it’s just to only go out early in the morning or later in the evening with a flashlight…the birds are getting annoyed that I haven’t filled the feeders or changed the water, so I will have to do that soon.
Thanks, everyone!
• Michelle,
It’s hard to give any details, but since they are digging, they are not honey bees. Most digging bees are not aggressive and don’t sting unless threatened. They usually disappear after about a month, so you will just have to decide how much you are willing to put up with.
• I have had ground bees for a few of years. I feed them along with the birds. This year I am noticing that they are still around and it is September (frost is starting this weekend). I still have some flowers but should I stop putting out fruit and sugar water?
• Rebecca,
If you continue to feed sugar water, no harm will come to the bees. They know when it is too cold to fly and are capable of making good bee decisions.
• I live in the UK and today found an Ashy Mining Bee on the ground. It didn’t try to fly away from me or anything when I got it to climb on my hand. It seems pretty weak so I gave it some sugar water and left it in a box out of the wind…it has been very windy today. This was at a stable yard and it was settled when I left (there is still a teaspoon of sugar water next to it).
I didn’t know what to do for the best as it is October and there are no flowers out anymore. Will she hibernate when I let her go or will she die?
• Coral,
Most likely this bee was at the end of its natural lifespan. The adult forms only survive four to six weeks, and after that, they die. Only the immature forms survive the winter in their burrows. There is nothing you can do.
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Video Games and Its Implications
Do you think playing a video game is nice? Of course not, if you go by the older convention. But in today’s modern worn video games are the most common form of entertainment among the people. The younger generation is more addicted to video games than the older ones.
How to play a video game?
To play a video game you need a game first. Then you need to put in your favourite game. You are ready to go after proper installation of the game. While you start playing you need to understand the rules and regulations of the play. If you are a good learner you will soon get success in the game.
The sooner you learn the more levels you can clear and get rewarded. With all these things these games are definitely entertaining. Besides being a source of entertainment it has certain other advantageous sides.
Advantages of playing these games are-
• Help in boosting memory- Though people are not aware of this fact but a video game can actually help to keep things I memory well. Through the games, a person has to constantly have a mental activity. This keeps the brain alert and active. Thus, things do not easily slip out of memory.
• Increase coordination- Thoughts will be more organized and the person ill be more coordinated in their work. This is largely because they would be influenced by the games which do follow an orderly process of progress.
• Cognitive health will be better- Studies have found out that along with memory, cognitive health becomes all the more better. This means that you will become focused in your work, and will be able to make better decisions.
• Less of stress and depression- most people live secluded and are hence unable to communicate with others. These games are a virtual world. In it by becoming live one can make virtual friends, communicate with them. This can make them stress-free, less depressed and livelier.
• Better decision making- you will be better in deciding things in real life. This condition is prompted by the instant decisions that one has to take while in the game.
Thus, it is quite evident that these games though are a source of entertainment also has much greater implications on the health of the players. So, anybody thinking that video games are negative should give a second thought to what they say. It is one of the important things to remember.
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Extraterrestrial intelligence
Intelligence is along with the more precise concept of sapience used to describe extraterrestrial life with similar abilities as humans. Another interchangeable term is sophoncy first coined by Karen Anderson and published in the 1966 works by her husband Poul Anderson.
Sentience, like consciousness are concepts sometimes mistakenly used for the concept of extraterrestrial sapience and intelligence, since they insufficiently describe such life.
The term of extraterrestrial civilization frames a more particular case of extraterrestrial intelligence. It is the possible longterm result of intelligent and specifically sapient extraterrestrial life.
Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
The U.S. government's position is that "chances of contact with an extraterrestrial intelligence are extremely small, given the distances involved."[10][11] This line of thinking has led some to conclude that first contact will most likely be made with extraterrestrial artificial intelligence, rather than with biological beings.[12][13][14]
The Wow! signal remains the best candidate for an extraterrestrial radio signal ever detected.[15]
Potential cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact
The potential changes from extraterrestrial contact could vary greatly in magnitude and type, based on the extraterrestrial civilization's level of technological advancement, degree of benevolence or malevolence, and level of mutual comprehension between itself and humanity.[16] Some theories suggest that an extraterrestrial civilization could be advanced enough to dispense with biology, living instead inside of advanced computers.[16] The medium through which humanity is contacted, be it electromagnetic radiation, direct physical interaction, extraterrestrial artefact, or otherwise, may also influence the results of contact. Incorporating these factors, various systems have been created to assess the implications of extraterrestrial contact.
See also
12. ^ Hollingham, Richard. "What if the aliens we are looking for are AI?". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
13. ^ November 2016, Mike Wall 14. "Electronic E.T.: Intelligent Aliens Are Likely Machines". Space.com. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
14. ^ ""Alien Artificial Intelligence is Out There" --And It's Billions of Years Old". The Daily Galaxy. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
16. ^ a b Harrison, A. A. (2011). "Fear, pandemonium, equanimity and delight: Human responses to extra-terrestrial life". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 369 (1936): 656–668. Bibcode:2011RSPTA.369..656H. doi:10.1098/rsta.2010.0229. PMID 21220289.
17. ^ Kazan, Casey (1 August 2008). "The Impact of ET Contact: Europe's Scientists Discuss The Future of Humans in Space". Daily Galaxy. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
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Do Huskies Have Webbed Feet? This Is What We Found!
Do Huskies Have Webbed Feet? This Is What We Found!
Siberian Huskies have been crossing snow and ice for thousands of years, and they make it look so easy. Do huskies have webbed paws? This article has the answer.
Yes, huskies have slightly webbed paws and you will see a small triangle-shaped patch of skin joining each toe. This helps them walk through snow and ice by increasing their surface area.
Why Huskies Have Webbed Feet: History Tells!
It helps to know just a small amount of Husky history to fully understand their physical make-up and why they are the way they are!
Siberian Huskies are considered one of the oldest breeds of dog in the world, and for thousands of years lived in Eastern Siberia, where the weather goes down to extremely cold, arctic-like conditions.
Huskies were bred originally by a group of nomadic hunter-gatherers called the Chukchi Tribe or Chukchi People. The Chukchi’s relied heavily on Siberian Huskies and one of their main roles was transportation. Huskies were sled dogs and were constantly helping the nomadic tribe move around for hundreds of miles at a time, in nothing but snow and ice.
After thousands of years walking on primarily snow and ice, it’s no wonder there have been certain evolutionary adaptations in their physical make-up, in order to survive.
Facts About Your Husky’s Webbed Feet
Let’s take a closer look at the anatomy of the Siberian Husky’s paw. Earlier we said that Huskies do have webbed feet, but it’s important to know it can change, some Huskies will have more prominently webbed toes and in some Huskies, this physical feature won’t be as visible.
Typically, the webbing seen in Huskies is very small, this is because they only need it for help with walking on snow. Webbed toes are primarily seen in semi-aquatic species to help with swimming. Huskies do not have a history of swimming and most of the time, they hate the water!
The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized breed and they are typically on the lean end of the weight spectrum. It’s not too common you see a fat Husky. So most Huskies have a slim body and their legs and paws are also usually lean.
Key features of the Husky paw:
• Husky paw is of medium size, but this ultimately depends on the size of your Husky. A bigger husky will have bigger paws and vice versa.
• Husky paws are typically slim but strong and sturdy
• They will be covered with fur on the sides of the toes to keep their feet warm
• Pads will be tough and strong to support their active lifestyles
• Slight webbing in between toes may be seen
ALL Siberian Huskies will have webbing in the feet, how much of it you can see will be down to your Husky’s genes and bloodline.
Does My Husky Benefit From Having Webbed Feet?
The main reason that Huskies have slight webbing between their toes is to help them walk on snow. So if you have a Husky and live in a snowy place, then yes, their webbed feet will be actively helping them to walk and run in the snow.
Huskies might not care too much about Michael Phelps’s gold medals, as they generally aren’t swimmers. Although you can teach huskies to swim, this activity doesn’t come naturally to Huskies and their webbed feet are too small to really give them much help.
Siberian Huskies are a very active breed and they should be receiving a lot of daily exercise. Their slightly webbed feet most likely give some extra level of support and protection from the rough ground underneath. So of course, having this “mutation” which is what it’s classed as, isn’t anything negative.
Related Article: Discover how you can teach your Husky to swim safely
Psst, Hey guys! Please check out the My Happy Husky YouTube Channel and consider subscribing to support us. It would mean the world to us! <p><a%20href=" https:>My Happy Husky YouTube!
Other Breeds That Have Webbed Paws
As it happens, there are many other breeds that also have webbed paws, and some of them are significantly more webbed than the paws on Huskies
It just so happens, these are all breeds with a big water backgrounds which is why their paws have bigger webbing. Remember that this mutation/adaptation was first seen in semi-aquatic species to help with propulsion in swimming.
Other dog breeds that have webbed paws include:
• American Water Spaniel
• Dachshund
• Otterhound
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• German Wirehaired Pointer
• Portuguese Water Dog
These dogs are primarily working dogs and usually assisted hunters catch and retrieve game, in the water and outside the water. Their webbed feet helped them across all terrain, not just with swimming.
Do All Dogs Have Webbed Feet?
Even though we’ve only spoken about several breeds in the article, the main breed being the Siberian Husky, it’s true that ALL dogs actually have webbed feet.
Of course, they don’t have webbed feet quite like a duck! Some are webbed only slightly, and some much greater.
It depends on the history of the breed and what they were used for. Most of the time, breeds that have webbed feet were hard-working dogs that engaged in a lot of physical activity, from hunting, swimming, sled-pulling, and even herding.
Typically, the breeds that were hard-working and experienced a range of terrain and especially swimming, will have bigger webbing in their paws.
Huskies only really worked on snow and ice, therefore the webbing with their paws didn’t really need to develop or adapt to anything further. If Huskies experienced all terrains and also engaged in swimming, we can expect their paws to webbed a lot more than what we currently see today.
So there you have it, now you know that all Huskies have webbed paws and why they have webbed paws.
It’s a natural physical trait in all dogs and there should be no reason to be worried about it. Always ensure the hygiene of your dogs paws and wash their feet after dirty walks
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EMF & Animals: Are They Just as Sensitive to Electromagnetic Fields as We Are?
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The ill-effects of human-made electromagnetic fields (EMF) aren’t just limited to humans. Studies show that the EMF from our devices, appliances, network sources and electrical infrastructure harms birds, animals, and even marine life. Let’s have a deeper look.
Effects of EMF on Birds
Like many insects, birds pollinate plants and control pests. But besides that, they’re also responsible for distributing and planting seeds that contribute to 35% of the world’s crop production.
The Importance of Birds
Birds act as an extra pair of helping hands to the farmers by removing harmful insects like caterpillars, weevils, cutworms, beetles, and flies from the fields. It’s mainly because of them that crops grow healthily, and farmers can feed millions of people worldwide.
Besides eating insects in the field, they also help grow new plants in the ecosystem by dispersing seeds and pollinating.
EMF Animals Birds
Not only do birds remove insects, but they also help grow new plants in the ecosystem through dispersing seeds and pollinating flowers and plants.
Certain birds, such as vultures, control the spread of deadly pathogens by consuming the dead flesh of animals in the wild. And certain species of birds produce one of nature’s best fertilizers called guano, which enriches the soil and promotes mass food production.
In short, a huge chunk of our food supply depends on their existence and daily efforts, which means that, in a way, birds are one of the primary reasons that life on earth is possible.
How Does EMF Affect Birds?
In 2014, National Geographic reported on the work of Prof. Henrik Mouritsen, in which he proved that the EMF pollution in our environment interferes with birds’ navigational abilities.
For his experiment, Prof. Mouritsen captured European robins and placed them inside a cage in a windowless room. Once he put the birds in there, they all tried to flee in the same direction, which is typical because birds have magnetoreception that helps them sense the earth’s magnetic field to navigate.
After some time, Mouritsen moved the birds to the University of Oldenburg, and something unusual happened there. He noticed that the birds were trying to flee in different directions this time, as if they had no sense of where they were supposed to go.
Even after altering the variables like the light’s intensity, the size and shape of the funnels, and the birds’ food, nothing changed. He later suspected that the EMFs present in his Oldenburg University lab might be interfering with their ability to sense magnetic fields.
Two years passed, and once again, Prof. Mouritsen resumed the experiment with postdoctoral researcher Nils-Lasse Schneider. And this time they came up with an idea to place the birds inside a Faraday cage.
birds emf animals
Birds in a cage shielded from EMF had their navigational abilities restored.
A Faraday cage is an enclosure made using a mesh of conductive materials like metals. This device can block electromagnetic fields, and it’s used primarily to protect EMF-sensitive objects from getting damaged.
When they placed the birds inside the Faraday cage, their sense of detecting the earth’s magnetic field seemed to return. And when the researchers removed the birds from these special cages, they once again flew in random directions.
This study demonstrates that EMF heavily impairs a bird’s ability to use magnetoreception, causing migratory birds to lose their sense of direction, eventually leading to mass extinction.
Microwave RF the Main Cause of Birds’ Decline
“Microwave and radiofrequency pollution is the main cause of decline in birds,” said biologist Alphonso Balmori in his 2009 study on the effects of EMF on wildlife.
His three-part study included birds like white stork, sparrows, and other species at a community park.
• In his study with the white storks, he observed several nests located within 200-300 meters from cell phone base stations. At the end of this study, he found that 12 nests in the 200-meter range never had any chicks. This demonstrates that EMF affects the birds’ ability to reproduce.
• The second part of his study included house sparrows. It included 150 point locations within six areas in the breeding season. He noticed that there were fewer sparrows in highly EMF polluted regions.
• Finally, in the urban parks, he noticed that the bird population was significantly lower in places with nearby EMF sources than areas with less EMF exposure.
Balmori concluded the study saying, “In the light of current knowledge there is enough evidence of serious effects from this technology to wildlife. For this reason, precautionary measures should be developed, alongside environmental impact assessments prior to installation, and a ban on installation of phone masts in protected natural areas and in places where endangered species are present.”
Effects of EMF on Mammals
It’s not only birds that are affected by EMF radiation. Even though mammals don’t have magnetoreception, they too suffer from EMF-induced problems. Have a look.
EMF’s Effects on Cattle
In 1998, a farmer visited the veterinary faculty of the University of Hanover with a very unusual problem with his cows. He said that his cows were behaving abnormally ever since the installation of several network towers close to his farm.
cell phone towers cows
Researchers found that stray voltage contributed to numerous negative effects in dairy cows.
And it was not just cows. He mentioned that, since the installation, he and his family were also experiencing several health problems. They went to several hospitals but didn’t receive treatment, as no doctor could identify precisely why the members of that family were experiencing those symptoms.
The researchers in the Hanover University decided to pick up the farmer’s case and conduct a proper study to see what was going on.
The Research
A team of researchers went to the farm and conducted several experiments. As soon as they reached the farm, here’s what they saw.
• Most cows were tearing heavily, and their cheeks were constantly wet, showing signs of chronic conjunctivitis and constant itching. Because of that, some cows were rubbing their eye areas continuously against any items in the stable within their reach.
• Many cows were also pushing their heads against the chest of other cows. Besides that, the animals in the stable were turning their heads away from the direction where the transmitters were located, as if it was hurting them.
• Mother cows showed signs of extreme weakness, as they kept falling on the stable floor and couldn’t stand up.
• The researchers then took the cows to eat feed in an open area, and as soon as they reached it, the cows hid behind an outbuilding away from the transmitting tower.
This called for more complex analysis. So, the researchers began performing fodder analysis and feeding calculations. They also did an autopsy on deceased cows, which revealed many things. After doing some more research, they had concrete evidence to conclude that the abnormal behavior in cows resulted from constant and heavy EMF exposure from the towers.
The researchers concluded the paper by saying, “The health disorders and behavioral abnormalities described in this paper as well as the results of the conducted examination point to the electromagnetic tension as the cause of the occurrences in the affected herd of dairy cows.”
Ground Currents and Farm Animals
The study I mentioned above only considers the impact of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. But, they’re not the only thing that harms farm animals. There’s another EMF source that’s equally harmful to their health. And it’s known as ground currents.
Since your devices and appliances don’t use all the electricity coming through the cables, the remaining energy returns through a neutral wire.
Our electricity distribution systems, especially in rural regions, aren’t equipped to handle all the returning electricity. Because of this, the utility companies just dump the excess electricity in the ground.
This is a problem because the dumped electricity doesn’t just vanish away. As soon as it reaches the soil, it spreads through the conductive earth. This free-flowing electricity on the ground is called ground current pollution.
Researchers have found that, besides radiofrequency EMF from nearby network towers, ground current pollution also causes many health problems in dairy cows. You can learn more about it in my post called “Ground Current Pollution.
EMF & Pets
Unfortunately, there has not been an extensive amount of research on the effects of EMF on domestic animals, such as cats and dogs. But a study on ground currents did find an impact on these (very lovable) animals.
The 1995 study involved a kennel in Allegan County, MI. This kennel had a population of Shetland Sheepdogs, Persian cats, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers. And, while they had a 12-year history of successfully producing pups, this population suddenly began demonstrating significant reproductive problems.
“Female dogs ceased cycling or had abnormal “unbreedable” seasons. Sperm checks revealed a lack of sperm in four males. Concurrently, neither the Persian nor mongrel female cats in the kennel showed signs of cycling.”
After multiple investigations, it remained unclear what the cause was of these issues. Then investigators contacted two local dairy farms, where cows were experiencing similar problems. They later determined that the reason was stray voltage in the ground.
Besides ground current, another study from 1995 found that an increase in the levels of magnetic fields in a household increased the risk of canine lymphoma, a type of blood cancer found in dogs.
Effects of EMF on Marine Life
We often exclude marine animals when talking about EMF’s effects. And it kind of makes sense, as they live far away, deep inside the oceans, unconnected to our network sources. But the fact is EMF affects marine animals as much as it affects the animals on land. Here’s why.
We’ve already discussed magnetoreception earlier in this post. Many species of birds and bees rely on magnetoreception to navigate.
It turns out there are many species of marine life that can sense electrical signals. It’s what they use to navigate and to locate prey. Some of them are sharks, rays, sea turtles, cod, sturgeons, whales, and dolphins.
magnetoreception in marine life
Sea turtles are among the marine species that have magnetoreception.
There is a large and growing number of undersea cables that provide data connectivity worldwide. Since these cables carry electromagnetic fields, they are the source that exposes these marine animals to EMF radiation.
Studies Show
Studies say that exposure to EMF from these cables decreases the ability of marine life to use magnetoreception. This can cause them to lose their sense of location and direction. Besides that, they can confuse the signals coming from undersea cables with the signals coming from a prey, resulting in them not being able to find food.
It’s not just a theory. A 2011 research study commissioned by the United States Department of the Interior actually confirmed that the undersea optic fiber cables interfere with marine animals’ ability to navigate and identify their prey. This, in turn, causes them to consume less nutrition, resulting in lower life expectancy and problems with reproduction.
The same study also mentioned that the EMF signals interfere with the creatures’ migratory patterns, pushing them towards the verge of extinction.
A separate study commissioned by the Oregon Wave Energy Trust reached similar conclusions. They identified adverse health effects in navigation, consumption, and reproduction in multiple species of marine life. Besides that, they also found that EMF exposure causes changes in embryonic development and cellular function in these marine species.
Final Thoughts
EMF’s biological effects on animals are severe. And the constant modernization of our technology isn’t helping at all. We need to realize that, without animals on earth to do their part, human existence would either become extremely hard or maybe even impossible.
And it’s not just the animals. The way we’re moving forward and adding more powerful EMF sources to the environment is also causing numerous problems to human health. And it won’t stop until we all get together and do something about it.
So, what’s the solution here?
Well, you can begin by educating yourself on the subject and telling your friends and family about it.
I have a ton of resources on my website to help you learn more about EMF, its biological effects, and possible solutions.
Besides that, I also have a separate page that contains tips on talking to people about this subject in a way that can actually convince them to make some changes in their lives. So, give it a read – and let’s all make the choice to be a part of the solution.
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Strange stories
When diseases made history
About the fall of the Goths and the Incas
(Posted in Grail World 21)
World history, as it is usually taught, is a curious collection of facts and their interpretations that aim to provide a vivid picture of bygone eras.
The descriptions of times that have blown away are inevitably incomplete and also shaped by a “zeitgeist” that even a historian striving for objectivity cannot escape from. Often enough, therefore, historiography offers poetry rather than truth and is also very one-sided.
As part of our “Strange Stories” series, this time we deal with a particularly neglected aspect of looking at history, namely the major role that diseases have always played. The Goths and the Incas serve as examples.
About the fall of the Goths
The well-known German trains to the south, to Italy (Ostrogoths) or Spain (Visigoths) and North Africa (Vandals) were actually only short episodes without far-reaching significance. However, since they were given widespread attention in the history of the 19th and early 20th centuries, they can be regarded as prime examples of a one-sided view of history.
The most famous was the procession of the Ostrogoths, their sinking on Italian soil Felix Dahn (1834-1912) poetically transfigured in a widely read heroic epic. This bestseller shaped the historical awareness of entire generations.
By strict historical standards, the history of the Ostrogoths only lasted about five generations (from 451 to 552). At the beginning and at the end there were defeats and king names: Valamier commanded the Ostrogoth contingent in 451, which was defeated with Attila's army in the Catalaunian fields. Teja fell in 552 on Mons Lactarius (the "milk mountain" south of Salerno); with him the kingship and the ethnic identity of the Ostrogoths perished.
In this short epoch the legendary rise of the Ostrogoths lies beneath Theodoric (456-526), who became king in 471 and went out as imperial governor in 488 to conquer Italy. The German sagas know him as Dietrich von Bern.
In Italy the Germanic military leader had Odoacer (433-493) with his mercenaries the last emperor of western Rome, Romulus Augustulus, 476 deposed and taken power himself. Theodoric was able to defeat Odoacer in three battles and finally, after two and a half years of siege, also conquer Ravenna, from then on the capital of the Ostrogoth Empire. Odoacer was murdered by Theodoric at a banquet.
So the typical chaos of the migration period. The great Roman Empire, once larger in area than the USA today, had split into two empires: the east with the capital Constantinople (Byzantium) could hold its own for a millennium, but the west with Rome became the plaything of rival groups.
The Ostrogoth empire on Italian soil could not last either. The Romans despised the "barbarians" who made up only 5 percent of the population but claimed political and military power. The already powerful Catholic Church hated the Arian ones[1] Goths.
Theodoric - bestowed the rare title "the great" on the historian - wanted to familiarize his Goths with Roman culture and to reconcile his empire with the church. But hardly any Roman appreciated these concerns. Even Theodoric's mild tax policy was only recognized posthumously when the victorious Byzantines plundered the war-ravaged country. When Theodoric passed away in 526, the Romans and Goths had hardly gotten closer, and the Catholics believed that the Arian king led to hell.
The Goths themselves were at odds. There were succession battles that weakened the empire of the Goths and the Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I. (483-565) almost invited to recapture the Roman ancestral land. After the Byzantines had succeeded in smashing the Vandal Empire in North Africa (Carthage) with little difficulty in 534, they also conquered Italy in almost two decades of hard battles.
For chroniclers who think nationally, the heroism of the proud Germanic tribes, who could only be defeated by deceit and betrayal, is a widespread theme. In history lessons, when I was still at school, people spoke of the "slackening of the Teutons under the hot climate of the south". A strange finding when you consider how well Europeans get along with different climates and feel just as comfortable in southern Europe as they are in California.
One looks almost always in vain for a decisive point of view in the history books: the diseases to which the intruders fell victim. And not only in ancient times or in the Middle Ages, but also in modern times well into the 19th century. Just think of West Africa as "the white man's grave„.
The vandals and the Goths also suffered decisive losses through disease, and it must be assumed today that more people lost their lives through epidemics than through enemy influence in their wars:
“When Italy's agriculture collapsed in the storms of the Great Migration and more and more areas were swamped, malaria became the world's most feared protector of the peninsula against the Germans and other barbarians attacking from the north. Malaria had a decisive influence on the fall of the Goths and vandals. The best known is the fate of the Visigoth king Alaric (370-410), who is likely to have contracted a malaria infection in 410 while taking Rome, to which he succumbed at Cosenca when he was about to cross over to Sicily and Africa. Theodoric (456-526), King of the Ostrogoths, who chose the less contaminated Ravenna as the capital of his newly founded empire, also fell victim to malaria ... Only the Lombards, who settled in a mountainous landscape of northern Italy, are not victims of malaria fallen because their adopted home, where no rice was grown at that time, was free from this epidemic. "
Another example that illustrates the neglected role of diseases in historical considerations is shown by the Incas.
The history of the Inca Empire
According to legend, the legendary Inka founded it around 1200 Mano Capac the empire in the area around Cuzco. In the 15th century, the empire expanded, eventually reaching in the north to the Rio Ancasmayo and in the south to the Rio Maule, i.e. over a north-south extension of 4000 kilometers. A tight organization and a well-developed road network helped hold the empire together. No wheeled vehicles or horses were used; Messages were delivered by runners.
After death Huayna Capacs (1527) a war of succession broke out between his sons Huascar and Atahualpa. The latter emerged victorious from these battles in 1432.
The Spanish landed under in 1431 Francisco Pizarro (1478-1541) were able to conquer the empire of the Incas quickly, as it was weakened by the war and other Indian ethnic groups (for example Canari, Huanca) as well as former followers Huascars allied with them for Inca supremacy or domination Atahualpas to shake off.
The from Pizarro deployed Inca Mano Capac organized an uprising against the Spaniards in 1536 and established a shadow kingdom in the mountainous region of Vilcamba, the last ruler until 1572, Tupac Amaru I., was captured and executed.
Source: Brockhaus Encyclopedia, 20th edition, Leipzig / Mannheim 1997
From the fall of the Incas
In Europe, especially in Germany, Indians have a good press. Their level of civilization is often wrongly rated higher than that of Sub-Saharan Africans. For example, while metalworking in pre-Columbian America was limited to copper, silver, tin and gold, i.e. metals that are native, iron has long been smelted in sub-Saharan Africa. There were also high cultures there, whose kingdoms have no fear of comparison with Indian empires.
But in the general consciousness, for example, the Aztecs and especially the Incas enjoy high esteem. Admiration for this people is expressed, for example, in the following account, which perhaps also influenced public opinion:
“... an admirable people once lived on the west coast of South America, who were high in power and education among righteous and beloved kings. The leading tribe was joined by a number of indigenous peoples, and in the course of time the most powerful empire and the highest culture in South America flourished here ... a country whose innocent dreams were shattered and annihilated by Europeans, the Spaniards.
The earliest fortunes of the Inca people disappear in the dark of legend. But we know the state institutions more precisely, because the Spanish conquerors saw everything with their own eyes. The constitution was thoroughly communist. Land, fields and pastures were divided into three parts; two of them belonged to the Inca[3] and the priesthood, and one was the property of the people. The cultivated soil was under the supervision of special government officials who were responsible for the necessary fertilization with guano from the islands of the west coast and for the fair distribution of the yield. Articles of clothing and domestic animals were also distributed among the people by the state. All Work was carried out jointly for the good of the community; Bridges and highways were built, mines were built, weapons were forged, and when hostile tribes threatened the peace, all armed men were brought into the field ...
The Inca people lived in undisturbed tranquility in their beautiful valleys and on their sun-flooded plateaus between the correlations of the Andes. Whenever warlike neighboring tribes disturb the peace here and there, the contingent in knot script went through the whole empire, and the military streets were filled with armed men ...
A great Inca died in the 16th century and left the rule to his two sons Huascar and Atahualpa. As in the old world, this division also led to a dispute and ultimately to open fratricidal war. These internal struggles divided the Inca people into two hostile halves and weakened them so that they became easy prey for a foreign conqueror ...
In 1531 Pizarro was at the head of a band of one hundred and eighty well-armed horsemen with whom he set out again for South America. Gradually he received reinforcements, landed on the Peruvian coast in November 1532 and moved up to the empire of the Inca.
Pizarro was soon fully informed of the state of affairs through scouts and envoys. With the most beautiful assurances he put the suspicions of Atahualpa, the one Inca, to sleep so completely that the latter even asked him for support against his brother Huascar. Had the brothers been united, they would have easily chased the Spanish plague out of the country. But their quarrel sealed their fate.
It was agreed that Atahualpa should appear in person in Pizarro's camp. And he came with great pomp and brought an army of thirty thousand men! He sat upright on a golden stretcher, and all his generals surrounded him. But if he thought he was teaching his new ally a high degree of his power, he had made a mistake. Pizarro's field preacher stepped up to him, the crucifix in one hand, the breviary in the other, and raising the crucifix, the priest admonished the Inca in the name of Jesus to embrace Christianity and to recognize the King of Castile as his master.
Atahualpa calmly replied that no one could deprive him of the rights he had inherited from his ancestors. He does not want to renounce the faith of his fathers and does not understand what the father is saying.
'It is written here in this book!' exclaimed the priest, handing the breviary to the king.
Atahualpa held the book to her ear and then, throwing it on the floor, said: 'Your book doesn't speak!'
That was the solution to a terrible blood bath. The cannons and muskets of the Spaniards plowed red furrows in the army of the Peruvians. Covered by their steel helmets and armor, the wild horsemen ran through the ranks of the half-naked natives, spreading confusion and terror around them ...[4].
The Inca was captured and even the highest ransom extorted did not bring him freedom.
The highest ransom ever paid
From the diary of Fray Celso Gargia:
“It had not escaped Atahualpa how much the Spaniards loved gold. And one day he proposed a deal to Pizarro: his freedom for gold, for a lot of gold. He undertook to have a room 17 feet wide, 22 feet long and 9 feet high filled entirely with gold and two smaller rooms with silver. He asked for two months to do this.
Pizarro thought only briefly. If he continued to advance, it could be that the Indians, who now knew that the Spaniards were after the gold, were hiding everything that was valuable ...
Now the Inca ruler immediately sent messengers to Cuzco and the other cities of the empire, with the order to bring all gold and all silver that was in the royal palaces and temples to Caxamalca immediately, threatening everyone with death if they did not act quickly ...
Day after day the Indian porters brought gold and silverBergergerät. Yet the piles in the rooms, which were filled to the ceiling, grew only slowly. There was enough gold in Peru, but the distances were also great. It took some porters four weeks to haul their heavy load to Caxamalca ...
Pizarro now decided ... to split the gold. Before that, it had to be melted down. This work was entrusted to Indian goldsmiths, who now had to destroy what they had artistically crafted. These were cups, jugs, plates, vases, implements for temples and royal palaces, imitations of various animals and plants and plates for cladding walls. The most beautiful piece was a golden fountain, on the edge of which sat silver birds ... "
Literature: Gargia, Celso: "Die Eroberung von Peru", Horst Erdmann, Tübingen 1975.
The unique story of the conquest of the legendary gold country is well known. However, there is seldom an answer to the question of how it was possible that a large empire with many millions of inhabitants and tens of thousands of warriors could be conquered by fewer than 300 Spaniards with only a few dozen horses.
Modern research describes the empire of the Incas differently than the cited account of Sven Hedin (1865-1952). The unique empire in ancient America's history was a strict dictatorship that not only brought advantages to the conquered peoples. The tax burden was oppressive - 2/3 for the Inca and the temples, 1/3 for the peasant - and the cemented religion offered rich benefices to domineering priests. But that does not explain why the powerful people of the Incas - apart from a few uprisings - submitted to the brutal conquerors almost without resistance and willingly bowed to the god of the cruel whites.
The fratricidal war that weakened the Inca Empire naturally contributed to its sudden collapse. But the most essential aspect was not mentioned in the history books:
Because the Spaniards were helped by a deadly "secret weapon": the smallpox. This epidemic, brought in by the Spaniards, spread in Central and South America even before the destruction of the Aztec Empire. In Mexico almost half the population fell victim to it, and in 1525 or 1526 smallpox also reached the Inca Empire:
“The consequences were just as disastrous there. The ruling Inca died during a campaign far from the capital. His designated successor also died, leaving no legitimate heir. The civil war broke out, and in the midst of this shattered political structure of the Inca Empire, Pizarro and his rough cronies marched to Cuzco in 1532 and plundered the treasures of the capital. He did not encounter any serious military resistance.
So the smallpox moved everywhere in front of the conquistadors and helped them to conquer the "terra nuova" with a handful of daring journeymen. The astonishing fact that the Spaniards succeeded in imposing their religion on the natives of Mexico and Peru can be explained by the psychological effects of the murderous plague, which only killed Indians and spared the Spaniards. The Indians could not have known that the Spaniards in their homeland had survived the disease as children and were therefore immune. Since the Indians, like the Spaniards, regarded the epidemic as a punishment from God, they could only explain the one-sided divine favor of their conquerors by saying that their gods were more powerful. The result was her conversion and stunned devotion to Spanish supremacy, which was tantamount to unresisting submission. "[5].
Neither the Incas nor the Spaniards knew the microbiological causes of epidemics; neither knew more than the Old Testament, for example in 1. Sam. 5, 6 or 2 Saturday. 24, 15 proclaimed God's punishments in plague epidemics. Not surprisingly, the Spaniards believed God on their side, who miraculously helped them accomplish the impossible, while the troubled Indians in desperation sought refuge in the stronger God, the Christian God; in the hope that this would protect them - like the Spaniards - from the terrible plague.
Engler, Aulo "Theoderich the Great", VGB, Berg, 1998.
Dahn, Felix "A Battle for Rome", Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig, undated
Hampe, Karl: "Rulers of the German Middle Ages", Quelle & Meyer, Heidelberg, 1955.
Jung, Ernst F .: "The Teutons", Weltbild, Augsburg, 1994.
McNeill, Wilhelm H .: "Epidemics make history", Udo Pfriemer, Munich, 1978.
Prescott, WH: “History of the Conquest of Peru”, Leipzig, 1958.
Wolfram, Herwig: "Die Goten", Ch. Beck, Munich, 1990.
“Inka - a myth falls”, Bild der Wissenschaft, 11/99, DVA, Stuttgart.
[1] Arianism: Christian teaching named after Arius (Greek Areios, 280-336), presbyter (priest / bishop) in Alexandria. In the Council of Nicaea (325) the doctrine of moderate Arianism was condemned, according to which Christ is similar in nature (Greek homoousios) to God, whereas the official church is particularly represented by Athanasius (295-373) insisted that God the Father and Son are essentially identical (Greek homousios). Under Theodosius the great (346-395), who elevated Catholic teaching to the state religion at the 2nd Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 381, the Arians were declared heretics. The Germanic peoples who invaded the Roman Empire at the time of the migration of peoples had adopted Christianity in the Arian form, which persisted among the Lombards until the 7th century. The moderate Arians in particular did missionary work in the Goths Wulfila (Ulfilas, 311-282), who also translated the Bible into Gothic.
[2] Cf. Winkle, Stefan: "Scourges of humanity", Artemis & Winkler, Düsseldorf, 1997, page 729 f.
[3] The king's name was Inka.
[4] Quoted from: Hedin, Sven: “From Pol to Pol” Vol. 3, FA Brockhaus, Leipzig, 1922, page 197 f.
[5] Quoted from: Winkle, Stefan: "Scourges of humanity", Artemis & Winkler, Düsseldorf, 1997, page 859.
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Contents: Meaning | Origin | Spread
What does POTUS mean?
POTUS is an acronym, comprised of the capitals of the phrase “President of the United States”.
Many similar acronyms exist, all describing a high-ranking title in US politics.
These include SCOTUS, FLOTUS as well as VPOTUS (referring to the Supreme Court; First Lady and Vice President respectively).
Origin of the term
“POTUS” as an acronym first started seeing use in the 1890’s, predominantly by telegraph operators, similar to the phrase SCOTUS which has been in place since the 1870’s.
These acronyms are widely used by US administrative and secret service operatives, although their frequency has never been too rampant.
Spread of the term
“POTUS” is mostly used in political contexts or news mediums, where abbreviations are necessary, although it has never been widely embraced by the larger public.
In the 1970’s and 80’s, “POTUS” served as the basis for new acronyms such as FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States).
Published: 07/28/2021 by | Last updated: 07/28/2021 | 209 views | Report error
What do you think? Any additions friend?
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Probiotic - The Friendly Bacteria
The World Health Organization defines probiotics as living micro-organisms that confer a health and fitness benefit on the host, when administered in quantities which are adequate.
Probiotics are basically microorganism like bacteria, viruses as well as yeast which are similar to beneficial microorganisms present in the human gut.
Mostly probiotics consist of bacteria, thus the moniker' friendly bacteria' or' good bacteria'. These friendly bacteria are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection against the dangerous microorganisms that cause disease. Probiotics may be realized in foods which are natural as well as supplements.
The Requirement of Probiotics
The Requirement of Probiotics
Our bodies are host to both bad and good microorganisms numbering in the trillions, fully alleviate your constipation - simply click the up coming webpage - but this's a fine balance. This balance is vital for our health but is often disturbed due to our poor habits and modern medicine.
One explanation is that' unfriendly' microorganisms like as: disease causing bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and parasites increase and also upset the balance. These microorganisms flourish caused by lack of hygiene and massive amounts of junk foods that we consume.
The other reason is because of antibiotics, these antibiotics are definitely useful - but repetitive use of antibiotics wipes out the friendly bacteria, consequently disrupting the balance.
This particular disruption causes a range of diseases such as:
Probiotics: Natures Medicine
Probiotics: sources and Supplements
A good Probiotic supplement must have:
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How to ensure success in mining water treatment operations
Mining & Metals’ transition from compelled water treatment towards advanced operations
How should resources like water be used in an industry which has to be transformed to reduce its environmental impact? Questions regarding the environment, and water, in particular, have become more urgent as access to clean water has been identified by the UN as one of the sustainable development goals.
Written by Linus Lejon Isaksson with co-editors Janne Tikka, Jyrki Noponen and Kirsi-Marja Haanpää
The standard goal for process industry water management is to reduce, reuse and recycle the industrial water. However, it is important to understand that in these R-processes, the quality of water will start to deteriorate. Reused or recycled water can contain more dissolved elements, have higher pH or contain other contaminants that can impact the final product or damage production equipment.
Within the mining and metals industry, it is mainly the suspended solids and dissolved elements that are the primary sources of contaminants in recycled process water. However, biological components have more recently been increasing as decomposition of nitrogen compounds utilizing bacteria is done more in production.
What is clean water?
The definition of clean water varies among respondents. This seemingly simple question has multiple perspectives depending on who answers it. From the process industry point of view, clean water fulfills the environmental permits and directives that need to be considered. This is society's definition and perspective of what clean water is.
Dodging pitfalls while moving towards more efficient water treatment
In order to enable obligatory water recycling and reuse in the production processes, mining and metals operators need to pay more attention to existing water treatment processes and plants. An overall holistic view of plant and operations is required to ensure that one solution is not causing harm to another.
One of the typical pitfalls in water treatment is unit process sub-optimization, which is when whole the production plant and all parameters are not considered one entity. This is where good intentions often go wrong, but this can be avoided:
When developing a new production process or expanding an existing one, information from all parts of the operations needs to be gathered in order to find all relevant parameters. These agreed parameters need to be revisited throughout the entire lifecycle of the treatment process to allow any reactions and changes. It is not uncommon that certain demands are uncovered once development, discussions and preparations for the future are started. Well-considered and prepared parameters enable the optimal treatment solution to be found as well as lead to operational changes that eliminate contaminants in production processes and decrease OPEX in the long term.
Misconceptions may lead to inefficiency
The general opinion has been that any water treatment solution is a necessary evil and not something that adds value and benefits plant production. We at AFRY claim that a water treatment unit should get the same dedication and access to resources as any other part of the plant. A water treatment process and plant are often one of the most delicate parts of the entire production flow sheet. Although the plant and processes can be complex, a water treatment plant is still fairly easy to manage during normal operations. Most of the water treatment processes can be monitored and managed by using pH-probes, flow meters and automatic samplers - instruments which most industries have experience using. Despite being highly automated, a water treatment plant does require staff. If not the operators or technicians, who will drive the operations and develop the plant to achieve even higher performance over time?
Monitor, analyse and improve on a constant basis by taking a holistic view
After implementing an operating water treatment plant, you need to follow and track the performance the same way as any other production line or unit. This is how operators and technicians are able to improve plants and make them even more cost-effective over time.
Interested to know more?
Janne Tikka
Head of Mining & Metals, Process Industries Division
Contact Janne Tikka
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Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in people over 50 years of age, affecting an estimated 500,000 people in the UK and 70,000 people in Ireland, with over 12 million sufferers across Europe (BMJ. Mar 1, 2003; 326(7387): 485–488) This eye disease is particularly frustrating because it results in a loss of central vision. In other words, someone with AMD can see everything except what he/she is looking directly at, and is therefore unable to read, watch TV, recognise faces or drive. There is currently an epidemic of AMD, largely because we are all living so long and, some say, our eyes have been exposed to ultraviolet radiation for all those living years.
It is now believed that that damage by free radicals causing oxidative stress within the eye trigger changes that cause AMD to develop. Free radicals are unstable molecules, and are produced in response to a person using oxygen, and in response to blue light entering the eye. Because we use oxygen to live and because we are constantly exposed to blue light, damage caused by free radicals is unavoidable (the cost of living) … but it CAN be minimised.
Who is at risk of developing AMD
The three most important and established risk factors for AMD include:
• Increasing age
• Cigarette smoking
• Having a family history of AMD
Other risk factors include:
• Obesity
• Genetic factors*
• Female gender
• White race
• Light iris colour
• Sunlight exposure
• High cholesterol
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Poor diet
• Low macular pigment levels
* Genetic factors have been shown to contribute significantly to the development of AMD; for example having first degree relatives with AMD increases the lifetime risk 2-3 fold. Variants in five regions of the genome have been identified that increase the risk of developing AMD: a variant in the CFH gene on chromosome 1, a variant in the ARMS2/HTRA1 genes on chromosome 10, two variants in the C2/CFB genes on chromosome 6 and one variant in the C3 gene on chromosome 19. CFH, C2, CFB and C3 are involved in the immune response and controlling inflammation in the body. Individuals with certain variants in these genes may be at higher risk for inflammation-induced damage to the retina.
What can be done to prevent AMD developing?
Some of the above risk factors for AMD are modifiable. In other words, people have control over these risk factors. For example, a person can stop smoking cigarettes, improve their diet and most importantly, increase their macular pigment level. There are two main types of Age-related Macular Degeneration:
Dry Type
This type progresses at a slower rate but can cause loss of reading vision and central vision over time. In this type, there is no leakage of blood or protein under the retina and is generally the least harmful to vision . There is no specific treatment but recent mounting evidence suggests that cessation of smoking, taking regular high dose antioxidant vitamins and protection from blue light are the actions that are considered most modifiable in order to reduce the risk of progression of the disease to the wet form.
Wet Type
In the wet type of AMD Soft fatty deposits, called drusen, form on the lowest layer of the retina and trigger a response that leads to new blood vessels forming in the area. New blood vessels are usually weak and ‘leaky’ since they are young and the cells that make up their walls have not had time to compress and become tight. This type of macular degeneration is due to the abnormal blood vessels (called choroidal new vessels) growing under the macula (central part of the retina used for reading and central vision). These new vessels have the potential to leak and bleed under the retina, with the capacity to rapidly distort and damage central vision. Blindness rarely results because peripheral vision is usually preserved. Drusen are yellow proteinaceous deposits under the macula and may be a precursor to wet AMD development. They may remain stable for long periods of time. In both these types of macular degeneration the central vision may become damaged but the peripheral vision is usually not affected and so blindness in rarely, if ever, the final outcome.
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You asked: What is the purpose of the bell in the church?
What do bells represent in the Bible?
… The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out… In the town where I grew up, the bells on the courthouse dome rang each hour.
What is the spiritual meaning of Bell?
Bells can symbolize beginnings and endings, a call to order, or even a command or a warning.
Why do church bells ring for so long?
In the early days it was the one way to communicate time (in addition to the clock on the church, but the clock can’t be seen everywhere). It was a way to mark the start and end of a (work) day and als the breaks that should be taken.
What does bell mouthed and biblical mean?
: flaring at the mouth.
What does it mean to hear a bell ring?
Just as a ringing bell can sound a warning, ringing in your ears can be a signal to pay attention to your body. Ringing in your ears, or tinnitus, starts in your inner ear. Most often, it is caused by damage to or the loss of sensory hair cells in the cochlea, or the inner ear.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Why Iglesia ni Cristo is the true church?
What does it mean when you heard church bells at night?
Church bells ringing at night is an indication of some emergency situation; bells were used as the town alarm. This might be a fire, or an invading army, or a pack of wolves attacking the sheep/cattle, or whatever.
How far can church bells be heard?
Bells are certainly the loudest musical instruments and can be heard from many miles away over land or sea. A true Cockney is someone who is born within the sound of Bow Bells – which can be heard as far away as Hackney, six miles away.
What does the bell represent in night?
The bell in chapter 5 is a relevant symbol that night is coming to Elie and all Jews in the concentration camp. When Elie said “The bell rang, it was already time to part, to go bed” (Pag, 73). Because he say this it shows that the bell regulated everything and that they have to obey it.
Why do church bells ring 21 times?
What does 9 bells mean?
In the event of a shipwreck, the bell was often the only positive means of identifying the ship. 8. It’s a maritime tradition that even if a ship’s name is changed, the original, unchanged bell should remain with the ship. 9. Bells are also rung as an honor salute to announce visiting officers or other dignitaries.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Why is it important to meditate the Word of God in the Bible?
How many times does a bell ring at a funeral?
The traditional ringing calls for the funeral bell to ring six times (twice three times) for a woman. The bell would toll nine times (three times three) for a man. Then, the bell would ring one blow for each year of the deceased’s life.
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Bethlehem of Galilee
Both nativity stories in the New Testament have Jesus of Nazareth being born in the town of Bethlehem and most Christians have believed that the Bethlehem referred to is the small town, not far from Jerusalem, the traditional birthplace of King David. Recently an Israeli archeologist, Dr. Aviram Oshri has argued that this consensus is based on a mistake in geography. As is often the case, he believes that there was more than one town named Bethlehem and that Jesus was born in a Bethlehem in Galilee. I read about Dr. Oshri’s theory in this article at
There’s a groundswell of people accepting that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, just not the one we’ve known for years.
The International Business Times is reporting that Israel archaeologist Dr. Aviram Oshri believes that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Galilee, nine miles west of Nazareth, and not where Christians for centuries have believed Christ’s birthplace to be: about 100 miles from Nazareth, near Jerusalem.
Part of Oshri’s argument lies around Mother Mary herself.
“How would a woman nine months pregnant travel 175 kilometres on a donkey all the way to Bethlehem of Judea? It makes much more sense that she would travel 14 kilometres,” Oshri states.
Oshri has been excavating near what he calls the second Bethlehem for over a decade now, and has discovered a Byzantine-era underground.
“Underneath the church, where the holiest of holies usually is, there was a natural cave,” he added.
Some Christian theories have Jesus being born in a manger located in a cave
Oshri’s site shows what could have been a two-story inn underneath the recently found church. Another interesting fact is that historical records show a fortifying wall being built in biblical Bethlehem. Though no such wall appears in Bethlehem, there are signs of one in Oshri’s site.
Not everyone agrees with Dr. Oshri’s findings.
Many people have claimed Dr. Oshri’s work to be erroneous. The Israel Antiquities Authority denounces his work as “worse than a joke.”
Oshri remains undeterred. “As I dig deeper and deeper, I am more convinced,” he says.
It is an intriguing idea, but it just doesn’t work. The Gospels are very clear that Jesus was born David’s home town. This was not simply an accident of geography. Bethlehem of Judea is where the Messiah or Christ had to be born.
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.
Herod would not have been threatened by any child born in Galilee, whatever his ancestry. Of course, this assumes that the Biblical account is accurate. For someone who does not believe the Gospels are historically accurate, the most reasonable assumption is that Jesus was born in Nazareth and that the Nativity stories of Matthew and Luke are simply pious fictions.
One of the problems here is that the popular idea of the birth of Jesus, as celebrated in Nativity Scenes does not actually correspond to the actual narratives found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Mary was not actually nine months pregnant when she and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem. Neither the gospel of Matthew or Luke tells us how long they spent in Bethlehem but it was likely to have been a considerable period of time, perhaps months or even years. Remember that Herod ordered every male child two years old and younger to be killed. The Magi didn’t just show up as Jesus was being born.
In fact, Joseph was more likely to take Mary with him if he expected to be gone for many months. What of the inn, though? Did Joseph and Mary spend months living in an outbuilding?
Well, as it happens, they very likely didn’t stay at an inn at all nor did Mary give birth in a barn. The Greek word translated as “inn” in Luke, καταλυμα (kataluma) actually means something closer to “guest room” The NIV actually translates kataluma as guest room. Bethlehem was a small village and it is not likely that there were any inns there.
English: The Church of the Nativity in Bethleh...
English: The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Place of Jesus’ birth Русский: Святая Пещера Рождества, православный престол над местом рождения Спасителя. Базилика Рождества Христова в Вифлееме (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Even if there were, Joseph would surely have preferred to stay with his relatives. In most houses of that time and place, the guest room would be on the upper floor. In fact, kataluma is also used to refer to the “upper room” in Acts.
Most of the day-to-day activity in the house would have taken place on the ground floor and at night the animals would have been brought into the ground floor for protection and warmth. In other words, Joseph and Mary were not staying out in a stable because the inns were too crowded. They were staying in the ground floor of their host’s residence because the guest room was already taken.
There is no particular reason to question the Biblical account of the location of the birth of Jesus. If the Gospels are not true, than we have no way of knowing where Jesus was really born, nor perhaps does it matter very much. Most likely he was born in Nazareth or some other village in Galilee. If the Gospels are true, then they state very plainly that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, not in Galilee.
Lately,the news from Iraq has seemed very bleak, with the fanatics from the Islamic State (which has nothing to do with Islam, the Religion of Peace) poised to take over the country almost unopposed, but there is at least on group of people who have successfully managed to fight off the IS and is now getting help from the United States, the Kurds. There is even some chance that the Kurds will managed to finally get a state of their own, even though this is opposed by all the actors in the region.
The Kurds deserve their own state far more than the Palestinians. Unlike the Palestinians, they are a real nation with a language and culture of their own. They have lived in their homeland since at least the time of Alexander the Great and probably for centuries before. The Kurds have contributed their share of great people, including the Muslim warlord Saladin. What more do they need to get their own state?
Here is a story I read about their fight from the Bloomberg View.
With Cuba and North Korea dominating the headlines, Americans may have missed the good news from a corner of the world that has provided very little: Iraq. Kurdish peshmerga fighters have inflicted a series of defeats on Islamic State forces, freeing a broad swath of northern Iraq from the jihadists’ control.
These battlefield victories underline an equally striking change in U.S. policy: Starting in 2015, the U.S. military will be training three brigades of peshmerga and spending more than $350 million equipping them for battle with the fanatics tearing Iraq apart. While the Kurds have been semi-independent since 1991, with their own government, militias and foreign policy, this is the biggest step yet toward Washington allowing them to have a state of their own.
To understand the significance, recall that for the almost the entire Barack Obama presidency, the Kurds and the U.S. have been at odds. In Obama’s first term, the White House asked the highest-ranking Kurd in Iraq’s government, President Jalal Talabani, to resign his post in favor of Iyad Allawi, the secular Arab whose party won the most parliamentary seats in the 2010 election. (Talabani declined.) Obama’s diplomats consistently acceded to the sensitivities of Iraq’s Shiite-led government and refused to send promised equipment and weapons directly to Kurdish fighters. When the Kurds tried to fend for themselves by selling oil on the international market, U.S. diplomats warned oil companies not to purchase it.
The Kurds happen to be the most pro-American faction in Iraq, so of course Obama didn’t care for them. Smart diplomacy is helping your enemies while slamming your friends.
But then came the Islamic State. After Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, fell in June to jihadists using vehicles and weapons the U.S. had provided to Iraq’s army, Obama realized that the Kurds are America’s only competent friends left in Iraq. Indeed, last week Kurdish forces finally broke the Islamic State’s siege of Sinjar near the Syrian border.
This dependence on the Kurds to stop the jihadists complicates U.S. foreign policy tremendously. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Presidents George W. Bush and Obama have supported a “one Iraq” policy that commits the U.S. to discouraging Iraq’s Kurds from declaring themselves an independent country. Militarily, this meant the U.S. was committed to standing up a national Iraqi Army, not a regional militia that could challenge Baghdad’s monopoly of power.
“The unity of Iraq is absolutely essential both for longstanding U.S. policy and for regional stability; for American credibility and predictability with other partners; and for defeating IS,” James Jeffrey, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq between 2010 and 2012 told me last week. Current U.S. officials working on the Iraq file echo this view. In short, Washington cannot be perceived by Iraq’s neighbors to be encouraging the dissolution of the country. For one thing, it could very well spur Turkey and the Persian Gulf States to defect from the international campaign against IS.
To understand why an independent Kurdistan is a problem, you have to look at a map of the region where the Kurds live.
As you can see, the Kurdish population not only lives in the northern part of Iraq and western Iran, but they also make up a considerable part of the population of eastern Turkey. After the Ottoman Empire was overthrown in 1922, the secular Republic of Turkey was formed by Kemal Ataturk. Ataturk wanted to bring Turkey into the modern age so his government deemphasized the role of Islam and promoted Turkish nationalism and every Turkish leader since Ataturk has insisted that Turkey be ethnically homogenous. The Greek population of Asia Minor which has been living there since before the time of Christ was expelled in the 1920s. The Kurds have been harshly persecuted by various Turkish administrations. There language and culture has been outlawed and there identity taken away. According to the Turkish government there are no Kurds in Turkey. Those people are Eastern Turks or Mountain Turks. Naturally, the Kurds in Turkey have not taken kindly to this treatment and there have been several revolts each brutally suppressed. The Turks have eased up on human rights violations against the Kurds in recent years, in order to be considered for acceptance into the EU, but the Kurds are still treated poorly. The Turks fear that an independent Kurdistan in neighboring Iraq will encourage the Mountain Turks to rebel once again, or at least demand to be part of the new state.
A new state may happen, whatever the Turks, and others might wish.
Yet the question of a Kurdish state is getting harder to avoid. In July, Massoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan region, came out in support of a referendum on Kurdish independence from Iraq. The month before, Kurdish fighters had taken up posts abandoned by the Iraqi army in Kirkuk, a strategic city at the heart of disputes between Baghdad and the Kurdish region.
Even though Kurdistan is landlocked, it’s no longer such a stretch to imagine it being independent. Kurdish customs officials already stamp your passport at its airports. The Kurds have their diplomats and lobbyists in foreign capitals. And now, thanks to an oil deal reached early this month with Baghdad, they have staved off financial collapse and gotten Baghdad to agree to pay the salaries of their Peshmerga fighters. Over the summer Israel’s prime minister,Benjamin Netanyahu, came out for an independent Iraqi Kurdistan.
The one thing the Kurds do not have, however, is a modern army. The peshmerga own some tanks, some rifles and have in the past worked very closely with American special-operations forces in Iraq. But they are still organized like a militia, with various commanders more loyal to local Kurdish political leaders than to the Kurdistan Regional Government, or KRG. Between 1994 and 1997, forces loyal to the two major Kurdish parties fought one another in a civil war.
On a visit to Washington last month, Fuad Hussein, Barzani’s chief of staff, told reporters that his government was now beginning the process of creating a centralized Kurdish army. And this is where U.S. training of three Kurdish brigades could make a major difference. If the peshmerga transforms from a localized guerilla militia into a modern army, then one of the remaining pieces necessary for Kurdish independence will fall into place.
For now, the Kurds are partners in helping to destroy the makeshift caliphate that has effectively erased the border between Syria and Iraq. For this the world owes them a debt of gratitude. But by training and equipping a modern Kurdish army to achieve this task, Obama may find that he is helping destroy Iraq in order to save it.
Perhaps “Iraq” is not worth saving. Like many other states formed in the aftermath of decolonization, Iraq doesn’t really correspond to any real nation. The region of Mesopotamia is composed of many ethnic groups and religions and it may be that only a dictator like Saddam Hussein could possibly hold it together. It might be wise to partition Iraq or to create some loose confederation on the model of a country like Switzerland. I think that the Kurds, at least, should be independent. They are already their own nation and the Kurdish region of Iraq has already adopted many of the attributes of a sovereign state. If the Turks don’t like it, well they haven’t exactly acted as our allies lately. I think a free Kurdistan should be American policy.
English: Flag of Kurdistan
English: Flag of Kurdistan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
Well, there was, at any rate. He was not a “jolly old elf”, he did not live at the North Pole, and he never made any toys or drove a sleigh with eight reindeer. He didn’t look like this.
He actually looked more like this.
Of course, I am talking about Saint Nicholas of Myra, the historical person on which the legends of Santa Claus are based.
Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch “Sinter Klaus”, and it was Dutch immigrants who brought over many of our ideas of Santa, including the idea of a man who gives out presents to well behaved children. Another influence was Father Christmas from Britain. And, of course there was the poem “The Night Before Christmas” which introduced the whole idea of the reindeer, going down chimneys, etc.The cartoonist Thomas Nast is believed to be responsible for the first portrayal of Santa in his red suit, and also the idea that he lives at the North Pole.
But the real Saint Nicholas was a bishop of the city of Myra in Asia Minor, or present day turkey. He lived from around 270-343. He was a Greek Christian whose parents died of an epidemic when he was very young. From his childhood he was religious. His uncle, also a bishop, raised him and when he was old enough made him a monk. Eventually he was made a bishop by the Christian community of Myra. There he stayed until his death in 343.
Nicholas apparently was quite a zealous bishop. He was imprisoned during the last great persecution of the Emperor Diocletian, but was released when Constantine became Emperor. He debated against and fought the pagans and the Arians, a heretic branch of Christianity, and participated in the great Council of Nicaea, where he lost control of his temper and actually slapped Arius. He was imprisoned for this but released after three days.
He was most famous for his acts of charity, many of which are probably legendary.The most famous story is that passing by a house he heard three daughters lament because their father could not afford a dowry for any of them. Without a dowry they could not get married and would probably have to resort to prostitution to survive. (Somehow this story never made into the children’s specials.) He threw a bag of gold into their window as each girl became old enough to marry. In one variation of the story, by the time of the third daughter, the father lay in wait to discover the identity of his benefactor. When Nicholas saw this, he threw the bag into their chimney.
After his death, Nicholas was buried in Myra, but in 1087, with Asia Minor being overrun by the Turks, some Italian sailors stole the remains and brought them to Bari, where they remain to this day.
Nicholas is a Saint in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches His feast day is December 6, today, and he is the patron saint of children, sailors, repentant thieves, pawn brokers, and others.
So, now you know the true story of Santa Claus.
If you want to know more about Catholic saints see here.
The Nativity According to John
The Word became flesh. But who was the Word or the Son.
It is curious that both these heresies are still found today, clothed in modern garb. Many liberal theologians cannot believe in the divinity of Jesus and insist that he was merely a great moral teacher. There are some Atheists who insist that Jesus never really existed in the physical realm but only as a myth. Maybe there really is nothing new under the Sun.
Tomorrow we celebrate the Word made flesh, the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Nativity According to Luke
The Gospel of Luke tells us what Christmas is all about
Linus quotes from the Gospel according to Luke.
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
The Nativity According to Mark
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
(Mark 1:1-8)
(Mark 1:9-15)
English: John the Baptist baptizing Christ
Atheist Christmas Specials
The AtheistTV channel was launched worldwide on July 29 and can be accessed via Roku set-top boxes or as a free online stream at, the release said.
The Nativity According to Matthew
The Adoration of the Magi
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
Prosecute Them?
-Demand Progress
Waterboarding doesn’t seem so bad, does it?
That Torture Report and the Jacksonians
And the reaction is pretty muted.
Jacksonians are concerned with honor.
Jacksonians are the true realists in foreign policy.
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Mojave Rattlesnake Envenomation
Updated: Apr 09, 2021
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Envenomation by some rattlesnakes, such as the Mojave rattlesnake (formerly Mohave rattlesnake) (Crotalus scutulatus), may cause a different clinical presentation than that generally encountered after most rattlesnake bites. In addition, other species, such as the Southern Pacific rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus helleri, (formerly Crotalus viridis helleri), may cause signs and symptoms consistent with typical rattlesnake envenomation combined with signs and symptoms similar to Mojave rattlesnake envenomation. [1] (See Rattlesnake Envenomation for a more complete discussion of typical rattlesnake envenomation.)
Mojave rattlesnakes inhabit desert areas of the southwestern United States and central Mexico. Specimens with type A venom, which cause a different pattern of injury than other rattlesnakes, have been reported in southern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. [2, 3, 4, 5] Populations with venom B and intergrades of types A and B venom have been found in south-central Arizona, around Phoenix and Tucson. [6]
The Mojave rattlesnake may be difficult to distinguish from the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), which inhabits an overlapping geographical range. Some Mojave rattlesnakes are greenish, but they may have a similar color as western diamondbacks. In the Mojave rattlesnake, the diamond pattern fades into bands along the caudal third of the back, whereas the diamonds continue to the tail in the western diamondback.
The Mojave rattlesnake's white rings encircling the tail are much wider than the narrow black rings, whereas western diamondbacks have much more predominant black rings. The postocular stripe extends posteriorly above the mouth in the Mojave but intersects the corner of the mouth in the western diamondback. In Mojave rattlesnakes, supraocular scales are separated by fewer than 4 scales at their closest point. In western diamondbacks, at least 4 scales (usually >4) separate the supraocular scales.
See the image below.
This is a juvenile Mojave rattlesnake (postmortem) This is a juvenile Mojave rattlesnake (postmortem). Note that the diamondback pattern fades into bands along the latter part of the snake's dorsum. Photo by Sean Bush, MD.
Other rattlesnakes in the Mojave rattlesnake's range and niche are distinguishable by the absence of a dorsal diamond pattern with light margins, black and white tail rings, facial stripes, or by the same criteria used to distinguish Mojave rattlesnakes from western diamondbacks.
Venom A populations of Mojave rattlesnakes possess Mojave toxin, which has been experimentally shown to induce neurotoxic effects. Mojave toxin or a similar toxin has been detected in the venom of other rattlesnake species. This toxin impairs presynaptic acetylcholine release. Mojave toxin may cause severe neurologic effects clinically, although this presentation has been reported only a few times in the literature. Envenomation by several other species of rattlesnakes has been reported to cause serious neurologic signs and symptoms (eg, severe motor weakness, respiratory difficulty).
Venom A Mojave rattlesnakes cause less local injury and less hemorrhagic/proteolytic effects than other rattlesnakes. In contrast, venom B specimens cause local, proteolytic, and hemorrhagic effects typical of other rattlesnakes. Severe rhabdomyolysis with myoglobinuric renal failure has been reported with Mojave rattlesnake envenomation. [7, 8, 9] This article focuses mainly on envenomation by venom A populations of Mojave rattlesnakes.
A large percentage of bites occur when the snake is handled, kept as a pet, or abused. These bites are considered intentionally interactive.
Males are bitten more commonly than females.
Young adults are most commonly bitten.
Full recovery is usually anticipated. Before antivenom, estimates of mortality rates ranged from 5-25%. Because of the development of antivenom, rapid EMS transport, and emergency/intensive care, mortality rates have improved to 0.28% (or better) when antivenom is administered and to 2.6% when antivenom is not administered.
Mojave toxin is one of the most lethal venom components found in US snakes. Venom B populations are less lethal than venom A populations. At least one death has been attributed to a Mojave rattlesnake in the Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers, although a number of deaths have been documented. [10, 11] Most documented deaths are associated with bites in which the bitten individual was intentionally interacting with the snake and when a delay occurred in seeking medical care.
Patient Education
Call professionals, such as animal control, to move snakes (if it is necessary to move the snake). Never attempt to handle, possess, or kill venomous reptiles. For patient education resources, see the patient education article Snakebite.
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Foods you should never eat before bed.
People know that exposure to light, loud noises, and high temperature may disrupt your sleep. But most of them had no idea that eating certain foods may affect the quality of sleep.
If you want a sound sleep that will keep you active and productive throughout the day, it is better to avoid these foods.
Why some foods affect sleep?
It is a rule of thumb that after a busy routine. Your body gets tired, and you go to sleep.
Some factors may not let you sleep even when you are too tired. Some of them are; sickness, bloated stomach, chest burns, muscular pain or cramps, dehydration, and some foods.
The foods that we eat to satisfy our taste buds may be one of the reasons for sleepless nights. Research showed that eating fewer carbs, high-fat foods, and more sugary desserts, especially in dinner are closely linked with lighter and low-quality sleep with multiple awakenings. (1)
We have compiled a list of 15 foods that do not let you sleep faster and also result in periodic awakenings as you sleep.
15 foods to avoid before bedtime
There are some foods that specifically have the power to destroy your sleep. The list of 15 worst foods before bed that every sleep enthusiast should avoid for a better sleep are as follows.
1. Pizza
Who can resist a creamy slice of Pepperoni Pizza? Eating pizza close to bed gives you heartburns. A cheesy and juicy piece of pizza contains a high ounce of calories. The tomato sauce used in it is acidic that can harm your sleep routine and can cause stomach discomfort while trying to sleep. Pizza is high on carbohydrate meal that is hard to digest and may result in a 2 a.m. visit to the washroom, breaking a continuous stream of good quality sleep.
It is recommended by food and digestion experts to eat high carbs lunch as you have the entire day to consume the food. However, it is highly advised to eat dinner 2 to 3 hours before bed and try a moderate meal at the dinner table. (2)
2. Grape fruit and oranges
Citrus fruits are acidic foods and can affect your sleep by giving frequent heartburn. Fruits like oranges, lemons, grapefruits, mandarin, tangerine, and lime are some common citrus fruits. They can be problematic for people having sensitive reflux. They are natural diuretics. So before sleeping, do not eat oranges or take some lemonade as they make you urinate several times during the night. May keep you awake as you are trying to sleep.
Eat a high on carbohydrate fruit like an apple. Getting a sufficient amount of carbohydrates will help you fall asleep faster, and the fiber in apple absorbs sugar to help wind down as you sleep.
3. Alcohol
Drinking alcohol may initially help you to fall asleep faster. On the other hand, consuming alcohol disrupts your sleep hygiene. Remember, alcohol is not a sleeping aid. It affects the most resting part of your sleep. The REM sleep is the most restful phase of sleep, and here all the dreaming takes place. Daily consumption of alcohol may disturb your sleep patterns. It may force you to wake up early or several times during the night to urinate due to the high consumption of liquid.
All the party lovers bear with me on this. The beer had a low amount of alcohol as compared to wine, martini, or tequila. Still, it is enough to cause muscle cramping as you sleep and may force you to go to the bathroom several times in the night.
4. Chocolate
Sorry for being the bearer of bad news. A chocolate bar before bedtime can have a severe effect on how you sleep. The reason is that chocolate bars are full of sugar and a spike in blood sugar level keeps your brain active, making it difficult to sleep.
Dark chocolate contains a considerable amount of caffeine. A 100 grams chocolate bar that contains 70% of dark chocolate has approximately 43 milligrams of caffeine that is the same as in a half cup of coffee.
Caffeine increases arousal. It stops your body from winding down and affects sleep at the deeper stages (REM Sleep).
5. Fatty foods
Now here comes the main culprit of sleepless nights. We can talk all day about fatty foods or junk foods. It should be pretty clear that you have to get rid of burgers, french fries, loaded burritos, nachos, and all the fatty foods from your dinner table. These types of foods are hard to digest. They keep your stomach bloated that causes unrest in the stomach. All of this lead to disrupted sleep, along with many wake-ups throughout the night.
Want to feel active and refreshed as you wake up, discard these fatty foods from your dinner, or at least consume them 2 to 3 hours before bedtime to avoid indigestion.(3)
6. Sugary cereals
Feeling a light hunger at night, let’s just eat some froot loops with milk. Don’t even think about it! Sugary cereal is not the right choice for a meal before bed. Eating high on sugar foods causes blood sugar to go up. This gives a burst of energy in your body and will not let you doze off in the world of sleep (4).
If you want to eat some cereal before bed it is good to eat sugar-free cereal or a cereal having less than 5 grams of sugar per serving.
7. Coffee or black tea
Coffee and tea are the force pills that people consume when they don’t want to sleep. Both of them are the holy grail of caffeine. When we take a cup of tea or coffee, caffeine in them remains in our body for several hours. Caffeine activates our central nervous system and makes our senses more attentive. That is why people consume a lot of coffee at work.
An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains 95 milligrams of caffeine, and it stays in our system for 8 to 14 hours. On the other hand, black tea contains 47 milligrams of caffeine in an 8-ounce cup. So, it is best to drink coffee or tea in the afternoon or at lunch so that they could filter out from the body as bedtime approaches.
8. Ice cream
Is there anyone who can say no to a chocolate fudge ice cream? Especially after a great dinner at your favorite restaurant. But you have to say “no” as a couple of scoops of ice cream can disturb your sleep schedule. Ice creams are full of fat, and even the low-fat ice creams have sugar. High intake of fat and sugar makes ice cream a perfect fit in the list of foods to avoid before bed.
Eating ice cream close to bedtime shoots cortisol level, which increases stress and makes it difficult for the body to shut down and embrace a good quality sleep.
9. Cheese
Dairy products are not a suitable option when it comes to recommending as a late-night snack as they contain a high dose of fats. Fats are the most efficient form of energy. That is why our body stores any excess energy as fat. Eating high-fat foods gives energy that fuels your metabolism that can interrupt your sleep routine.
Some people have allergies to dairy foods. It can be a complete disaster if they eat a cheese platter close to sleep. As said by Dr. Moy, “They can face inflammation, a bloated stomach, and gas while trying to sleep.”
10. Spicy foods and hot pepper
Spicy food is the way to go when it comes to satisfying your taste buds. A spicy Indian thali or an Arabian BarBQ delight is a great way of pumping up your metabolism. The thing to note is that: cayenne, chili powder, jalapeno, hot pepper, and Tabasco spices have capsaicin in them. That is the problem causing heartburns and digestive discomfort, especially for an individual with a sensitive stomach.
As you move toward bedtime, your body temperature gradually decreases. Eating spicy food close to the bed or in dinner increases the core temperature of the body that keeps you alert and may struggle in falling asleep.
11. Soda or Carbonated soft drinks
Soda is quite popular among the youth. It is a compulsory part of our refrigerator. But still, they have quite a significant amount of sugar and caffeine in them. So, drinking soda is a big “NO” before bedtime. The caffeine stimulates your nervous system. The sugar intake just before bed is a cause of poor sleep.
A 12 ounce can of soft drink contains 29 milligrams of caffeine. If we take a look at diet soft drinks, an 8 ounce can of diet soda has 32 milligrams of caffeine. It is quite astonishing to see that diet soda has more quantity of caffeine as compared to regular soft drinks. (5)
Another thing to know is that non-cola sodas like sprite are caffeine-free. They still possess a considerable amount of sugar, making them a no-no before bedtime.
12. Tomato pury and tomato products
Tomatoes are a significant part of Asian cuisine. Tomato is a super acidic fruit. Eating tomato-based products or crazy delicious India gravy may not be a good option if you are short on your sleep schedule.
The sole reason for not eating a tomato in any form is it gives you heartburns. It makes it hard for you to fall asleep. May also results in frequent wake-ups throughout the night. Says Amanda Miller registered dietician and advisor Fitter Living.
13. Pasta
People love to eat Italian food. Pasta is a complete food made from wheat flour that is mixed with water and cut into sheets or different shapes.
Pasta is high on carbohydrate. It activates the fat-storage function in your body. It is better to eat whole wheat pasta before bedtime as a snack that is high on fiber and made from complex carbs. Whole wheat products are light on the stomach and easy to digest.
14. High protein dinner
One of the aspects to see this quote is that light and mild dinner that is easy to consume will aid you in getting some good sleep.
High on protein, carbohydrates, or fatty dinner may lead to an uncomfortable sleep, or it may lead to a session of frequent tossing and turnings throughout the night.
Eating a high protein meal will keep you full in the night. However, the research shows that it will cause indigestion and may also cause acid reflux as you are sleeping with a full stomach.
15. Watermelon
The name says all. Watermelon has a lot of water. It is a delicious fruit that is best if you want to stay hydrated on a sunny afternoon. However, eating watermelon before bedtime is not recommended at all. The reason being that tons of water intake will make you pee more, and this will disturb your sleep as you will have to go to the bathroom one or two times during the sleeping hours.
The interruptions in your sleep will not only disturb your sleep patterns, but it will also make you feel tired throughout the day.
Sleep is an essential part of human life. Good sleep has closely been related to the things you eat before going to bed. It is quite a challenge to control the lust for crazy delicious food even when you crave a bit of a snack before going to bed. But as it says, “To get some, you have to lose some. On the same token, to gain a healthy sleep routine, you have to lose all the above foods at least before going to sleep.
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Healthy Homes
Cooking with Gas Can Harm Children
Many large studies (see the footnotes for much more information) of US children have found a gas stove in a home is correlated with increased prevalence of respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and wheezing in the children who live there. 1, 2
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is well studied, harmful to children, and significantly higher in homes with gas stoves.3, 4 In a combined analysis of 11 pediatric studies, researchers concluded that a long-term increase of 15 parts per billion of NO2 (about the difference between cooking with gas versus electric) increased the risk of respiratory illnesses such as asthma by 20%. In Massachusetts, researchers also found a “dose-response” relationship between the amount of NO2 exposure (the “dose”) and the asthma severity of children (the “response”). The more NO2, the worse the asthma.6
Fracking Contaminates Air and Water
In Massachusetts, more than half of the gas we use is mined through hydraulic fracturing or fracking.7 Fracking contaminates local air and water.
Living near a fracking site is associated with higher rates of asthma as well as premature and low birth-weight babies8 who have long-term health risks and medical costs.
By reducing our consumption of gas, we can help protect these communities.
“Natural” Gas Accelerates Climate Change
Here in New England, many of our homes use natural gas.This gas is mostly methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Because a significant amount of that methane leaks into the atmosphere all along the system from where it’s produced to where it’s used, natural gas damages our climate more than coal.10
Make Your Home Safer
Create a plan to transition to state-of-the-art electric appliances.
• Always turn on your vent hood or open a window when you cook with gas
• Replace your gas stove with electric or induction stoves when you can
• Replace your other gas or oil appliances with state-of-the-art electric appliances as you can
Make a Transition Plan
It can take time to move from gas to induction and electricity, but it’s worth the effort for your family’s health and our climate. Make a budget and a timeline for switching to an induction or electric stove and an electric heat pump.
You can’t green a fossil fuel, but you can green electricity.
1 Belanger K, Gent JF, Triche EW, Bracken MB, Leaderer BP. Association of Indoor Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure with Respiratory Symptoms in Children with Asthma. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2006;173(3):297-303. doi:10.1164/rccm.200408-1123OC.
2 Belanger K, Holford TR, Gent JF, Hill ME, Kezik JM, Leaderer BP. Household levels of nitrogen dioxide and pediatric asthma severity. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass). 2013;24(2):320-330. doi:10.1097/EDE.0b013e318280e2ac.
3 Kile ML, Coker ES, Smit E, Sudakin D, Molitor J, Harding AK. A cross-sectional study of the association between ventilation of gas stoves and chronic respiratory illness in U.S. children enrolled in NHANESIII. Environmental Health. 2014;13:71. doi:10.1186/1476-069X-13-71.
4 Coker ES, Smit E, Harding AK, Molitor J, Kile ML. A cross sectional analysis of behaviors related to operating gas stoves and pneumonia in U.S. children under the age of 5. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:77. doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1425-y.
5 Hasselblad V1, Eddy DM, Kotchmar DJ. Synthesis of environmental evidence: nitrogen dioxide epidemiology studies. J Air Waste Manage Assoc. 1992 May;42(5):662-71.
6 Lin W, Brunekreef B, Gehring, U; Meta-analysis of the effects of indoor nitrogen dioxide and gas cooking on asthma and wheeze in children, International Journalof Epidemiology, 2013; 42(6): 1724–1737. doi:10.1093/ije/dyt150
7 The US Energy Administration. Today in Energy. Last accessed January, 2018.
8 Stone, J. Fracking Is Dangerous To Your Health — Here’s Why. Forbes, Feb. 23, 2017. Last accessed November, 2017.
Gas stoves are used by around 39% of US households. US Department of Housing and Urban Development and US Census Bureau, American Housing Survey for the United States. Gas is used more widely in Northeast compared to other regions.
10 The Union of Concerned Scientists. Environmental Impacts of Natural Gas. Last accessed January, 2018.
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Guide to this Instructor’s Manual
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New Perspectives on Computer Concepts 2011 Instructor’s Manual of
Computer Concepts
Chapter Twelve: Computer Programming
A Guide to this Instructor’s Manual:
We have designed this Instructor’s Manual to supplement and enhance your teaching experience through classroom activities and a cohesive chapter summary.
This document is organized chronologically, using the same heading in blue that you see in the textbook. Under each heading you will find (in order): Lecture Notes that summarize the section, Figures and Boxes found in the section (if any), Teacher Tips, Classroom Activities, and Lab Activities. Pay special attention to teaching tips, and activities geared towards quizzing your students, enhancing their critical thinking skills, and encouraging experimentation within the software.
In addition to this Instructor’s Manual, our Instructor’s Resources CD also contains PowerPoint Presentations, Test Banks, and other supplements to aid in your teaching experience.
For your students:
Our latest online feature, CourseCasts, is a library of weekly podcasts designed to keep your students up to date with the latest in technology news. Direct your students to, where they can download the most recent CourseCast onto their mp3 player. Ken Baldauf, host of CourseCasts, is a faculty member of the Florida State University Computer Science Department, where he is responsible for teaching technology classes to thousands of FSU students each year. Ken is an expert in the latest technology and sorts through and aggregates the most pertinent news and information for CourseCasts so your students can spend their time enjoying technology, rather than trying to figure it out. Open or close your lecture with a discussion based on the latest CourseCast.
Table of Contents
Chapter Objectives
Section A: Programming Basics
Section B: Procedural Programming
Section C: Object-Oriented Programming
Section D: Declarative Programming
Section E: Secure Programming
Glossary of Key Terms
Chapter Objectives
Students will have mastered the material in Chapter Twelve when they can answer the following questions:
• How many lines of code are in a typical computer program?
• Do the activities performed by computer programmers differ from those performed by software engineers and systems analysts?
• What’s the best computer programming language?
• What is a programming paradigm?
• How is a computer program created?
• What kinds of errors are discovered when programs are tested?
• In addition to programming languages, what other tools do programmers use?
• What is an algorithm?
• What’s the point of flowcharts, pseudocode, and structured English?
• How do programmers make programs do things in the right order?
• How does object-oriented programming work?
• How does declarative programming work?
• Is it easy to write Prolog rules?
• What makes computer programs vulnerable to hackers?
• How can programmers produce more secure code?
• Can consumers take steps to avoid vulnerabilities that exist in software with code defects?
120100 A line of program code typically contains a keyword or command. (Answer: True) (676)
120200 BASIC, COBOL, and C are classified as third-generation languages. (Answer: True) (677)
120300 Programming paradigms include FORTRAN and Ada. (Answer: False) (679)
120400 In a program, a variable represents a value that can change. (Answer: True) (680)
120500 VDE is an example of an object-oriented programming language. (Answer: False) (683)
120600 A programmer who omits a command word from a line of code has made a logic error. (Answer: False) (685)
120700 Programmers use a tool called an errata to step through a program to locate syntax errors. (Answer: False) (685)
120800 Pseudocode is a bug or error in a line of program code. (Answer: False) (692)
120900 A control structure specifies the sequence in which a program is executed. (Answer: True) (695)
121000 FOR…NEXT and DO…WHILE are examples of commands for loops. (Answer: True) (698)
121100 A programmer could define a class called “pizza” to solve the pizza problem using object-oriented programming. (Answer: True) (702)
121200 Inheritance, methods, messages, and polymorphism are associated with the declarative paradigm. (Answer: False) (705)
121300 Goals, rules, and instantiation are associated with the agile paradigm. (Answer: False) (718)
121400 Java is a declarative programming language. (Answer: False) (712)
121500 Prolog facts contain an argument and a predicate. (Answer: True) (714)
121600 Buffer overflows are associated with security vulnerabilities. (Answer: True) (723)
121700 Programmers can use threat modeling and formal methods to create more secure programs. (T) 725
122100 Computer programming languages have evolved through several generations. Experts are not in agreement about what constitutes a fifth-generation programming language. What is the controversy?
1. Some experts believe that assembly languages should be included, whereas other experts do not.
2. Some experts believe declarative languages are fifth-generation languages, whereas other experts believe that fifth-generation languages are those that allow programmers to use graphical tools to construct programs.
3. Most experts believe that languages like C, BASIC, and Java are fifth-generation languages, but programmers disagree because those languages follow the procedural paradigm.
4. A few experts don’t believe there is a fifth-generation of programming languages, but most experts think that Japanese computer scientists invented fifth-generation languages when they produced C++.
(Answer: b)
Computer Programming and Software Engineering (674)
• Explain that a computer program is a set of step-by-step instructions that tell a computer how to solve a problem. Have the student create a set of step-by-step instructions to solve a very simple problem, like opening their book and finding this chapter.
• Explain that the first computer programs were written in binary code, and thus, they are often referred to as code.
• Use Figure 12-1 to discuss a simple computer program.
• Have students calculate how many days of coding a program they would have to spend to write Vista with 50 million lines of code at 20 lines per day. Could it be written by one person in their lifetime?
• Discuss the difference between computer programming and software engineering.
• Figure 12-1, Figure 12-2
• Assign a Project: Review binary code. Then, have students write their name in binary code to get an idea of the complexity of writing a program in binary.
• Quick Quiz:
1. On average, one person can write, test, and document only _________ lines of code in one day. (Answer: 20)
2. True/False: Software engineers have the skills to design, code, test, and document software- but they tend to focus on designing and testing activities. (Answer: True)
Programming Languages and Paradigms (676)
• Discuss the definition of a programming language.
• Using Figure 12-3, discuss keywords and parameters. Have the student imagine what other keywords there might be.
• Discuss the categories of programming languages.
• Discuss how languages are categorized by low-level and high-level. Ask the students to discuss the factors that place a language in one of these categories. Do the same for program generation.
• Look at Figure 12-7 and discuss the various languages.
• Discuss what a programming paradigm is using Figure 12-8.
• Figure 12-3, Figure 12-4, Figure 12-5, Figure 12-6, Figure 12-7, and Figure 12-8
• Assign a Project: As an outside the class activity, have students categorize each language listed in Figure 12-7 by generation. Compare the categories in class.
• Quick Quiz:
1. Today, fourth-generation languages are typically used for _________ applications. (Answer: database)
2. Prolog is an example of a(n) _________ generation language. (Answer: fifth)
Program Planning (680)
• Discuss how you must develop a method for solving a problem, whether it is by a computer or by a human.
• Discuss the characteristics of a good problem statement.
• Discuss the difference between an assumption, known information, a variable, and a constant.
• Discuss the difference between predictive methodology and agile methodology.
• Figure 12-9, Figure 12-10
1. Assign a Project: Have students write a problem statement for a problem of your choice. Perhaps use something that is happening on campus or on the news.
Program Coding (682)
• Discuss a text editor. Talk about how a word processor and a text editor are not the same. Demonstrate how a text editor can be used to enter code. Show how the editor does not do any automatic indention or coloring.
• Discuss a program editor and demonstrate it with the same program.
• Discuss the features that a VDE (visual development environment) provides.
• Figure 12-11, Figure 12-12, Figure 12-13, Figure 12-14
• Classroom Demonstration: Write a small program in an IDE and demonstrate how it works.
• Quick Quiz:
1. In the context of a VDE, a(n) _________ is a screen-based object whose behavior can be defined by a programmer. (Answer: control)
2. True/False: A programmer can select the events that apply to each control. (Answer: True)
Program Testing and Documentation (685)
• Discuss syntax and logic errors and show an example of each.
• Discuss what a debugger does and demonstrate how it works.
• Discuss documentation and the need of it.
• Figure 12-15, Figure 12-16
• Quick Quiz:
1. A(n) _________ error is an error in the logic or design of a program (Answer: logic)
2. A(n) _________ error shows up when you run a program. (Answer: runtime)
3. True/False: Syntax errors are usually more difficult to identify than logic errors. (Answer: False)
Programming Tools (686)
• Describe an SDK and an IDE. If you have an IDE demonstrate how it is used.
• Discuss what components are and how they are used.
• Describe an API. Show students the Windows API as an example.
• Discuss how computer games are developed.
• Figure 12-17, Figure 12-18
• Quick Quiz:
1. A(n) _________ is a type of SDK that packages a set of development tools into a sleek programming application. (Answer: IDE or integrated development environment)
2. A(n) _________ is a prewritten module, typically designed to accomplish a specific task. (Answer: component)
3. True/False: C, Java, and C++ are the most popular programming languages for commercial games. (Answer: True)
122200 Procedural programs are based on a step-by-step algorithm. How do programmers devise the algorithms for their programs?
1. They create objects, classes, and methods, and then figure out the step-by-step way to send messages back and forth between them.
2. They look at APIs and VDEs, which offer templates for common program functions.
3. They think about how a task might be carried out manually and devise flowcharts, structured English, or pseudocode to describe the steps.
4. They first devise facts about the problem, then they come up with the steps based on rules.
(Answer: c)
Algorithms (689)
• Explain that algorithms are a series of steps for carrying out a task that can be written down and implemented.
• Use Figure 12-20 to show the steps contained in one of the pizza program algorithms. Compare this to Figure 12-21, which extends these steps and provides more detail.
• Figure 12-19, Figure 12-20, Figure 12-21
• Group Activity: Divide the class into two groups and have each group write an algorithm for a simple task that can be completed in the classroom. Have the groups exchange algorithms and attempt to carry out each other’s instructions. Were any steps left out? Was each group able to successfully complete the algorithm?
• Quick Quiz:
1. A(n) _________ is a set of steps for carrying out a task that can be written down and implemented. (Answer: algorithm)
2. True/False: The traditional approach to programming uses a procedural paradigm. (Answer: True)
3. True/False: Algorithms are usually written in a format specific to a particular programming language. (Answer: False)
Expressing an Algorithm (692)
• Introduce pseudocode using Figure 12-22, which shows the pizza problem algorithm expressed in pseudocode.
• Explain that as with structured English, there are variations on the conventions used to write pseudocode, but one standard convention has the following features:
• A limited set of non-computer language specific command words are used (e.g., display, input, IF...THEN, output).
• The command words are often indicated in bold.
• An arrow symbol () indicates that the value of a variable changes (e.g., SquareInches1 Size1 * Size1).
• The = symbol is used in logical expressions (e.g., If Shape1 = “round”).
• The commands associated with an IF...THEN statement or other control structures are indented.
• Output messages are surrounded by quotes.
• Figure 12-23 shows a flowchart for the pizza program. Review the flowchart symbols before you walk through the program flow.
• Discuss what a walkthrough is and its importance.
• Figure 12-24 shows how to conduct a walkthrough and check the pseudocode for the pizza program.
• Figure 12-22, Figure 12-23, Figure 12-24
• Assign a Project: Have students sketch a flowchart for the algorithm they created in the previous section. Make sure they correct any errors that were discovered.
• Quick Quiz:
1. _________ is a notational system for algorithms that has been described as a mixture of English and your favorite programming language. (Answer: Pseudocode)
2. Before finalizing the algorithm for a computer program, what should be performed? (Answer: A walkthrough)
Sequence, Selection, and Repetition Controls (695)
• Discuss control structures.
• Compare a sequence control (Figure 12-25) which changes the order of instructions the computer performs, to a selection control (Figure 12-27), which tells the computer what to do based on whether a condition is true or false.
• Explain that repetition controls are also called loops or iterations, and repeat one or more instructions until a condition is met. The flowchart in Figure 12-28 demonstrates the looping process.
• Discuss which types of controls you might use in the pizza program—sequence, selection, or repetition—and for what purpose. Students may need to use all types within the flowchart or program.
Students might need some help with the sections on control structures, depending on the depth of understanding you wish them to develop. The text is written with the goal that students will be able to list the three types of control structures (sequence, selection, and repetition controls) and describe the purpose of each.
• Figure 12-25, Figure 12-26, Figure 12-27, Figure 12-28, Figure 12-29
• Quick Quiz:
1. During _________ the first instruction in the program is executed first, then the second instruction, and so on, to the last instruction in the program. (Answer: sequential execution)
2. True/False: Control structures are instructions that specify the sequence in which a program is executed. (Answer: True)
3. List at least two of the most frequently used repetition commands. (Answers: FOR…NEXT, DO…WHILE, DO…UNTIL, WHILE…WEND)
Procedural Languages and Applications (700)
• Discuss what makes a program a procedural language.
• List some of the most popular procedural languages.
• Review the advantages and disadvantages of the procedural paradigm, as discussed on page 701.
There is a tendency to classify a computer language into a single category— statements such as “COBOL is a procedural language” and “BASIC is an interpreted language” are typical. However, a computer language has many characteristics. For example, BASIC provides high-level commands, is usually interpreted, and is procedural. The approach in Chapter 12 is to apply characteristics to computer languages, rather than to attempt to classify them into a single category. You should reinforce this idea to your students.
122300 Object-oriented programming has become quite popular. Why?
1. It allows programmers to structure problems in a cognitively similar way as they perceive the real world.
2. Object-oriented programs are the fastest, most efficient type of programs for today’s computer hardware.
3. It creates the most secure programs, with the fewest security holes.
d. It is the best programming paradigm for working with words and concepts.
(Answer: a)
Objects and Classes (702)
• Explain that the object-oriented paradigm is based on the idea that the solution for a problem can be visualized in terms of objects that interact with each other.
• Point out that an object is defined as a unit of data that represents an abstract or real-world entity.
• Examples of objects are shown in Figure 12-30.
• Distinguish between an object and a class. There can be many objects, but in order to organize similar objects a class is created. A class is a template for a group of objects with similar characteristics.
• Discuss class attributes and how they are used to describe the object. Review the examples in Figure 12-31. Discuss that any of these can be public or private, based on the availability of the object.
• Discuss the data types associated with the class and review the UML (unified modeling language) diagram in Figure 12-32. The class is named, the data types are defined, and the type of attribute is designated.
• Figure 12-30, Figure 12-31, Figure 12-32
• Class Discussion: Display the class attribute data types on an overhead monitor or whiteboard and have students describe each. Be sure to provide an example of each one. Refer to Figure 12-31 if necessary. Discuss what kinds of attributes the pizza program might have and what type of variables those would be.
• Quick Quiz:
1. A(n) _________ is a unit of data that represents an abstract or real-world entity (such as a person, place, or thing). (Answer: object)
2. True/False: The object-oriented paradigm is based on the idea that the solution for a problem can be visualized in terms of objects that interact with each other. (Answer: True)
3. In terms of object-oriented programming, what is a class? (Answer: A template for a group of objects with similar characteristics)
Inheritance (704)
• Explain that in object-oriented terms, inheritance refers to passing certain characteristics from one class to other classes. Compare this to passing genes from a parent to a child. For example, ask where they got the color of their eyes. Ask if they have any special talents that one of their parents has (such as swimming or playing ball). Inheritance in object-oriented terms produces new classes with inherited attributes, creating a superclass and subclasses.
• Review the hierarchical structure in Figure 12-33.
Consider using examples other than the pizza program to demonstrate the use of inheritance. For example, if a program needs to compute a shipping cost based on the weight of items, they will need the item and its weight. This weight is then added to the weight of other items, producing a total weight. This total weight will then be used in a calculation to determine the shipping cost.
• Figure 12-33, Figure 12-34
• Quick Quiz:
1. _________ refers to passing certain characteristics from one class to other classes. (Answer: Inheritance)
2. True/False: A subclass is any class from which attributes can be inherited. (Answer: False)
3. True/False: A subclass is any class that inherits attributes from a superclass. (Answer: True)
4. What is the set of superclasses and subclasses that are related to each other called? (Answer: Class hierarchy)
Methods and Messages (705)
• Explain that a method is a segment of code that defines an action.
• A method can perform a variety of tasks (such as exiting a program, a calculation or producing output).
• Point out that methods can be defined along with the class they affect.
• Discuss that methods are activated by call statements.
• Define polymorphism and review the diagram in Figure 12-37 to identify the use of polymorphism. Explain that Java knows which method to use based on the type of pizza or class.
This section uses Java programming code as examples. Most students at this level have not had any programming experience, so this may be difficult for them to understand at this time.
• Figure 12-35, Figure 12-36, Figure 12-37, Figure 12-38
• Assign a Project: Using the algorithm the student’s developed in the earlier section, ask them to identify what actions need to take place and what methods might be used.
• Quick Quiz:
1. A(n) _________ is a segment of code that defines an action. (Answer: method)
2. True/False: A method can perform only one task. (Answer: False)
3. What is a method activated by? (Answer: A message)
Object-Oriented Program Structure (709)
• Discuss the use of classes and methods.
• In Figure 12-39, the structure of the program is given with the definitions, methods, calculations, and outputs.
• Use Figure 12-40 to identify each part of the program structure using Java code.
• Explain that the final step in the program structure is to run the program and display the output.
When discussing classes, objects, and methods, consider comparing the class to a manufacturing plant and the object to the widget. The method then is the action that the widget can perform.
• Figure 12-39, Figure 12-40, Figure 12-41
Object-Oriented Languages and Applications (711)
• Discuss the origin of object-oriented languages, including SmallTalk.
• Discuss some object-oriented languages in use today. These include C++, Visual Basic, and Java.
• Point out that advantages of object-oriented languages include an approach that is cognitively similar to the way humans perceive their world, and encapsulation, which allows objects to be reused in different ways.
• Class Discussion: Have students review sample Java code, identifying methods and classes.
• Quick Quiz:
1. _________ refers to the process of hiding the internal details of objects and their methods. (Answer: Encapsulation)
2. True/False: Polymorphism provides OO programs with easy extensibility and can help simplify program code. (Answer: True)
3. True/False: Procedural programs tend to require more memory and processing resources than object-oriented programs. (Answer: False)
122400 Declarative languages, such as Prolog, are very powerful for programs that involve words, concepts, and complex logic, but why aren’t these languages a first choice for programming computer games?
1. They don’t execute as fast as programs written with procedural languages.
2. They are too difficult to learn.
3. They have too many security holes.
4. They require expensive compilers.
(Answer: a)
The Declarative Paradigm (713)
• Explain that unlike procedural languages (which tell the computer how to solve a problem), a declarative language describes the problem.
• Point out that declarative languages are useful for programs that manipulate ideas and concepts, rather than numbers.
• Discuss the decision table in Figure 12-43. Talk about how it would help to decide which pizza is the best choice.
• Figure 12-42, Figure 12-43
• Class Discussion: Ask students to discuss how the procedural, object-oriented, and declarative paradigms are similar and different.
• Assign a Project: Have the students create a decision table for a problem and then ask them to demonstrate how it works in making decisions.
Prolog Facts (714)
• Explain that in the context of a Prolog program, a fact is a statement that provides the computer with basic information for solving a problem.
• Discuss what argument and predicates are and their relationship.
• Review and discuss the coding statements syntax as shown in Figure 12-44.
• Discuss goals, constants, variables, and their meanings in Prolog.
• Explain the meaning of instantiation as applied to Prolog.
• Figure 12-44, Figure 12-45, Figure 12-46, Figure 12-47
• Quick Quiz:
1. A(n) _________ represents one of the main subjects that a fact describes. (Answer: argument)
2. The _________ describes the relationship between the arguments. (Answer: predicate)
3. True/False: A Prolog fact follows specific syntax rules. (Answer: True)
4. Finding a value for a variable is referred to as _________. (Answer: instantiation)
5. True/False: Prolog is a procedural programming language. (Answer: False)
Prolog Rules (718)
• Explain that a Prolog rule consists of a head, body, and connecting symbols, as shown in Figure 12-48.
• Review the completed code in Figure 12-50.
• Figure 12-48, Figure 12-49, Figure 12-50
• Class Discussion: On an overhead projector or whiteboard, display a Prolog rule. Have students identify the head, the clauses that form the body of the rule, and the connecting symbol.
Input Capabilities (720)
• Explain that Prolog, like other languages, allows coding for user input.
• Use Figure 12-51 to point out the series of prompts that asks the user for the price, size, and shape of pizza 1 and pizza 2. Explain that this data is then used to produce the price of the pizza.
• Figure 12-51
Declarative Languages and Applications (722)
• Explain that declarative languages are most suitable for problems that pertain to words and concepts, rather than numbers.
• Examples given are genealogy, or street and highway databases for mapping routes.
• Point out that declarative languages give more flexibility in solving problems.
• Figure 12-52
• Class Discussion: Have students review a problem statement and list the facts needed to solve the problem.
• Quick Quiz
1. In the context of a Prolog program a(n) _________ is a statement that provides the computer with basic information for solving a problem. (Answer: fact)
2. True/False: Currently, declarative languages are commonly used for production applications. (Answer: False)
3. Given the following Prolog fact: sizeof(room,area), the word “room” is an example of a(n) _________.
1. variable
2. argument
3. end of a fact
4. beginning of a fact
(Answer: b.)
122500 Consumers are told to use security software because their computers are vulnerable to security exploits, but what is the source of security vulnerabilities?
1. Most security vulnerabilities are the fault of the user.
2. Threat modeling causes many of the vulnerabilities in today’s software.
3. Faulty programming that allows buffer overflows is one of the main causes of security vulnerabilities.
4. Operating system patches and DREAD categories are the source of the security vulnerabilities that affect most consumers.
(Answer: c)
Black Hat Exploits (723)
• Explain buffer overflow (i.e., buffer overrun).
• Discuss the error message in Figure 12-54 and why it is problematic.
Consider having students compare their experiences with black-hat exploits. What steps have they taken to prevent them?
• Figure 12-53, Figure 12-54
• Class Discussion: Ask students what types of black hat exploits they have heard of or dealt with.
• Quick Quiz:
1. A(n) _________ is a condition in which data in memory exceeds its expected boundaries and flows into memory areas intended for use by other data. (Answer: buffer overflow or buffer overrun)
2. What are the two languages most commonly used for professional software development? (Answers: C, C++)
3. True/False: Today’s operating systems, utilities, and application software are impervious to black-hat exploits. (Answer: False)
Secure Software Development (725)
• Discuss formal methods and the fact that they are necessary for security and safety crucial applications. Talk about the added cost and time for development that causes them not to be used for every application.
• Explain that a threat model defines a set of possible attacks to consider.
• Discuss STRIDE and how it can help software developers anticipate threats from attackers.
• Point out that a threat model allows you to assess the probability, potential harm, priority, etc. of attacks. From this point on try to minimize or eradicate the threats.
• Use Figure 12-56 to explain what an attack tree is.
• Discuss defensive programming and the techniques associated with it.
Figure 12-57 shows a digital certificate. Ask students if they’ve encountered certificates like the one shown. If possible, demonstrate one to the class.
• Figure 12-55, Figure 12-56, Figure 12-57
• Assign a Project: Ask students to sketch an attack tree illustrating a potential attack intended to steal passwords.
• Quick Quiz:
1. _________ is a technique that can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities by listing the key assets of an application, categorizing the threats to each asset, ranking the threats, and developing threat mitigation strategies that can be implemented during coding. (Answer: Threat modeling)
2. _________ categories help software developers anticipate threats from attackers. (Answer: STRIDE)
3. True/False: Offensive programming is an approach to software development in which programmers anticipate what might go wrong as their programs run and steps to smoothly handle those situations. (Answer: False)
Mitigation (728)
• Explain what can happen when bugs are discovered.
• Ask students if they have ever entered “yes” when asked if they want to debug.
• Review the use of patches.
• Discuss the steps consumers can take to avoid security problems, as listed on page 729.
Survey students about their experience with software patches. Are they tolerant of (or exasperated by) the need to install patches to keep their computers safe from security threats?
• Figure 12-58
• Assign a Project: Have students design an attack tree for accessing a password-protected Web site, use the attack tree shown in Figure 12-56.
• Quick Quiz:
1. True/False: Before being posted for users, patches should be thoroughly tested. (Answer: True)
2. True/False: Formal methods add little to the cost and time of software development, so they tend to be used very often. (Answer: False)
3. Proprietary software can benefit from a(n) _________ with other in-house programmers.
1. redirection
2. walkthrough
c. input filtering
d. factcheck
(Answer: b.)
123100 Can you think of a specific instance when you have become frustrated with a software user interface?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Not sure
123200 Is it possible to make computer software significantly easier to use?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Not sure
123300 Would you agree that programmers do not understand the viewpoint of a typical computer user and consequently produce bad software?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Not sure
Glossary of Key Terms
• Ada, 679
• Agile methodology, 681
• Algorithm, 689
• API, 687
• APL, 679
• Argument, 714
• Assembly language, 677
• Assumption, 680
• Attack tree, 726
• BASIC, 679
• Buffer overflow, 723
• C, 679
• C#, 679
• C++, 679
• Class, 702
• Class attribute, 703
• Class hierarchy, 704
• COBOL, 679
• Code, 674
• Component, 687
• Computer programming, 675
• Constant, 680
• Control, 683
• Control structures, 695
• CPL, 679
• Debugger, 685
• Decision table, 714
• Declarative paradigm, 713
• Defensive programming, 726
• Eiffel, 679
• Encapsulation, 712
• Event, 684
• Event-driven paradigm, 685
• Event-handling code, 684
• Fact, 713
• Fifth-generation languages, 678
• First-generation languages, 677
• Flowchart, 692
• Form design grid, 683
• Formal methods, 725
• Fortran, 679
• Fourth-generation languages, 678
• Function, 696
• Functional paradigm, 713
• Goal, 715
• Haskell, 679
• High-level language, 676
• IDE, 686
• Inheritance, 704
• Instantiation, 717
• Iteration, 698
• Java, 679
• Keyword, 676
• Known information, 680
• LISP, 679
• Logic error, 685
• Loop, 698
• Low-level language, 676
• Message, 706
• Method, 705
• Multiparadigm languages, 679
• Object, 702
• Object-oriented paradigm, 702
• Parameters, 676
• Particle renderer, 687
• Pascal, 679
• Pathfinder algorithms, 687
• PL/1, 679
• Polymorphism, 707
• Predicate, 714
• Predictive methodology, 681
• Private attribute, 703
• Problem statement, 680
• Procedural language, 689
• Procedural paradigm, 689
• Procedure, 696
• Program editor, 682
• Programming language, 676
• Programming paradigm, 679
• Prolog, 679
• Properties, 683
• Pseudocode, 692
• Public attribute, 703
• REALbasic, 679
• Remarks, 686
• Repetition control structure, 698
• RPG, 679
• Rule, 713
• Runtime error, 685
• Scheme, 679
• Scratch, 679
• SDK, 686
• Second-generation languages, 677
• Selection control structure, 697
• Sequence control structure, 695
• Sequential execution, 695
• Signed code, 727
• SIMULA, 679
• Smalltalk, 679
• Structured English, 692
• Subclass, 704
• Subroutine, 696
• Superclass, 704
• Syntax, 676
• Syntax error, 685
• Third-generation languages, 677
• Threat modeling, 725
• Variable, 680
• VDE, 683
• Visual Basic, 679
• Walkthrough, 694
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Exocytotic vesicle fusion classification for early disease diagnosis using a mobile GPU microsystem
This work addresses monitoring vesicle fusions occurring during the exocytosis process, which is the main way of intercellular communication. Certain vesicle behaviors may also indicate certain precancerous conditions in cells. For this purpose we designed a system able to detect two main types of exocytosis: a full fusion and a kiss-and-run fusion, based on data from multiple amperometric sensors at once. It uses many instances of small perceptron neural networks in a massively parallel manner and runs on Jetson TX2 platform, which uses a GPU for parallel processing. Based on performed benchmarking, approximately 140,000 sensors can be processed in real time within the sensor sampling period equal to 10 ms and an accuracy of 99\(\%\). The work includes an analysis of the system performance with varying neural network sizes, input data sizes, and sampling periods of fusion signals.
Exocytosis and endocytosis are the main mechanisms of cellular communication [1]. For the discovery of this vesicle-based transport mechanism in cells, James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman and Thomas C. Südhof were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2013. In both processes, chemical messengers are wrapped inside a vesicle which travels outside the cell in case of exocytosis or inside the cell in case of endocytosis. During exocytosis, at the moment of impact with a cell membrane, a pore is created, which enables the release of a chemical messenger outside the cell. This messenger is later recollected by another cell through endocytosis. There are two discovered types of exocytosis: a full fusion and a kiss-and-run fusion [2]. In the first type a vesicle releases all of its contents outside the cell. In the second type only some of its contents get released and such a leftover vesicle is then consumed in the process of endocytosis by the same cell. There is evidence that there might be a third mode of exocytosis, an open-closed fusion. It is partially similar to the kiss-and-run fusion [2].
Endocytosis and exocytosis work closely together. There is evidence that certain endocytosis-based cell nutrition patterns are associated with precancerous conditions in cells [3]. On the other hand, exocytosis is the main mechanism in cancer metastases [4]. Nowadays, monitoring of exocytosis opens new possibilities for early diagnoses of many diseases. Examples include Alzheimer’s disease [5], cholestasis [6], hypoxia [7], inflammation and thrombosis [8], tetanus [9], among others. The current research also makes it possible to model the course of some diseases by deliberately disrupting exocytosis. Synaptic disruption and altered neurotransmitter release in NDDs (NeuroDegenerative Diseases), e.g. impairing the stress fight-or-flight response is an example of such a disease [10]. It is even possible to stimulate the exocytosis process to treat rare diseases. An example of such an approach is the deliberate induction of lysosomal exocytosis by increasing the level of two transcription factors: TFEB and TFE3 in the therapy of Pompe disease [11]. Considering the above areas of application of exocytosis-based imaging, in this article we focused on the effective processing of amperometric signals analyzing the movement of vesicles in exocytosis in order to provide mechanisms for early diagnosis.
In amperometric AFE (Analog Front-End) systems, monitoring of vesicle movement is performed using sensors built from Carbon NanoTube (CNT) electrodes. They provide current measurements directly from the cell membrane in which the vesicle fusion occurs [12]. For the purpose of collecting data from tissues, specialized matrices of sensors are used [13]. The biochemical sensor production technology based on carbon nanotube arrays is the subject of a NASA patent [14]. The potential areas of application of this technology include medical and bio-medical treatments, environmental monitoring, Point-of-Care, implantable sensors and early disease diagnosis [15]. The measurement technique used to monitor exocytosis using nanoelectrodes is amperometry [16]. Three nanoelectrodes are used in the measurement: a reference electrode, an anode and a cathode. The reference electrode provides a reference potential. The anode and the cathode oxidize vesicle cargo causing current flow, which can be monitored [17]. Its values are of pA range. This kind of data forms a time waveform with a relatively high level of noise.
The basic stage of preprocessing data in the diagnostic process is the fusion classification. The analysis of patterns in noisy time waveforms is often performed using advanced models of recursive neural networks such as LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory), which guarantees high processing precision [18]. The task of detecting vesicle fusions, however, requires data analysis—not from one sensor—but from a huge matrix of sensors. A hardware implementation of such processing requires, on one hand, real-time calculations performed on massive data, and on the other, ensuring accuracy sufficient to accurately classify patterns in exocytosis. For this reason, the authors proposed an approach based on a large matrix of simple perceptron networks. The structure of a mobile system sufficient for continuous monitoring of exocytosis in a patient’s tissue is shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1
figure 1
System for continuous monitoring of exocytosis
Analog exocytosis currents are collected by the CNT array of electrodes, which can be directly applied to the tissue in which vital processes take place. The conversion of analog currents into their digital form requires using CMOS Analog-Digital Converter (ADC) matrices dedicated to the analysis of currents of sub-nA values. Circuits based on \(\varSigma \varDelta\) modulators operating in weak-inversion mode can act as such converters [19]. The role of the classifier of digital representations of fusion signals is played by a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) system, on which a matrix of classifiers based on neural networks (NN-C) was implemented. Registers are responsible for preparing digital data for the GPU. Figure 1 also shows the power distribution tree. The matrix of CNT sensors requires proper polarization of operating electrodes using a voltage of 650–700 mV versus an Ag/AgCl reference electrodes, while the matrix of ADC circuits requires a power supply of 0.2–0.4 V, depending on the used CMOS technology. Providing low bias voltage is the basis for using power techniques in a mobile AFE system based on obtaining human heat energy [20]. Keeping CMOS supply voltages low is in turn possible thanks to using dedicated moderate and weak inversion modes [21]. Additionally, thanks to using GPU-based processing as shown in Fig. 1, it is possible to constantly monitor life processes and changes in tissues using mobile devices. This work focuses on effective real-time analysis of data from tens of thousands of CNT sensors in AFE amperometric system. The paper is organized as follows. Chapter two describes the preparation of the neural network array. Chapter three dives deeper into the hardware architecture of the GPU-based system. Chapter four presents performance results and chapter five provides summary and final thoughts.
Vesicle fusion analysis using a perceptron network
Current vesicle fusion signals obtained using amperometry are in the form of time waveforms. This type of data is often available in scientific literature (e.g. [22, 23]). However, in order to train a neural network, a large quantity of data is needed. For this purpose a Python script was created. It approximates the vesicle fusion time waveform using a polynomial interpolation. These polynomials are based on manually selected border points, which separate characteristic parts of both fusion plots. Other transformations included additions to x or y coordinates of border points and an artificial noise addition. Both techniques use random values from manually selected ranges specific for each case. As a result—time waveform data is generated in large quantity, which exhibits little variations across the dataset. Figures 2 and 3 present such examples. Figure 2 depicts a full vesicle fusion. During this process a pore opens in a cell membrane starting a chemical messenger release, which is marked by a pre-spike foot in the plot. After that the pore grows bigger to the point in which the full vesicle content can be released. This moment is marked by the spike. Figure 3 depicts a kiss-and-run vesicle fusion, during which a pore opens slightly, enabling only a partial release of vesicle contents. This section is marked by the stand-alone foot in the plot. Drops in current during the foot are caused by the vesicle repeatedly coming in contact with the cell membrane before it is finally recycled by the cell through endocytosis.
Fig. 2
figure 2
Example of the generated full fusion plot. The A character marks the pre-spike foot and the B character marks the spike
Fig. 3
figure 3
Example of the generated kiss-and-run fusion plot. The B character marks the stand alone foot
As mentioned in the introduction, a simple perceptron network plays the role of the single classifier (NN-C) in the system. The main reason for choosing a perceptron, instead of e.g. a recurrent architecture, was performance. The goal of neural network preparation was to prepare the network with as little memory and computation time requirements as possible, while maintaining a minimal baseline accuracy. This baseline value was chosen to be \(99\%\). Furthermore, typical time waveforms of full and kiss-and-run fusions last 170–180 ms. For this reason, we assumed the duration of a single pattern equal to 180 ms. We checked that for the above-described patterns of both fusion types, the number of points obtained from the patterns making it possible to classify them using the assumed baseline accuracy equals 18. The relatively small size of the input data vector makes it possible to use a perceptron network with an architecture dedicated to the classification of time waveforms [24]. This also determines the size of the input layer equal to 18 neurons and the sampling frequency of the current signals equal to 100 Hz. The second layer of the network consists of 10 neurons with ReLU activation functions. ReLU was chosen due to its ability to avoid occurrences of the vanishing gradient. The third layer has 2 neurons with sigmoid activation functions. Usually, for the task of multi-class classification, the Softmax activation is used. However, in this case sigmoid makes it possible to use one less neuron for inference between three classes: full fusion, kiss-and-run fusion and no fusion. It results in a performance gain. The output of the neural network forms a vector of size two, consisting of probabilities for full and kiss-and-run fusions. It represents a double-binary classification task. Due to this fact, probabilities for the third class, which represent no fusion, were determined by calculating an average of probabilities of the other two classes and subtracting these values from one, resulting in artificial values for no fusion class probabilities. Figure 4 presents a perceptron network structure.
Fig. 4
figure 4
The chosen perceptron network structure
Each layer’s output can be summarized with a following equation: \(a_{n} = \sigma (Wa_{n-1}+b)\), where n is current layer’s index starting from the beginning of the network, \(a_{n}\) is an output vector, \(a_{n-1}\) is an input vector, \(\sigma\) is an activation function, W is a matrix of weights and b is a vector of biases for each neuron in current layer. Activation functions matching layer’s sequence are as follows:
1. 1.
Identity: \(\sigma = x\)
2. 2.
ReLU: \(\sigma = max(0, x)\)
3. 3.
Sigmoid: \(\sigma = \frac{1}{1 + e^{-x}}\)
Network training was carried out using a set of 1600 fusion time waveforms generated using the aforementioned python script. The generated data retained the complexity of the original. The validation set and the test set both consisted of 400 waveforms. Each set was divided into full and kiss-and-run fusion examples so that both get \(50\%\) of all samples. In each class there were only \(20\%\) of positive examples and \(80\%\) of negative examples. The data was prepared so that the fusions are recognized only in particular area of the time waveform and further translations result in a negative prediction. This was done to make it possible to later define the number of fusions which occur per each type. Any deviation in the translation ranging from \(-\,10\) to \(+\,10\) ms was treated as a negative sample.
The training was performed using the TensorFlow Keras framework. The stopping rule was as follows: if the validation accuracy does not improve in 60 epochs, stop training and restore best weights for that purpose. The minimal accuracy gain to count as an improvement was 0.005. The optimal accuracy was reached at epoch 79. Accuracy with the test set equalled \(99\%\). Loss across epochs is presented in Fig. 5, whereas accuracy across epochs is presented in Fig. 6. In both figures blue curves concern validation, while orange curves concern training.
Fig. 5
figure 5
Loss changes over training epochs for training and validation
Fig. 6
figure 6
Accuracy changes over training epochs for training and validation
Table 1 Confusion matrix
Table 2 classifier parameters
The confusion matrix is presented in Table 1. F stands for Full fusion, K stands for Kiss-and-run and N represents No fusion. Based on the confusion matrix it is possible to calculate precision, sensitivity, specificity, the F1 Score and the AUC score for all classes. The parameters are listed in Table 2. These parameters were calculated using a Python script. The AUC Score was calculated using a roc_auc_score function of the scikit-learn Python module.
Fig. 7
figure 7
Histograms of weight distributions in the first layer across epochs
Fig. 8
figure 8
Histograms of weight distributions in the second layer across epochs
Fig. 9
figure 9
Histograms of weight distributions in the third layer across epochs
Histograms in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 present weight distributions across all 3 layers. In each layer a bias is used and its distribution is represented by histograms on the left. Histograms on the right represent the weight distribution of neurons. Using Keras in the TensorFlow framework, each layer starts with a uniform distribution (unless specified otherwise).
Hardware architecture
The chosen network architecture offers a relatively low computational complexity. There is no need to remember previous states, as in the case of using recurrent neural networks. Therefore, this perceptron neural network can be run with multiple instances on a GPU, handling multiple sensors in real time. However, in terms of parallel processing, there are alternatives to GPU platforms, which require consideration. They mostly include FPGAs and SoM (System on Module) platforms with various AI accelerators.
FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) offer flexible functionality. Through the process of an HDL (Hardware Description Language) synthesis, an integrated circuit can be reconfigured to completely change its mode of operation. Furthermore, if the reconfigured circuit contains programmable logic, it can be reprogrammed after the synthesis. A reconfigured specialized integrated circuit is then called a SoC (System on Chip). With these platforms the only limitations are hardware resources present on the given chip. It is also their biggest disadvantage. Massive parallelization is inferior to GPU-based systems due to the lack of multiplication blocks present in FPGA chips in great quantity. Apart from that, they also require expert knowledge and the amount of time needed to create and deploy a system is considerably longer than using normal, software-driven platforms. Some FPGAs also contain an additional CPU to make up for this particular disadvantage. Examples of FPGAs include Arty and Zynq device families from Xilinx and the Cyclone family from Intel.
At platforms with AI accelerators, using software is the only way of creating and deploying solutions. Because of this the time to create and deploy is considerably shorter than using FPGAs. AI accelerators are usually designed in the form of coprocessors. These coprocessors are usually specialized to handle only certain types of neural networks or other machine learning algorithms. This is their main downside. It also causes issues with the compatibility of some ML (Machine Learning) frameworks. Examples include the Google Coral development board and the Intel Movidius USB stick.
In terms of ML frameworks, GPU-based platforms offer the widest compatibility. Also, due to the fact that they are software-driven, the time to design and deploy solutions is short. For our task we chose the Nvidia Jetson. It is a family of embedded GPU-based devices, which combine high computing power and low costs. As the main processing platform, we chose Jetson TX2. It consists of a Dual-Core Nvidia Denver CPU, a Quad-core ARM Cortex-A57 MPCore CPU and a 256-Core Nvidia Pascal GPU. The primary memory is 8 GB of LPDDR4 RAM (Random Access Memory), which is shared between CPUs and the GPU. This fact eliminates a common bottleneck, which is low data transfer rate from the CPU memory space to the GPU memory space. The memory bandwidth is 59.7 GB/s. As the operating system we chose Ubuntu Linux 18.04. Its kernel was modified, though. In order to minimize system latency, a patch called Preempt RT was applied, making it a soft real-time operating system.
As swhon in Fig. 10 the system structure is divided into three parts: a sensor matrix, a preprocessor and a Jetson TX2 as the main processing platform. The current signal is assumed to be sampled using a frequency of 100 Hz in the analog form (voltage level), periodically. The preprocessor converts this data into a digital format, scales it, stores it and sends it to the processing platform. The main processing algorithm consists of N number of FIFO (queue) data structures and N instances of a perceptron neural network. N is the size of amperometric sensor matrix which the system can handle within a time span of 10 ms in real time. Each new sample is placed at the end of the queue effectively pushing the oldest sample out. The queue size is 18 due to the sampling rate equaling 10 ms and the perceptron input layer width equaling 18 neurons. The system starts inference as soon as the whole queue is populated (a minimum number of samples is provided). As mentioned earlier, any translation for fusions which is less than \(-\,10\) ms or more than 10 ms results in a negative prediction. This, in combination with the FIFO-based algorithm, results in one fusion occurrence detected exactly three times. We made an assumption that the latency from the sensor matrix and the preprocessor is close to 0. The main processing algorithm was implemented using Jetson TX2. The sensor matrix and the preprocessor were chosen to be emulated using a PC.
Fig. 10
figure 10
System structure
Algorithm 1 presents steps included in the preprocessor. It begins with a for loop iterating NumberOfSamples times, which is the total number of current measurements performed by the sensor matrix and processed by other elements in the system. Each current measurement is performed for the whole sensor matrix. In the body of a for loop we probe currents in the analog format with a frequency of 100 Hz (SampleCurrents100Hz()), convert them to digital format using ADC (ConvertCurrentsToDigitalFormat()), scale them to the appropriate range (ScaleCurrents()) and send them to the main processing platform (SendData()).
Algorithm 2 presents steps included in the main processing platform. It also starts with the same for loop as before because these two elements of the system are synchronized. In the body of the for loop we wait for the data from preprocessor (WaitForData()), then we shift values in FIFO queues (ShiftValuesInQueues()) and write data to them (WriteDataToQueues()). For each iteration data is in the form of a vector with size equal to the size of sensor matrix (N). It is also equal to the number of FIFO queues held in memory and to the batch size of the neural network. As soon as 18 samples are collected (queues are populated) inference starts. Neural network performs inference on all of the queues (RunInferenceOnQueues()) for the remaining iterations and results are stored in memory for further analysis (StoreInferenceResults()).
The software used was Python3, NumPy, TensorFlow and TensorRT. Python3 was used as a wrapper language for other components implemented in lower level languages (e.g. C, C++, CUDA). A NumPy package was used to implement an array of FIFO data structures. It is implemented in C, so it provides optimal performance. TensorFlow was used for training and deployment of the neural network. The network graph optimization was achieved using TensorRT. It is dedicated to Nvidia GPUs and is fully compatible with TensorFlow. It was also one of the reasons why we chose Jetson TX2 as the main processing platform. This optimizer performs a platform-specific optimization, eliminates useless operations and combines similar operations (e.g. bias and ReLU) into one. The result of this process is one or more TensorRT engines which replace a number of operations inside the neural network graph.
System performance
To find the maximum performance setup we prepared a benchmarking script in Python3. It was designed to mimic a real use case of the system.
The first important thing to mention is the format of the used model. TensorFlow offers three formats of neural network models: a Keras HDF5 model, a saved model and a frozen graph. The first two can be retrained, while the third one can’t. The frozen graph is also the lightest of all three in terms of memory, and is the fastest in terms of performance. Our training script produced a Keras HDF5 model. It was then converted to the TensorFlow saved model. After that we performed the TensorRT optimization. In a real use case scenario, as well as in the benchmark, the TensorRT model is loaded from the saved model format and is then converted in memory to the frozen graph for maximum performance.
Another crucial thing to mention is the storage data type of neural network parameters, such as weights, input and output tensors. The Jetson TX2’s architecture provides a 16-bit floating-point precision. It greatly reduces the computing time and provides enough accuracy for the model to perform its task well, compared to the regular 32-bit floating-point precision. During training via the TensorFlow Keras framework a float16 data type was specified for the whole model. Another commonly used data type is the 8-bit integer type. It provides the biggest performance gains but brings some accuracy loss. This type is also different from others because it cannot be used for training. Afterwards, the whole model needs to be quantized to 8-bit integers in order to use it. This mode is unavailable for Jetson TX2 due to the GPU architecture.
Lastly, before describing the benchmarking algorithm, we need to describe TensorRT more thoroughly. It was mentioned that it combines multiple operations into one. The TensorFlow framework offers dedicated CUDA kernels for all operations supported by the GPU. What TensorRT does is that it takes some of these operations/kernels and combines them into one, called the TRT inference engine. In our case, before optimization, the TensorFlow graph contained 33 nodes and 57 edges. Nodes are separate mathematical operations and edges are data tensors used by the graph. The optimization produced one TRT inference engine, which replaced 17 nodes. The optimized graph consisted of 14 nodes and 15 edges. Another thing to mention about TensorRT is that its engines need to be built for every new batch size which enters the model. There are two ways to build them: static and dynamic. In the static mode, engines are built for a chosen batch size before deployment and are saved along with the model. In the dynamic mode engines are built at the time of deployment, when the data with a new batch size enters the model. The first inference is delayed by the time it takes to build engines. After that there is no delay and the inference runs normally. For benchmarking purposes, we chose the second mode.
The benchmark script used NumPy to prepare the data. In a real use case scenario an array of sizes [batch size] x [number of samples] needs to be stored in the primary memory. The batch size is equal to the number of sensors which the system can handle within the time span of 10 ms and the number of samples is 18 due to the time waveform lasting 180 ms. Each new batch of data from sensors pushes the oldest samples out of the array. It mimics the queue data structure behavior. In order to find the maximum batch size we needed to implement queue operations for an array of data. For this task we chose numpy.take(). It does not move the data in memory like numpy.roll() does, but it changes the array indexing, resulting in a faster compute time. This way the only thing we needed to do was to overwrite data in the last column and change indexing using numpy.take() so that the last column is considered first again and other indexes are moved by 1 (indexes of columns range from 0 to 17). The model inference is done for the whole array.
For the time measurement we chose the Python’s timeit module. The biggest advantage over the time module is that it excludes garbage collection from the measurement. The Python’s garbage collector checks for the allocated memory that is no longer useful and deallocates it, slowing the execution of the program. This module needs a function to run and a number of iterations to run it. For this task we chose 100,000 iterations and prepared a benchmarking function. It included four steps:
1. 1.
Replace the oldest batch of samples with the newest batch
2. 2.
Shift indexes in the array
3. 3.
Create a tensor using the array
4. 4.
Run an inference for the given tensor
We calculated an average based on measurements of 100,000 runs. The benchmarking script was run with various batch sizes to find the most optimal one. Eventually we achieved the result of 140,000 perceptron neural networks which this system can run inference with in parallel with frequency of 100 Hz. This number is also equal to the size of the sensor matrix probed within the mentioned frequency. To discover the exact number of sensors which Jetson TX2 can handle, benchmarking needs to be rewritten to C or the C++ language. Thanks to using a custom real-time patched linux kernel, the operating system latency was reduced almost to 0. We also tested the results using a TensorFlow model without optimization. The TensorRT model achieved an average of 9.84 ms of compute time, while the TensorFlow model achieved 12.12 ms. This drew us to conclusion that the performance gain from the TensorRT optimization is roughly \(19\%\) in our case. It is quite substantial, even though the model is relatively small and even though we changed data type to 16-bit floating-point before optimization. If we hadn’t done that TensorRT would have converted our model to float16 and the performance gain would have been much bigger.
Apart from performing the benchmark for the chosen use case, a number of general purpose analyses were performed. The main goal of these analyses was to reveal the relation between the batch size and various other factors. These factors included:
1. 1.
Total number of neurons
2. 2.
Total number of connections between neurons
3. 3.
Input pattern size (number of neurons in the perceptron input layer)
4. 4.
Sampling period
Constant sampling rate of 100 Hz and a constant ratio of neurons between the input and the hidden layer were maintained during the first three types of analyses. All neural networks used during the studies were optimized using the previously described methods.
The first three relations are presented in Figs. 11, 12 and 13. All of them present similar shapes of the plot curves. It is due to the fact that all three parameters: the number of neurons, the number of connections between neurons and the pattern size depend on each other and change in similar manner when the classifier architecture changes. In general the batch size decreases with the increase of any of the aforementioned parameters.
Fig. 11
figure 11
Batch size changes over number of neurons
Fig. 12
figure 12
Batch size changes over number of connections between neurons
Fig. 13
figure 13
Batch size changes over pattern sizes
The study of dependency between the batch size and the sampling period was conducted differently. Neural network optimizations were performed but this time the sampling period was variable and the perceptron architecture was constant. The analysis was performed for the following architectures:
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
We chose logarithmically-related sampling periods. The following periods were used:
1. 1.
2 ms
2. 2.
3.838 ms
3. 3.
7.365122 ms
4. 4.
14.13366912 ms
5. 5.
27.12251104 ms
6. 6.
52.04809868 ms
7. 7.
99.88030137 ms
The relations are presented in Figs. 14, 15, 16 and 17. Unsurprisingly, as the sampling period increases, the batch size also increases. However, during the analyses, two significant system limitations were found.
An attempt to run the classifier inference with a sampling period below 2 ms was impossible for all architectures, due to the latency of the Python programming language. As the network size increased, the lower inference time limit also increased, though insignificantly. It is also possible that some latency was the result of using TensorFlow. In order to precisely find out what caused it, the analyses would need to be performed in the C++ programming language, instead of Python.
The second limitation is due to the fact that only 8 GB of RAM are available using the Jetson TX2 platform. As the analyses were run for all architectures and batch sizes increased, at some point, varying on architecture, the inference time jumped above 200 ms. It was caused by the Jetson TX2 platform running out of primary memory and starting the swapping process, which includes temporarily storing some data using mass storage. Write and read times of the mass memory are significantly longer than the ones for the primary memory. In the presented figures this behavior is shown by the mild plateauing of the curves.
Fig. 14
figure 14
Batch size changes over sampling period for the 18-10-2 perceptron architecture
Fig. 15
figure 15
Batch size changes over sampling period for the 30-17-2 perceptron architecture
Fig. 16
figure 16
Batch size changes over sampling period for the 42-23-2 perceptron architecture
Fig. 17
figure 17
Batch size changes over sampling period for the 54-30-2 perceptron architecture
Related works
Finally, let us compare the effectiveness of the approach described in this paper with other methods of fusion classification. Approaches to automatic detection of full and partial vesicle fusion described in literature are based primarily on the analysis of images obtained in Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy [25]. This method is based on a relatively old technique of inducing fluorescence in the region of cell contact with the substrate [26]. Due to the need to monitor the fluorescence phenomenon, the detection of a single fusion requires an analysis of the sequence of several or a dozen or so images, and thus using more complex neural networks. In order to ensure a high degree of classification precision, Convolutional Neural Networks are used [27]. In this case the precision for the full fusion classification equals 95% and for the partial fusion: 96.7%. Simpler methods based on the Single Gaussian Model [28] make it possible to obtain the precision level of 54.9% for the full fusion and 64.6% for the partial fusion. In turn methods based on the Gaussian Mixture Model [29] feature a level of precision of 77.0% for the full fusion and 75.5% for the partial fusion. Using the Gaussian Mixture Model together with the Hierarchical Convolutional Neural Network (HCNN) allows the precision to be improved, which in this case based on [30] is: 95.2% for full fusion and 96.1% for partial fusion. In our approach described in this paper, we used data analysis using modern nanoscale sensors. It allowed us to use simpler classifiers. This way the approach makes it possible to detect many thousands of fusions in real time using a mobile platform. Moreover, the precision of classification of amperometric waveforms of the full fusion equals 98.0%, of the partial fusion: 100% and of negative waveforms: 99%. Additionally, monitoring exocytosis processes using the proposed method and a mobile computing platform does not limit the patient’s freedom of movement. The comparison of precision with the examples from the literature is presented in Table 3.
Table 3 Accuracy comparison with other implementations
We designed a mobile GPU-based system for monitoring life processes in tissues. The main processing algorithm was implemented using Jetson TX2, while the preprocessor and the sensor matrix were emulated using a PC. It was proven that the system can handle a sensor matrix of an approximate size equal to 140,000 in real time, using a sensor sampling frequency of 100 Hz and an accuracy of 99\(\%\). We additionally conducted an analysis of the system performance with varying network sizes, input data sizes and sampling periods. In the future similar systems might be used to aid biologists or medics who study cancer cells. A possible future direction of this work is to gather amperometric measurements from precancerous cells and normal cells, and to train a neural network classifier which could find a difference between these two types based on the vesicle fusion type and the frequency.
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Correspondence to Szymon Szczęsny.
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Szczęsny, S., Pietrzak, P. Exocytotic vesicle fusion classification for early disease diagnosis using a mobile GPU microsystem. Neural Comput & Applic (2021).
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• GPU
• Perceptron
• Amperometry
• Exocytosis
• Vesicle fusion
• Precancerous condition
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nootropics can potentially have side effects
Nootropics is an umbrella term that can refer to anything from a prescription drug, supplement or other substance that enhances cognition function, particularly memory. They are often referred to as “brain drugs” and are most often used by students, as well as business professionals and athletes.
Of these many drugs very few can make a scientific claim of improving memory, concentration or any cognitive improvement. The FDA has been cracking down on websites that make claims that have not been substantiated by research. See below some examples that the FDA included in a letter of warning to one website about claims that have no evidence.
Common names
Racetams: Nootropil (piracetam), Ampamet, Draganon (aniracetam) and (oxiracetam); choline; ampakines; Vitamin B derivatives; amphetamines: Adderall (dextroampetamine/amphetamine) Ritalin, Concerta (methlphenidate) Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine); wakefulness promoting drugs: Provigil (modafinil); Nuvigil (armodafinil); caffeine; ginseng; ginko biloba. More than 130 substances are considered nootropics.
No government oversight
Without government oversight the amount of nootropic in the pill you take could be almost nothing or multiples of what the label claims. A Research Letter published in JAMA reviewed a small research study about a single ingredient, piracetam and found that the amount of piracetam measured in one serving size (two pills) was 1398 mg but the label claimed it would be 1600 mg.
Toxicity levels- the amount at which the drug can become toxic – are not standard or reviewed by the FDA and you can easily be misled. In the same study the maximum recommended daily dose for piracetam ranged on some labels to be two pills and on another label 12 pills!
Side effects and what to do about them
Because many products that are considered nootropics are available over the counter, people sometimes incorrectly assume they are safe to take. In addition, any nootropics are passed off as dietary supplements, which are largely unregulated and often don’t have clinical testing to demonstrate their efficacy and safety.
Common side effects of using nootropics can include migraines, headaches and skin rashes. In some cases, such as when too much of a nootropic is taken or different kinds of nootropics are mixed, the results can be life-threatening.
Some people can also experience major sleep problems (especially with amphetamines and wakefulness-promoting drugs as they are stimulants), even after they stop taking nootropics. This can diminish overall sleep quality, which can negatively impact the quality of ones’ daily life.
Withdrawal symptoms are also an issue for some users of nootropics. For example, some people who took Provigil and then quit the drug showed signs of low energy, depression, concentration problems and overall fatigue.
Amphetamine-based drugs used as nootropics are normally prescribed for ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). They also lead to spikes in dopamine and epinephrine in the brain, which can lead to tolerance to the drugs and possible habit formation. They can also have impact appetite, mood swings, irritability and sleep.
Drug Interactions
While some people might take a single nootropic at a time, others like to mix them for more powerful results, a practice known as “stacking.” The problem with stacking nootropics is that mixing them can actually lead to potentially dangerous reactions within the body. Using a stack can potentially lead to heightened side effects or create new side effects and therefore make the use of nootropics that much more risky.
Effectiveness and Considerations
One thing to consider is that not all nootropics will work the way they are advertised on the label. In fact, some nootropics may have little to no effect at all since, with the exception of prescription drugs that are nootropics, they have not been subject to rigorous testing for efficacy. Much of the evidence supporting the use of nootropics has been based on anecdotal reports.
Brain scans have indicated that certain nootropics can cause alterations to brain chemistry and the way the brain works. Some research even indicates that the brain can shrink or expand depending on nootropic use. There is also no research available to determine what happens to the brain after a person takes nootropics over the long term, and then stops.
There is also a lack of research right now about the potential long-term risks of using nootropics.
Alternatives to Nootropics
If you really feel you need a boost in the area of cognitive ability, you may want to examine and adjust your existing routine and make lifestyle changes. Perhaps you are not getting enough sleep or your diet is not sufficient in providing your brain with the proper nutrition.
There is some evidence to suggest that B vitamins may help with brain cognition. Low levels of B vitamins have been associated with poor memory function and slow information processing. B vitamins are known to be crucial in converting food to fuel for cellular energy.
Many herbal supplements are also considered brain boosters. For example, turmeric, the active ingredient in the herb curcumin used in curries, works to improve blood flow to the brain, which helps improve memory and learning. It also increases levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. Some studies have also indicated ginkgo biloba improves short-term memory and sharpens attention.
There has been an explosion in recent years of “brain games” or “brain training” apps that supporters say are a great to increase one’s cognitive abilities and memory. The scientific results, however, have been mixed. In 2014, a group of 70 cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists released a letter expressing concerns over claims made by brain training program.
How they work (Method of Action)
Nootropics can alter the way the brain works. Some sections of the brain may increase or decrease in physical size due to use of certain nootropics. One thing that is not yet fully understood is the long term effect on the body after a person stops taking one or more nootropics. This can pose a potentially serious health risk to the user.
The conclusion is that until there is sufficient evidence to show that nootropics are not only effective, but safe, you are likely gambling with your potentially permanent changes to your brain. Making various lifestyle changes can positively impact not only the quality of your life but also your overall mental performance.
What worked for you?
Share your experience with nootropics in the Disqus box below.
Further reading
Nootropic Effects and Method of Action
Specific health claims that are false from the FDA’s letter to Peak NootropicsLLC, AKA Advanced Nootropics February 2019:
Unsubstantiated Adrafinil claims from the website:
“People who have taken Adrafinil have suggested that it greatly improves cognition and memory. It can be used in times of high mental demand to help promote focus and mental alertness. There is evidence that Adrafinil can help with focus and even assist with ADHD symptoms. It should in no way be self-prescribed or used without advice of a doctor.”
Unsubstantiated Aniracetam claims from the website:
“Memory Enhancement”
“Another interesting action of Aniracetam is the observed anxiety reducing effects.”
Unsubstantiated Bacopa Monnieri claims from the website:
“…used to treat stomach disorders”
“…use to…stave off illnesses such as Alzheimer’s”
“…helps in protecting infants against neonatal hypoglycemia also known as low sugar”
“…reduces the risk of hypoglycemia in infants”
“…used to control blood pressure”
Unsubstantiated L-Dopa claims from the website:
“L-Dopa is often recommended for Parkinson’s patients, as it helps in controlling involuntary movement generated in the skeletal muscles.”
“[L-Dopa] is known to reduce the effects of Parkinson’s disease…. Although you might not be able to see a radical difference within a short period of time, you will be able to avail positive benefits over a course of time.”
Unsubstantiated L-Theanine claims from the website:
“…it could be a vital component in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”
“…it could be an aid in combating schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.”
“…L-Theanine could be useful in the prevention of ischemic neuronal damage that may occur due to stroke.”
“…could be used in…lowering of lipids within the bloodstream and fighting obesity.”
Unsubstantiated Noopept claims from the website:
“Noopept is being investigated as a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s.”
“Some doctors also prescribe [Noopept] to aid in the reduction of symptoms in patients with neurological diseases.”
Unsubstantiated Oxiracetam claims from the website:
“[Oxiracetam] has been cited in the medicine field as having benefits such as, increasing cognitive function and processing.”
“Overall, [Oxiracetam] improves cognition and memory and may provide an increase in sensory perception or reflexes in some users.”
Unsubstantiated Phenibut claims from the website:
“The benefits claimed by many [from Phenibut] often relate to … a reduction in anxiety.”
Unsubstantiated Phenylpiracetam claims from the website:
“Phenylpiracetam may be an alternative for those with ADHD not wanting to resort to typical ADHD medications.”
“Phenylpiracetam also increases the level of dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain which may explain its’ [sic] stimulating and mood elevating properties.”
o “Helps consolidate memory”
o “Enhances Alertness & Focus”
Unsubstantiated Piracetam claims from the website:
“[Piracetam’s] primary medical use is as a neuro-protective agent before or after stroke. The substance is believed to reduce the risk of ischemic stroke as well as minimize post-stroke damages to the brain. It is also an anti-coagulant and anti-thrombotic agent which is often used safety [sic] in conjunction with other therapies.”
“For instance, there has been evidence in studies for effectiveness [of Piracetam] in improving symptoms in Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients.”
“[Piracetam] has been observed to be effective in increasing: cognition and memory, learning, focus and reaction times but these results seem to vary.”
Unsubstantiated Pramiracetam claims from the website:
“Overall Improved Cognition.”
“Higher Sensory Perception.”
“Improved Working/Long-Term Memory.”
Unsubstantiated Rhodiola Rosea claims from the website:
“…Rhodiola is said to increase the release of dopamine, which makes it an ideal drug to induce a natural high.”
“Rhodiola supplements are supposed to help in the reduction of cancer cells. Early studies on the drug claim that it is a good supplement to consider for reducing the risk of developing bladder cancer.”
“Those that suffer from high cholesterol can consider consuming this natural herb to reduce the risk of developing heart ailments. This chemical helps in reducing the bad cholesterol…”
Unsubstantiated Uridine claims from the website:
“Uridine helps…prevent[] the onset of diseases like Alzheimer’s or Dementia.”
“Uridine is used to reduce internal inflammation…”
“… the drug [Uridine] is said to reverse heart ailments…”
“Uridine triphosphate is said to reduce the risk of heart attack…”
“The drug [Uridine] is said to be effective in reversing osteoporosis…”
“Uridine is used to treat fibrosis…”
From the FDA letter: “Your products Adrafinil, Aniracetam, Bacopa Monnieri, L-Dopa, L-Theanine, Noopept, Oxiracetam, Phenibut, Phenylpiracetam, Piracetam, Pramiracetam, Rhodiola Rosea, and Uridine are not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced uses…”
Dan Vitetta
Dan Vitetta is a MedShadow intern focused on digital marketing and content creation. He completed his undergraduate degree in Marketing from Springfield College in May 2016 and is currently earning his MBA.
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January 27 in History
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For the week of Jan. 23, 2022
Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993): African American. Gospel songwriter, blues singer, and pianist. The son of a Georgia revivalist preacher, Dorsey began his career as a pianist, composer, and arranger of blues pieces. When he turned to composing church music, he introduced elements of the blues into his work, thereby creating the sound of contemporary gospel music. In 1932 Dorsey became musical director of Chicago's Pilgrim Baptist Church, a position he held for more than 40 years. In the same year he cofounded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses. The most famous of Dorsey's more than 1,000 gospel songs is Take My Hand, Precious Lord, written in 1932 after the death of his first wife and infant son.
Arthur Alfonso Schomburg (1874-1938) : Puerto Rican. Scholar and collector. Son of a Black laundress and a German-born merchant, Schomburg left Puerto Rico at age 17 to continue his education in New York City. His growing involvement in efforts to improve conditions for Black and Latino people led him to become fascinated with African American Culture, and he began collecting books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and prints documenting the history of Black people in America. His personal collection, which he amassed as a hobby, became the finest of its kind in the nation and was purchased in 1926 by the New York Public Library. The Arthur A. Schomburg Collection of Negro Literature and Art opened to the public in 1934 with Schomburg as its curator, a position he held until his death.
New Year: China. This is beginning of a three-day celebration of the Chinese New Year. The festivities mark the beginning of year 4699 (The Year of the Snake) since the mythical founding of the Chinese people. It is a day when all business accounts are settled and grudges forgotten. Traditional Chinese celebrate New Year's Day as a birthday and count themselves one year older. Celebrations include fireworks, a dragon dance and the beating of drums and cymbals, visits to temples, and prayers for blessings *In the new year. This is called Spring Festival in the People's Republic of China because the official New Years Day is January1, based on the Gregorian calendar. *
New Year (Sol) : Korea. This begins the traditional Korean New Year 4334 of the era of Tan'gun, the mythical progenitor of the Korean people. It is celebrated from January 24 to January 26.
New Year (Losar): Tibet. This begins the Tibetan lunar year 2128. This is a day of celebration that links all people in the Tibetan diaspora, resulting from the decision of many Tibetans, led by the Dalai Lama in 1959, to flee the Communist Chinese.
New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan) : Vietnam. This is the most important holiday in Vietnam. People dress in their best clothes to welcome the new year. There are ceremonies to bid farewell to the gods that attend each household, the kitchen gods, who go to heaven to report on the household's behavior during the past year. fireworks mark the departure of the kitchen gods.
Robert Burns (1759-1796): Scottish. Poet. Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland, is known throughout the world for poems, including Comin Thru' the Rye and A Red, *Red, Rose. The celebration of Burns' birthday focuses around a Burns Night Supper that features the procession into the dining area of the haggis, accompanied by playing of the bagpipes. The haggis is a sheep stomach filled with a mixture of chopped lamb and oatmeal cooked just below boiling point. It is eaten with bashed neeps, which are turnips. The preferred drink is well-aged scotch. This feast often features the reading of Burns' poem To a Haggis. His birthday is celebrated throughout the world where there are Scottish communities, including Japan, other parts of Asia, and Russia. *
Australia Day: Australia. In order to relieve the pressures of crowding in British prisons, the British government established a penal colony in Australia. The first prisoners arrived on this date in 1788. This has been celebrated as Foundation Day, and now as Australia Day, since 1817. The trend in Australia is to celebrate this day on the actual day of its occurrence rather than on the nearest Monday to that day. The exact day of celebration, however, is determined by each state or division within Australia rather than by the federal government and therefore, may vary from one part of Australia to another.
Juan Pablo Duarte's Birthday: Dominican Republic. This holiday marks the birthday of one of the founders of the republic.
Samuel Gompers (1850-1924) : Jewish American. Labor leader. Gompers founded the first major labor union in the United States, the American Federation of Labor, and served as its president from 1886 to 1924.
Jose Julian Mart'i (1853-1895): Cuban. Poet, essayist and patriot. A distinguished writer as well as a political leader, Mart'i was the chief organizer of the Cuban movement for independence from Spain. Although he lived much of his adult life in exile, in April 1895 he helped to lead a revolutionary invasion of Cuba. He was killed in battle on May 19.
Osceola (1800-1838): American Indian (Seminole). Military leader. Osceola organized the Seminoles to resist the U.S. government's takeover of their ancestral lands and led the guerrilla resistance to federal forces from 1835 until his imprisonment in 1837. He died in captivity on this date.
Granville T. Woods (1856-1910): African American. Inventor. An electrical engineer who formed his own company to make and sell electrical instruments, Woods patented more than 50 inventions, including the Induction Telegraph System a device for telegraphing messages from moving trains. By making it possible for engineers to communicate with trains ahead of or behind them, Woods' invention made train travel much safer. He also developed a system that freed electric railroads from the use of wires by introducing iron blocks that transmitted power through the rails. This was the prototype of the third rail system used in modern subways.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought this subject into sharp focus for millions of Americans. As a licensed mental health provider focused on treating PTSD and trauma, I have seen the long-term effects trauma, stress, and abuse can have on mental health and overall well-being.
We are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis on a broader level due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a study from the University of Chicago Medical Center, women experienced increased mental health-related issues early in the pandemic-a rise that may be linked to the socioeconomic inequities women already face. Factors like food insecurity, interpersonal violence, and housing/job instability have led to “alarmingly high rates” of mental health problems among women.
Mental illness can be invisible to the untrained eye. Far too often, these conditions are left undiagnosed and untreated because there may not be any immediate or easily recognizable symptoms. Even though the science behind mental illness is constantly evolving, much of the general population sees this as a black and white issue – sane or insane – when it is, in fact, an incredibly broad spectrum of factors. This gross misunderstanding – or ignorance – of such a complex issue prevents us from effectively engaging with those struggling with mental health conditions, which has led to devastating consequences.
This view extends to law enforcement who misinterpret or dismiss erratic behavior as a criminal activity instead of as a sign of mental distress. Instead of receiving the treatment they need, they are handcuffed, incarcerated, or killed. This “criminalization” of the mentally ill has disproportionately impacted communities of color. In 44 states, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center, “a jail or prison holds more mentally ill individuals than the largest remaining state psychiatric hospital.” While it isn’t always possible to prevent people with mental illness from encountering law enforcement, cities and towns across the country are taking innovative and collaborative approaches to improve these interactions and training of law enforcement.
In order to combat this mental health crisis, we need to support comprehensive and trauma-informed mental health programs like the ones outlined in the American Rescue Plan that will increase funding for school-based mental health professionals, mental health care block grants, community-based behavioral health clinics and integrating mental health and addiction treatment into primary care settings, schools, and homes.
A part of our mission is to help change how society addresses the needs of those who suffer from trauma, injustice, abuse, and health issues. This month let’s make sure to support the mental health services, programs, and legislation that will change the discourse and make mental healthcare accessible for all.
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Pain blog image
Do you suffer from debilitating pain? Pain can sometimes be a gift, a message sent from the Central Nervous System to the Brain. It is the body’s way of letting us know that something is wrong, of protecting us from continuing to injure ourselves, making things worse, and, sometimes, telling us that it is time to see a health care professional. There is a TV commercial for a pain drug that says, “When the body says no, ‘……’ says yes.” But, in order to be safe, when the body’s wisdom tells us “no”, we should respond accordingly.
Pain after a cut, bite, fall, injury, or a medical procedure is short term and is referred to as acute. In these cases, inflammation is the body’s way of healing and repairing the injured tissue. But, if it continues longterm, even permanently, it is labeled as chronic. Chronic pain is often described as lasting many months after the injury or medical procedure has healed. In most of these cases, the primary origin is excess inflammation. The names given to many painful conditions end in “itis”, denoting inflammation. In the case of arthritis, it involves inflammation of the joints. Inflammation also increases when under stress.
Pain may be mild, moderate, severe, constant, occasional, sore, dull, throbbing, sharp, aching, pulsing, stabbing, annoying, uncomfortable, debilitating, or even unbearable. When seeing a doctor or a therapist, being able to identify the type and location of pain can help with the diagnosis and sometimes indicate a particular condition. Some people can point directly to the tiny spot where the pain is felt. Yet, for others, it is in the left shoulder, or in the head, or in the right knee. It may even be referred pain felt, for example, in the right hip and originating from the left side of the neck. Pain can impact our daily activities, work, emotional and psychological well-being, and social activities.
For many, it is worse in the morning and is accompanied by stiffness. Lack of movement during the night can increase morning inflammation. A gentle morning exercise routine may help minimize this discomfort. Doctors used to recommend complete bedrest during painful periods, but this is no longer the case. For most types of chronic conditions, movement and increased blood flow has been seen to promote healing and reduce pain.
Waking with a sore neck may be due to poor a sleeping position or to the type of pillow being used. Also, sore backs, are often the result of poor posture. Try standing with your feet pointing straight ahead with a slight pelvic tilt, tummy tucked in, head comfortably forward, shoulders back. This is how to align the spinal chain properly with the joints stacked evenly, one above the other. Your weight will be evenly placed and you will no longer be compensating for a weak area by putting extra pressure on the healthy side. Use your muscles rather than your joints wherever possible.
Running shoes may be the best type of footwear, offering additional support, and resulting in a reduction in back pain. When bending, hinge at the hips instead of at the waist. Lift with your knees, never your back, and do not twist your body to reach for something that is off to the right or left. If sitting for hours at a desk or computer, ensure that you have a proper chair, that your arms are at a height that doesn’t put strain on your shoulders, and that you get up every half hour to move.
To minimize pain, naturally, deep breathing exercises, meditation, or relaxation techniques can be extremely helpful. One breathing exercise that can be done in bed each morning before rising involves lying down, eyes closed, one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Focus on the breath moving slowly, in through the nose and out through the nose. The count of four for each is comfortable for most. Feel the breath move in, through, and out of your body for even 10-15 minutes. This can be followed by gentle exercises, like bending your knees and moving your legs from one side to the other. Gently and comfortably, move and bend your arms and your legs.
There are also many safe physical exercises that result in increased blood flow which will help minimize pain. Some of these include Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Feldenkrais. Stress reduction, 7-8 hours of sleep, and therapies such as massage, acupuncture, osteopathy, and myofascial release can also help tremendously in minimizing pain. Exercise programs that strengthen your abs and glutes, in a safe manner, are extremely helpful.
Magnesium is an important supplement that will relax the muscles and improve sleep. A daily vitamin D supplement will improve immunity and strengthen bones and muscles. Also, Boswelia, SAMe, MSM, and fish oil may help reduce chronic pain. Both turmeric, added to food or taken as a supplement, and tart cherry juice, combined with water as a drink one hour before bed, have anti-inflammatory properties.There are also homeopathic remedies that may reduce pain and inflammation including Arnica, Belladonna, Bryonia, Rhus tox, and Ruta. For these, the symptoms must match the remedy. Like cures like. So, please read about the remedy first. And, also, there are essential oils like Lavender, Peppermint, Copaiba, and Pan Away applied to the body and/or diffused through the room which may promote muscle relaxation, restful sleep, and reduce pain. As CBD becomes legal, there will also be many ointments, creams, and oils on the market that can offer relief.
It is important to stay well hydrated, and to eliminate, or at least, reduce the consumption of coffee, alcohol, and tobacco. Remember to eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet, low in sugar, processed foods, hydrogenated fats, and carbonated drinks. All food that increase inflammation, like nightshades, will increase pain.
Related NPP Webinars:
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Bat Boxes
We are lucky to still have bats flying around the house of an evening. Bats feed on moths so to encourage them we have planted some night-scented flowers such as Honey Suckle and night scented Stock which the moths love. There is a good list on the Sussex Wildlife Trust's website of night-scented flowers that are good for bats here.
We have installed 4 bat boxes on our house on several different aspects of the house. This allows the bats to adjust their roosting temperature at different times of the year. One of our bat boxes is incorporated into the back of our double swift box.
Bat Box Bat Box
There is some good information on bat boxes on the Bat Conservation Trust's website here.
Remember it is illegal to disturb bats in their roost unless you have a licence, so don't try and look inside the box to see if it is being used. If you want to know if the bat box is being used just look on the ground underneath the bat box. If it is being used you should see signs of their droppings. UK bats eat insects so their droppings contain dried insect remains. The droppings are usually small and black and look a little like mouse droppings. Unlike mouse droppings they contain no moisture so will easily crumble and when crumbled the contents are slightly sparkly.
Listening for Bat echolocation calls
Bat detectorIt isn't easy to tell what type of bat you might have flying around your garden as they fly by so quickly. You can distinguish them by their size and UK Bats have some good information sheets on their website here. They give you the sizes and UK distributions of the 17 species that can be found in the UK.
Another means of identification is to listen to their echolocation calls. Unfortunately our human ears cannot pick up the frequencies that most bats use therefore you will need a bat detector to convert their echolocation calls into sounds that can be heard by a human hear.
We have a bat detector which is a Magenta Bat 5 it is fairly easy to use, here is a extract from the manual:
'When looking for bats, set the frequency to 45kHz. Many different bats echolocate at around this frequency. When looking for a particular species set the control to the appropriate frequency and ‘scan’ the area by pointing the detector in different directions. Ultrasound is very ‘directional’ and the microphone is much more sensitive to ‘head on’ signals than to signals from either side. It is often possible to locate a bat by pointing the detector to the strongest ultrasound long before it can be seen. Once bats are detected, the frequency control can be ‘fine tuned to get the best signal. If there are two relatively close frequency settings that give similar signals, always chose the lower one*. The detector only receives ultrasound, it does not transmit anything that will disturb the bats. The only output is the audible signal from the loudspeaker - which (presumably) is of no interest to the bats even if they could hear it.'
Below is a list of the echolocation frequencies of the 17 species of British Bat:
Frequency Bat Species
20-25 kHz
25 kHz
27 kHz
32 kHz
39 kHz
Nathusius's Pipistrelle
43-46 kHz
45 kHz
Common Pipistrelle
45 kHz
45 kHz
45 kHz
45-50 kHz
Brown Long Eared
45-50 kHz
Grey Long Eared
50 kHz
50 kHz
55 kHz
Soprano Pipistrelle
80 kHz
Greater Horseshoe
108 kHz
Lesser Horseshoe
Here is a sound recording I made of a bat flying around our house using the Magenta Bat 5. I think it is a Common Pipistrelle as it was at 45kHz.
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Somaliland: The Neglected Historical Sites of Zeila
Somalilandsun- “Besides a large floating population, Zayla contains about 1,500 souls. They are comparatively a fine race of people, and suffer from little but fever and an occasional ophthalmia. Their greatest hardship is the want of the pure element: the Hissi or well is about four miles distant from the town, and all the pits within the walls supply brackish or bitter water, fit only for external use. This is probably the reason why vegetables are unknown, and why a horse, a mule, or even a dog, is not to be found in the place.” (Richard Burton, 1924)
Historical, cultural and tourism cities play major part in conserving and realizing value of our heritage, physical heritages, landscape and cultural heritage. If people protect and value their cultural heritage they understand who they are and where they from, but in the contrary if they destroy and neglect their ancestral heritages and physical heritages they lost their historical identities. This is matter exist in Zeila historical site (s), because all physical and cultural heritages were destroyed civil wars, mater of elate immatureness or archeologistsactivities those who investigate the history of that sites.
This article identifies how Zeila is neglected either government or its community. It would point out brief historical background of this place and how it is valuable, because the theory of heritage conservation people preserve their ancestral and historical heritages.
The article also dig out and reveal other problems which are treat and challenges to the people in Zeila at present such as lack of infrastructure, weak of health service and educational institutions. The article would also give a message to the government and other concerned stakeholders.
Brief history of Zeila
The Zeila (Saylac, Zaila/Zayla) is officially under the Awdal region (unofficially is the capital city of Salel), on the north coast of Somaliland. It is historical port city Zeila situated around 25 km from the Djibouti border. As far back in the historical prospectiveZeila is historical site which became part of British Somaliland in 1888. Before this era Zeila was under the Ottoman Empirrule for more than three centuries.
At the end of 9th century it was the time that Ziela had appeared in the Arab Record when Al Ya’qubi mentioned and later other historian wrote a lot about it. The town became the political and economic place of Arab, because of its geographical location. In the eye of economic, it was one of the main ports of Abyssinian traders with Arabian and orient. At this time Somalis in Zeila had been traded, produced and exported leather, gums, ghee and ostrich feathers and slaves and Ivory from Abyssinian hinterland, they also imported clothes, dates, iron, weapons, China ware and pottery (Lewis, 1981).
Apart from the economic, Lewis also explained that Zeila was a dynastic city and politically important place, because it had been the center of Muslim Emirate of Adal (Part of the state of Ifat) and when the port enters the record of Arab history the population of the town had became Arab, Somalis and Danakil (Afar)Historians argue that no one knows when these three populations form the Zeila culture and dialect which had combined Arabic, Somali and Afar. There are also other minor groups such as Indian and Persian who settled the port.
In 1081 A.H (1670-71 A.D) the Shanabila Sayyids were the Kazis of Ziela and have the control of the town for 138 years, because it passed two generations ago into the hands of Mohammed Musa, A Hawiyah. In 13th century Zeila was ruled by Walashma dynasty claiming Arab origins and in the 14 century Zeila became place of holly war, because Muslims and Abyssinian Christian competed and fought the control of the town.Nevertheless, Abyssinia kings conquered it and the Muslim territories in Zeila fall into the hands of Christian. The land were laid waste, mosques were destroyed and converted into churches, while Abyssinians returned their mountains. After A.D 1400 prince of Zayla, Saad el Din surrounded his city by the Hatze David II and he run away his people in the hands of their enemies, while his sons, Sabr el Din, Ali, Mansur and Jamal El Din fled to Arabia and found refugee with the kind of Yemen, after they were returned and Walashma dynasty took the title of kind of Adal (Richard Burton, 1924)
After nearly hundred years of warAdal found their charismatic leader, Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Ghazi (Left handed(1306-43) and his powerful army had recovered and recapture Zeila from Abyssinian Christians (Lewis, 1981).
Ibnu Batuta in his voyage of Africa-which he wrote the book called Al Buldanah- he mentionedand described Zeila town as this“I then went from Aden by sea, and after four days came to the city of Zayla. This is a settlement, of the Berbers, a people of Sudan (Black), of the Shafia sect. Their country is a desert of two months’ extent; the first part is termed Zayla, the last Makdashu. The greatest number of the inhabitants, however, it is one of the Rafizah sect.Their food is mostly camels’ flesh and fish. The stench of the country is extreme, as is also its filth, from the stink of the fish and the blood of camels which are slaughtered in its streets.”
Turkeys or Ottoman Empire defeated kingdoms in Yemen about A.D 1500, then all traders such Indian took refuge in Adel and its partners, then Turkeys saw the great wealthy in to the opposite kingdom. They took also the possession of Zayla and established what they called custom-house and after long possession of Ottoman in Zeila as route of slave trade, gold and other precious commercial things, it became competing port, because an Armament of Portuguese under the Lopes Suares Alberguiera was taken Zayla in July 1516,but they didn’t last long and they returned where they from (Richard, 1924).
Zeila old Mosque and Minarat
In 1888, the Ottoman Empire and Britain entered into agreement which defined the boundariesof their protectoratesthat was the time when Zeila became under the British Protectorate as other part of Somaliland, but Britain hadn’t made any effort, while France had build real-ways, roads and other infrastructures in Djibouti, but there had been strong historical buildings in Zeila such as mosques, governmental centers and other beautiful building from the Ottoman Empire and pre-dynastiesas you can see if you visit Zeila at this moment, although they are vanished and destroyed by the different wars which Zeila passed through, at least you can see most of the foundations of these historical buildings.
On the other hand, Zeila existed before the Islam spread in Sub-saharan African. The two Mehrab (Qiblatayn) Mosque is the evidence of these argument, because Qiblatayn’s one direction faced Mecca and one facing Jerusalem and early Muslims praying toward Jerusalem and some historians claim that Prophet Muhammed’s family (PBUH) travelled through Saylac to Aksum in the mid 17th century. In addition to Qiblatayn mosque Zayla is the cemetery of Sh. Ibrahim Saylici. The ancient Somali history mentions that Sheik Saylici was the first Sheik came to spread Islam in Horn of Africa. (Sado, 2015).
Neglected Ancestral History
Qiblatayn Mosque (Two Direction/Mehrab Mosque)
There are plenty of historic cities in Zeila such as Qablatayn and other ancient cemeteries which determines the different successor dynasties in the district, heroes and Sheik from Zeilacommunity, but unfortunately most of them are vanished and the remaining or the foundation of such as the Qiblatayn Mosque (the two Mehrab mosque) is still exist and also there are other cemeteries of Zeila foundries.
Sado Mire mentioned the African Archeology review “Mapping the archaeology of Somaliland: religion, art, script, time, urbanism, trade and empire in 2015, “that the Qiblatayn has faced a lot of destruction through digging and exposure of foundation without conservation or reports.
In March 2016, I visited Zeila and I was one of a group of researchers who were conducting a research about Security assessment report in Zeila, 3 days tour I observed many historical sites such as the Qiblatayn Mosque which is totally disappeared and you can see the left foundations of the buildingsI talked about the Qiblatayn and other buildings some people in Sayla community, they told me that some foreigners dug and loot the sites and all the sites were destroyed by foreign archeologists, but we can’t ignore that the civil wars in the country wereparts and parcel the destruction of these historical cities.
Sheik Ibrahim Saylici’s Qudbi (Cementery)
Some Ancient Historians, heroes, governors and religious men in Saylac are buried in Qudbi (Cemetery) in the town, but most of them were destroyed and there no one who can identify their graveyard, exclusion the well known cemetery of Sheikh Ibrahim Saylici who is founder of Saylac. There are also Turkey or Ottoman Empire old buildings which you can see how the decorations of that Empire was. The buildings had built strong stones which you can feel how they were beautiful and strong in the Ottoman era.
Ottoman Empire Public documentary storage
Government and other international bodies who concern world heritage sites are ignored the gradual disappearance of Zayla historical town. If Zayla disappear and become new Zayla as its now, thousand years of history will be nothing and the new generation will know nothing about their unique history.
“Human history has become too much a matter of dogma taught by ‘professionals’ in ivory towers as though it’s all fact. Actually, much of human history is up for grabs. The further back you go, the more that the history that’s taught in the schools and universities begins to look like some kind of faerie story.” Archeologist Graham Hancock.
In the future it will be better to repair and renovate these historic cities either by government or citizens or other international organization. If the government maintains the preservation of Zayla historical cities, it will become tourism and heritages site. Tourism is one of the sources of income which nations manage their domestic and international developments as economics argue.
Infrastructure and other basic Necessities
Zaila as we already mentioned had been a trade center before 7th century and after 19th century, but at the present time it is nothing, the provision of public service-such as health care, education and living standard are completely low ( people live under the poverty line).
After the independent of Somaliland both 1960s and 1991 Zayla was neglected. People in Zayla told me during my observation that governmental service are rare, because they are far from the capital city of Hargeisa and Borama, the capital of Awdal Region.Some old men told me that Zaylahealth center didn’t work properly in the last 3 years, because of lack of health staffs, medical kits and other health equipments.
On the other hand, OCVP (Observatory of Conflict and Violence Prevention) conducted in Zaylac a district conflict and security assessment report. The report revealed that Zeila’s formal justice system had no offices, and that there was no prison in the district.
Coming to the factswe witnessedZeila has no road and other routes. When we begun our travel from Hargeisa we were struggling the mountains, valleys and other rough route to Sayla districts. It was drought time; people are suffering because of the severe situation they were in, they had no water, food, shelters and even their livestock were gone. We ask ourselves, if these people would have been road how the situation would be?Off course they would get rescue and people will survive. Thank God, people are prospers now and rainy season come and they get water to survive at least.
After 7 hours long travel and struggle we reach Zeila. Theperson, who took and will take way to Zeila, realizes the benefit of infrastructure, because community in this neglected historical site would have get their fundamental rights.
“Besides a large floating population, Zayla contains about 1500 souls. They are comparatively a fine race of people, and suffer from little but fever and an occasional ophthalmia. Their greatest hardship is the want of the pure element: the Hissi or well, is about four miles distant from the town, and all the pits Within the walls supply brackish or bitter water, fit only for external use. This is probably the reason why vegetables are unknown, and why a horse, a mule, or even a dog, is not to be found in the place.” (Richard Burton, 1924.
When you look these quote you would realize the problems existed in that era still exist in Zeila;what was wrong with the successor governments? Why don’t they understand the importance of Zeila and its community? When would they conserve the historical sites? I left the answers of these questions and many more to any Somaliland government and citizens who are interested patriotically the conservation of their ancestral and holy places.
The economicsof Zeila Community is based on fishing and trading activities with especially Djibouti and Yemen, but as they told us they don’t have boats and other fishing equipments. Also the port of Zeila is an important route trade between Middle East and Horn of Africa, but It needs development and investment. At the present it is like no man’s land.
The last dangerous thingthat Zeila’s people told us was; that the sea surrounds the city during the rainy season and the city enters what they called “ZERO,” because water from the sea block all the roads goes into the town. At this time strong men escapes from the city to the neighbor towns and they left vulnerable people in the town such as women, children and old people. During “ZERO” situation people in Zeila need special care and welfare from the government or any other bodies.
In Zeila there are historical sites such as Qiblatayn (Two direction mosque) and other important sites which need special preservation. These cities determined that Zeila is one of the earliest cities established in East Africa. Islamic religion also reached to Zeila when Prophet Mohamed(PBUH) and his companion migrated to Medina from Mecca. Most of Historian pointed out that Zeila had been the center of Adel and Ifat dynasties. Apart from these ancient history, it is heritage center, because ancestral signs and history are hiding beneath it.
Most of ancestral history in Zeila is gone, but archeologically they can retrieve and conserve. The foundations of historical buildings and other heritage stuffs are better to protect from international and national physical and cultural heritage looters.
On the other side, this neglected historical town needs to provide governmental service because community in Zeila doesn’t get basic necessities such as health, education and clean water. Infrastructure is other main problem; without roads, hospitals, schools and other public place these vulnerable and neglected people wouldn’t get any better life and their history and live would vanish like they are nothing.
Sea water is also a danger to their lives, because as we already mentioned during rainy season sea water encircles the town and it can drown the town and its people. At this time people in Zeila don’t get escape route and they live fear and worried. Their children don’t go out and can’t go to their schools.
1. Lewis, H. S. (1981). A Modern History of Somalia; Nation and State in the Horn of Africa. By IM Lewis. London: Longman 1980.
2. Burton, S. R. F., Speke, J. H., & Barker, W. C. (1924). First Footsteps in East Africa. JM Dent & Sons.
3. Mire, S. (2015). Mapping the archaeology of Somaliland: religion, art, script, time, urbanism, trade and empire. African Archaeological Review32(1), 111-136.
4. Hassan. M-Rashiid(2015). Somali History: 1960-1991; Islam, The Clan and The State in Somali Context, Sagaljet, Hargeisa 2015
5. Walls, M. (2014). A Somali Nation-State: history, culture and Somaliland’s political transition.
8. History of Zeila Documentry,
ByIbrahim Khadar Saed
CPA, Researcher
Contact at: Email:
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This theory suggests that all ancient Greeks lacked the state of really being conscious.
If you’re reading this right now, then you’re conscious about this particular sentence you’re reading as correct. Right? Obviously, that’s it! Counterintuitively, there’s a lot of argument about the whole idea of consciousness. How do you even explain it? It seems every sensory experience is somehow embedded in it; but finding words to describe this inevitable phenomenon is the tricky idea. Maybe it doesn’t even exist, or does it? According to Julian Jaynes, it was only invented within the last 3,000 years or so. Dear friends, this is the idea of the bicameral mind.
Related media: What Is The Bicameral Mind?
Are You Aware You’re Reading This?
First, take this thought experiment (please bare with us). Think about the meaning of “consciousness” for a while. We’ll wait. You’ll eventually realize that even thinking about it even makes you lose track of the fact that you’re thinking about consciousness itself. However, according to psychologist Julian Jaynes, the question of consciousness was big enough to last a lifetime. Most philosophers promoted the concept of panpsychism, or the hard problem of consciousness — how consciousness plays out in non-conscious metaphysical world was never a matter of concern to Jaynes. How weird!
This was his question: ‘What is consciousness, and how does human consciousness differ from that of other living things?’ His answer? ‘Consciousness is much smaller, much rarer, and much younger than we tend to think.’ You’re wondering if he thought raccoons were conscious? Don’t go there. In his hypothesis, he theorized that even the Ancient Greeks failed to achieve it — consciousness. (Not present day Greece). You might be wondering: “How on Earth in the amazing tinkering world of philosophy would someone think as such about Ancient Greeks?”
In fact, Ancient Greeks shaped much of modern civilization today — in terms of arts, literature, politics like democracy, and their amazing feat of philosophy. You’re right, pal! Jaynes would likely reply to you like: “Of course! A conscious Greek mind wrote The Odyssey.” Analyzing these two texts — either conscious or unconscious — inspired Jaynes’ foundation of his metaphysical belief of the bicameral mind. The bicameral mind — which may sound familiar to “Westworld” fans — essentially states that a conscious mind is split in two halves.
The first half is for execution: this is when the body a sensory impulse that you react to; for instance, when you feel hungry, you want to eat, and when you’re being wronged, you want to seek vengeance. The other half sends out signals for your actions. This is more relevant when you had no concept of introspection, these signals were like the “words of deities” in your brain. Where else do you think it could have been from? Us? No Way!
This Is Too Greek To Me (Jaynes)
This concept happens when the executive half asks a question and trying to find answers seem impossible. In other words, Jaynes says, “consciousness” became a thing when we seized acknowledging deities. You’re wondering again, so what does ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’ play in this? Everything. The Iliad was written (actually told orally) long before the phenomenon of the bicameral mind; and The Odyssey was the story of the odds at sea (pun intended).
In The Iliad, Jaynes says, ‘the reader sees the protagonists defined by their inactivity — until a god comes in to tell them what to do.’ They really don’t take any action until an external force intervenes. On the contrary, the characters in The Odyssey made their own mind on their own reasoning. For instance, nobody told Odysseus to listen to the sirens singing — he did that out of curiosity. Jaynes gave attention to the differences between the books that he meant — as sort of word choice. Many vocabulary that we tend to associate with consciousness are used in different means within The Iliad.
For instance, the Greek word psyche, which translates as “soul” or “conscious mind,” represented concrete aspects of the human body: the respiration by the lungs, or the circulation of blood. And thumos, which translates as something like “emotions,” referred to the state of being in motion, and was only granted out by the god Apollo. In other words, it seems like (ancient) people saw themselves just as mere vessels for the gods to instruct, and “true consciousness” came as a result of people taking advantage of their conscience in making choices.
The Two Sides Of The Story
Here’s the catch: as popular as bicameralism is, the whole concept seems flawed. But the thing is, most philosophers before and since Jaynes all accept the idea of consciousness having two forms: “focused” consciousness and “background” consciousness (one that takes action and the other that informs that action). In Jaynes’ model, his concept of consciousness is seen as a cultural development rather than a biological one, and this doesn’t blend with modern beliefs like neuroscience and psychology.
This has ever since set up a hierarchy of consciousness among people — with those who believe that supernatural forces influence their lives with a lesser level of consciousness, and those who hold atheistic ideas with a higher level of consciousness. And could even get much worst than it is, placing some societies into a much lesser realm of consciousness. It could even spur racial differences considering how its being used in modern societies today. But after all, we’re conscious of the fact that you our reader, is conscious of what you’ve read today.
Written by: Nana Kwadwo, Sat, Jun 08, 2019.
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Environment /
Study Finds Over 25,000 Tons of COVID-Related Plastic Waste Has Been Dumped in the Ocean
A newly released study has concluded that over 25,000 tons of COVID-related plastic waste has been dumped into the oceans.
The study, entitled “Plastic waste release caused by COVID-19 and its fate in the global ocean,” was published in the online journal PNAS.
The authors of the study found that “more than eight million tons of pandemic-associated plastic waste have been generated globally.”
“Plastic waste causes harm to marine life and has become a major global environmental concern. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for single-use plastic, intensifying pressure on this already out-of-control problem,” the author wrote.
The majority of the plastic waste that is polluting the waters is from medical waste generated by hospitals, which the researchers found “dwarfs the contribution from personal protection equipment and online-shopping package material.”
In order to sustain the demand for personal protective equipment including face masks, gloves, and face shields, many single-use plastic legislations have been withdrawn or postponed.
“In addition, lockdowns, social distancing, and restrictions on public gathering increase the dependency on online shopping at an unprecedented speed, the packaging material of which often contains plastics,” the report states.
The ocean will be flooded with an estimated 1.56 billion face masks in 2020, according to a report released in December 2020 by OceansAsia. The researchers in that study noted that the masks will take as long as 450 years to break down, “slowly turning into microplastics while impacting marine life and ecosystems.”
“The 1.56 billion face masks that will likely enter our ocean in 2020 are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Teale Phelps Bondaroff, OceansAsia’s director of research. “The 4,680 to 6,240 metric tons of face masks are just a small fraction of the estimated 8 to 12 million metric tons of plastic that end up in our ocean each year.”
Plastic pollution kills millions of seabirds and animals each year.
“Marine plastic pollution in general is devastating our ocean,” Gary Stokes, Oceans-Asia’s director of operations, said in the report. “Plastic pollution kills an estimated 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, more than a million seabirds, and even greater numbers of fish, invertebrates, and other animals each year. It also affects fisheries and the tourism industry and costs the global economy an estimated $13 billion USD per year.”
*For corrections please email corrections@timcast.com*
4 responses to “Study Finds Over 25,000 Tons of COVID-Related Plastic Waste Has Been Dumped in the Ocean”
1. Marilyn says:
Hospitals are the most wasteful places in the world. Damn near everything is disposable. I’m ashamed to be a nurse right now. What it comes down to is that there are viruses out there that are going to thin the herd. People need to grow up, get right with God, and learn to accept death.
2. FuzzyMarineVet says:
I have an idea to clean up the oceans of plastic waste and sequester the carbon at the same time. Waste Management owns the patent on a process called Thermal Depolymerization. If we take an old tanker that doesn’t leak, put trawling nets on it to gather up the ocean waste and run it through a depolymerizer on the deck, we can store the resulting oil in the tanker and when it’s full bury it or sell it. If there are any wealthy individuals who want to save the ocean reading this, please feel free to steal my idea, hell, I give it away.
3. Plaguen says:
Clean Air, dirty water… Good thing a group of youtubers are doing something about it. Check out Mark Rober or Mr.Beast #teamseas and #teamtrees.
4. Viewtifuljoe says:
Okay, THIS does justify the climate change alarmism a bit. Someone knew because of covid trying to kill us all we need all of these single-use plastics now all of the plastic waste is polluting the sea will kill us all. It is a self-fulfilling problem.
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Why Aren’t As Bad As You Think
September 3, 2021
Pets & Animals
Comments Off on Why Aren’t As Bad As You Think
Tips For Choosing A Reliable Online Doctor.
A health checkup is one of the most important things to do. For a person to have a happy life, they must stay healthy. For that reason, it is advisable to find a doctor capable of providing high-quality health care services. Online doctors can be considered for non-emergency health conditions. When considering having an appointment with an online doctor, ensure that the doctor you choose is capable of providing solutions to your health challenges. It can be a very challenging task to choose an online doctor, and especially it is your first time. The reason being, there are many online doctors with different levels of expertise. Here are essential guidelines when choosing an online doctor.
The first thing to do is research. A lot of patients make the mistake of randomly selecting an online doctor without getting to know them. This can leads to frustration after receiving poor-quality services. Note that poor health services can cause harm to your general health or even death. Ensure that you have done extensive research, compile a list of potential online doctors, and interview them to identify their professionalism. Ensure that you have all their background information.
The second tip to consider is the experience of the online doctor. Many doctors are offering online health care services with different expertise and different professionalism. The most experienced doctors are the one who has been in the industry for a long time and has catered for a lot of clients. In that case, consider the number of years the doctor has been offering online treatment and other services. Also, consider the type of health care services they offer.
The third tip to put into account is certification. Ensure that the online doctor is certified to offer online healthcare and consultation services. Not that, to be certified, a doctor has to undergo a screening process so that the state can be confident that the doctor will provide the best services to the public. Also, certified online doctors will always try efficiently to provide high-quality services, avoid license termination, and maintain their reputation. Ensure that the doctor is board-certified and has all legit credentials.
The cost of services is another vital aspect to put in mind. Many online doctors are offering their consultation services at a different cost. The cost of services varies depending on their experience and the type of medical consultation you need. Choose the online doctor who you can afford to pay. But keep this in mind, those doctors with low medical consultation costs might lack essential skills that you may need. Have a list of different, and choose the one who is within your budget.
The other thing to consider is the reputation of the online doctor. Choose the most reputable online doctor. Consider their communication skills, ease of online consultation, and the privacy of your medical data. Seek references and recommendations from your friends, neighbors, and coworkers who have received similar medical consultation services. Learn the review and rating from their website or other sites with honest feedback.
Why People Think Are A Good Idea
Getting Creative With Advice
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Current affairs 18 January
Table of Contents:
GS Paper 1:
1. Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu: pride & politics.
GS Paper 2:
1. Who are the ‘difficult four’ countries, and why is India one of them?
2. What Russia’s exit means for the Open Skies Treaty?
3. U.K. urges China to grant UN access to Xinjiang.
4. G7 summit.
GS Paper 3:
1. What kind of an agri-food policy does India need?
2. What is 5G and how prepared is India to adapt to this tech?
Facts for Prelims:
1. Kevadia
GS Paper : 1
Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu: pride & politics:
With Assembly polls round the corner in Tamil Nadu, the Pongal festival and Jallikattu, the traditional bull-taming sport, have caught the attention of political parties.
What is Jallikattu?
• The bull-taming sport is popular in Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Theni, Pudukkottai and Dindigul districts known as the Jallikattu belt.
• Jallikattu is celebrated in the second week of January, during the Tamil harvest festival, Pongal.
• A tradition over 2,000 years old, Jallikattu is a competitive sport as well as an event to honour bull owners who rear them for mating.
• It is a violent sport in which contestants try to tame a bull for a prize; if they fail, the bull owner wins the prize.
Why is Jallikattu important in Tamil culture?
Jallikattu is considered a traditional way for the peasant community to preserve their pure-breed native bulls.
• At a time when cattle breeding is often an artificial process, conservationists and peasants argue that Jallikattu is a way to protect these male animals which are otherwise used only for meat if not for ploughing.
Why has Jallikattu been the subject of legal battles?
1. Jallikattu first came under legal scrutiny in 2007 when the Animal Welfare Board of India and the animal rights group PETA moved petitions in the Supreme Court against Jallikattu as well as bullock cart races.
2. The Tamil Nadu government, however, worked its way out of the ban by passing a law in 2009, which was signed by the Governor.
3. In 2011, the UPA regime at the Centre added bulls to the list of animals whose training and exhibition is prohibited.
4. In May 2014, the Supreme Court banned the bull-taming sport, ruling on a petition that cited the 2011 notification.
So, is it legal or banned now?
• In January 2017, massive protests erupted across Tamil Nadu against the ban, with Chennai city witnessing a 15-day-long Jallikattu uprising.
• The same year, the Tamil Nadu government released an ordinance amending the central Act and allowing Jallikattu in the state; this was later ratified by the President.
• PETA challenged the state move, arguing it was unconstitutional (Article 29(1)).
• In 2018, the Supreme Court referred the Jallikattu case to a Constitution Bench, where it is pending now.
Prelims Link:
1. About Jallikattu.
2. Article 29 of the Constitution.
3. Article 142 is related to?
4. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act- Overview.
Sources: Indian Express.
GS Paper : 2
Who are the difficult four?
Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and India.
• These are the Countries where citizens do not have the capacity to fight for their rights.
• The classification has been made by Chatham House, the century-old UK-based policy institute also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
Chatham House has published a report proposing a blueprint for Britain’s future foreign policy after Brexit. Titled “Global Britain, Global Broker”, the report sketches a bold path ahead for the UK.
Why the report chose to characterise India as such?
Because of a critique of India’s domestic political developments.
• The report notes how “the overt Hindu nationalism of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is weakening the rights of Muslims and other minority religious groups, leading to a chorus of concern that intolerant majoritarianism is replacing the vision of a secular, democratic India bequeathed by Nehru”.
India is a reluctant supporter of liberal democracy.
• It is “ambivalent” about human rights abuses within other states, and possesses “a long and consistent record of resisting being corralled into a ‘Western camp’”.
Prelims Link:
1. Who are the “difficult four”?
2. Who classifies them so?
3. Criteria?
Mains Link:
India is a reluctant supporter of liberal democracy. Discuss.
Sources: the Hindu.
What Russia’s exit means for the Open Skies Treaty?
Russia has announced that it is leaving the Open Skies Treaty (OST).
What is the Open Skies Treaty?
It is an accord between over 30 countries that allows participants to fly unarmed reconnaissance flights over any part of their fellow member states.
• First proposed in 1955 by former US President Dwight Eisenhower as a means to deescalate tensions during the Cold War, the landmark treaty was eventually signed in 1992 between NATO members and former Warsaw Pact countries following the demise of the Soviet Union.
• It went into effect in 2002 and had signatories, including key players US and Russia, along with one non-ratifying member (Kyrgyzstan).
Aims of the OST:
Build confidence among members through mutual openness, thus reducing the chances of accidental war.
Features of the treaty:
1. Under the treaty, a member state can “spy” on any part of the host nation, with the latter’s consent.
2. A country can undertake aerial imaging over the host state after giving notice 72 hours before, and sharing its exact flight path 24 hours before.
3. The information gathered, such as on troop movements, military exercises and missile deployments, has to be shared with all member states.
4. Only approved imaging equipment is permitted on the surveillance flights, and officials from the host state can also stay on board throughout the planned journey.
Why did Russia leave after the US?
In May 2020, the Trump administration announced its intention of withdrawing from the OST, accusing Russia of “flagrantly and continuously violating the Treaty in various ways for years”.
• Now, Russia has attributed this move to “the lack of progress in removing obstacles for the continued functioning of the agreement.”
• Moscow is worried that the U.S.’s withdrawal restricts its access to American territory, while Washington’s allies in Europe can continue flyovers over Russian territory to collect intelligence that could be handed to the U.S.
Experts now worry about the fate of the much larger US-Russia ‘New START’ nuclear arms control agreement, which is slated to expire on February 5, 2021 while US President-elect Joe Biden has spoken in favour of preserving the treaty.
Prelims Link:
1. What is open skies treaty?
2. Members.
3. Objectives.
4. Features.
Mains Link:
Discuss the key features of open skies treaty.
Sources: Indian Express.
U.K. urges China to grant UN access to Xinjiang:
Britain’s government has pressed China to allow UN rights inspectors to visit Xinjiang after raising new allegations of “appalling” human rights abuses against the Uighur minority people.
Latest developments:
UK recently introduced import controls on firms that may have sourced goods from the region in northwest China using forced labour from the mainly Muslim Uighur community.
There have been reports of “slave labour, forced sterilisation, appalling human rights abuses in the region”.
Who are Uighurs?
• A Muslim minority community concentrated in China’s northwestern Xinjiang province.
• They claim closer ethnic ties to Turkey and other central Asian countries than to China.
Why is China targeting the Uighurs?
Prelims Link:
1. Who are Uighurs?
2. Where is Xinjiang?
3. Who are Han Chinese?
4. Indian states bordering Xinjiang province.
Mains Link:
Who are Uighurs? Why are they in news? Discuss.
Sources: the Hindu.
G7 summit:
The United Kingdom has invited India, Australia and South Korea to attend the G7 summit that is scheduled to be held in June as “guest countries”.
What is G7?
The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing together the leaders of the world’s leading industrial nations.
The summit gathers leaders from the European Union (EU) and the following countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The major purpose of the G-7 is to discuss and deliberate on international economic issues. It sometimes acts in concert to help resolve other global problems, with a special focus on economic issues.
How did G7 become G8?
• Russia was formally inducted as a member in the group in 1998, which led G7 to become G8.
• However, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s condemnable act of moving Russian troops into eastern Ukraine and conquering Crimea in 2014 drew heavy criticism from the other G8 nations.
• The other nations of the group decided to suspend Russia from the G8 as a consequence of its actions and the group became G7 again in 2014.
Prelims Link:
1. Groups: G7, G8, G10, G15, G20, G24 countries.
2. Geographical location of member countries.
Mains Link:
Discuss the relevance of G7 countries today. What are the reforms necessary to make the grouping more effective?
Sources: the Hindu.
GS Paper : 3
What kind of an agri-food policy does India need?
According to Ashok Galati, the Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at ICRIER:
1. It should be able to produce enough food, feed and fibre for its large population.
• In this regard, the best step is to invest in R&D for agriculture, and its extension from laboratories to farms and irrigation facilities.
• It is believed that developing countries should invest at least one per cent of their agri-GDP in agri-R&D and extension. India invests about half.
1. It should do so in a manner that not only protects the environment, soil, water, air, and biodiversity but achieves higher production with global competitiveness.
• This can be done by switching from the highly subsidised input price policy (power, water, fertilisers) and MSP/FRP policy for paddy, wheat and sugarcane, to more income support policies linked to saving water, soil and air quality.
1. It should enable seamless movement of food from farm to fork, keeping marketing costs low, save on food losses in supply chains and provide safe and fresh food to consumers.
1. Consumers should get safe and nutritious food at affordable prices.
• The public distribution of food, through PDS, that relies on rice and wheat, and that too at more than 90 per cent subsidy over costs of procurement, stocking and distribution, is not helping much.
Sources: Indian Express.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sought inputs from Telcos and other industry experts on the sale and use of radio frequency spectrum over the next 10 years, including the 5G bands.
What is 5G?
• 5G offers exponentially faster download and upload speeds.
Where does India stand in the 5G technology race?
All the three private telecom players, Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel and Vi have been urging the DoT to lay out a clear road map of spectrum allocation and 5G frequency bands, so that they would be able to plan the roll out of their services accordingly.
• One big hurdle, however, is the lack of flow of cash and adequate capital with at least two of the three players, namely Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.
• On the other hand, Reliance Jio plans to launch an indigenously built 5G network for the country as early as the second half of this year.
What is the global progress on 5G?
More than governments, global telecom companies have started building 5G networks and rolling it out to their customers on a trial basis. In countries like the US, companies such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have taken the lead when it comes to rolling out commercial 5G for their users.
Prelims Link:
1. What is 5G?
2. Differences between 3G, 4G and 5G.
3. Applications.
4. What is a spectrum?
Mains Link:
Discuss the significance of 5G technology.
Sources: Indian Express.
Facts for Prelims:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently flagged off eight trains connecting Kevadia in Gujarat, where the Statue of Unity is located, to different regions of the country.
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Somewhere between news and memes: what is Reddit?
Reddit is a social news aggregator, i.e. a mixture of discussion platform and link distributor. It is divided into forums called “subreddits.” Users (the editors) are content creators as well as consumers and curators. Using a points system of upvotes and downvotes, the community determines which content and discussions are important and subsequently displayed at the top of the feed. The platform is largely self-managed, with moderators acting as forum guardians.
Reddit is primarily popular in the USA, where it has a significant loyal readership – about 42% of Reddit users are American. However, the website is growing in popularity abroad, although it may take some time before they start seeing comparable numbers.
The increasingly negative media attention on Facebook and the subsequent mass Facebook user exodus is perhaps an opportunity for social networks like Reddit to gain more traction. But what exactly is Reddit?
What is Reddit? The basic concept and development
Reddit describes itself as “The front page of the internet.” This term conveys their claim to a unique position. On the front page of a print newspaper, readers will find the daily topics and headlines that editors consider to be the most important. Reddit is claiming to be the first point of contact to the World Wide Web by calling themselves its “homepage.” When talking about the US market, these claims are quite believable – after all, the number of subreddits grew from almost 11,000 (2008) to about 1.64 million (September 2019) subreddits in just 10 years.
Reddit gathers social news in an almost unmanageable number of “subreddits.” These are founded by users and filled with content. The idea of the forum, based back in Roman antiquity, can be seen as the basis for the self-conception of the website. The Forum Romanum, for example, was not only a central place where people visited temples and public trials, but also a place of spiritual exchange.
Modern internet forums developed from the bulletin boards of the 1980s. A forum usually deals with a main topic and divides it into sub-topics. Therefore, there are directoriessubforums – that Reddit refers to as subreddits. Users can use a subreddit to create new posts on a specific topic. These can be questions and requests for help, but also informative news articles, images, and videos. Humorous and creative contributions and controversial discussion topics are not uncommon.
Forums on the Reddit platform are called subreddits. Reddit regulates the forum name like this: “r/Forumname” (for example: “r/AskReddit”). The user determines the content on the user profile as moderator, like in a subreddit. However, username spellings differ: “u/Redditor.”
Reddit: a brief history
Reddit was founded by Alexis Ohanion and Steve Huffman, who met at the University of Virginia. Shortly after graduation, they wanted to develop a site called “MyMobileMenu” with the help of startup investors YCombinator. The idea was ultimately blocked, but they had set their foot in the door. Just a short time later, they received startup capital from the same company for their new project “Reddit: the front page of the internet.” Psychiatrist Christopher Slowe and the now deceased internet activist Aaron Swartz, along with his company Infogami, joined the development team.
Despite personal setbacks, the young founders continued to work on the project. Condé Nast publications bought the company and kicked Swartz off the project shortly afterwards. The other founders also went their separate ways once their contracts were over.
While the developers initially used dummy accounts to boost activity on the site, Reddit already had 10,926 subreddits by 2008. In 2011, the number climbed to 60,191 and Reddit climbed out of Condé Nast’s shadow, and became independent under their parent company Advance Publications. A year earlier, the platform introduced the Reddit Gold subscription model. Gold editors get access to the “Lounge,” a restricted subreddit, and a larger range of functions for around $4 per month.
Reddit became one of the first major websites to accept payment in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin for their paid subscription Reddit Gold, gifts, and Redditmade (subreddit fan articles that are for sale).
The company and its founders attracted a great deal of attention when they protested against the US draft law against online piracy (SOPA) in 2012, and, together with well-known websites like Wikipedia, took their entire domain offline in a “blackout.
The site administrators are still committed to protecting freedom of speech and their users’ anonymity. This is expressed both in the page guidelines and in the Reddiquette (etiquette for Reddit). Transparency is provided by the transparency reports.
Steven Huffman returned as CEO in 2015. At that time, Reddit employed about 100 people, climbing to 230 in 2017. During these years, the platform has consisted mainly of American users. However, foreign language communities are starting to pop up, and the Reddit interface is available in over 90 languages – including “Pirate Slang” (“Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr”).
Reddit’s technical basis
The website was originally written by Common Lisp, but before its release, the development team switched to Python. The web framework, built by Swartz for Reddit and now available as open source software, has also been replaced with the successor Pylons. From 2008 to September 2017, Reddit’s source code was officially available as open source on GitHub. According to their own statements, however, the company had moved so far from their slapdash beginnings that lengthy public code developments were now hindering new product launches. Nevertheless, Reddit continues to use open source tools, which is in line with the company’s policy.
In 2009, Reddit migrated to the Amazon Web Services cloud, and since 2012, Amazon CloudSearch has been taking care of the internal search. The free NoSQL database management system Apache Cassandra is increasingly used for the cloud database.
The open source software RabbitMQ is a message-oriented middleware and supports Reddit’s offline processes.
The official Reddit app is available for Android and iOS. Since they are not particularly popular in the community, some competitors have established themselves, including Boost, Relay, BaconReader, and Sync. For tablets running on Android, there is Reddita. There is even an (unofficial) cross-platform app for desktop PCs: Redditr.
How does Reddit work?
Forums live on user-created content. Community members create subreddits on specific topics and set up forum rules. Other users act as moderators who enforce these rules in the subreddit. Reddit itself already has a netiquette (called “Reddiquette”) and page guidelines. Each subreddit also determines its own rules that determine which contributions are allowed. Moderators delete comments that violate forum rules and can exclude repeat offenders from the group.
What is Reddiquette?
The word “Reddiquette” is derived from the suitcase word “netiquette.” It originated from the terms internet and etiquette and describes basic rules of conduct on the internet. Their basic tenant is that all users should feel welcome. On the one hand, it encourages participation in the internet and for that participation to be as polite as possible. On the other hand, netiquette recommends adhering to technical (security) standards and ensuring good legibility. Users should also comply with applicable law.
Here are some of the Reddiquette points summarized:
• Remember there’s a person behind the screen
• Read the community rules before submitting
• Use proper grammar and spelling
• Link to the original source
• Search for duplicates before submitting
• Report any spam you come across
• So-called doxing (publishing third party personal data) will get you banned
• Tag content that isn’t NSFW (Not Safe For Work)
Creating an account
Reddit users usually attach great importance to their privacy. VPNs and privacy discussions are often the order of the day. This is also important to the site operators. In a 2014 interview, the head of communication Victoria Taylor explained how Reddit informs its users as transparently as possible about geotargeting in banner advertising. Privacy and freedom of expression are Reddit’s core values. For example, those who engage in doxing are banished from the site. Registration can be completed in a matter of seconds:
1. Go to
2. Select “Register” at the top right
3. A window will appear asking for your email address (this information is not required for registration, it is only used if you happen to forget your password)
4. Click on Next – even without giving your email, you can continue without any problems
5. Enter a username under “Username” (on the right side Reddit gives suggestions) and under “Password”, enter a secure password
6. Click on the captcha to confirm that you are not a bot
7. If you have entered your email address, you will receive an email with a link to verify it
First steps
Subscribe to subreddits
There is a feed of the top posts on the Reddit main page. With the new design, you can choose between a tile view, the classic forum view, and a compact version. The feed can be filtered through the tabs “Best,” “Popular,” “New,” “Ascending,” etc. Here you will be able to find potentially interesting subreddits by browsing visible posts. You can also enter a term in the search bar, and the results list will show you subreddits with thematic overlaps, as well as posts within the Reddit cosmos that use the term.
The old Reddit design is still so popular among users that you can permanently switch to the traditional list view in the profile settings.
By clicking on the join button, posts from the subreddit in question will be included in your feed. By filtering for new posts, you can be one of the first people to rate a post and potentially bring it to the top of the most popular posts of the day.
Posts and points
Members can publish posts within a subreddit. If there is no subreddit on a topic you are interested in, you can create a subreddit yourself. Posts consist either of a link or of their own writing.
On the Reddit homepage, you will see a pen next to your name. Clicking on it opens a new window. You can decide whether you want to write your own text or prefer to share an image or link with others. In addition, you have to select a subreddit that you want the post to appear in. Think of a headline and select a tag that categorizes the content.
Before you publish a post, check again to see if it adheres to the Reddiquette. If you post in a particular subreddit, you should also observe its own rules. Some subreddits, for example, only accept posts accompanied by an image, others have certain formatting rules for headlines in order to maintain the overview in the forum. If you violate the forum rules, the moderators may delete your post. In the worst case, you could get blocked from the forum or even from the whole of Reddit.
If other users write comments under your post, it will then develop into a thread. Traditionally, forums arrange the resulting conversations into a tree structure. Users can see at a glance which answer belongs to which comment. The first post is called the “Original Post” and its author is called the “Original Poster” (often abbreviated to OP in comments).
In the image above, you see a post and a discussion underneath. The link links to Imgur, an image-sharing platform. The now independent hosting site was a gift from developer Alan Schaaf to the Reddit community.
A special feature of how Reddit works is that users rate posts and comments with karma points. The karma point are to the left of the title. Posts with many points are further up on the start page and in subreddits. Points are not just a sign of popularity, but also of quality. This means that the best posts should be at the top of the feed so that every member can see them.
Not only the actual posts, but also the discussions can be voted on. Users use the arrows to the left of the comments to rate them - with so-called upvotes and downvotes. Each upvote is a plus point for the karma, each downvote a minus point. According to Reddit rules, karma points should generally be distributed according to whether postings contribute constructively to the topic. They are not necessarily an indicator of how many people agree.
Upvotes and downvotes are combined in the system. If you get more downvotes than upvotes, then you receive negative karma points for your post. The system minimizes comments with a score below the limit so that just the author’s name is displayed. However, readers that are so inclined can see more by clicking on it. The points are displayed to the right of the username (disguised in this case).
The sum of karma points from posts and comments is collected by editors during their Reddit lifetime. Anyone who has collected a lot of points is regarded as a trustworthy member who often gets involved in discussions. In an anonymous forum like Reddit (users rarely use real names), these points are also a quality indicator for selecting new moderators.
Reddit’s motto of anonymity and freedom of speech has many advantages, but it can also cause unpleasant feelings. If you feel harassed, offended, or threatened, you can report and/or block the user. Under an inbox message, click on “block” so that this user’s messages and posts are no longer visible to you. You can see the message option under each message and each link. This will report the link/comment to a moderator.
What are the most popular subreddits on Reddit? An overview
The first successful subreddits were the “NSFW” (not safe for work) and “Programming,” as well as “Science” and “Politics.”
The number of subreddits has grown significantly in recent years. Some of the early subreddits have practically become classics. Many users have been subscribed to these channels for years. They receive news updates from a closed community they trust. Animated discussions or snacks for entertainment are also included.
External websites such as Redditlist or Reddit Metrics provide additional Subreddit lists.
In addition to r/Announcements (official posts from the Reddit team) and r/funny (collection of humorous posts), “r/AskReddit” is at the top of the list with around 25 million subscribers.
AskReddit’s first rule is that post titles must consist of a clearly identifiable question. This should generally lead to a discussion. Personal problems are reserved for other subreddits. The “r/TodayILearned” channel (usually abbreviated as TIL) pursues the opposite concept. Users post there when they have learned an interesting new fact. Titles must always start with “TIL” and summarize the knowledge bite in a concise statement.
The forums “r/Politics” and “r/WorldNews” as well as “r/news” each deal with news, the former being limited to American politics. Other subreddits are reserved for sports, like “r/NBA” for basketball, “r/soccer” for football, and “r/NFL” for American football. Even gaming is popular on Reddit. The forums “r/LeagueOfLegends” and “r/gaming” are among the best.
Humor and shorts, which provoke quick laughs during your lunch break, are the most exciting part for many social networks. Of course, subreddits like “r/gifs,” “r/videos,” “r/mildlyinteresting,” and “r/funny” are in the top 20 and the names are self-explanatory.
The subreddit “r/IAmA” is another often-mentioned forum. The basic principle is easy to explain: people introduce themselves as persons with certain experiences and answer user questions. The experience or expertise can be everyday but can have interesting facets that many people don’t know about, e.g. “IAmA Lifeguard – Ask Me Anything.”
However, people who have been through something extraordinary – or apply for the highest office in the USA – are particularly popular. When Barack Obama gave an interview for thirty minutes during the 2012 election campaign called “I am Barack Obama, President of the United States” the Reddit website crashed due to the amount of traffic. The questions and answers he gave also made it into the national news program.
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The Circle of Life
Native plants have co-evolved with native insects and wildlife; they are deeply dependent on one another. Plants provide food and shelter to insects, birds and other small animals, which, in turn support larger predators. Native plants are fundamental stepping stones of a healthy ecosystem.
Clean Water: Because of the deep root system of most native plants, they act both as a sponge and filter. They help water soak down into the soil and filter out excess nutrients and pollutants, improving water quality.
Ecosystem Restoration:
Clean Air:
Resource Conservation:
Invasive Species:
Outside of their native environments, some plants will aggressively out-compete others because they lack natural checks and balances like pests and predators. Some of our worst non-native invaders – Buckthorn, Honey-suckle, Dame’s Rocket, and Garlic Mustard – were first planted in gardens. By choosing natives, you can help prevent further habitat loss.
Healthy Soil:
The dance between native plants and animals created some of the most fertile soil on Earth, making the American Midwest the “Breadbasket to the World.” Native plants prevent soil erosion, create top soil and build fertility.
Rusty Patched Bumblebee (Bombus affinis): The Rusty Patched Bumblebee is a federally-endangered species. This insect is one of the many on the brink of extinction. Worldwide, it is estimated we have lost 45% of invertebrates over the past 40 years.
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis): About 95% of all terrestrial birds feed their young insects. A single clutch of American Goldfinches will eat thousands of caterpillars before they leave the nest. Seeds are another important component of a bird’s diet. More than 300 trees, shrubs, and vines in North America have small fruits that depend on birds for seed dispersal.
Thirteen-lined ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus): Prey animals like birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians rely on insects and native plants as an important part of their diet. To protect themselves against predators, prey have developed a number of defense mechanisms. The unique markings on the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel help to keep it camouflaged, hidden in its environment.
American Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes fulvus): Predators, like this American Red Fox, are an essential part of our ecosystem because they eat other animals, which sends a ripple effect through the food web called a “trophic cascade”. Because they eat other animals predators affect the populations of prey animals, which in turn affects plant populations.
American Carrion Beetle (Necrophila americana): Essential nutrient cycling is expected by fungus and scavenging insects like carrion beetles.
Hope grows in every backyard.
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White Anglo Saxon Protestant Stereotypes
Below is a detailed article about some White Anglo Saxon Protestant Stereotypes. Firstly, let us discuss who they and they do below.
Who are White Anglo Saxon Protestants?
White Anglo Saxon Protestants are an American community that goes by that name. They are commonly referred to as the WASP and were founded during the second world war. They belong to a wealthy white protestant social group and have a British descent. They dominated American society in the fields of finance, culture, education, and lifestyle.
White Anglo Saxon Protestant
White Anglo Saxon Protestant groups
Their social values include good posture, good manners, personal hygiene, overly disciplined upbringing and more.
What are some White Anglo Saxon Protestant Stereotypes?
Social stereotypes of the WASPs
The stereotypes differ from region to region. The white people are generally referred to as being highly self-involved and unaware of other peoples life and opinions. The people of the lower class are referred to as backward and uneducated by them. They considered them as those that needed the help of some sort.
Many are also stereotyped to be victims of drug abuse and addiction.
Not only that, many even today from places like Minnesota are considered to have a hospitable spirit where people are naturally nice and generous toward one another.
Reference to actual Anglo Saxons
Anglo Saxon was a community in England between the 8th to the 11th century and forms a cognitive part of the history of British culture. Therefore, the term for WASPs has been adopted from the same. It does not refer to the actual Anglo Saxons of medieval Europe.
It is basically used to describe the ‘White’ people. It is also in sync with the Protestant community of New America and New England. The stereotypes mostly refer to the English speaking white community in different parts of the world. In this concept, the Jews and the Catholics suffered discrimination.
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Smoking has always posed an array of long-term adverse side effects, and a new study from the University of Leeds only adds to the list of detrimental consequences with findings that the vice significantly declines the rate of surviving skin cancer.
“This study asked all participants about a number of different exposures and smoking was found to be strongly associated with survival. While we can’t exclude the possibility that the effect seen with smoking is actually attributable to a different behavior, that behavior would have to be very strongly related to smoking,” said lead study author and professor of dermatology Julia Newton-Bishop.
In the study funded by Cancer Research UK, the researchers analyzed data from 700 melanoma patients and found that smokers were 40 percent less likely to survive the cancer than those who hadn’t smoked within the last 10 years of their diagnosis.
In a subset of 156 patients who demonstrated a heightened genetic signal for immune cells, smokers were four and a half times less likely to beat the cancer than those who had never smoked. Both smokers and nonsmokers had a similar number of genetic signals, but immune cells only seemed successful in nonsmokers, prompting the researchers to consider smoking’s role in their function.
“The result is that smokers could still mount an immune response to try and destroy the melanoma, but it appears to have been less effective than in never-smokers, and smokers were less likely to survive their cancer,” said Newton-Bishop.
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Recently I refresh a laptop battery with new 18650's. This is working however it still doesn't last very long because of the chip inside this battery.
The chip must recallibrated (data is incorrect and based upon previous batteries) but cannot do this. There are smart chargers that can charge 18650 without any problem and can determine the condition of the cell as well. So why is the charge circuit inside the battery and not inside the device? The circuitry/chip inside the battery makes the whole battery pack unusable.
The batteries I have replaced seems to be working fine after a full recharge later in an external charger. Test for several days and operate just fine with different loads. So the chip inside the battery pack decides the battery is dead at some circumstances but in fact it's not.
18650 is a standard so why manufacturers decide to design custom packages of a standard. In the early days, you replace batteries by purchase "dumb" /unprotected (single use or rechargeable) cells. Easy as 1,2,3, widely available, old out - new in, easy. Nowadays you need to buy an expensive customized battery pack for some reason, even when using an industry standard inside.
As an example, the batteries I replaced inside this battery, is actually very straight forward. The batteries are alligned/arranged in three columns (series) of two batteries (parallel) each, like this:
battery arrangement
This could be easily a battery compartment with six 18650 'slots' without more space requirement and when the charger is available in device, also without charge circuitry. Reusable (avoid electronic waste), overall a much cheaper solution or not?
So why manufacturers still design custom battery packages of an industry standard? What's the real reason?
Is it because of (some ideas):
1. Safety, because of possible shorts by wrong polarity of unprotected cells;
2. Avoid unpredictable results of the product by using low quality batteries*;
3. Dependancy, you need to buy original (overpriced) customized battery pack;
4. Sales, control failure and replacement (like ink cardridges, black gold);
5. Product life cycle, product become obsolete when no battery available
*= Counterfeit batteries and low quality batteries, in my opinion, caused by the exclusivity and high prices of the brands themselves. Bad batteries are around us for decades so this could not be a real excuse. A warning in the manual to use good quality batteries is enough to avoid claims.
• 2
\$\begingroup\$ To sell parts. A few batteries in a battery slice can run well in excess of 100$. But it’s just a chip, a bit of circuitry and some batteries:/ You can usually see the design capacity, last-full capacity and current capacity in Ah using upower -d on GNU/Linux, as reported by the system. I’ve had the same problem as you, though it seemed to go away after swapping slices both when on AC power, hard-off, and during reboots. What is the brand and model of laptop? \$\endgroup\$
– user2497
Dec 25 '17 at 21:13
• \$\begingroup\$ Hi thanks for the answer. I don't understand "swapping slices both when on AC power, hard-off, and during reboots", what do you mean with swapping slices? It's a Fijutsu-Siemens, an older model, the L1300. Still in nice condition. Inside the battery pack there where Panasonic CGH18650C cells, qood quality cells. The battery starts to mallfunction after a longer period of no use. \$\endgroup\$
– Codebeat
Dec 25 '17 at 21:23
• 2
\$\begingroup\$ The target customer doesn't think on the level of 18650 cells \$\endgroup\$
– PlasmaHH
Dec 25 '17 at 22:21
• 2
\$\begingroup\$ Thinking back to before Li cells, (e.g. NiCd, NiMH), you still had proprietary packs. If there weren't provisions for primary batteries, usually there was a pack. And most of those were "dumb" packs as well. \$\endgroup\$
– W5VO
Dec 26 '17 at 0:34
• 1
\$\begingroup\$ @W5VO Yes, that’d be an interesting solution. Nothing should prevent a user from replacing his cells manually. \$\endgroup\$
– user2497
Dec 26 '17 at 18:45
Is it because of (some ideas):
Sure, that's the main reason. A Li-Ion cell isn't consumer-friendly, as it may explode into your face when shorted or put into a pack with wrong polarity. It needs a protection against those cases.
Avoid unpredictable results of the product by using low quality batteries*; Dependancy, you need to buy original (overpriced) customized battery pack; Sales, control failure and replacement (like ink cardridges, black gold); Product life cycle, product become obsolete when no battery available
This doesn't even work for ink cartridges.
• \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for the answer, expected this answer. However, if you use protected cells instead, this doesn't have to be an issue, right? And if you use protected cells (slightly larger), unprotected cells won't fit. I think this will be much safer than one protection for all cells like used in the battery pack. When something happen between those cells, a short for example, the protection doesn't make any sense, battery may still explode. For sure, current solution is better than nothing and maybe cheaper but I still not convinced this is the real reason. \$\endgroup\$
– Codebeat
Dec 25 '17 at 23:49
• \$\begingroup\$ The protected cells have the charge controller IC built-in, this is a feasible solution, but charge controller ICs for battery packs often have distinct pins for each inter-cell connection. Take a look at the LTC6801 or the MAX11081. \$\endgroup\$
– Janka
Dec 26 '17 at 0:48
• \$\begingroup\$ I'm not sure what you mean with "charge controller IC built-in". The protected cells have a protection ic that protects the cell from overcharge, overdischarge, overcurrent. This protection ic has nothing to do with the overall charge process of an array of cells (monitoring, balancing etc), it is only there to protect the individual cell which is good. I don't understand why manufacturers sell unprotected cells anyway because it could be dangerous. \$\endgroup\$
– Codebeat
Dec 26 '17 at 11:51
Internal Pack BMS chips offer many advantages
• individual cell health monitoring and optimal control for temperature, SoC or DoD, charge rate settings for CC, CV and cutoff vs cell T.
• safety, maximum cell life, reliability, lower cost, higher value
• over current protection (OCP) during charge and discharge
• under/over temperature protection (UTP/OTP) during charge, discharge or not in use
• under/over voltage protection (UVP/OVP) during charge and discharge
• pre-charge, fast-charge timeout protection in flash data
• disadvantage is incorrect historical data may indicate false flag protection on new cells unless correct recal. commands are used
Example State-of-the-Art TI BMS chip with SM Bus interface for laptop.
enter image description here
note: This chip has support for 4 cells for temp sensing, voltage monitoring, and AFE fusing, which is more costly by external methods.
My impressions
Internal smart charge controllers with active balancers and shunt circuit failure protection, offer extended capacity, longevity, performance value and of greatest importance, safety from overcharging a reduced capacity cell. By balancing state of charge for each cell during charge and discharge is the ideal way to maximize the lifetime capacity of any array.
It could be designed either way, but it would be better calibrated as a package since there are imbalance limits to power dissipation for balancers and the rate of aging accelerates rapidly from any imbalance resulting in over/under-charge.
Some people keep the SoC between 25% and 90% to prevent this risk and simply cycle batteries more often with a balanced charger. I recall the Lenova Laptop charger used an algorithm like this to maintain SoC around 50% while plugged in for extended periods. This SoC level reduces the aging rate and is used for shipping storage as well.
Further reading, other options http://www.electricrcaircraftguy.com/2013/01/parallel-charging-your-lipo-batteries_22.html
• \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for the documentation however this is not an answer to my question. \$\endgroup\$
– Codebeat
Dec 26 '17 at 12:06
• 1
\$\begingroup\$ The implied reason is that internal contructed BMS chips are superior along with bin matching each cell. If one simply swaps out cells with 10% tolerance on mAh, then pack life is actually much worse than life of weakest cell, because it is also stressed the most from over/under/charge voltage unless internally monitored and balanced. Also those selected for internal smart controllers always carefully binned for matching mAh and ESR. \$\endgroup\$ Dec 26 '17 at 18:52
• \$\begingroup\$ Battery models are just as complex as semiconductors, so a thorough discussion requires that you understand the EIS chemical model and all the related terms. Simply swapping out cells with matching or BMS balancer is foolhardy without detection and internal safety design from short circuit faults. \$\endgroup\$ Dec 26 '17 at 19:09
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Preemptive Protection
Children’s hands are the focus for early detection safety system.
MEILLER Aufzugtüren GmbH’s FingerGuard is designed to enhance lift safety for children. The company says glass lift doors harbor an inherent danger of crushing and shearing small hands. This can happen when they place both hands on the glass and do not realize that the landing doors on which they have placed their hands also move toward the door frame when the lift door opens. Their hands can become trapped between the door leaf and frame, and the door-opening motion of the motor will only be arrested when the maximum force of the door drive has been exceeded. This can result in serious injuries.
Ralph Fähnrich of the Federal Institute for Occupational Health and Safety in Germany, where MEILLER is based, explained:
“Fatal accidents are extremely rare. Taking into account the number of lifts in operation and the amount of time they have been in service, they have a very good safety record. It is safer to ride in a lift than it is in a car or train. With a total of 700,000 lifts in service in Germany, severe incidents are fortunately relatively rare.”
However, Fähnrich stated that the particular danger for small children lies in glass lifts (since they became fashionable in the early 1990s) and their ability to fascinate children when their hands are on the doors. “For this reason, glass doors must be made opaque up to a height of 110 cm, either by roughening the surface of the material or by using frosted glass,” he added. “Moreover, glass doors are heavier than metal doors. They are not so easy to stop from moving once they are closing.”
MEILLER said reducing the transparency of the lower half of the door panels below 110 cm “represents a considerable intervention in the visual impression of the door.” Also, giving the frame a repellent geometric form “might reduce the danger of cut-injuries but still does not really prevent the risk of hands being trapped and bruised.” Finally, spraying the glass panels with agents designed to smooth the surface and impede the adherence of hands “has yet to be proven effective in everyday lift operation and is explicitly rejected in EN 81-20.” The company continued:
“EN 81-20 provides for glass doors to be rendered non-transparent up to a height of 1,100 mm or, alternatively, to detect the presence of children’s fingers up to a height of at least 1,600 mm upon the doors opening or, alternatively, to limit the size of the gap up to a height of 1,600 mm to a maximum of 4 mm, or 5 mm in operation. Projections on glass doors may not exceed 1 mm, and radiuses on frames may not exceed 4 mm.”
The company’s products, including the Sillight, Safety Sill and the ScooterGuard systems, strove to make lift doors safer.
However, until the FingerGuard, products have offered only detection (not prevention) of children’s hands becoming trapped. While the signals generated when the frame is touched are being processed, and a command is being sent to the door controller in other systems, the door will stop too late. An additional problem is the possibility of misinterpreting changes in a door’s condition or running characteristics as a potential impending accident, as well as the lack of protection against damage from vandalism. Finally, complex assemblies, difficult configurations and a high susceptibility to malfunctions can impede the overall performance of the elevator system.
The company said it has addressed these problems. “The high probability of an accident occurring must be recognized so quickly that there is still enough time to halt the door before the child’s fingers come dangerously close to the gap,” it explained. The product is designed to recognize the impending problem before it occurs by taking the inertia of the door system and response time into consideration. Therefore, the focus is on monitoring the area before the door retraction zone, rather than on the frame and the door panels themselves. Narrow monitoring spaces (10-15 mm) provide enough time to halt the system, while reducing its response time and the probability of obstacle misinterpretation.
The FingerGuard’s sensor is designed to detect small fingers. Once such an obstacle is detected, the product will bring the door system to a standstill before the object even reaches the retraction zone. While MEILLER said halting a glass door at normal opening speed in the monitoring area sounds improbable and is not possible under normal conditions, it added that its solution accomplishes it using two specially developed components. First, a detector is positioned as required (using four screws). It must then undergo a single learning cycle. Second, a braking circuit is placed within the MEILLER MiDrive door drive system. It behaves passively under normal conditions and serves to separate the door controller and motor from the input signals of the door controller. The entire energy from the door drive is then used to counteract the motion of the lift door, ensuring the door halts its movement before fingers or hands can become trapped in the gap.
The system is usually connected with the door-open command and can be deactivated as soon as the door is opened completely. “In this way, the system monitors the eventuality of children’s hands becoming trapped only in conjunction with the door-opening motion, thus avoiding any misinterpretation outside these phases,” the company said. FingerGuard is available both for center-opening and telescopic lift doors.
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Elevator World Senior Associate Editor
Elevator World | November 2019 Cover
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Coming attractions: Ethiopia
There aren’t many countries that can truly call themselves unique. France has great cuisine, but so does Italy. India has challenging and beautiful mountaineering routes, and so does Peru.
But Ethiopia really is unique. It’s the only African country that was never colonized, and as far as paleontologists can tell, it’s where the human race evolved from our earlier ancestors.
Ethiopia’s Great Rift Valley is a treasure trove of fossils that have revealed our origins from something not quite human and not quite ape, and our slow evolution into something more recognizable. These fossils, including the famous Lucy, are on show at the National Museum in Addis Ababa. The great lesson evolution has to teach us is that we’re all related. Ethiopia is everyone’s hometown.
Ethiopia’s great history didn’t end with simply giving birth to the human race. It was home to a series of important civilizations that left a rich cultural legacy. The country boasts eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the eleven churches of Lalibela cut out of solid rock. The one pictured here is called Bete Medhane Alem (“Savior of the World”) and is believed to be the largest rock-hewn church anywhere. Another entry to the list is the ancient capital of Aksum with its towering monoliths. Aksum’s rulers controlled one of the ancient world’s great empires for a thousand years from about 50 BC until 950 AD.
Ethiopians are proud of their history and near Aksum is the battlefield of Adowa, where in 1896 an Italian army determined to colonize the country was gobbled up by a well-armed and disciplined Ethiopian force in one of the biggest defeats of a colonial force by a native army in history. The Italians returned in 1935 under Mussolini, this time with tanks and poison gas, and took over for a few brutal years, but they never really controlled the country and got promptly ejected during World War Two.This is a large nation, almost twice the size of France, with several different cultural and ethnic groups and a mix of Christian, Muslim, and animist beliefs. The population of 79 million speaks 83 languages and more than 200 dialects. In the rugged highlands of the north are the Amhara and Tigrayana, who are mostly Christian. In the dry east are the Muslim Harari, whose main city of Harar is considered one of the holiest cities of Islam. The grasslands to the south are home to the Oromo, who embrace various faiths, and tribal animist cultures such as the Mursi, who are famous for the giant rings they put through their lower lips. There are many more ethnic groups, but it would take a book to cover them all.
One aspect of Ethiopian culture many people in the West have discovered is the food. There’s Ethiopian coffee, of course. Coffee was discovered coffee here and the Ethiopians have a pleasant ceremony to celebrate drinking it with friends. There’s also distinct cuisine that’s beginning to catch on in the West. A spongy, slightly sour bread called injera provided a base for a variety of meat and vegetable dishes. There’s lots for vegetarians to eat in Ethiopia, plus Wednesdays and Fridays are traditional fasting days when most restaurants and private homes won’t serve meat. Ethiopian restaurants have become popular in the U.S. and U.K. and provide a good introduction to the cuisine. If you’re in London, try Merkato Restaurant on 196 Caledonian Road. The best I’ve had in England!
If nature is more your style then try the wild and rugged Semien Mountains, another World Heritage Site, that offers unspoiled trekking where you can see rare species found only in Ethiopia, such as the Ethiopian wolf and Gelada baboon. You might also want to dare the Danakil Depression in the extreme northeast. An inhospitable desert 100 meters below sea level, it’s seen a record high of 64.4°C (148.0°F) and regularly gets up to 48 °C (118 °F).
Get there
A number of airlines fly to Bole International Airport in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Since it isn’t a hugely popular destination prices aren’t very competitive but they aren’t outrageous if you shop around. I got a flight on Egyptair from Madrid via Cairo to Addis Ababa for only 550 euros ($830). Few flights from Europe are direct; most stop in the Gulf or North Africa. One odd thing is that many flights land in the wee hours of the morning. I’m getting in at 4am, so I guess I’ll just change some money at the 24-hour bank, hope one of the airport cafes is open, and wait until sunrise.
I’ll be there from February 9-March 27. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to see Ethiopia. I’ve been studying the history for years and talking to every expat I can find. Now I’m finally going there! Expect to see lots more about this fascinating country on Gadling.
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By Tempest Wright, Staff Writer/Illustrator – June 27, 2019
The Massive Rebrand of Tobacco
According to The Economic Timesa rebrand is what a company or organization undergoes to change its image for the better. For example, something as arbitrary as high fructose corn syrup – a common sugar additive and preservative – made changes to its product labeling when public health discussions surrounding the product turned sour. Once the sales of foods containing the ingredient started to drop, corn farmers and food companies that rely on its use decided to change the name of the product to corn sugar or fructose, according to Forbes. However, a rebrand isn’t always as simple as changing a name. Sometimes, a company has to do a near complete overhaul to change its image, as was the case with Apple during the 1990s. Food and technology aren’t the only industries that subject themselves to this process. In fact, Big Tobacco is arguably in the midst of a major rebrand right now.
An e-cigarette is a battery-powered device that people use to inhale aerosol that contains nicotine. Some e-cigarettes also come with different vapor flavorings. As of today, the devices take on many different appearances – they can look like traditional cigarettes, cigars, or even USB drives. Though it appears as a modern invention, e-cigarettes, also known as vape pens, have been around since 1967, according to Procter & Gamble (P&G). It wasn’t until 2003 that e-cigarettes were fashioned by the Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik, as a cleaner way to smoke tobacco and jumpstart tobacco cessation. However, research points to the idea that e-cigarettes may not be as helpful as advertised. In fact, they may perpetuate the harm that they claim to remedy.
With the number of cigarette smokers dropping, it seems as though the tobacco industry looks to vaping as a brand new market by which to stay afloat. E-cigarettes have always been positioned as a stop-smoking tool, but the American Heart Association (AHA) states that users who vape are likely to participate in dual use and continue to smoke cigarettes while also vaping. Additionally, the AHA reports that vaping is the most common form of tobacco indulged by children and teenagers, and that many students are drawn to vapes due to their extensive range of flavors. Additionally, e-cigarettes still contain some of the same harmful substances that cigarettes do, such as nicotine, heavy metals, and chemicals that cause lung disease and cancer. Secondhand vapor is also a danger to those who inhale it, much like secondhand smoke.
A rebrand in any industry is meant to revitalize a company and place special interest on the needs of its consumers. However, Big Tobacco seems to be more concerned with its own monetary bottom line than the health of the people to whom it sells. The tobacco industry is mammoth and will do whatever it takes to stay that way, including selling people what amounts to nothing more than a high-tech, 21st century cigarette. They will say that it’s better for you, while using misleading tactics that have worked in the past, such as funding and releasing its own research. Marketing is a powerful tool, but it’s up to consumers to be diligent and aware of the products they back with their dollars. If not for the ethical aspect of it all, consumers may choose to stay educated for the sake of their own health.
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Pancha Bhoota basically means five great elements. They are
• Prithvi (Earth)
• Varuna/Jal (Water)
• Agni (Fire)
• Vayu (Air)
• Akash (Sky)
It is said that Human Body is made of these Pancha bhootas. Many sites have also claimed that Hindu Scriptures mention that these Pancha bhoota are contained inside the human body! Now this sounds Interesting.
So I want to know which scriptures mention that Pancha bhootas are inside the Human Body? Is this mentioned in Upanishads or Vedas? What is the view of different philosophies regarding this?
There are such references in the Upanishads as well as in the Tantras.
From the SAriraka Upanishad (one of the 108 Upanishads and it is linked with the Krishna Yajurveda):
OM. The body is a compound of prthivi (earth) and other mahabhutas (primordial elements, as apas or water, agni or fire, vayu or air, and akas ). (In the body), that which is hard is (of the essence of) earth ; that which is liquid is (of the essence of) water; that which is hot is (of the essence of) fire ; that which moves about is (of the essence of) vayu ; that which is perforated is (of the essence of) akas . The ear and others are the jnanendriyas (organs of sense). The ear is of the essence of akas , the skin of the essence of vayu, the eye of the essence of fire, the tongue of the essence of water, and the nose of the essence of earth ; sound, touch, form, taste, and odour being respectively the objects of perception for these or gans. These arose respectively out of the primordial elements, beginning with earth. The mouth, the hands, the legs, the organs of excretion and the organs of generation are the karmendriyas (or organs of action). Their functions are re spectively talking, lifting, walking, excretion, and enjoyment. Antahkarana (or the internal organ) is of four kinds manas, buddhi, ahankara, and chitta. Their functions are respectively sankalpa-vikalpa, (or will-thought and doubt), determination, egoism, and memory. The seat of manas is the end of the throat, that of buddhi the face, that of ahankara the heart, and that of chitta the navel. The bone, skin, nadis, nerves, hair, and flesh are of the essence of earth. phlegm, blood, sukla (or sperm), and sweat are of the essence of water. Hunger, thirst, sloth, delusion, and (desire of) copulation are of the essence of fire. Walking, scratching, opening and closing the gross eyes, etc., are of the essence of vayu. Desire, anger, avarice, delusion, and fear are of the essence of akas . Sound, touch, form, taste, and odour are the properties of earth : sound, touch, form, and taste are the properties of water : sound, touch, and form, are the properties of fire : sound and touch are the properties of vayu : sound alone is the property of akas .
This is from the first chapter of the Upanishad.
The Grabha Upanishad (which is another minor Upanishad and also linked with the same Veda) also have the references:
OM. The body is composed of the five (elements) ; it exists in the five (objects of sense, etc.); it has six supports: it is associat ed with the six gunas ; it has seven dhatus (essential ingredients) and three malas (impurities); it has three yonis (wombs) and is formed of four kinds of food. Why is the body said to be composed of five ? Because there are five elements in this body (viz.), prthivi, apas, agni, vayu, and akas . In this body of five elements, what is the prthivi element ? what apas ? what agni ? what vayu ? and what akas ? Prthivi is said to be that which is hard ; apas is said to be that which is liquid ; agni is said to be that which is hot ; vayu is that which moves ; akas is that which is full of holes (or tubes 2). Of these, prthivi is seen in supporting (objects), apas in cohesion, tejas (or agni) in making forms visible, vayu in moving, akas chiefly in avakas a (viz.j giving space). (Then what are the five objects of sense, etc. ?) The ear exists in sound, the skin in touch, the eye in forms, the tongue in taste, and the nose in odour. (Then) the mouth (exists) in speech, the hand in lifting, the feet in walking, the anus in excreting, and the genitals in enjoying. (Then) through buddhi, one knows and determines ; through manas, he thinks and fancies ; through chitta, he recollects ; through ahankara, he feels the idea of I . Thus these perform their respective functions.
The Tantras also discuss this aspect.
Quoting from the ShAktAnada Taranigini's (an overview of this text can be found here) 1st chapter:
asthi charma tathA nAdi loma mAmsa tathaiva cha |
ete pancha gunAh proktAh prithivyAncha vyAvasthitAh ||
malamutra tathA shukram shleshmA shonitameva cha |
ete pancha gunAh proktA Apastatra vyAvasthitAh ||
kshudhA trishnA tathA nidrA pramohah kshAntireva cha |
ete pancha gunAh proktAstejastatra vyavasthitam ||
virodhAkshepanAkunchadhArnam tarpanam tathA |
ete pancha gunAh proktA mArute cha vyavasthitAh ||
rAgo dveshacha mohashcha bhayam lajjA tathaiva cha |
ete pancha gunAh proktA AkAshe cha vyavasthitAh ||
Bones, skin, the NAdis, body hairs and flesh - These five are from the Earth element and they are established in the Earth. The faeces, urine, semen, phlegm and blood - These five are from the Water element and it is established in all of those. Hunger, thirst, sleepiness, delusion (Moha) and tiredness- These five are the properties of Fire and it is established in all of those. Obstruction, Akshepan (unable to translate this one, probably remorse or expansion?), Akunchan (contraction, writhing and bending like acts), holding and contentment - These five are the properties of the Air and they all stay in it. Anger, jealousy, delusion, fear and shame- These five are the properties of Ether and they all stay in it.
Now, a somewhat different list is found in the Brahma GyAna Tantram which is quoted in the ShArada Tilakam. Here the mapping is like:
• Earth (Prithivi)
Bone, flesh, skin, nerve and hair.
• Water (Apa or Jala)
Saliva, urine, semen, blood and marrow.
• Fire (Tejas)
Hunger, thirst, fear, sleep, lethargy and tiredness.
• Air (VAyu)
Swift movement, jump, eating, contraction and expansion.
• Ether (AkAsh)
Anger, jealousy, shame, fear and delusion.
Therefore, in this way, correspondences have been established between everything that's within our body and one or the other MahAbhutas. So, that's why it's said that our body is nothing but a combination of those Pancha MahAbhutas.
• 1
what exactly is Aakash ? My guess is it pervades everything in the universe, and the more dense it gets compacted, gives rise to lower elements. e.g. akash is there all around solar system. when it gets compacted more, it becomes atmosphere around earth. further more compaction, becomes fire. more dense, becomes water, and finally earth. but my biggest doubt has been why we cannot hear any sound in vaccum, even though sound is property of akash. but we're able to see sun, which means light travels through akash, but sound cannot ?
– mar
Apr 15 '18 at 16:53
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Introduction of Programming Paradigms Paradigm
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Introduction of Programming Paradigms
Special Purposes:
Many languages were designed for a specific problem domain.
• The various Lisp dialects are good for manipulating symbolic data and complex data structures.
• Snobol and Icon are good for manipulating character strings.
• C is good for low-level systems programming.
• Prolog is good for reasoning about logical relationships among data.
The Programming Language Spectrum: (or ) classification of programming languages:-
There are many existing languages can be classified into families based on their model of computation.
There are
1. Declarative languages-it focuses on what the computer is to it do.
2. Imperative languages-it focus on how the computer should do it.
Declarative languages are in some sense “higher level”; they are more in tune with the programmer’s point of view, and less with the implementor’s point of view.
Imperative languages predominate, it mainly for performance reasons.below figure :1 shows a common set of families.
functional Lisp/Scheme, ML, Haskell
dataflow Id, Val
logic, constraint-based Prolog, spreadsheets
template-based XSLT
von Neumann C, Ada, Fortran, . . .
scripting Perl, Python, PHP, . . .
object-oriented Smalltalk, Eiffel, C++, Java, . . .
Within the declarative and imperative families, there are several important subclasses.
(a)Functional languages employ a computational model based on the recursive definition of functions. They take their inspiration from the lambda calculus.Languages in this category include Lisp, ML, and Haskell.
(b) Dataflow languages model computation as the flow of information (tokens)among primitive functional nodes. Languages in this category include Id and Val are examples of dataflow languages.
(c)Logic or constraint-based languages take their inspiration from predicate logic.They model computation as an attempt to find values that satisfy certain specified relationships.
Prolog is the best-known logic language. The term can also be applied to the programmable aspects of spreadsheet systems such as Excel, VisiCalc, or Lotus1-2-3.
1. von Neumann languages are the most familiar and successful. They include Fortran, Ada 83, C, and all of the others in which the basic means of computation is the modification of variables.
(b)Scripting languages are a subset of the von Neumann languages. Several scripting languages were
originally developed for specific purposes: csh and bash,
for example, are the input languages of job control (shell) programs; Awk was intended for text manipulation; PHP and JavaScript are primarily intended for the generation of web pages with dynamic content (with execution on the server and the client, respectively). Other languages, including Perl, Python, Ruby, and
Tcl, are more deliberately general purpose.
.(c) Object-oriented languages are more closely related to the von Neumann languages but have a much more structured and distributed model of both memory and computation.
Smalltalk is the purest of the object-oriented languages; C++ and Java are the most widely used.
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Does prostate cancer spread to pancreas?
Are prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer related?
A family history of prostate cancer has not been associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancers in previous studies.
What organs does prostate cancer spread to?
Most often, prostate cancer spreads to the bones or lymph nodes. It’s also common for it to spread to the liver or lungs. It’s rarer for it to move to other organs, such as the brain.
What cancer spreads to the pancreas?
The most common primary tumours to give rise to pancreatic metastases are lung cancer, breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, carcinoma of gastrointestinal origin and prostate cancer.
Which organ will prostate cancer metastasize to first?
What is worse pancreatic or prostate cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most fatal cancer in men. It occurs far less often than prostate or even colon cancers, but the survival rate remains quite poor. The overall five-year survival rate is 10%, but that drops to just 3% when people are diagnosed at the later stage of the disease.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Question: Can green tea prevent melanoma?
How long does it take for prostate cancer to metastasize?
Can you live 10 years with metastatic prostate cancer?
Can you live 20 years with prostate cancer?
What is the life expectancy for aggressive prostate cancer?
The SEER database tracks 5-year relative survival rates for prostate cancer in the United States, based on how far the cancer has spread.
Prostate cancer 5-year relative survival rates.
SEER Stage 5-year Relative Survival Rate
Localized Nearly 100%
Regional Nearly 100%
Distant 30%
Is Chemo Worth it for pancreatic cancer?
Chemotherapy (popularly called chemo) could be effective for pancreatic cancer because it may prolong lifespan. Pancreatic cancer is fast progressing. While chemotherapy may not cure cancer, it along with radiation therapy may improve the chances of survival and result in an improved quality of life.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Can 14 year old get colon cancer?
What is the life expectancy of someone with stage 4 prostate cancer?
The survival rate in most people with advanced prostate cancer (Stage IV) is 30 percent at the fifth year of diagnosis. This means around 70 percent of the diagnosed men are not alive in the fifth year after diagnosis. Most advanced-stage prostate cancer is diagnosed in older men.
Is Stage 4 prostate cancer a death sentence?
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Could The EPA Regulate Carbon On Its Own?
As we've discussed before, the EPA does have the authority to regulate carbon-dioxide under the Clean Air Act. Actually, it's required by law to do so. Details are still being hashed out, but if the Senate fails to pass a climate bill either this year or next, that's a possible Plan B for dealing with U.S. greenhouse gases. But what, exactly, would EPA regulation look like? Dave Roberts has a good, clear piece walking through the specifics. Much recommended.
Quick version: EPA rules might be a workable way to put the kibosh on new coal-fired plants, but it's a convoluted process that could easily get ensnarled by litigation. Plus, the potential for political backlash is high. Oh yeah, and having the EPA tackle carbon (as opposed to Congress) doesn't make for sustainable policy in the long-term—if a Republican enters the White House and decides global warming isn't worth fretting about, it wouldn't be too hard to overturn everything Obama's done. The looming threat of regulations may put pressure on wavering senators to pass their own bill this year, but relying on the EPA to act could be a suboptimal outcome for pretty much everyone.
Update: Hm, interesting. Roberts also interviewed Jason Burnett, who worked on greenhouse-gas rules in the Bush administration. Burnett says it's quite possible for the EPA to set up a carbon cap-and-trade system under the Clean Air Act, without Congress's say-so, by using the legal arguments the Bush EPA made for its industry-friendly trading program for mercury emissions:
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German Art in New York
German Art in New York
The Canonization of Modern Art 1904-1957
Steven Lindberg
€ 59,95
Number of pages
Publication date
17 x 24 cm
Table of Contents
Show Table of ContentsHide Table of Contents
Introduction Harvard University From the First Exhibitions of German Art to the First World War Promoting German Art in the 1920s: The International versus the National Position Promoting German Art around 1930: The National Position The Influence of National Socialism on Canonization The Affirmation of the Canon Conclusions
Reviews and Features
"Offers a useful analysis of a key aspect of modern German art heretofore unexplored in the literature. Langfeld clearly outlines the scope of his inquiry, and his approach is well organized and well documented with primary material. Recommended." -- Choice
G. Langfeld
German Art in New York
The Canonization of Modern Art 1904-1957
Why did the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim in New York, and art collectors and curators such as Katherine Dreier and Alfred Barr, collect modern German art in the first half of the twentieth century? And why did certain works of art belong to the canon while others did not?
In this book, Gregor Langfeld argues that National Socialism played a crucial role in the canonization of movements such as Expressionism and the Bauhaus. A role which undermined the post-1945 reputations of many artists associated with classical and figurative trends. Langfeld offers important new insights into the political and ideological motivations behind the New York art world's fluctuations in opinion, fashion, and price.
G. Langfeld
Gregor Langfeld is Assistant Professor History of Modern Art at the University of Amsterdam
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Tocqueville on the absence of government in America (1835)
Alexis de Tocqueville
Found in Democracy in America: Historical-Critical Edition, vol. 1
What struck Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) when he visited the U.S. in 1831-32 was the absence of visible signs of government compared to what he was used to seeing in Europe:
What most strikes the European who travels across the United States is the absence of what among us we call government or administration. In America, you see written laws; you see their daily execution; everything is in motion around you, and the motor is nowhere to be seen. The hand that runs the social machine escapes at every moment…
The Revolution in the United States was produced by a mature and thoughtful taste for liberty, and not by a vague and undefined instinct for independence. It was not based upon passions for disorder; on the contrary, it proceeded with love of order and of legality.
Compared to the very visible activities of the state in Europe Tocqueville was pleasantly surprised at how little he could see of the activities of the American government as he moved about the country. As he put it, he could see objects in motion but could not see the motor which was moving them about. He attributed this happy situation to the degree of political de-centralization in America compared to the extensive centralization of power which he knew so well in France. Yet, he must have been aware of at least three areas in which the power of the American state was very visible and where one could see the motor of government spinning around: these areas were the government prison system which he and Beaumont had come to study on behalf of the French government, the existence of slavery which required a heavy legal hand to remain in existence, and the level of national tariffs which were considerably higher in the US than in Europe and the major source of the government’s funds. Nevertheless, he was not the only French liberal at that time to see the political future of the world in what Charles Dunoyer called “the municipalization of the world” which had begun in America and would likely spread to other countries like France.
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NordVPN Obfuscated Servers Explained: What You Need to Know
NordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs available as it provides tons of fantastic security features, one of which is obfuscation. These obfuscated servers offer an extra layer of security and allow users to bypass strict censorships or internet restrictions. In this guide, we’ll explain all you need to know about NordVPN’s obfuscated servers.
What are Obfuscated Servers?
An obfuscated server is a VPN server designed to disguise or change VPN traffic so that it looks like regular internet traffic. Obfuscated servers are useful for accessing internet content in regions where VPNs are banned or blocked. NordVPN uses this technology to hide its traffic, making it look like the user is not using a VPN.
In countries with strict surveillance and internet regulations, you may not use regular VPN servers as they will be detected and blocked. NordVPN helps to bypass this by disguising the VPN traffic as the regular https traffic. With NordVPN’s obfuscated servers, you can get an additional layer of security and privacy protection.
This feature makes it impossible for providers to recognize that the user is using a VPN server. NordVPN’s obfuscated servers are capable of bypassing the Great Firewall of China. Their servers are one of the most reliable means to avoid heavy censorship in the country. Only a few VPNs can work in the country, and NordVPN is one of them, thanks to their obfuscated servers.
Also, some streaming services regularly detect and block VPN servers, making it quite hard for internet users to use a VPN to connect to the service. VPN protocols such as the OpenVPN protocol mostly have detectable patterns, allowing providers to detect VPN servers, though the user’s privacy is still protected. One way to go around this is server obfuscation. Obfuscated servers enable internet users to bypass filters or blocks employed by these streaming services.
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Many users ignore the obfuscated server feature on NordVPN even though there are many reasons to use them. In this article, we’ll look at the various situations where obfuscated servers can be helpful.
Government Censorship
Many countries employ strict surveillance measures and censorships to restrict the internet content available to users in that region. Countries such as Iran, North Korea, China, and Turkey all have various internet restrictions. Some social media services are inaccessible in these regions, and you can only access them through a VPN. Through a VPN, you can access banned websites as the service reroutes your internet traffic through a VPN server. However, the government or internet providers try to detect and block VPN traffic to prevent access to these services. This is why obfuscated servers are necessary. NordVPN obfuscated servers provide access by disguising VPN traffic as the regular internet traffic.
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Apart from government censorship, some websites or internet services may be blocked by network administrators at schools, workplaces, or other institutions. To bypass these detection measures, you’ll need a VPN with obfuscation servers. NordVPN obfuscation servers are capable of circumventing these internet filters on a network.
ISP Throttling
At times, your internet service provider may reduce your internet speed based on your internet activity. For example, your internet service provider can cap your connection speed when using streaming services or during torrent downloads. Some reduce speeds automatically if the provider detects that you are using a VPN. Even if you are using a VPN for other purposes, some internet service providers may automatically reduce your internet speeds. This is where obfuscated servers come in handy as they hide VPN use from internet service providers.
Access Streaming Services
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Extra Privacy
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NordVPN automatically disables access to its obfuscated servers; this means users have to locate and connect to these servers by themselves. NordVPN has obfuscated servers in countries including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore, Turkey, the United States, and others. To connect to NordVPN obfuscated servers, follow the steps below.
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2. Purchase a subscription plan and download and install the app on your device. After the installation, sign in using the details you supplied during registration.
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4. Return to the front page of the app. The obfuscated servers will now be on the server list. NordVPN will automatically connect you to the fastest obfuscated server, but you can change it by clicking on the three dots to select another server. Once the connection has been established, you can now enjoy the extra privacy.
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What is a WC
Photo: istockphoto.com
Question: I have noticed that some real estate advertisements mention a “WC” in the master suite. What is a toilet and how is it different from a standard bathroom?
A: Toilets are increasingly popular in American homes, but many still don’t know what the term means. According to the Mirriam Webster dictionary, a toilet is technically “a compartment or room with a toilet”. In the UK, however, the term ‘water closet’ refers to the toilets themselves, which creates some confusion. Mystifying the matter even more is the fact that the term has a whole new definition when it comes to modern real estate. Here we will explore the history of the toilet and explain how the term is used today.
RELATED: 30 Master Bathroom Ideas You’ll Want To Copy In Your Own Space
The toilets date from the 1800s.
Prior to the 19th century in America, only the wealthy had toilets inside their homes, with the majority of the population relieving themselves in outhouses or outside. The houses may still have “bathrooms”, but these spaces were intended for swimming and did not have a toilet. In 1890, it became more common to have toilets inside the house, in rooms called toilets. It wasn’t until the 20th century that it became common for home builders and designers to merge bathrooms and toilets into the same space.
What is a toilet in modern times?
what is a toilet
Photo: istockphoto.com
While in terms of saving space, it may have been beneficial to put the tubs and toilets in the same room, it inevitably meant less privacy. This is why modern designers have reintroduced the idea of separating the toilet from the rest of the bathroom.
In modern real estate jargon, the term “water closet” has received a whole new definition. Today, the term largely refers to a small, closed room containing a toilet located in a larger bathroom. This space may or may not also have a small sink for dishes. These rooms usually have pocket sliding doors as a space saving mechanism.
RELATED: 10 Bathroom Lighting Ideas That Get an Instant Update
The toilet adds privacy to a shared bathroom.
The main advantage of a toilet is privacy. They are most often found in master suites and other shared bathrooms where they allow residents to use the toilet in privacy while someone else brushes their teeth, takes a shower or dries their hair. .
The other significant advantage of toilets is hygiene. By housing the toilet in an enclosed space, they prevent particles and germs from spreading when flushing the toilet. In addition to these practical advantages, the toilet also serves to hide the toilet, making the rest of the space more aesthetic.
These factors have led the toilet to become one of the most desirable features in a master bathroom, according to National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Not all bathrooms have enough space for a toilet.
what is a toilet
Photo: istockphoto.com
Although this style of bathroom is popular in parts of Europe and Asia, in the United States it is still largely relegated to new luxury homes. One of the main reasons homeowners don’t add a toilet to their master bathroom is lack of space. More building codes dictate that a toilet should have a minimum space of 30 by 60 inches, although they recommend 36 by 66 inches for a more comfortable user experience.
Instead of creating a fully enclosed toilet, some designers may opt for a space-saving variant like a partition or half-wall. These designs provide a certain level of extra privacy but don’t require as much space as a fully enclosed room.
RELATED: 12 Bathroom Renovation Ideas On A Budget
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The Biblical New Year
Dec 31, 2021
הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם לְחָדְשֵׁי הַשָּׁנָה׃
ha-KHO-desh ha-ZEH la-KHEM ROSH kho-da-SHEEM ri-SHON HU la-KHEM l'-khod-SHAY ha-sha-NAH
Exodus 12:2
Establishing a calendar in Judaism requires a total reset from how time is marked on a secular calendar, realigning the days, weeks, months, and years according to Biblical principles.
Days and weeks
The days of the week are oriented around Shabbat, the Sabbath. They are named based on when they fall out during the week, thus Sunday, the first day of the week, is called Yom Rishon (the first day), Monday is Yom Sheini (the second day) etc.
Lighting the Shabbat candles (
The days themselves begin and end at sunset. Hence, Yom Rishon begins as Shabbat ends, Yom Sheni begins as the sun sets on Yom Rishon, and so on. Shabbat, the seventh day and the culmination of the week, begins at sundown of the sixth day. The fact that the days begin and end with sunset is based on the Biblical account of Creation in which God demarcates the days by noting first the evening and then the morning (Genesis 1:5):
“There was evening and there was morning, one day”
Since the days begin in the evening, the dates of the Jewish calendar also change in the evening. Therefore, the months, which are based on the lunar cycle, begin in the evening as well. The mean period of the lunar month (precisely, the synodic month) is very close to 29.5 days. Accordingly, the basic Hebrew calendar year is one of twelve lunar months alternating between 29 and 30 days.
According to the Torah, the new month is established by witnesses testifying before the Sanhedrin, or high court, that they have seen the new moon. Setting the new month by witnesses is considered by Rashi to be the first mitzvah that the Nation of Israel received after leaving Egypt. With great spiritual meaning, establishing the calendar is far more than a convenience. It is so important that it takes precedence over the Sabbath, allowing witnesses to travel on the Sabbath in order to testify before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Determining when the new month begins also determines when the holidays that occur during each month are celebrated, since they are set according to the date of the month.
In Temple times, the new month was a festival, marked by the blowing of the shofar and special sacrifices. Messengers were sent out, and a series of mountaintop pyres lit, in order to spread the word to outlying communities that the new month had begun.
The first month vs. the beginning of the year
Many people mistakenly believe that Tishrei, the month that begins with Rosh Hashannah, is the first month of the Hebrew Calendar. Though the first of Tishrei is considered the Jewish New Year, according to the biblical count Tishrei is actually the seventh month. That is because the Book of Exodus (12:2) specifies that the month of Nissan, the month in which the Exodus took place, will be considered the first month:
The Israel Bible explains:
Rosh Chodesh (ראש חודש), literally ‘head of the month,’ is celebrated when the first sliver of the new moon appears. In this verse, Hashem declares that the Hebrew month of Nissan is to be considered the first month in the Jewish calendar. It was in the month of Nissan that the Children of Israel were redeemed from Egypt and became a nation, and therefore God refers to this month as “the beginning of the months.” Even though the Jewish year begins with the Hebrew month of Tishrei (when Rosh Hashana is celebrated), the months are numbered starting with the month of redemption. According to the Sages, just as Israel was originally redeemed during Nissan, so too, Nissan will also be the month in which our final redemption occurs.
The Talmud notes that the Hebrew year has, in fact, four designated New Years:
The 1st of Nissan is the new year for kings and festivals; the 1st of Elul is the new year for the cattle tithe… the 1st of Tishrei is the new year for years, of the years of release and jubilee years, for the planting and for vegetables; and the 1st of Shevat is the new year for trees—so say the school of Shammai; and the school of Hillel say: On the 15th thereof. (Rosh Hashanah 1:1)
Blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah (
Counting the Years
The Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar, meaning that months are based on lunar months, but years are based on solar years. In the times of the Temple, the new month would be established by both calculations and by witnesses appearing before the Sanhedrin. When the Temple was destroyed and the Sanhedrin disbanded, Hillel II, president of the Sanhedrin in the fourth century, established a written calendar based on astronomical calculations. This calendar, still in use, standardized the length of months and the addition of months in leap years over the course of a 19-year cycle, so that the lunar calendar realigns with the solar years.
The years of the Christian calendar are ordered in base ten, packaged as decades and centuries, while the Jews in the land of Israel measure the passage of the years in base seven, with seven shemittah (sabbatical) years adding up to one jubilee every 50 years.
The calendar year is an even deeper conflict. The Gregorian calendar begins in the year of Jesus’s birth, whereas the Jewish calendar is counted from the year of Creation, though it is not understood as literal by most Jews, who interpret the first days of creation as lasting for potentially millions of years.
In an article comparing the Hebrew and Christian calendars, Dr. David Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries noted an implication for the Hebrew date, 5776, relevant for both Christians and Jews: the arrival of the Messiah. The Jewish sages taught that the latest possible date for the Messiah to come was at the end of the year 6000, based on the idea that the pre-Messianic world will exist for 6,000 years, 1,000 years for each day of creation, followed by the Messianic era which corresponds to the Sabbath. This concept, originally adopted in Christian Apocrypha, faded due to Roman Catholic amillennial teaching.
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Text of speech. Transcription at link.
"The Problems of Third World Development"
The text is an excerpt from the 1974 Houari Boumédiène’s speech to t
Map of the Range of Nuclear Missiles in Cuba, 1962
Photograph of a large ship loaded with shipping containers
Short Teaching Module: Using Ships as Guides for Transnational Adventures through World History
Ships travel across oceans and in doing so connect people in disparate places across the globe. In this essay, Brandon Tachco explains how a focus on ships as a theme can add much to the study of world history.
Painting of a Spanish Galleon at sea firing its canons
A Naval Encounter between Dutch and Spanish Warships
Spanish galleons were large ships specifically built to carry a huge amount of cargo across the vast distances of the Spanish maritime empire. The Manila Galleon Trade is a common topic in world history courses and represents the first truly global trade in world history.
Document icon
Long Teaching Module: Masculinity and Femininity in the Mongol Empire
This module examines ideals of masculinity and femininity among the Mongols, the Central Asian nomadic pastoralists who in the thirteenth century under their leader Chinggis Khan created the largest land-based empire the world has ever seen.
Painting shows mounted warriors armed with bow and arrows in combat
Mounted Mongol Warriors
In this watercolor illustration from the Compendium of Chronicles, the enormous hemispheric history by the learned official Rashid al-Din finished around 1310, mounted Mongol warriors shoot bows and arrows while riding, a military tactic perfected by steppe warriors.
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Chinggis Khan on his father Yesügei
This comment of Chinggis Khan about his father appears in the learned official Rashid al-Din’s Compendium of Chronicles, finished about 1310, so it was probably first handed down orally.
Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo
This building is located in the city of Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. Once used for a prison, it now operates as a contemporary art museum. The complex was built in 1889 in the style of panopticon, which features several branches all centered around one point.
Piracy Trials
As the title suggests, the collection deals with piracy prior to 1923, in this context referring to robbery or violence committed on the high seas.
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Best Activities for Improving Brain Health without leaving home
An infographic to keep your brain healthy
A new study by Audley Villages has revealed the most popular everyday activities for maintaining brain health and longevity without leaving your home.
View the infographic representation of the brain health study here.
• We have looked at the most popular scientifically supported activities you can do at home to improve brain health, based on global monthly search volume and psychologist research
• With over 11,500,000 global monthly searches, drinking water has been revealed as the most popular activity to improve your brain health, followed by painting, sleeping and being in silence
Playing with pets increases levels of oxytocin, improving empathy, trust, and memory of social cues
• According to Dr Rachel M Allan, Chartered Counselling Psychologist, mindfulness practice can help to reduce stress and depression and improve mood.
The brain is our body’s most complex organ, responsible for our thoughts, feelings, actions and memory. While it’s natural for our brain to lose cognitive function over time, it’s important that we do our best to maintain its health and longevity.
We have ranked the top 30 activities anyone can do to improve their brain health at home, based on popularity and psychological research.
From solving a puzzle to listening to music, the study highlights the top daily activities that help keep your mind sharp without leaving your home.
Drinking water is the most popular activity for improving psychological health at home
Drinking water is not only essential for keeping your body functioning, it’s also great for improving concentration and mental cognition.
Guzzling water will help to balance your mood and emotions as well as maintaining memory function. Getting in your recommended daily intake of H20 is also beneficial for increasing blood flow and oxygen to your brain. It can help to prevent and relieve headaches and reduce overall stress, regardless of age but particularly in retirement.
Painting is the best creative activity for boosting brain function indoors
Whether you’re skilled with a paintbrush or not, painting is the most popular activity for boosting your memory recollection skills - working to sharpen the mind through conceptual visualization.
With 7,080,000 global searches, people who often use creative mediums like painting and drawing (see this example by Mrs Micklethwait at our Royal Leamington Spa retirement village) have a decreased chance of developing memory loss illnesses in old age.
If you lack a passion for painting, language is a great alternative.
Reading poetry increases activity in the region of the brain associated with autobiographical memory.
Learning a foreign language is also one of the top lesser known activities for boosting brain health, with only 2,100 monthly searches. It can increase the areas of the brain associated with memory, such as the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.
Music is One of the Simplest Ways to Boost Brain Health
Music is one of the easiest ways of boosting brain health at home, with the majority of people listening to music for 32.1 hours a week.
When people listen to or play music, the entire brain lights up with increased neural activity.
Those who play music regularly can increase development in their corpus callous, the connection between the left and right sides of the brain - meaning a musician’s brain may have more agility for problem solving.
Listening to music can also improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory, as well as reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain.
“Playing a musical instrument utilises fine motor skills, requires following patterns, drawing from memory and engaging with multi-sensory feedback”
reveals Dr Rachel M Allan,
“It draws on many different high-level brain functions at the same time, which strengthens connections between different regions of the brain.”
Other ways you can help boost your brain function indoors include drinking tea, with 685,000 searches and even doing a crossword, with over 495,000 searches each month.
Keep Moving to Keep Memory Loss Away
Daily walking and moving around has been found to strengthen the brain’s memory circuits and ensures your brain has a strong blood supply, to help it function better now and in future.
Ruth Cooper-Dickson, Positive Psychology Practitioner states that
“any form of exercise and being active is beneficial for the hippocampus - which is the part of the brain that acts like a brake on the stress response.”
"Exercise doesn’t have to be a strenuous gym session or a 5km run! Many Audley Club members and property owners take regular walks through the grounds of their village, enjoying the fresh air and a chance to stretch their legs...
"...Our brain is our most powerful organ and changes throughout our lifetime, adapting to experiences and continually developing. As we age we undergo natural cognitive decline, so engaging in activities that stimulate the formation of new cells and exercise our brains daily is fundamental in maintaining brain health at every age.”
Paul Morgan, Managing Director - Operations, Audley Villages
Discover other ways to stay healthy at home with fitness advice and recipes. #audleytogetherathome
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4 reasons lead to electric vehicle burn& how to prevent?
Time：2020-11-25 Author：ABPower Browse：
All kinds of electric car accidents related to lithium batteries are caused by fires and even explosions.
Frankly speaking, it is caused by battery failure (internal or external causes). The heat generation rate of the battery is much higher than that of the heat dissipation rate, and the heat is accumulated in a large amount but not released in time.
Tesla electric car fire in SH.gif
The higher the temperature of the battery will cause the system to become hot and damaged.
When the system gets hot, the temperature will rise, which in turn will make the system hotter, and then there will be no more…..
There is an official name for this kind of battery accident - Thermal runaway.
In fact, the probability of battery thermal runaway in electronic products is one in ten million, and events like Samsung note 7 are also rare.
Electric Vehicle BMS location.png
But it's a little different in electric vehicles. The battery pack of an electric car needs hundreds or even thousands of batteries (Tesla 18650), which greatly increases the probability of thermal runaway.
And if the electric car heat out of control, the consequences are very serious, because it’s really terrible that so many batteries blow up.
The consequences will be grievous if the heat runaway occurs because of so many batteries.
OK, Let’s see:
What are the reasons cause Electric vehicle batteries' thermal runaway?
1, Firing when charging
EV charger fire.png
The accident was caused by the manufacturer's own "unreliable", either the design reason or the manufacturing assembly quality. There are only three reasons for charging fire: BMS failure, thermal management failure, and battery short circuit.
The so-called BMS is the brain of battery, which is the abbreviation of the battery management system. It plays an important role in improving the utilization of battery, preventing the battery from overcharge and over-discharge, etc.
It can be understood that if the brain is out of order, such as its algorithm, sampling, diagnosis, etc., it is close to the accident.
The battery thermal management, which we often mention, is mainly based on the reasonable design of materials, electrochemistry, heat transfer, molecular dynamics, and other disciplines to solve the problem of thermal runaway and thermal efficiency caused by the battery working at too high or too low temperature.
Yes, the battery will explode when the temperature is high, but it will also lose power very fast when the temperature is too low.
Battery short-circuited
In the design, if there is no clear understanding of the system's high voltage, insulation, core material, an electrochemical process, it will be close to the accident.
Charging fire is mainly a matter of design, but it does not rule out that the designer is put together by the small partners in the manufacturing process. For example, the assembly is not rigorous, or some impurities fall into the battery, which may cause thermal management failure and battery short circuit.
2, Spontaneous combustion
If it is not charged, the electric vehicle will burn when it is moving or parked, which is the cause of thermal management failure and battery short circuit.
EV fire accident.png
But the cause of spontaneous combustion may also be that the car just came back after charging, resulting in the abnormal temperature rise of the battery.
For example, in April last year, the "Tesla spontaneous combustion door" in an underground garage of a community in the Xuhui District of Shanghai China used a supercharging pile for charging shortly before the incident. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
In the same way, spontaneous combustion may also be caused by thermal management failures and short circuits caused by assembly or impurities in battery production.
3, Fire caused by water immersion
Electric Vehicle diagram.png
There are two reasons for the fire of battery immersed in water: structure failure and battery leakage.
The design of the vehicle power battery is to fix the battery pack in the battery box.
If the material and structure of the whole system are not up to standard, it will cause trouble, and the welding and assembly in the manufacturing process will not be rigorous.
Finally, if the battery box encounters collision and stone impact, it will also lead to structural failure.
In addition to the above reasons, there is a very important point that the sealing design is not well done.
Electric Vehicle IP67 standard.png
In fact, the batteries of mainstream electric vehicles are treated with waterproof treatment, which can meet the protection standard of IP67.
IP67 standard means that even if you soak in water for a short time, there will be no problem. Of course, don't soak too long.
4, A collision fire
It is easy to understand that collision, like immersion in water, will lead to structural failure and leakage of battery, and eventually lead to thermal runaway.
Electric Vehicle battery assembly location.png
However, in terms of anti-collision, the major electric car manufacturers pay important attention to it, and the more solid the battery case is.
But one thing to remind you is that most of the batteries of electric vehicles are designed at the bottom of the car, which is also one of the parts most vulnerable to the collision,
Therefore, it’s very necessary to have regular checking the battery case in a certain time.
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What does it mean when your second toe is swollen?
What does it mean when your second toe is swollen?
The most common causes of capsulitis of the second toe are generally caused by a combination of genetic factors and overuse. Certain conditions or characteristics can also make you more prone to experiencing pressure on the ball of the foot around the second toe joint.
What does capsulitis of the second toe look like?
It can feel like there’s a marble or pebble in the shoe or a sock is bunched up under your forefoot. Swelling in the area of pain, including the base of the toe. Difficulty wearing shoes. Pain when walking, particularly barefoot.
What does it mean when your toe hurts to bend?
Many cases of toe pain are due to injury or age-related wear and tear on the skin, muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments of the toe. Common causes of toe pain include calluses, arthritis and bunions. However, infectious diseases, neurological conditions, and other abnormal processes can also affect the toe.
What nerve affects the second toe?
Innervation: The medial and lateral plantar digital nerves to the second toe, dorsal cutaneous innervation can also be used via the deep peroneal nerve.
How do you fix capsulitis of the second toe?
Nonsurgical Treatment
1. Rest and ice. Staying off the foot and applying ice packs help reduce the swelling and pain.
3. Taping/splinting.
4. Stretching.
5. Shoe modifications.
6. Orthotic devices.
What does capsulitis pain feel like?
Symptoms of capsulitis include: discomfort ranging from a mild ache to severe pain. a feeling like there is a stone under the ball of your foot. swelling. difficulty wearing shoes.
What are the signs of gout in the big toe?
The main symptom of gout is a sudden attack of severe pain in one or more joints, typically your big toe. Other symptoms can include: the joint feeling hot and very tender, to the point of being unable to bear anything touching it. swelling in and around the affected joint.
What helps nerve pain in toes?
Home-based treatments for the condition include applying ice, taking anti-inflammatory medications, and stretching the foot daily. Your doctor may be able to ease pain with corticosteroid injections, physical therapy, orthotics, or surgery.
What causes pain in the base of the second toe?
Capsulitis is a condition that is categorized by inflammation in the ligaments of the second toe. These ligaments surround the toe joint at the base and form a capsule to help the joint move properly, which is where the name derives from. Capsulitis can develop in any toe of the foot, but it is most common in the second toe.
Is it normal for your toes to be swollen?
Often, a swollen toe is easy to spot, because it’s bigger than your other toes. But if several toes are swollen, you may not notice it right away. You may have other symptoms like pain, shiny skin, joint pain, and itching. If you had a minor trauma, swollen toes may get better with at-home treatment.
What causes swelling in the big toe joint?
When to seek medical attention for second toe pain?
Second toe pain can be the result of different causes. The pain usually isn’t cause for emergency and can be treated at home. However, if your symptoms indicate that you’re not getting enough blood flow to your toe (such as your toe turning blue or very pale), seek immediate medical attention.
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Ending Human Trafficking in Indonesia
Ending Human Trafficking in Indonesia
This research paper will be a case study on human trafficking in Indonesia. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and understand how the Indonesian Government is making efforts to end human tracking in its state. Human trafficking is a global epidemic that violates not only the most basic fundamentals of human security but also one that affects the lives of millions each year. It is important for each state to do their due diligence when it comes to eliminating human trafficking within their states. This paper will include information to understand better the issue that Indonesia faces regarding human trafficking and offer solutions on how it can move forward as a state to make efforts in eliminating human trafficking.
Background of the Problem:
Several different problems face Indonesia when it comes to combatting human trafficking. Firstly, Indonesia is considered a second-tier state when it comes to monitoring and fighting human trafficking, meaning they do not meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking (Indonesia, 2019). This is an improvement from a report done on Indonesia in 2003 when it was still considered a third-tier state. (Indonesia, 2019). Victims of human trafficking in Indonesia are often forced into sexual exploitation and low-wage employment (Salisburry, 2019). Mail order brides’ are not uncommon, as well as child laborers. The Riau islands and Bali are plagued with child sex tourism. The Indonesian government passed the first anti-human trafficking law in 2007 and prohibited any form of human trafficking with a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. (CITE)
The primary issue facing Indonesia is that the conditions in Indonesia pose a substantial threat to Indonesian citizens, as it pushes those into debt bondage into more developed states in Asian. Debt bondage is what occurs when someone is involuntarily made to work to pay off a debt that they were tricked into (Blackburn, 2010). As a result of this, the victim typically works for almost nothing and has no control over their debt owed. This isn’t a new concept and has existed for hundreds of years; however, it is seen most often in South Asian states. (Rafferty, 2013). Those living in poverty are targeted with promises of working wages and then forced into labor and sexual exploitation (Rafferty, 2013).
Another issue that Indonesia faces in regard to human trafficking is child trafficking which is one of Indonesia’s top issues, due to child sex tourism. Children and underage teenaged are exposed to sexual exploitations at resort islands, such as Bali and Batam. (CITE) A significant contributing factor of this is sex tourism, which is when a person or persons travel to states where prostitution is legal specifically for sexual purposes (Cho, 2013). The legality of prostitution makes it even more difficult to distinguish human trafficking.
The last issue facing Indonesia that will be discussed in this essay is Indonesia’s lack of government involvement when it comes to human trafficking. There has been no national task force formed by the government. (CITE) The first and only National Plan of Action that Indonesia implemented expired in December 2007 and Indonesia has still failed to develop a second, even after having an evaluation of performing one in 2017. (CITE) The efforts were futile due to the lack of funding and organization between the Indonesian government task forces and the national task forces. (CITE)
Complicating Issues & Analysis:
Inadequacy in Public Awareness Campaigns
Human trafficking for purposes of sexual abuse and exploitation, forced labor as well as for purposes of repaying the debt in a process known as debt bondage is Southeast Asian countries, particularly in Indonesia. (Farhan, 2018) In this region alone, it estimated that some 21 million are victims of human trafficking where many have been permanently condemned to work for low wages in a debt repayment strategy where victims are tricked that they will be given well-paying jobs to repay their debts only for them to be subject to forced labor” (Trafficking, 2018). In most of these instances, the victims have less say concerning the repayment schedule and salaries.
Despite the existence of a wide variety of information concerning human trafficking openly practiced in these regions mostly at the eye of government agencies; often, the public in the affected areas have minimal information concerning the issue of human trafficking (Mayasari, 2017). In rural areas, which is frequently targeted by human traffickers dealers, the majority of the population do not have a clue concerning what human trafficking entails. In most cases, those who do not have access to information or are not aware of social tracking are targeted by human traffickers who come with all sorts of rewards for the victim families. Young girls targeted for sex tourism and prostitution, for instance, are often lured with the promise of good food, better shelter, and good pay only to end up in brothels and in resorts where they are paraded for sexual purpose for both domestic and international clients in the name of tourists (Rafferty, 2013).
Though numerous campaigns have been carried out to address the issue of human trafficking, the fact that majority of the people in the affected regions often have no clue concerning what human trafficking entail means that these efforts are either too little or inappropriate. NGOs and other international bodies engaged in fighting human trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse of young girls as well as forced prostitution and forced labor in the case of debt bondage have been criticized for not doing enough to tackle the issue (Rafferty, 2013). In most cases, these bodies are engaged in public relation activities to attract funds from donors while in reality, they are doing too little to tackle the menace. As a result, the majority of the population and those targeted for these heinous acts often do not get to understand what human trafficking and the related issues entail, hoe they can solve and why they ought to be resolved.
Lack of Action from the Government
Government inaction when it comes to tackling human trafficking is another issue that complicates the fight against the problem in the majority of the countries where teenage prostitution, sex tourism, forced labor with not pay as well as forced prostitution is common. In Indonesia, efforts by the government to deal with the issue, for instance, are quite minimal. In most of the cases, only a few members of the society are reached by government efforts aimed at fighting human trafficking (Mayasari, 2017).
Collusion between government officers especially the police are some of the leading reasons why the majority of human trafficking issues are not comprehended into its conclusion. In these cases, victims of human trafficking acts which include forced labor and prostitution are often left with no alternative due to support from the government. As a consequence, millions of people suffer under heinous acts associated with trafficking with seemingly no support and action from the government to help deal with the problem.
Lack of government support for the issue of human tracking in Indonesia is evident from the fact that there is no comprehensive legislation enacted to tackle this rampant issues that affect millions of victims as well as thousands of families whose members are subjected to these heinous activities. Despite the many problems associated with prostitution, for instance, the activity is still legal in the country. This makes the fight against sex tourism and other forms forced sex activities such as forced prostitution in brothels.
High Poverty Levels
The high levels of poverty among many Indonesian families is another issue that significantly affects the fight against human trafficking. For some low-income families, children are often sold or allowed to work under dangerous conditions so that they can earn income (Lindquist, 2010). In rural areas, for instance, some human tracking activities take place right in the eyes of the public and authorities who do little to stop the trade. The problem of poverty is usually compounded by the fact that public campaigns to address the issue often does not reach remote rural areas.
Extreme poverty levels are a significant obstacle on the fight against trafficking in many studies (Lindquist, 2010). Human traffickers often take advantage of the situation where they approach unsuspecting individuals and families, luring them into their schemes with fake promises of good jobs, food, and shelter. In some instances, men and women are forced involuntarily into forced labor and prostitution from debtors who demand to be repaid their debts. What is more worrying about this form of debt repayment is the zero power that victims have on the amount of pay and hours of work.
Due to poverty, many communities in Indonesia have come to accept some of these issue related to human trafficking socially. For example, child labor or instead force involvement of children in the production process where they are exposed to numerous cases of abuse is ethically permissible in Indonesia. Under pretense, young women are often lured from the security of their homes to far neighboring countries with the promises of a better life only to be coerced into prostitution and many other heinous acts. For the majority, they have no option since a home is no better.
Possible Solutions:
Looking at the idea that human trafficking is widely motivated by supply and demand, the first solution would be to ban prostitution in Indonesia and make it illegal. Having prostitution tolerated and widely practiced gives traffickers more leeway to not only get away with trafficking but also makes it more difficult to detect. Human trafficking awareness. Educating citizens about the signs of human trafficking and how to report it. Creating harsh laws against human trafficking and enforcing them. It’s not enough to have these laws that meet the minimum standard if they’re not adequately enforced. In line with that, Indonesia creating a specific task for specifically for human trafficking would fall in line with this solution.
Although human trafficking is a highly profitable crime and challenging to detect, with government intervention and education a solution can be found to fight the threat of human trafficking in Indonesia.
Anticipated Outcome:
These recommendations expect to combat the threat of human trafficking in Indonesia and eventually eliminate it. The end goal for Indonesia is to become a tier 1 state, which would mean that it is fully compliant with the minimum standards of Trafficking Victims Protection Acts, or TVPA. (CITE) The expectation is that upon implementing these solutions, Indonesia will be able to make great efforts to become compliant with these standards and children, women and men can feel safe within their state. The citizens of Indonesia will be able to live free from the fear of becoming a victim of human trafficking, and those who have suffered from human trafficking will be able to get the help that they deserve.
To review, the Indonesian Government is making efforts to end human tracking in its state; however, they have a very long way to go. There are several factors which contribute to the issue of human trafficking in Indonesia as mentioned in this essay. These issues include poverty, sex tourism and lack of government involvement. With the implementation of the solutions as discussed above, there is some room to make progress to not only suppress the growth of human trafficking in Indonesia but also eventually to eliminate it. It is imperative that prostitution becomes illegal, citizens become educated, and the Indonesian government explicitly enforces anti-human trafficking laws. This is a difficult topic to stomach; however, it is an important one to talk about, because with knowledge comes power and that’s the only time a difference can be made.
Blackburn, Ashley G., Robert W. Taylor, and Jennifer Elaine Davis. “Understanding the
complexities of human trafficking and child sexual exploitation: The case of Southeast Asia.” Women & Criminal Justice 20, no. 1-2 (2010): 105-126.
Cho, Seo-Young, Axel Dreher, and Eric Neumayer. “Does legalized prostitution increase human
trafficking?.” World Development 41 (2013): 67-82.
Farhan, Farhana. “Responsive Legal Approach to Law of Human Trafficking in Indonesia.”
Journal of Social Studies Education Research 9, no. 1 (2018): 214-227.
“Indonesia.” U.S. Department Of State. Last modified 2019. Accessed March 19, 2019.
Lindquist, Johan. “Images and evidence: Human trafficking, auditing, and the production of
illicit markets in Southeast Asia and beyond.” Public Culture 22, no. 2 (2010): 223-236.
Mayasari, D. E. Juridical Review on Legal Protection For Indonesian Children Falling
Victim to Human Trafficking. International Information Institute (Tokyo).Information, (2017) 20(10), 7257- 7265. Retrieved from
McIntyre, Bonnie L. “More than just rescue: Thinking beyond exploitation to creating
assessment strategies for child survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.” International Social Work 57, no. 1 (2014): 39-63.
Rafferty, Yvonne. “Child trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation: A review of promising
prevention policies and programs.” American journal of Orthopsychiatry 83, no. 4 (2013): 559.
Salisbury, Jenna. “Trafficking And Tourism In Indonesia.” New York Minute Magazine. Last
modified 2019. Accessed March 19, 2019. https://www.newyorkminutemag.com/trafficking-and-tourism-inindonesia/.
“Trafficking In Persons Report 2017: Tier Placements”. State.Gov. Last modified 2019.
Accessed March 19, 2019. https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2017/271117.htm.”Indonesia”. U.S. Department Of State. Last modified 2019. Accessed March
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The Arduino IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is used to program the Arduino in the SNT kit PCB. This is where you will be coding.
The code you write in the Arduino IDE tells the SNT Kit PCB which sensor is sending what to where, how to process the sensor data, and what the output should be.
Installing Arduino IDE
1. Visit
2. Download Windows Installer for Arduino.
3. Run the installer. Wait for the installation to complete.
4. Run the Arduino program.
Parts of the code
A sketch is the name that Arduino uses for a program. It is the unit of code that is uploaded to and run on an Arduino board.
The first few lines of the sketch are a comment:
/* Prototype Name : Automatic Light- Motion Based
Input Sensor : Motion Sensor
Output Device : Relay
Libraries Used : LiquidCrystalPCF584 and FastLED to turn off from use.
int led_pin = 9 ; //LED is connected to digital pin 9
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chapter 6 How to connect people to the business
So far in the book we have looked at two key, behaviour-based manager mindsets that help build connection with others. They are to be a role model, connecting through trust, communication, inspiration and consistency of behaviour, and leading by example, and to be empathetic, understanding what makes people tick and how others see things.
Now we need to start to look at the things managers must do.
It has long been understood that one of the key skills required of a manager is to communicate effectively with their team. In today's business, however, this does not go far enough. Research shows that high-performing employees typically feel connected — and that typically it is high-performing managers who facilitate this connection.
So what is the difference between communication and connection? This is often not understood, so it can be helpful to think of them like this: At level 1 we communicate by sharing information with people or informing them. At level 2 we connect by ensuring people understand why something is important so they forge a level of emotional connection to the message. The act of connecting goes deeper than communication and takes more effort, time, skill and understanding of others to achieve.
Let's examine both levels in more detail.
Level 1: Communicate
Each year, businesses spend time, effort and money putting together complex strategies and business plans. This is done in the hope that business will grow, ...
Get The Four Mindsets now with O’Reilly online learning.
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Stuttering - Therapy On How To Stop Stammer Naturally!
Therapy On How To Stop Stammer Naturally
Stuttering occurs in approximately 5% of children and 1% of adults worldwide. It is a disorder where the sufferer repeats sounds, syllables or words, disrupting the normal flow of speech, so that he/she can not be well understood. The disorder often starts when children begin to talk. Most children lose the stutter when their brains grow, but for some of them the problem remains. The current treatments include psychotherapy (to reduce anxiety), speech therapy, breathing exercises and electronic devices.
This disorder has always been a medical mystery that has been attributed to various causes, mainly psychological and emotional problems that create nervousness and stress to the patient. Now U.S. researchers claim that there is a biological cause behind this problem (at least for some people), and have discovered for the first time genetic mutations in three genes that are responsible for stuttering in humans. Due to the fact that the brain regions involved with speech require highly efficient metabolic systems, even the slightest mistake in protein production (due to a genetic mutation) may result in stuttering, according to research. The discovery links stuttering to disorders in the body's metabolism and can lead to new drug therapies. However it is estimated that only 9% of the cases are actually caused by gene mutations, which means that most people can actually treat this condition effectively without using drugs.
Thousands of people out there have managed to overcome this problem and you would not even know that they used to suffer from this condition.
So, what can you do to get rid of this problem?
• Reduce nervousness and anxiety: Don't think too much before you speak, because this will only make you more nervous and more likely to stutter. Anxiety is a major contributing factor to stammering. Children and adults with speech disabilities are much more likely to develop an anxiety disorder compared to people who do not stutter. It's very important to learn how to control physical anxiety and tension by using certain relaxation techniques. All stutterers actually have the ability to talk fluently. In a relaxed, low-stress state you can pronounce any word fluently. I'm sure that even If you're stutterer, there have been some situations where you felt completely relaxed and the problem simply went away.
• Don't try to speak too quickly: The funny thing about stutterers is that that they are often smarter than average. Their minds tend to work too fast and their tongue simply can't catch up! This means that every time they make an attempt to speak they can't find the appropriate words to express their thoughts. Slowing down the rhythm of your speech can enable you to verbalize each word more effectively.
Now you need to pay close attention-
Do you want to Get Rid Of Stuttering? Just Click Here!
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Utilizing CORONA to study material culture
The research focus of ANEE’s Team 3 is on material culture. The plan has been to conduct an archaeological survey in Northern Jordan.
With the global pandemic closing borders and putting all traveling on hold, the survey has been postponed since 2020. In the meantime, the team has done research on material that is available. So, if coronavirus was preventing the team from traveling to Jordan, why not use CORONA to overcome the problem?
CORONA is the codename for the United States’ first photographic spy satellite mission. Between 1960-1972 the satellites took more than 800 000 high-resolution images. In 1995 the dataset was declassified by President Clinton, and the images were made publicly available through the US Geological Survey. For archaeologists doing research in the Middle East, CORONA data can be a useful tool. The images, mostly taken in the 60’s, can reveal ancient sites that today would be covered or destroyed by urban expansion.
Team 3’s survey area is large, and the more observers can study it, the better. This thought was put into practice in the latest Forum meeting, where all participating ANEE members had the opportunity to locate archaeological sites. Each participant was given a set of images from their designated area, and possible sites were then highlighted with a paint tool.
Recognizing archaeological sites from satellite images can be challenging even for trained archaeologists. Nevertheless, Team 3’s “crowdsourcing exercise” provided a number of potential sites that can be further inspected and verified from the images. Later, targeted fieldwork can be conducted on these “hotspots” during the archaeological survey.
As the travel restrictions are being lifted and borders opening, the team is finally able to travel to Jordan at the end of November. Even though this is only a short trip, the team hopes to visit some of the known sites in the survey area. This will allow them to get to know the terrain and to make plans for the full survey seasons next year.
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The promise and peril of high-stakes accountability
by Sandra Mathison and E. Wayne Ross
Original Source: BCTF Teacher Newsmagazine.
“Educators today are besieged by a movement that demands higher and higher scores on standardized tests. Anyone who has looked carefully at these tests knows that they are loaded with trivia—questions that most successful adults cannot answer and would indeed scorn to answer. Our children are being fed intellectual junk food, and we would do well to insist on a healthier educational diet.
– Nel Noddings, “War, Critical Thinking, and Self Understanding,” Phi Delta Kappan, March 2004.
The high-stakes-accountability road has been taken in many countries, especially the USA. Changes are occurring that suggest Canada is headed down the same road (for example, the Fraser Institute report card on schools, the Ontario School Secondary Literacy Test as a graduation requirement, provincial tests of reading, writing, and math at the elementary and secondary levels, and a media that implicitly supports high-stakes accountability). While there is great promise offered by the rhetoric of high-stakes accountability there is also great peril. We should take advantage of what is known about the false promise and the unanticipated perils of high-stakes accountability, and map an alternative route.
What is high-stakes accountability? It is most often manifest in systems of accountability called bureaucratic-outcomes-based accountability. These are systems in which students, teachers, and/or administrators are accountable to a central government authority for demonstrating success on a small set of common indicators of student performance. And there are tangible consequences at the individual and school level for failure.The promises of high-stakes accountability
There are a number of promises and assumptions that are part of the rhetoric of high-stakes accountability:
* Teachers will teach all children and have uniformly high expectations.
* Outcome measures will motivate teachers to teach well and students to learn well.
* Achievement differences based on race, ethnicity, gender, and first language will be eliminated.
* Students not well served by public schools will be.
* School credentials will be more meaningful.
* Meaningful schooling outcomes (at the individual and organizational levels) can be captured by annually administered census standardized tests.
* High school graduates will meet workplace expectations.
* National and international market competitiveness will be enhanced.
* Measurement techniques and technology are up to the task.
This last point is important because faith in educational measurement assumes that single standardized tests are valid for the purpose, that the important outcomes of schooling can be captured with a standardized test, and that the scoring and reporting of scores are trustworthy.
The perils of high-stakes accountability
The perils of high-stakes accountability, in large part, stem from the underlying assumptions of the promise of high-stakes accountability.
* Treating everyone the same all the time does not constitute fairness.
* External motivation (based largely on punishment) is not the only, or the best way, to get people to change, and in fact diminishes a love of learning.
* Consequences, rewards, and sanctions have unanticipated and undesired impact—like defining the curriculum as that which is tested, increasing drop-out rates, increasing the number of kids in special education.
* The professionalism of teachers is diminished because it is assumed they cannot be trusted to do the right thing or a good job.
* Uniform and single measures of learning are just bad evaluation practice.
* Annually administered standardized tests capture only a fraction of academic expectations (the curriculum cannot be covered in a one-shot test).
* Annually administered standardized tests capture nothing about other important schooling outcomes (citizenship, social development, work habits, antiviolence).
* When social indicators are used for important decision-making there is a high likelihood the indicators and the uses of those indicators will be corrupted.
Authentic accountability: An alternative
There is an alternative to high-stakes accountability—authentic accountability—a more locally based although still public system of accountability where schools are accountable to parents and the public for how well a school is educating its students and about the quality of the social and learning environment through the use of authentic and multiple indicators.
There are four basic principles of authentic accountability:
1. Improvement. Use of a wider range of strategies to improve the quality of schools and learning, such as professional development.
2. Equity. Closing the race, ethnicity, and class achievement gaps and overcoming the consequences of poverty and racism, through the provision of health and social welfare care as well as academic care.
3. Democracy. Control over and responsibility for schools must be grounded in sound principles of participatory democracy, such as informed involvement of local stakeholders.
4. Informing the public. Providing accurate information about the functioning, successes, and problems of public education, such as information about libraries, health care, availability of enough and current textbooks, clean and equipped bathrooms, and so on.
Authentic accountability is characterized by:
* local authentic assessments.
* school quality review model.
* low-stakes standardized testing in literacy and numeracy.
* annual local reporting by schools to their communities.
* consequences at the school level, not the child or teacher level, for failure.
The rhetoric of outcomes-based accountability is appealing—who wouldn’t want all kids to succeed and high-school graduation to be meaningful? It is imperative that teachers, school administrators, trustees, parents, and students work together to champion authentic accountability, an accountability based on shared democratic responsibility and not on simplistic signs like test scores.
Sandra Mathison and Wayne Ross are professors in the Faculty of Education at UBC.
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Boundaries of Virginia
[ 1 ]
AN exact description of the limits and Limits, boundaries of the state of Virginia ?
Virginia is bounded on the East by the Atlantic: on the North by a line of latitude, crossing the Eastern Shore through Watkins's Point, being about 37°. 57'. North latitude; from thence by a streight line to Cinquac, near the mouth of Patowmac; thence by the Patowmac, which is common to Virginia and Maryland, to the first fountain of its northern branch; thence by a meridian line, passing through that fountain till it intersects a line running East and West, in latitude 390°. 43', 42.4" which divides Maryland from Pennsylvania, and which was marked by Messrs. Mason and Dixon Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon had drawn the boundary between Maryland and Virginia in the 1760s, creating the famous "Mason-Dixon" line that would distinguish North from South by the time of the Civil War.; thence by that line, and a continuation of it westwardly to the completion of five degrees of longitude from the eastern boundary of Pennsylvania, in the same latitude, and thence by a meridian line to the Ohio: On the West by the Ohio and Missisipi, to latitude 36°. 30'. North : and on the South by the line of latitude last- [ 2 ]
mentioned. By admeasurements through nearly the whole of this last line, and supplying the unmeasured parts from good data, the Atlantic and Missisipi, are found in this latitude to be 758 miles distant, equal to 13°. 38'. of longitude, reckoning 55 miles and 3144 feet to the degree. This being our comprehension of longitude, that of our latitude, taken between this and Mason and Dixon's line, is 3°. 13'. 42.4". equal to 223.3 miles, supposing a degree of a great circle to be 69 m. 864 f. as computed by Cassini Jacques Cassini (1677-1756) had calculated the precise distance of a degree of latitude.. These boundaries include an area somewhat triangular, of 121525 square miles, whereof 79650 lie westward of the Allegany mountains, and 57034 westward of the meridian of the mouth of the Great Kanhaway Now more commonly known as the New River.. This state is therefore one third larger than the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, which are reckoned at 88357 square miles.
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Neha Patil (Editor)
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A minbar (Arabic: منبر, also romanized as minibar or mimber) is a pulpit in the mosque where the imam (prayer leader) stands to deliver sermons (خطبة, khutbah) or in the Hussainia where the speaker sits and lectures the congregation. The word is a derivative of the Arabic root n-b-r ("to raise, elevate"); the Arabic plural is manābir (Arabic: منابر).
While minbars are akin to pulpits, they have a function and position more similar to that of a church lectern, being used instead by the minister of religion, the imam, typically for a wider range of readings and prayers. The minbar, the decoration of which some believe to be part of the sunnah, is usually shaped like a small tower with a pointed roof and stairs leading up to it. In contrast, the prophet Muhammed used only a platform with three steps. There may be a seat at the top. In contrast to most Christian pulpits, the steps up to the minbar are usually in a straight line on the same axis as the seat, as seen in those illustrated here. They also take the preacher higher above the congregation than is typical in churches. The minbar is located to the right of the mihrab, the niche that indicates the direction of prayer (i.e. towards Mecca). The minbar is also a symbol of authority.
In some mosques there is a platform (müezzin mahfili in Turkish) opposite the minbar where the assistant of the Imam, the muezzin, stands during prayer. The muezzin recites the answers to the prayers of the Imam where applicable.
The oldest Islamic pulpit in the world to be preserved intact is the minbar of the Great Mosque of Kairouan (in the city of Kairouan in Tunisia). Dating from the 9th century (at about 862 AD), it is an eleven-step staircase made of carved and sculptured teak wood. Composed of an assembly of over three hundred finely sculpted parts, this minbar is considered to be a jewel of Islamic wooden art.
Minbar Wikipedia
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Our lives are governed by informal and formal systems that maintain order and signal what is right and wrong.
Principles & Strategies
Mandate behavior
• Enact mandates that require or encourage certain behaviors
Prohibit behavior
• Enact prohibitions that limit or forbid certain behaviors
People have different responses to rules across contexts. Be sure to learn about how different rules are understood by your target audience. Bans on behavior can also be very difficult to monitor or enforce, especially for behaviors done in private.
A local patrolman checks whether a fisher's catch meets the size regulations. Photo credit: Jason Houston
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October 12
Does Physical Health Have an Impact on Mental Health?
Does physical health have an impact on mental health? It’s a question that you have probably asked yourself at least once, and it’s certainly something to think about. It’s true to say that physical health absolutely does have an impact on your mental health, and we’re going to be looking a little more into this further down. Keep reading if you would like to have a better understanding as to some of the ways that physical health impacts mental health.
If You Have an Injury
The first thing that you should think about is if you have an injury. There are multiple reasons that this will diminish your mental health sometimes, the first one being that you are unable to do the things that you were doing before for a short period of time. If you love your job and you find yourself suddenly unable to do it for a period of time, not really doing much to fill the gap, then it might be that you end up feeling bad about yourself. The best thing that we can advise is that you try to find something that you can fill the time with. Obviously it has got to be something that works with your injury, but it will keep your mind off of what you can’t do, and this should help a little.
Try to remember that injuries aren’t permanent most of the time, and that things will likely get better. You just need to give it a little bit of time and things will be okay again soon. Or, it could be something like an injury to your mouth but there are visible remnants of it. If you speak to somewhere like Kenmar Dental, they may be able to help you with this.
If You Don’t Get Enough Sleep
If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your body is going to be tired all the time. In fact, you’re going to hit the point of exhaustion at some point if you are not getting enough sleep but before that you will notice that it has been taking a toll on your mental health. You are likely finding yourself feeling grumpy, groggy, lethargic, snappish, easily irritated and so much more. It’s sleep related, but it can cause depression and anxiety in some people. When you aren’t getting enough sleep, your body isn’t getting enough time to complete everything that it needs to which will take its toll on you.
Ideally, you should be getting around seven hours of sleep every night, so it’s important that you are trying your best. This might mean that you have to get rid of all the technology from your bedroom so that it doesn’t disturb you!
Chronic Illness
Chronic illness is an illness that won’t get better and won’t go away. You could go through weeks or months without so much as a flare up, or you could be experiencing constant symptoms. Chronic illness is difficult to deal with, and it’s bound to take its toll on you at some point. You won’t be able to do certain things, some cause large amounts of pain, and finding the thing that helps you cope with this can be a long process. Of course, eventually you will be able to find the thing that helps you cope with this long-term condition, and then you may start to feel better.
However, knowing that there is no way to fix the issue is going to make it a little harder to cope with. You understand that you will likely live with this for the rest of your life, which can be a hard realization to come to. Depression and anxiety are common in people who have chronic conditions, so it’s important that you speak about them. You’re not alone.
Not Enough Exercise
The final thing that we are going to mention is that you are not getting enough exercise. If this is the case, then your body is not going to thank you for it. You are going to notice that you are feeling more tired than you will be, your muscles are eventually going to start aching from lack of use and so much more. This will impact your mental health as studies have shown that they both impact each other.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you should be considering in order to understand if physical health has an impact on mental health. It’s an important topic and one that needs to be discussed more often, as too many people hide this, pretending that it isn’t happening. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that this helps you have a better understanding of the issue.
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Question: What does Gethsemane mean in the Bible?
Why is Gethsemane important?
It is also an invitation to let others love us. Jesus feels the need to pray three times in Gethsemane before he reaches a sense of peace. Too often we feel obliged to move immediately into “Yet your will, not mine” before we have lingered with our feelings and expressed them to God.
Why did Jesus go to Gethsemane?
He went to tell the Jewish leaders where Jesus was. The Savior asked Peter, James, and John to go with Him into the garden. He asked them to wait while He went to pray. Jesus knew He needed to suffer for the sins of all people.
What can we learn from Gethsemane?
Jesus calls us, in the midst of our Gethsemane, to lay aside our will, our limited understanding, and the things of this world and, instead, fix our mind on the things of God. Jesus Himself is our anchor. Not only has He made those in Him right with God, but He has also guaranteed us that the best is yet to come.
What does the Mount of Olives represent?
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Quick Answer: What does the Gospel of John say?
What happened on the road to Gethsemane?
What was Jesus first prayer?
How did David climb the Mount of Olives?
David’s son Absalom conspired to steal the throne from him. He stole the hearts of the people and turned them against David, so David was forced to flee. He and all his households left the city, and David climbed up the ascent of the Mount of Olives.
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Sri Lanka's Handloom Textile Industry is centuries old. The industry has helped showcase the undying creativity of generations of Sri Lankans taking them to the international arena. A range of designs and colors, individual and innovative designs, craftsmanship, color combination, and patterns are handed down from generation to generation.
The Handloom Textile Industry is a highly labour intensive export-oriented rural-based industry in Sri Lanka. The industry produces predominantly cotton and silk products, utilizing cotton and silk yarn. Generally, with low capital costs and running expenses, handloom is a household or cottage industry, where skilled hands create value-added products.
Original video credit : Grow Lanka
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Who Invented The Electric Guitar? An Exciting Look WAY BACK Into The Past…
The electric guitar has been around for almost a century now. But where did it start? Someone had to sit down and come up with the idea. The electric guitar has remained unchanged for the most part for all this time. But who invented the electric guitar?
Who Invented The Electric Guitar? Hint: It Wasn’t Just One Person!
I remember clearly, the day I first asked this question to myself. I was watching Dimebag Darrell, and thinking about all the crazy sounds he can make with the guitar. Then I started thinking:
He got a ton of his licks from Eddie Van Halen. He got his signature guitar from Dean Guitars. But wait for a second, who invented the ACTUAL modern electric guitar?
There isn’t an easy answer to this one. Because there are people that invented the technology, yet there are people that refined and perfected the idea.
The History of The Electric Guitar: How It All Happened…
1890: The George Breed Patents
George Breed was a United States Military man. At some point, he took up the idea of adding electricity to a guitar. But not in the way you think!
Who Invented The Electric Guitar? An Exciting Look WAY BACK Into The Past...
George’s Patent Application 1891
George wanted to add the electric element to the guitar, but he wanted to make it like a “Player Piano”. This would be a guitar, when fed electric current, could play all by itself!
Player Pianos were all the rage in the 1800s, and they replaced the need for a person to actually play a song. George tried to implement this technology to make the guitar play itself, using pre-installed song rolls.
The device attached to the guitar and used to transfer the string vibrations into an electrical current. It was a great idea, but people who tried it were quoted as saying it sound “Very unlike a guitar, in every way”.
This was cool idea, but it didn’t really pan out. Sorry George, things didn’t work out for you. It did however get some other people thinking. The wheels started turning…
1919-1920: Lloyd Loar/Gibson
Lloyd Loar was a part of Gibson‘s quality and control division. He was the first person to try out using magnetic pickups on acoustic instruments. Lloyd managed to not only make it work with a guitar, but also a bass. Later he used a pickup on a Viola to amplify the sound.
Gibson did not see any point in the work he was doing. The company was focusing fire on the acoustic guitar and banjo market. Lloyd was simply out of his depth trying to convince Gibson to try out his new ideas.
Lloyd left Gibson, with his ideas. He was fed up with the company dismissing his ideas, so he and his team resigned from Gibson. They needed their own company and brand.
In 1933, Lloyd and his associates created their own company that would specialize in amplifying acoustic instruments. They named the company Vivi-Tone, and worked for years trying to get the technology right. After a few years, the idea was abandoned.
1925: Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp
Adolph Rickenbacker started his career in the Swiss alps as a machinist, making metal tools for workers. He migrated to California in 1925, where he found work with the National String Instrument Corporation.
He was commissioned work by the company to make guitar parts. Rickenbacker made tuning machines, and hand crafted metal tops for Dobro-style guitars. The Dobro worked to amplify the guitar naturally, but better things were on the horizon.
At the same time, and in the same company, George Beauchamp was pushing the idea of amplifying acoustic intruments. The national String Instrument Company had no plans of taking George up on his ideas, and he became more and more resentful.
George was a guitar player himself in a band. He constantly had issues with being heard when the rest of the band was playing. You see, George also invented the resonator/Dobro guitar to help amplify volume naturally. The same parts that Adolph Rickenbacker was making in his machine shop.
George eventually designed the first real magnetic pickup, and Adolph Rickenbacker helped him make and design them. The pickups mounted on the instrument under the strings just like today.
Finally, we have an actual pickup that resembles what we see today! The natural acoustic sound was never up to par with the audience, unfortunately. They thought the sound was too “unreal” and “not natural”.
Rickenbacker and Beauchamp believed in their idea so much that they resigned from the National String Instrument Corporation. When they left the company, their best men followed. They created the Ro-Pat-In Corporation.
1932: Ro-Pat-In and The First Real Pickup Design
This is where things get really exciting! Rickenbacker, Beauchamp, and their crew moved on from their oppressive environment and really started to develop their ideas.
They went through many pickup designs, including the “Frying Pan Design” guitars. These guitars looked like their namesake, and had a built in magnetic pickup. They worked better than their original design, and were bottom mounted under the strings.
Several designs followed, and unfortunately there are not a ton of pictures. Electric pickup guitars did not win over the public yet. But Rickenbacker didn’t give up.
Where the duo finally broke new ground, was with their next models. But they needed a name change, and they needed a new design. Little did they know, they were catching the attention of Gibson.
1935: Electro/Rickenbacker Emerges
Rickenbacker and Beauchamp continued to innovate their pickup design, and finally had a breakthrough. The company re-branded itself as Electro guitars, under the Rickenbacker brand name.
Rickenbacker guitars and basses eventually went on to be a best selling company. But everyone has to start somewhere.
Their breakthrough model was the Ken Roberts model. This is where we get closer to the modern guitar. It was still an acoustic guitar at heart, but the new pickup design changed the sound. You can buy these guitars at auction these days…for about 7 Million Dollars.
The Ken Roberts Electro Guitar, A piece of real history
The Ken Roberst models were met with suspicion initially. But they soon became popular, especially for Big Band musicians. The Ken Roberts had a single pickup, and a tremolo bridge. For the first time, a guitarist could control their volume on stage.
The two F-holes made the guitar finally meet the standards of people wanting to preserve the actual acoustic tone. It sounded great plugged in to an amp and people were amazed. The electric guitar started to be accepted by professional musicians.
But now we come full circle. The industry giant, Gibson, steps up to plate.
1935: Gibson Catches On..
Gibson started getting lambasted with order quotes for electric guitars. They made great acoustics and mandolins, but they were behind Rickenbacker. They had scoffed at the idea of an electric guitar, until customers started to demand it.
Gibson started with EH Custom line. These were to be direct competition with the “Frying Pan” guitars coming from Rickenbacker. They were lap steel guitars with a single pickup and came with an amplifier as a combo set.
Gibson EH Custom
Later that year, they released another model to compete with Rickenbacker and Electro Guitars. They announced the new ES 150. The new model took the design of the Ken Roberts models from Electro, and changed it by adding a bridge.
In 1936, they applied for a patent for their new “Strings Over” design that added a bridge, and for the first time we see a pickup mounted like modern ones today. The pickup was like a P-90, and had it’s roots in the single coil designs and ideas.
The ES 150 became very popular with Jazz musicians. So much so, that they still produce the ES 150 to this day!
The Gibson ES 150 “Jazzbox”
We are getting caught up now. There is a myth that Leo Fender created the first solid body guitar. This is not completely true. Leo Fender refined it and perfected it.
The modern electric was just around the corner. Unfortunately, it would not make history…
1947: Paul Bigsby and Solid Body Electric Guitars
Gibson dominated the electric guitar market for a decade. Rickenbacker continued to produce their designs as well. Japanese companies started to import less expensive models before WWII grounded their production to a halt.
After the war, popular musician Merle Travis commissioned Paul Bigsby to make a solid body guitar. Merle and Paul designed a bird’s eye maple guitar with a thru-neck design. The guitar had Mere’s name engraved, with leftover wood used to make decorative inlays and a pickguard.
The Travis-Bigsby Guitar
The Travis-Bigsby guitar featured a single-cut design, which reminds us of the infamous Les Paul by Gibson. It had a single pickup in the bridge, which gave Merle his signature sound. Tone knobs were added after the initial design so he could better control his tone on stage.
Electric guitar took a huge leap forward with Paul Bigsby’s master craftsmanship. Merle ended up asking Paul to make him a double cut version of the guitar using all of the same woods. Merle played shows for years with his new solid body electrics.
Gibson went on to design their own versions of solid body electric guitars. But it would be a decade before Gibson caught up with their Les Paul models.
Bigsby should go down in history as being the first person to make a solid body electric. But since he never mass produced his work, his name is often forgotten. He unfortunately was overshadowed by a sleeping giant.
The legendary Leo Fender.
1950: Fender Guitars Take Over The Market
1953 Fender Esquire Guitar
In a strange turn of events, Leo Fender became a legend. Not bad for a guy who not only didn’t play guitar, but was an electrician. Leo fender Spent a lot of time making/repairing radios and other electrical appliances. He opened a repair shop for live music equipment, and musical instruments in 1938.
The first real foray Leo had with making guitars, was not for production means. He made a crude guitar just for testing pickups. He was intrigued by the idea of solid body guitars, and there wasn’t really any competition, yet. He created several prototypes.
Within a few years, Leo handed over his popular radio/equipment repair business to his friend, Dale Hyatt. Next, Leo re-branded himself as Fender Musical Instrument Company. His goal became mass producing electric guitars for affordable prices.
The most economic way to do this, is a solid body guitar. He started using pine wood for the body of the guitar, and maple for the necks of the guitars. The pickup technology was tailored to suit a solid body instrument. This became the first mass produced single coil pickup!
The Fender Esquire’s initial run was 50 guitars. These were made to Leo’s specs, and sold for $190. They sold out immediately.
Leo had missed the mark in his first runs of the guitar. They had no truss rod for adjusting the neck. Some of the pickups were microphonic and noisy. The bridge had issues. But Leo didn’t play, so he was at a loss when it came to the defects.
The second batch added a truss rod to the design, and a fully adjustable bridge. The redesigned models launched the moniker “Broadcaster” for a short time. Gretsch drums had a trademark on the name already.
For the next year, the famous “Nocasters” were made and released to the public. Since they could no longer use the Broadcaster name, they left the headstock blank. These are highly sought after guitars now, only affordable to collectors.
Leo created a new name for his guitar, The Telecaster. The new design and name took off overnight. Everyone wanted to try this new Telecaster guitar, in every genre of music!
Leo had more orders for the guitar than he could produce, so he sold his radio/equipment repair business and focused all of his assets on Fender Guitars. He hired 100 employees for his shop, a number that would triple in the next 5 years.
In 1954, Leo hit another home run with the Stratocaster. The Stratocaster was a double cut design with three pickups instead of one. It also introduced a tremolo system that was designed in-house by Fender. Today the guitar is synonymous with Rock music and Blues.
We are used to seeing the “Strat” everywhere, aren’t we? Too many players to list rely on their Fender Strat for their guitar needs. But when it was released, no one had ever seen anything like it. In fact, many people thought it would fail!
The 1950’s Fender Stratocaster in Sunburst Color
The Stratocaster obviously didn’t fail. Every year, Leo released new models and sold them en masse to the public. Leo Fender, the man who couldn’t play guitar, became a guitar legend.
After the first few runs, he started using different colors based on automobile paint. These new colors included:
• Candy Apple Red
• Olympic White
• Sonic Blue
• TV Yellow
The colored paint jobs on the new models took off faster than the original Stratocaster. Musicians of the 50’s and early 60’s gravitated towards Fender. The Stratocaster and the Telecaster became the most played electric guitars on the planet.
The rest is history! Fender guitars are still made the same way they were made in the 1950’s. The modern design has had a few tweaks, but they are largely exactly the same as they were when they began.
At the same time, Gibson continued on their own path…
1950-1965 Gibson Carves Their Own Path
1950’s Gibson ES 335
In the 1950’s Gibson was sticking largely to their original “jazzbox” designs. Gibson knew that Leo Fender had the market cornered when it came to solid body, mass produced guitars. They had to catch up, by being completely different.
The Gibson ES 335 was designed by Ted McCarty in 1958. Ted designed 4 different models of semi-hollow body electrics, and one fully hollow body model. The Gibson ES 335 took off by 1959.
Ted had a friend named Seth Lover who had an idea to compete with Leo Fender. Seth Lover had invented the humbucker pickup by putting two single coils together and reversing polarity. These pickups were more quiet, fatter sounding, and had a refined look. By 1960, Leo Fender had competition.
Gibson had a hit with their first solid body guitars. Especially with the Les Paul models, but the story of the Les Paul guitar is a long one. It is a story deserving of it’s own place.
Ted McCarty spent the next few years designing solid body guitars loaded with the new humbucker pickups. He created the Explorer, The Modern Les Paul, The Flying V, and many other models. Ted kept his nose to the grindstone for years, and has went down as a legendary innovator.
Gibson also made the move to absorb the Epiphone corporation in 1957, and took over production of their original designs. Epiphone became the affordable end of Gibson, making Gibson’s designs beside the older Epiphone models. This tradition continues today.
Ted McCarty’s Gibson designs: The Explorer and Flying V
Gibson and Fender remained rivals through the 1950s and 1960s. But their designs are the basis for almost every modern guitar, and both companies still make their instruments to original spec.
Next time you see an electric guitar, you will know exactly how that instrument came to be. No matter what the brand or style, every electric guitar shares the same DNA.
So…Who Invented The Electric Guitar?
As you can see, it was years of effort and innovation between several different individuals and corporations. It was a long journey to where we are today.
Without competition and people constantly re-imagining what an electric guitar could be, it’s hard to say where we would be today. The friendly rivalry between companies and visionaries ensured innovation.
There are still people out there changing the design of the electric guitar. New ideas come out every year, yet I feel like we have barely scratched the surface with what can be done with design.
The future of the electric guitar is just as exciting as it’s past.
Christoper Horton
Christopher has been playing guitar and piano for 27 years. He has been active in the Georgia Metal community, and the music industry for over two decades. He has toured for years with several bands and music projects. Chris worked in Los Angeles as a studio musician and engineer in the mid 2000's. In 2007, Christopher moved back to Savannah, GA and started producing albums in his own studio. Christopher also has a background in teaching beginner/intermediate guitar and working with children at "Rock Camps". Over the years he has worked with some big names like IAMSOUND, Baroness, Kylesa, Black Tusk, Reflux, and Tripping Daisy. Christopher uses Schecter Guitars, Line 6 Processors, EMG Pickups, and Blackstar Amps.
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This is more of a computing question, but only electronics geeks would know such things. Today's computers use multiple layers of memory in order to work with data quickly. Currently CPU speeds are anywhere from 10 times to 100 times faster than RAM memory. Therefore, CPUs are built with a small amount of very fast memory (Static RAM, or SRAM) which is usually from 10 KB to 10 MB in size. Data cached in this memory is the fastest to work with and DDR RAM is usually much slower (10-100 times).
Wikipedia says DDR3 RAM currently takes 5-10 ns per "cycle". What does this mean exactly, and how fast is SRAM in comparison? Also, for embedded projects utilizing FPGA's, how useful is SRAM and DDR3 and can either be omitted in favor of the other? (eg. No need of SRAM if DDR3 speeds are similar)
Cycle as used on that web page means "clock cycle": the time taken for one pulse of the clock signal used by the ram. So the 100MHz clock corresponds to a 10ns cycle.
Internally, this corresponds to selecting a row within the chip and reading the corresponding column lines; this brings out a set of values (let's say 256 bits = 8 bytes), for each of the 8 chips on the RAM.
There then follows a response burst where the values are transferred back to the processor. The bus is 64 bits wide, so there will be several transfers. Usually this fills an entire cache "line".
(Note that there is an implicit pipeline: you can send out another request before the first has finshed)
For an FPGA project, you'd use onboard SRAM in preference, but if there isn't enough or you need to share it, you would use external DDR RAM.
• \$\begingroup\$ Great info, but how does this compare specifically to DDR3 RAM? Do you know like how many times faster/slower would DDR3 RAM be in comparison? Or is it apples to oranges? \$\endgroup\$ Dec 5 '12 at 16:55
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\$\begingroup\$ Well, if you want specifics you have to be specific about the SRAM - link a datasheet to the FPGA you're interested in. (The latency of onboard SRAM is always much better, though) \$\endgroup\$
– pjc50
Dec 5 '12 at 17:08
• \$\begingroup\$ Another difference between SRAM and DRAM is the possible variability of latency. In addition to the column read or write command, a DRAM access may need a row activate command (if the accessed row is not the most recently used in its bank), and even a precharge command (if the old row has not been written back before a new row is to be activated). The refresh that DRAM requires can also interfere with ordinary accesses. Banking is used to provide better typical behavior, but the worst case--every access is to a different row in the same bank--can significantly affect performance. \$\endgroup\$ Dec 5 '12 at 23:52
• \$\begingroup\$ This actually explains a lot for why many factors can affect the speed of memory intense program \$\endgroup\$
– Earlz
Dec 6 '12 at 4:42
• 1
\$\begingroup\$ If you're using the onboard SRAM of an FPGA then that usually will do a write in one cycle and a read in two. Speed of PC L2/L3 cache isn't relevant. \$\endgroup\$
– pjc50
Dec 6 '12 at 10:19
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Wire loop game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A man playing a version of the wire loop game.
A wire loop game is a game which involves guiding a metal loop (a 'probe') along a serpentine length of wire without touching the loop to the wire.[1] The loop and wire are connected to a power source in such a way that, if they touch, they form a closed electric circuit. The circuit is connected to a light or sound-emitting device of some sort, so that when the loop and the wire touch, the light-emitting device will light up, and the sound-emitting device will make a sound, traditionally a buzzing noise. In commercial implementations of the game the wire is usually bent along a single axis.[1]
Virtual versions of this game exist, in which the pointer takes the place of the wire loop and must be guided down a narrow, twisting path without touching the sides. Both versions require well-developed hand-eye coordination. The difficulty of any particular game depends in part on the shape of the twisted wire and the size of the loop.
1. ^ a b Read, Jenny C.A; Begum, Shah Farzana; McDonald, Alice; Trowbridge, Jack (1 January 2013). "The Binocular Advantage in Visuomotor Tasks Involving Tools". i-Perception. 4: 101–110. doi:10.1068/i0565. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
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Catharanthus roseus: Vinca rosea
Family: Apocynaceae
Common name: Vinca Rosea, Periwinkle, Graveyard plant, Bright eyes, Old maid, Pink periwinkle, Rose periwinkle
A common flower in Indian gardens, Vinca grows well in the wild too. Vinca plants grow to a height of about 1 meter with a good bushy spread. They are quite hardly and blooms throughout the year making it a garden favorite.
The most commonly seen flower color is light violet, but other variants like white, pink, deep pink, orange, peach, red and multi-colored are all equally beautiful. Good sunlight, adequate water and occasional nourishment is all they need to keep flowering throughout the year.
The leaves are oblong and glossy with a distinct mid-vein. Flowers have five distinct petals which are sometimes slightly overlapping. Most variants have a differently colored center and that’s what makes these flowers exceptionally beautiful. Vinca plants also produce fruits that are about 2-4 cms long, but it’s not very commonly seen.
Common variants include Albus with white flowers, Grape cooler with rose-pink flowers, Peppermint Cooler with white and red flowers, and the Ocellatus Group with multi-colored flowers.
Vinca Rosea plants have many medicinal properties, and is used in treatment of diabetes, malaria and lymphoma. Though the plant is considered poisonous, 2 important chemicals Catharanthine and Vindoline present in the Vinca plants are used in treatment of cancer.
Propagation is through stem cuttings.
Photo Courtesy: Rajeev Nair,
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